How To Add Life To Your Story:Creative Writing Tip ( Part 2 )

Welcome to Part 2 of our creative writing tips for selective tests! In this section, we dive deeper into adding life to your story. Whether you're a student preparing for ACER or Edutest Written test, or simply looking to develop your writing skills, understanding elements like setting, character development and story ideas is crucial.

Join us and take your writing to the next level!

Setting the Stage 

When writing a story, the setting is like a scene that makes your story come to life. Think about the topic and where your story will take place. Is it in a busy city square or a quiet clearing in the country? Imagine the place, whether it's a cozy house, a strange forest or an adventure under the sea. 

Be consistent and include essential details as you talk about the setting in your story. This will make it easier for your readers to imagine the setting you've created and get into your story. 

Characters: The Heart Of The Story

Characters give your narrative life and connect the reader to your story. Focus on one or two unique characteristics when creating characters. Make sure that these things fit with the story and the place you've picked. Think about who they are, how they look, how they talk, what they like and don't like. 

Create relatable characters. 

Your characters should grow and change throughout the story, responding to the events and conflicts that unfold along the way.

Remember that simple is best. So, take a moment to think about your characters and let their unique qualities shine.  

Why Should You Use Descriptive Language In Creative Writing?

Descriptive language is when we use words that describe things in a story to make it more interesting. These words can be adjectives, adverbs, or descriptive verbs. Also, you can use figurative language, like similes and metaphors.

Here are a few reasons why you should use this in your creative writing:

1. It Sets The Mood And Atmosphere

One of the main things that descriptive words do is set the mood and setting of a story. You can take your reader to a certain time, or place by picking words that capture the atmosphere of an event.

For example, instead of just saying that the room was dark, you could say that it was "a dimly lit chamber cloaked in shadows, where whispers of secrets seemed to linger in the air." 

2. It Elicits Emotions And Feelings

The way you express something can make the person feel very strong emotions. You can help the reader feel more connected to the story by picking words that show what the characters have gone through. 

Instead of saying that a character is sad, you could say that their "Shoulders slumped, tears pour from their eyes like a rivulet of shattered dreams."

3. It Creates Vivid Images

One great thing about descriptive language is that it can help the reader see clear pictures in their minds. The use of real details and figurative language can help you bring the story to life. 

For instance, instead of saying the sunset was nice, you can describe it as "a breathtaking mix of vibrant colors, like the sky was ablaze with flames, painting the world in a soothing golden light."

Creative Writing Tip: Show, Dont Tell

"Showing" is the key to creative writing not "telling". Instead of just telling the reader what is happening, you want to grab their interest by adding descriptive elements that let them experience what the characters are going through. 

Strategy For Utilising Descriptive Language

Here's a useful tip for using descriptive language:

When you introduce a person, place, or thing in your story, take a moment to discover more about it. Imagine yourself being curious and wanting to know more. Ask yourself questions about it as if you were really interested in learning all the details.

In this sentence: "The mysterious package arrived at my doorstep."

Ask yourself: 

How does the packaging look? Its size? What colour? Does it contain any designs or symbols? How heavy is it? 

Does it make any sounds when I shake it? Is there a particular smell coming from it? Where did it come from? Who could have sent it? What might be inside?

By exploring these details, you can add more to your writing and make it even more interesting and engaging.

Let's look at this line: "The dog barked."

"What breed is the dog? How big or small is it? What is its fur like? What does its bark sound like?"

With these questions, we can change the line into something like this:

"The energetic Jack Russell terrier unleashed a series of sharp, high-pitched barks, alerting everyone to its presence."

Let's consider another sentence: "The child ran."

Ask yourself questions like: "How old is the child? What is its physical appearance? What is its mood or expression? How is it moving?" 

We can change it into a more engaging sentence like this:

"The bouncing, curly-haired toddler scrambled across the field, his laughter filling the air as he raced with uncontainable joy."

Story Ideas for Creative Writing in Selective Tests

Finding inspiration for your story can be an exciting journey. Reading is one way to get creative ideas flowing. Read books, tales and stories that interest you.

Reading expands your vocabulary, knowledge and worldview, which in turn influences your writing.

Another way to find inspiration is from your own experiences.

Think about exciting things that happened or special times that left a lasting impression on you. Think about how you could turn these events into compelling storylines. 

Let's say your topic is "Friendship." 

Think of a friend who has helped you in the past. It could be turned into a story about two best friends who help each other out when things are hard. 

Using events from your real life in your stories can bring them to life and make them seem more real.

Pictures, photos and artwork can also be great ways to spark your writing inspiration.

When you look at a picture, it can make you feel many different things and give you many ideas.  Look at the colors, shapes and textures that stand out the most. 

Think about what the people or things in the picture might have to do with each other. What do you think the setting of this scene is? Is it daytime or nighttime? What kind of mood or setting does the picture give you?

Imagine finding a picture of an old house with broken windows and weeds growing all over it. When you look at the picture, you want to know more about it. You can use this picture as a starting point for making up a story.

Selective School Creative Writing Test Sample 

Suppose your topic is "kindness." Think about a moving act of kindness you've experienced or seen. It could be a story about a stranger who helps someone in need. 

Imagine the scene, whether it's a busy road in the city, an empty lot or a quiet park. Describe the characters, including how kind they are, how they look and how their actions affect others.

As you write your story, try to capture the spirit of kindness by showing how it changes people, spreads and how beautiful it is when people connect.

Remember that the key to success is to write in a way that is both easy to understand and high quality. Focus on writing a good story rather than getting caught up in making a complicated plot that may leave you with little time to tell a good story. Embrace your creativity and let your ideas fly!

Final Words 

To do well on the test, you must learn to write creatively. You can improve your storytelling skills and keep your readers interested by learning how vital setting, character development and story ideas are. 

Use your imagination to its fullest, practice writing with a clear goal and let your style shine through in your stories. Following these tips, you can show your creativity and excel in the creative writing test.