Class Notes

Class: VIII
VII Topic: STORY WRITING
FORMAT AND AN EXAMPLE WITH OUTLINE
Subject: ENGLISH

STORY WRITING
Note: Only for reading reference. Not to be written in notebook.
A story has five key elements:

1. PLOT: There should be a clear idea of the plot of the story in your mind before you begin to write. It has to

be simple yet interesting.

2. CHARACTERS: There should be few characters around whom the plot of the story should revolve.

3. SETTINGS: The time frame and the place constitute the setting of the story.

4. CONFLICT: It is the struggle between two sides of the theme of the story. Conflict can be between
characters, emotions, beliefs or thoughts. It gives life to the story.

5. THEME: The central idea or the main belief of the story is the theme. Every word of the story should be
written related to the theme. As a student you will either be given opening lines or an outline of the plot.

You will be required to build the outline or the theme provided, into a full-fledged story. You should try to
make the story as interesting as possible.

Now, how to write an effective story? Try to understand through this flowchart.

HAVE A CLEAR IDEA OF THE PLOT OF THE

STORY

FOLLOW THE OUTLINE AND KEEP TO THE ORDER IN WHICH POINTS ARE
GIVEN IN THE OUTLINE

BE CAREFUL TO CONNECT THE POINTS GIVEN IN THE OUTLINE

NATURALLY, SO THAT IT DOES NOT BECOME DISJOINTED

INTRODUCE DIALOGUES, BUT BE CAREFUL THAT THEY SUIT THE

OUTLINE
 THE CONCLUSION OF THE STORY IS VERY IMPORTANT. THE ENDING
CAN BE SURPRISING BUT NOT INCOHERENT WITH THE PLOT

IF ASKED TO SUPPLY A TITLE TO THE STORY, YOU MAY CHOOSE THE

MAIN CHARACTER,OBJECT OR INCIDENT OF THE STORY;OR A PROVERB
OR WELL-KNOWN QUOTATION THAT SUITS THE STORY

REVISE THE STORY AND SEE THAT IT IS GRAMMATICALLY AND

IDIOMATICALLY WELL CONSTRUCTED

Note: The two stories given below should be written in notebook.

1.Given below is an outline of a story in the form of phrases. Based on the outline a story is written

as an example with a proper title, a content and a moral.

A rich man ……… had many servants……… purse with lot of money is stolen from rich man’s
drawer……… rich man files a complaint in the police station ……… all the servants called ……… stick of

same length given to each ……… servants told that stick of the thief will grow by one inch overnight
……… the thief cuts his stick by one inch ……… he is easily caught the next day.

TITLE  Mystery of the Stolen Purse

INTRODUCTION  Allen was a rich man who had many servants to serve him. One day he realized that his
purse was missing from his drawer. He was utterly shocked as it was having a lot of money. He decided

to file a complaint at the local police station.

BODY  The chief of police wrote the complaint and decided to solve the
matter himself. He went to Allen’s house and called all the servants of the house and gave a

stick to each one of them. All the sticks were of equal size. He further told them that the stick of the
thief would grow longer by one inch, overnight . He called all the servants to the police station along

with their sticks, the next day. He assured Allen that the strategy would definitely work.

All the servants went back home and slept peacefully, except Jack. He became nervous , restless
and spent a sleepless night. His wife asked him why he had not eaten properly, but he did not tell her

anything. He was worried about his stick growing longer by one inch. He kept measuring the stick from

time to time. At last, in the small hours of the morning, he cut his stick by one inch, as he was scared

of being caught.

CONCLUSION The next day as all the servants reached the police station with the sticks, the chief inspected

the sticks. He found the stick of Jack , shorter by one inch. Jack was trying to make up several unrealistic
stories , but the chief was too smart to be deceived . He immediately caught him and put him behind

bars. Jack was full of remorse and was cursing himself for the deed. The chief recovered the purse and
returned it to Allen. Allen could not believe that one of his trustworthy servants would do that.

MORAL  Theft is a punishable crime and honest is priceless. Always think before you act.

Note: PREPARED ABSOLUTELY AT HOME