Writing fiction is a craft – and like all crafts, it has to be learned.
Here are some points to consider:
Plotting a novel: Having a good idea is not a plot. A plot means conflict, having a goodie and a baddie and a problem to solve.
Choosing a viewpoint: Which one is correct for your book – the first person (I), second person (you) or third person (he/she)?
Constructing a character: Think of ways you can create a character, flaws and all.
Writing believable dialogue: Modern novels consist of 50% dialogue, so you need to be good at this. Listen to how people speak. Write different voices.
Teaching tips
Get your learners to free write on a topic for five minutes. Do not lift your pen from the page. Do not stop to think. Just write.
This shows the children that they can write at least half a page in five minutes!
Describe these abstract words through the senses: love, hate, jealousy, pity, lust and anger.
They must be described in concrete terms. For example: love looks like a spider’s web, smells like freshly brewed coffee, tastes like dew, sounds like laughter, and feels like silk.
Amanda Patterson is a creative director at The Write Co, Tel: (011) 666 4766, www.itsallwrite.net