Fiction Writing - Structure

Fiction Writing - Structure

Drag and Drop

Fill in the gaps in this passage about different plot structures.

When a story jumps back in time, this is called a ​

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. When it jumps ahead in time, this is called a ​

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. Sometimes, authors will use a ​

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to help keep readers totally gripped by the story. A split ​

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is a story told from two different ​

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.

Drag these tiles and drop them in the correct blank above

prologue

epilogue

foreshadowing

flashback

flashforward

cliffhanger

narrative

perspectives

Reorder

The plot points in this story have been jumbled up.

• Grandma's famous pizza recipe is stolen from the locked safe.

• Written on the wall in tomato sauce is "It's my turn to get a slice of the pie. Your pizzeria will never make any dough again, as long as I live."

• Across the road, she sees a hooded figure with a tomato-stained piece of paper.

• Armed with her rolling pin, Grandma follows them, shouting for them to stop.

• The figure responds to Grandma's shouts by throwing pepperoni at her.

1

2

3

4

5

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5

Open Ended

Write two plot points to follow directly after this.

1.Grandma's famous pizza recipe is stolen from the locked safe.

2.Written on the wall in tomato sauce is "It's my turn to get a slice of the pie. Your pizzeria will never make any dough again, as long as I live."

3.Across the road, she sees a hooded figure with a tomato-stained piece of paper.

4.Armed with her rolling pin, Grandma follows them, shouting for them to stop.

5.The figure responds to Grandma's shouts by throwing pepperoni at her.

Teacher's example

6. Grandma dodges the flying pepperoni and, with surprising agility, sprints after the figure, determined to reclaim her stolen recipe. The chase leads them through the busy streets, weaving between market stalls and startled pedestrians.

7. As the hooded figure tries to escape down a narrow alley, Grandma throws her rolling pin like a boomerang, knocking the figure off balance. The paper slips from their grasp, and Grandma seizes the moment to grab it back, revealing the crumpled recipe—but the chase isn't over yet.

Open Ended

Which do you think is the best opening sentence A,B or C? Explain why it is the most effective.

Teacher's example

C - it uses a mysterious rhetorical question which engages the reader and makes them want to read on.

Open Ended

How could you use the text's structure to add a sense of suspense to the story?

Teacher's example

I would include a flashforward at the beginning of the story without much context to pique the reader's curiosity about how the story gets to that point.

Open Ended

How would you end the story? Explain why your idea would make an effective ending

Teacher's example

Ending Idea:

Grandma chases the hooded figure through the narrow streets, dodging flying pepperoni and determined to reclaim her recipe. Just as she corners the thief in a dark alley, the hooded figure trips, dropping the tomato-stained paper. Grandma snatches it up, only to find it’s not her recipe, but a poorly written fake! The figure pulls back their hood to reveal a rival pizzeria owner, desperate to sabotage Grandma’s business. But instead of anger, Grandma bursts out laughing, realizing that her secret ingredient—the love she puts into every pizza—can’t be stolen or copied. She offers the rival a slice of her famous pie, proposing that they join forces instead of competing. The story ends with the two of them shaking hands, deciding to collaborate and make the best pizza in town together.

Explanation:

This ending is effective because it combines humour and resolution, staying true to the light-hearted tone of the story. It also adds a twist by revealing that the recipe wasn’t truly at risk, emphasising the idea that some things—like Grandma’s love for her craft—can’t be stolen. The ending turns a potential rivalry into a partnership, reinforcing a positive message about collaboration and community, and leaving readers with a warm, satisfying conclusion.