9. Creative writing

9. Creative writing:
Writing an opening

paragraph

Starting a story

“It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks were

striking thirteen.”

— George Orwell, Nineteen Eighty-Four

“The boy with fair hair lowered himself down the last few

feet of rock and began to pick his way toward the lagoon.

Though he had taken off his school sweater and trailed it

now from one hand, his grey shirt stuck to him and his

hair was plastered to his forehead.”

— William Golding, Lord of the Flies

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit.”

— J.R.R. Tolkien, The Hobbit

Here are some examples of how to start
a story…

The beginning of your creative writing
should hook the reader in and make
them want to know more!

Let’s practice

Open Ended

Write the opening sentence for a story about someone undertaking a long, dangerous journey.

Open Ended

write the opening sentence for a story set in a desert town

Open Ended

Write the opening for a story about a new stranger in town. This story must start with dialogue

Your turn

Write the beginning of a story about two friends who

were once inseparable, but now find themselves

growing apart — or even turning enemies.

Checklist:

❏

Interesting opening sentence

❏

Describe the setting

❏

Introduce the two main characters

❏

Describe the turn of events in detail