Story writing in English is one of the most popular exercises in the English curriculum in schools. You’re given an outline, based on which you need to create a story with plot, characters and incidents. Or, you’d be given the opening line, based on which you need to form the story. Either way, it’s one of the most fun activities you’ll encounter in school.
If your exams are around the corner or you’re finishing up your homework and need quick help with the story writing format, you’re in the right place. In this blog, we will guide you through the steps of writing a story adhering to a format and tone.
Check it out, keep up with your practice and seal the marks in your exams.
Short Story Writing Format
You need to approach the story writing activity sticking to some basic rules. Here’s a short story format for your reference.
Title: Choose a suitable and engaging title that resonates with the given outline. This will give readers an instant idea of what the story is about.
Setting: Now, give a quick glimpse of the story and let the readers know where and when it takes place. The readers are prepared for the beginning now.
Characters: Introduce the characters in your story briefly and explain their respective roles to the reader.
Plot: Now comes the most important part, which is the plot. Unfold the story with an event that captures the reader’s attention. Develop the story through a series of events and show how the characters are dealing with them. As it builds up, take the story to the climax, where the tension reaches its peak. Now, wrap it up by resolving the conflict.
Must Include: Remember to include dialogue from characters in direct speech. If the story carries a moral message, put it at the end.
Story Writing Format for Class 9
You know the story writing format now. Based on that, here’s a story writing sample for class 9 to help you understand.
The Clever Rabbit and the Proud Lion
Once upon a time, in a big jungle, lived a cruel lion who terrorised all the animals. They decided to hold a meeting to find a way to stop him. A clever rabbit came up with a plan and proceeded to execute it.
The rabbit went to the lion’s den very late the next day. “Why are you late?” roared the lion. “I was hiding from another lion,” said the rabbit. “Another lion?” asked the lion angrily. “Take me to him!”
The rabbit led the lion to a deep well and pointed inside. The lion, seeing his reflection, thought it was another lion. Furious, he jumped into the well to attack, only to drown.
The jungle was peaceful. The animals thanked the clever rabbit, as they realised that intelligence and wit could overcome negative strength.
Moral: Wisdom and cleverness can defeat might.
Story Writing Format for Class 10
You check a detailed story writing sample for class 10 in this section.
The Thirsty Crow
On a hot summer day, a thirsty crow flew around for water. He searched for hours but found no water. Tired, just as he was about to give up, he saw a pitcher on a roof.
The crow flew down and looked inside the pitcher. He found a small amount of water at the bottom. He tried to reach it, but his beak couldn’t touch the water. The crow thought for a while and came up with a clever idea. He started picking up small pebbles and dropping them into the pitcher.
With each pebble, the water level rose a little higher. The crow continued until the water was within his reach. He drank the water joyfully, quenching his thirst. Refreshed, the crow flew away.
The incident taught the crow an important lesson: even the most challenging problems can be solved with patience and intelligence.
Moral: Where there is a will, there is a way.
Story Writing Format for Class 11
It’s time to check out the story writing sample for grade 11 students.
The King and the Spider
Once, there was a king who had been defeated in battle. Devastated, he sought refuge in a cave. As he sat there, sighing at his misfortune, he noticed a spider trying to weave a web. The spider repeatedly failed, falling each time it attempted to attach its silk to the cave wall.
The spider tried again and again. On the seventh attempt, it finally succeeded. Inspired by the spider’s persistence, the king regained his courage. He decided to gather his remaining soldiers and face his enemies once more.
With pumped-up determination, the king led his army into battle and triumphed. He returned to his kingdom, wiser and more resilient.
The king realised that failure is a step towards success, and perseverance is the key to overcoming any obstacle.
Moral: Persistence and determination can lead to success, even after repeated failures.
Story Writing Format for Class 12
Here’s a narrative writing sample if you’re in 12th grade. Check out!
The Forgotten Invitations
John had planned his 50th birthday celebration with enthusiasm. He rented a hall, arranged catering, and booked a live band. He even bought the best suit from the mall to deck up on the special day.
As the day started approaching, he began to feel excited. He was happy that he could celebrate his special day with his friends and family. His happiness knew no bounds. John also ordered his favourite Blueberry cake from the shop of his choice.
On the party day, John arrived early to ensure everything was perfect. The tables were beautifully decorated with silk sheets, the food smelled delicious, and the band was ready. As the clock ticked closer to the start time, John eagerly awaited his guests. Minutes turned into hours, and the hall remained empty.
Confused and disappointed, John checked his phone for messages or calls, but there were none. He was sad and didn’t know what to do. A dejected John went back home.
He sat in front of the mirror and started blaming himself thinking no one loved him. Just then, he noticed the birthday invitation cards, on the corner of the desk, that he had forgotten to send.
Moral: Your present actions decide your future.
English Story Writing Topics
Here are a few English story-writing topics that you can expect to come up in your question papers during the exams.
A: Compose a story based on the following opening lines.
1: Lily woke up to find a magic pencil beside her bed….
2: Once upon a time there lived a fairy on the banks of the rivers…
3: There lived an idle boy in the village who never did any work.
4: Once upon a time there lived a cunning box in the jungle.
5: Reeta and Meeta were two great friends. One day they decided to play hide and seek.
B. Compose a story based on the following outlines.
1: A farmer-quarrelling sons-worried-thinks of a plan and asks sons to gather sticks-asks them to break the bunch-asks to break single sticks-sons learn essential lessons.
2: Rabbit and tortoise- rabbit makes fun of slow tortoise-decides to race-rabbit sleep in middle-tortoise doesn’t stop running- reaches the finishing line before the rabbit-moral.
3: Lazy people of a kingdom-king wanted to teach a lesson- put a stone in the middle of a road-everybody ignores-after one week removes it from his own iron box with 100 gold coins found ashamed.
Checkout Related Topics:
Story Writing Tips
Here are a few things to remember while understanding the story writing format. Remember these tips to improve your wiring.
- Keep the writing crisp and to the point. Redundancies can cost your marks.
- Pay attention to the story’s title and climax. Keep it engaging and demonstrate your critical thinking capabilities.
- Use direct speech in your story to make it more comprehensive and relatable to the reader; as if a narrative is being narrated.
- Remember the story writing format and tick the important boxes: plot, characters, setting and conclusion.
Wrapping Up
With that, we wrap up our discussion on the story writing format for school students. You can pick up the topics and practice writing in your notebook. For better clarity, get it checked by your teacher. This will give you a strong understanding and help improve your creative writing and thinking skills before the exams.
Once you get a hold of it, story writing is one of the fun activities in your school curriculum. We hope you found this guide helpful. Gear up and start your preparations from today!
FAQs
Q1. What is story writing?
Ans – Story writing is a tale or narrative with a plot and characters where a series of events unfold with a conclusion.
Q2. Can I use direct speech in school-level story writing?
Ans – Yes, you can use direct speech in the dialogues of your characters. It makes it more readable and comprehensive to the readers.
Q3. Is it necessary to include a moral in story writing?
Ans – If the study carries an underlying message, it’s good to put a moral.
Q4. How many characters can I include in my story?
Ans – Based on the setting and plot of the story, you can keep as many characters as you need to fulfil the requirements. But please remember, each character must have their respective roles in the tale.
