Tips & tricks
Story writing guide for kids
Want to write stories that make people laugh, gasp and turn the page? These 82 short guides show you how, with real examples and fun things to try. Pick a shelf, or any tip, to start!
Ideas & planning
Find something to write about and plan it before you start.
4 min read
Where Do Story Ideas Come From?
Stuck for an idea? Ask "What if?" and look around you. Ideas are everywhere!
4 min read
Help! I'm Stuck! Beating Writer's Block
Every writer gets stuck sometimes. Here are fun tricks to get your story moving again.
4 min read
Plan Your Story Like a Comic Strip
Draw your story in boxes first, and writing it becomes so much easier.
4 min read
Your Life Is Full of Stories
Turn real moments, from a lost tooth to a family trip, into stories worth reading.
4 min read
The Magic of "What If?"
One small "What if?" can grow into a whole story. Here's how to keep asking.
4 min read
Keep a Writer's Notebook
A notebook is a treasure chest for ideas, overheard words and things you notice.
4 min read
Find a Story in a Picture
Every picture is a frozen moment. Ask what happened before and what comes next.
4 min read
Mind Maps: Grow Your Ideas
Put one idea in the middle and watch it branch out into characters, places and plots.
4 min read
Which Idea Should I Write?
Got too many ideas? Try these quick tests to pick the one that's ready to become a story.
4 min read
Roll a Story: Prompts and Story Dice
Let chance pick your hero, place and problem, then see what story you can make.
4 min read
Be a Noticer: Spot Stories Everywhere
Writers notice tiny things other people miss. Train your eyes and ears to find stories.
4 min read
How Long Should My Story Be?
Short, medium, long or epic? Match the length to the size of your idea and the time you have.
Characters
Heroes, villains and sidekicks that readers care about.
5 min read
Creating Characters Readers Love
Give your hero a want, a worry and a weird little habit, and readers will cheer for them.
4 min read
Give Your Character a Big Problem
No problem, no story! Learn how trouble makes your story exciting.
4 min read
Creating a Villain Readers Love to Hate
The best baddies have reasons, plans and a little bit of surprise.
4 min read
Choosing Perfect Names
A great name can tell readers who a character is before they've done anything.
4 min read
Sidekicks and Story Friendships
Every hero needs a friend. Learn how sidekicks make stories warmer and funnier.
4 min read
What Does Your Character Want (and Fear)?
A character who wants something badly, and fears something deeply, will drive your whole story.
4 min read
Perfect Characters Are Boring: Give Them Flaws
Grumpy, bossy or forgetful? A good flaw makes a character feel real and causes great trouble.
4 min read
Characters Who Grow and Change
Like a caterpillar becoming a butterfly, your hero can end the story a little different from how they began.
3 min read
Describe a Character in a Flash
Skip the long list of hair and eye colours. Pick one or two vivid details that say it all.
4 min read
The Unlikely Hero
The smallest, shyest or clumsiest character can save the day, and readers love cheering them on.
4 min read
Give Every Character Their Own Voice
Make each character sound so different that readers know who's talking, even without a name.
Plot & structure
Beginnings, middles, endings and everything that keeps pages turning.
4 min read
The Story Sandwich: Beginning, Middle and End
Every great story is built like a yummy sandwich. Here's how to stack yours.
4 min read
Hook Your Reader With a Great First Line
Your first sentence is like a fishing hook. Make it so interesting that readers can't swim away.
4 min read
Cliffhangers: Keep Readers Turning Pages
Learn the tricks that make readers say "Just one more chapter!"
4 min read
Writing an Ending to Remember
Tie up your story in a way that leaves readers smiling, gasping or thinking.
4 min read
Plot Twists: Surprise Your Reader
Learn how to hide clues and flip your story upside down at just the right moment.
4 min read
Paragraphs: Give Your Reader a Breather
Learn when to start a new paragraph, and how to speed up or slow down your story.
4 min read
The Rule of Three
Three pigs, three wishes, three tries: discover why stories love the number three.
4 min read
Make Things Worse! Raising the Stakes
Turn up the heat on your hero so readers simply have to keep reading to find out what happens.
4 min read
Writing an Exciting Action Scene
Chases, battles and daring escapes: keep readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.
4 min read
Flashbacks: Jumping Back in Time
Step into a character's past for a moment to reveal a secret, a fear or a reason why.
5 min read
The Hero's Journey for Young Writers
Discover the ancient story path that heroes have followed for thousands of years, and use it yourself.
Settings & worlds
Build the places your story happens, from real streets to magic kingdoms.
5 min read
Building an Amazing Story World
Whether it's a magical kingdom or your own street, make your setting feel real.
4 min read
Setting the Scene: Where Is Your Story?
Pick a few sharp details so your reader can step right into the place where your story happens.
4 min read
Weather Sets the Mood
Sunshine, storms and fog can whisper to your reader how a scene should feel.
5 min read
Draw a Map of Your Story World
Grab a pencil and map out the forests, rivers and hideouts where your adventure will happen.
5 min read
Inventing Magic (With Rules!)
The best magic has limits and costs. Here's how to build spells that make your story more exciting.
4 min read
Invent an Amazing Creature
Mix, match and imagine a brand new beast, then decide how it lives, eats and behaves.
5 min read
Stories Set Long Ago
Travel back in time with your writing and make the past feel real, from castles to Victorian streets.
4 min read
Put Real Places in Your Stories
Your street, your town or a place you've visited can make the perfect setting for an adventure.
5 min read
Festivals, Food and Funny Laws: Bring Your World to Life
Invent celebrations, dinners and strange rules so your story world feels lived in.
4 min read
Make Everyday Places Exciting
Your school, a supermarket or the bus stop can be thrilling settings if you look at them in a new way.
5 min read
Secret Doors and Hidden Places
Wardrobes, trapdoors and hidden passages: how to lead your reader somewhere nobody else has been.
Words & style
Choose words, sentences and voices that bring every scene to life.
4 min read
Show, Don't Tell: Be a Story Detective
Instead of telling readers how a character feels, leave clues so they can work it out.
4 min read
Use Your Five Senses
Help readers feel like they're right inside your story by using sight, sound, smell, touch and taste.
5 min read
Writing Dialogue That Sounds Real
Make your characters talk like real people, and learn the punctuation that goes with it.
4 min read
Choosing Powerful Words
Swap boring words for zingy ones and watch your writing come alive.
4 min read
Similes and Metaphors: Painting Pictures With Words
Compare things in clever ways to help your reader see exactly what you mean.
5 min read
Who Is Telling the Story? (I, You or They)
Discover how choosing a narrator changes the whole feel of your story.
4 min read
Crash! Bang! Using Sound Words
Words that sound like their noise let readers hear your story. Here's how to use them well.
4 min read
Make Objects Come Alive (Personification)
Give a teapot a temper or a wind a whisper, and your descriptions will spring to life.
4 min read
Alliteration: Super Sound Patterns
Put words with the same starting sound side by side and your writing will sing.
3 min read
Short Sentences, Long Sentences
Mix short and long sentences to make your writing rush, relax and sound like music.
3 min read
The Biggest Exaggeration in the Universe (Hyperbole)
Stretch the truth until it's hilarious, from homework taller than a house to a sneeze heard on the Moon.
Story types
Try mysteries, fables, poems, plays, spooky stories and more.
4 min read
How to Write a Funny Story
Make your readers giggle with surprises, silly mix-ups and the rule of three.
5 min read
Writing Your First Poem
Poems don't have to rhyme! Play with sounds, shapes and feelings.
5 min read
Write Your Own Mystery Story
A crime, some suspects, a few clues and a clever detective: here's the recipe.
4 min read
Writing Stories With Talking Animals
From fables to adventures, here's how to give animals big personalities.
4 min read
Give a Fairy Tale a Twist
Take a story everyone knows and make it brand new. It's a great way to practise!
3 min read
Tiny Tales: Write a Story in 50 Words
Short stories are a big challenge. Learn to make every word count!
5 min read
Write a Fantasy Adventure
Quests, magic and brave heroes: here's how to set off on an adventure of your own.
5 min read
Write a Science Fiction Story
Rockets, robots and far-off futures. Explore big ideas by asking how science could change everything.
4 min read
Write a (Not Too) Spooky Story
Creaky doors and shivery silences: learn to give readers goosebumps without real nightmares.
4 min read
Write a Fable With a Lesson
Short, clever and wise. Learn to build a fable backwards, starting from its lesson.
4 min read
Tell a Story in Diary Entries
Dear Diary, you won't believe what happened today... Write a story as secret diary pages.
5 min read
Create Your Own Superhero Story
Invent a hero with a power, a weakness and a secret, then throw them into trouble.
5 min read
Write a Play to Perform
Turn your story into a script with characters, lines and stage directions, ready for an audience.
4 min read
Pick the Right Kind of Story
Mystery, fantasy, funny or true? Choosing the kind of story first tells you what your reader is hoping for.
Polish & share
Edit, finish and share your story with the world.
5 min read
Editing: Make Your Story Shine
Your first draft is just the start. Here's an easy checklist to polish your story.
4 min read
Sharing Your Story With an Audience
Reading your story out loud is exciting! Here's how to do it with confidence.
4 min read
Punctuation Power: Full Stops, Commas and More
Little dots and squiggles tell your reader when to stop, pause, shout and wonder.
5 min read
How to Punctuate Speech
Speech marks, commas and new lines: the simple rules that make dialogue easy to follow.
4 min read
Choosing a Brilliant Title
A great title is a tiny promise that makes readers itch to open your story.
4 min read
Giving and Getting Feedback
How to help a friend's story shine, and how to listen when it's your turn.
4 min read
Snip! Cutting Words You Don't Need
Trim the extra words and watch your sentences get faster, sharper and stronger.
4 min read
Spelling Tricks for Busy Writers
Keep your ideas flowing first, then use clever tricks to fix tricky spellings later.
4 min read
Design a Cover That Says "Read Me!"
Pick one big picture, bold lettering and a splash of mystery to make your book irresistible.
4 min read
Write a Blurb for the Back of Your Book
A blurb is a short teaser that hooks readers without giving away the ending.
4 min read
Finishing Your Story (Even When It's Hard)
Stuck in the soggy middle? Small, clever steps will carry you all the way to The End.
4 min read
Planning Pictures for Your Story
Choose the moments worth drawing, so your pictures and words work together as a team.