AI-generated header illustration.
A short story can begin with a small problem: a missing drawing, a door that will not open, or a robot that takes instructions too literally. You do not need to plan a whole novel. Try writing one scene in which somebody wants something, tries to get it and meets a surprise.
For young writers: work on paper or in a private document. You can draw the scenes, dictate to a trusted adult or write them yourself. There is no required word count. This activity can take several short sessions.
Make a four-part story map
A story map helps you organise a character, setting, problem and resolution. These are the elements used by ReadWriteThink’s story-planning resource. They are useful starting points, not rules that every story must follow.
- Character: Who is this about? Give them a name and something they want.
- Setting: Where and when does the scene happen? Choose one place to begin.
- Problem: What makes the character’s wish difficult?
- Resolution: What do they try, and what changes? The result can be success, a mistake or a new question.
Here is an original fictional example for this activity: Nia wants to display her drawing in the school library. A gust of air carries it under a locked display cabinet. She needs a way to ask for help before the exhibition starts.
Read a complete small story
The Lost Dragon — an invented example
Nia placed her dragon drawing beside the library’s display cabinet. She had coloured every scale green except one, which was gold.
Then the door swung open. A gust lifted the paper and slid it straight under the cabinet.
Nia crouched down. She could see the dragon’s tail, but her fingers could not reach it. Pulling the cabinet looked difficult, and it was much too heavy to move safely.
“The exhibition starts soon,” she told the librarian. “My drawing is underneath.”
The librarian brought a long cardboard strip. Together they gently slid the picture towards the edge. Nia caught a corner.
There was a grey smudge across the dragon’s nose.
“I could draw it again,” Nia said. Then she looked at the smudge a second time. She added two curls of pencil smoke above it.
When the exhibition opened, her label read: A Dragon Learning to Breathe Smoke.
Notice that the problem stays small. Nia makes a choice, gets appropriate help and finds a new use for an unexpected mark. The story does not need a villain or a dangerous adventure.
Write your own version
Choose one prompt, or invent another:
- A robot delivers a birthday card to the wrong classroom.
- A child finds a blank page in a book that seems to answer questions.
- Two friends both want the same part in a puppet show.
Write three rough sentences first: “My character wants…”, “But…”, and “So they try…”. Turn each sentence into a paragraph. Include one thing the character says and one detail a reader could see or hear. You can begin with action, dialogue or a description; choose the opening that fits your scene.
Revise one thing at a time
Compare these two invented sentences: “Nia was worried” and “Nia checked the clock, then peered under the cabinet again.” The second shows an action a reader can interpret. Neither form is always better: naming a feeling can keep a story moving, while a specific action can slow down an important moment.
- Check whether readers can tell what your character wants.
- Find any jump where an action needs explaining.
- Read the scene aloud, use text-to-speech or ask someone to read it with you. Change anything that is hard to follow.
- Ask a trusted reader, “Where were you curious?” and “Where were you confused?” Decide which suggestions help your story.
Give the story a title after you finish. Keep an earlier version so you can see what changed. Sharing is optional; ask an adult before posting online and leave out private details about real children.
