Story Writing Format for Class 9 to 12

Do you love weaving interesting narratives with your imagination? A story is simply a narrative comprising either real or fictional characters put together in certain events or circumstances. Story writing forms a crucial element of the Class 9 and 10 English syllabus as it aims to teach children about the basic structure and format of writing a tale. This blog brings a comprehensive guide on story writing format, story writing topics and narrative writing format for Class 9 and 10 which you must practice to ace this section in your English examination. 

Story Writing Format, Topics, and Tips PDF

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What is Story Writing?

Story Writing is a fictional writing method that is written in a simpler way and has its own natural flow. Story Writing covers five elements: Character (Crucially a Protagonist and Antagonist), Setting, Plot, Conflict, and Theme. Through story writing, you share the experience of characters in a physical setting with a plot that makes it story-worthy, a conflict that causes a riff or relationship core of the characters, and finally the theme of the story as in what the story wants to share.

Story Writing Format Class 9

Before understanding the essentials of how to write a short story, let’s take a look at the simpler story writing format for Class 9 and Class 10. Here are the features of a good story as per the story writing format with narrative writing format for Class 9:

• Order: The story should be narrated in a sequential order starting from the beginning when the characters are introduced, important events happen and then the conclusion which brings the ending.
• Theme: Every student must follow the theme provided in the starting lines of the story writing question and should avoid inserting or inventing newer story themes.
• Concise and Short: Adhere to the word limit provided for writing the story and weave an interesting narrative within the limit.
• Key Elements: Every story should have a beginning, major event and then conclusion.

Story Writing Topics for Class 10

For the story writing section in Class 10 as well as Class 6 to Class 12 for CBSE, the students are asked to frame a story based on a number of story writing topics The title and moral carries 1 mark while the story content is for 4 marks and the story expression is given 5 marks after evaluation of coherence, accurate use of words and correct spelling and punctuation. Here are some useful story writing topics for Class 10 with narrative writing format:

Story Writing Topic 1

Write a short story in 200 – 250 words using the following clues. Provide your story with a title.                                                                                                                              Travelling to Mumbai by bus to attend the marriage of a friend …… got stuck in a traffic jam ……. reached the railway station late …… boarded a wrong train …… realized after two hours ……. now you ………

Story Writing Topic 2

Write a short story in 200 – 250 words using the following clues. Provide your story with a title.                                                                                                                                                                   Raman was on the terrace ……. watching the last rays of the sun. Suddenly, he heard some shouting coming from the street ……. He ran down the stairs to see what had happened ……..

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Narrative Writing Format Class 11

Narrative is a written or oral form of expression, narrative writing involves event and experience. Here is the narrative writing format for class 11:

1. Heading
2. Writer’s name and class
3. Body (include incident/experience information, reaction, factual information and more)

Narrative Writing Format Class 12

Story Writing Worksheets for Class 6 to Class 12

To help you practice your story writing and knowledge of its format and elements, here are some story writing worksheets for Class 6 to Class 12:

Short Story Format

A story is usually meant for entertainment purposes, can be moral-based or both. It is important that your written narrative has an “easily understandable grammatical structure” with “natural flow of speech” to help the reader comprehend it. Stories can be told using different forms of narration like written, oral and visual or audio-video.

Here are the elements of a short story format:

• Setting
• Characterization
• Plot
• Conflict
• Climax
• Resolution
• Theme
• Point of view 

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Short Story Writing Format

Story writing requires creativity and imagination and your narrative must be structured in an organized manner to infer the intended meaning. The main purpose of structuring a story is to explain, narrate, and persuade the reader or an audience.

Here is the story writing format:

• Beginning: Kickstart your story with a catchy beginning that grips your readers right away!
• Character Introduction: Familiarise your readers with the main characters, their part in the story and help them fit the pieces of your story puzzle!
• Plot: This is when the real drama begins, as the main plot comes to the limelight. Expose the story and let your characters react, evolve and reach towards the main conflict.
• Climax/Ending/Conclusion: Whether you go for a happy one or an open ending, make sure that at least some of the issues if not all of them get resolved by the end and you leave a long-lasting impression on the readers!

Let’s take a look at the main constituents of the story writing format which have been explained below:

Beginning

The beginning is the most fundamental and basic element of story writing format which stresses upon setting the right stage for your characters as well as the plot. Often referred to as the exposition, the beginning of the story is the part where you need to provide the reader with a basic overview of every key character and the setting for the plot in order to hook the reader till the end. 

Introduction to Characters

Often comprised under the beginning element of story writing, character introductions might also happen after the setting has been solidified. It is necessary to produce characters that have a purpose or role in the development of the story. Try creating characters that the reader can relate to and those that connect the plot throughout the narration.

Plot

Once you have familiarised the reader with the setting and character, the next step is to work towards curating an intricate and engaging plot. The plot is where the actual action of the whole story occurs. Without including this element in your story writing, you will not be able to intrigue the reader and spark their curiosity. 

Conflict

Conflict is where you have the chance to experiment with your characters by putting them in a persevering circumstance or rather entering a new sub-plot to intrigue the reader further. This constituent of story writing aims to hook the reader to the plot and you must weave it in an engaging way. Often the conflict in the story can be an event, situation or even a new character. It plays a vital role in changing the mundane lives of your story’s characters and putting a challenge in front of them which will make your narrative interesting.

Climax/Conclusion

Considered to be the final stage in story writing format, a logical or decisive conclusion is where the story ends. It elucidates upon the resolution of the conflict that you introduced as well as explores what your character learnt from the situational conflict or how they emerged from it. Often many stories do not have an ending but leave the reader in bewilderment with the promise of continuing with the next part and this tactic is referred to as a cliffhanger.

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How to Write a Story?

While the commonly followed story writing format has been elaborated above, there are no certain and specific rules that one needs to follow while carving out an interesting story. Writers generally start the process by searching for story-writing topics and ideas. To help you create an appealing and engaging story, we have recommended a general process you can follow.

Here is how you can write a short story:

• Think of the main idea of your story
• Create a basic outline of your story
• Add a protagonist
• Write an intriguing first line of your story
• Build up on your characters
• Write, Edit & Proofread

The Idea is the Premise

The first and foremost thing you need for story writing is an idea. This idea can be anything, from an event to a character or a simple one-liner that you want to turn into a story. Further, ideas come with constant brainstorming, reading and writing and often if you are not getting the right ideas to form your narrative, you are surely facing a writer’s block. Read as much as you can, write all the story writing topics you have in mind and brainstorm with yourself and others to come up with engaging storylines.

Carve a Basic Outline

Once you are sure about the story you want to narrate, the next step is to create a simple outline of events and characters the narrative will spread across. This can be just a one-liner which can brief anyone about the basic storyline or it can be in pointers listing down the different events. Making a concise outline will help you keep a grasp over the story writing format as you will be able to understand the different events and how they will unfold.

Focus on the Protagonist

“The protagonist is the character whose fate matters most to the story.”

Stephen Koch

Just like you have to spend hours working on the right idea for your story, you will also have to work on carving the right protagonist who can represent the idea and theme of your narrative. While most writers prefer to have a character as their protagonist, it is commonly not a necessity to do so. You can put innovate and think out of the box and make any event, idea or even a thing your protagonist. But remember, a protagonist will drive your story’s narrative and plot, so choose judiciously.

Now that you have made up your mind on what, who, where, how and when of your story, penning down the first line is an equal struggle as that of finalising the above elements of the story writing format. The first line of your story will set the tone of the plot, hook the reader and establish the voice of your narrative. So, it is important to spend time on creating an engaging and marvellous first line. Take a look at some of the famous opening lines of popular books which will surely inspire you:

“If you really want to hear about it, the first thing you’ll probably want to know is where I was born, and what my lousy childhood was like, and how my parents were occupied and all before they had me, and all that David Copperfield kind of crap, but I don’t feel like going into it, if you want to know the truth.”
– The Catcher in the Rye, JD Salinger

Write an Intriguing First Line

“All happy families are alike; each unhappy family is unhappy in its own way.”
– Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy

“It is a truth universally acknowledged, that a single man in possession of a good fortune, must be in want of a wife.”
– Pride & Prejudice, Jane Austen

“Mrs. Dalloway said she would buy the flowers herself.”
– Mrs Dalloway, Virginia Woolf

“As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his bed into a gigantic insect.”
– The Metamorphosis and Other Stories, Franz Kafka

Build Up the Characters

Another prominent element of the story writing format, your characters will give structure, flair and flow to the narrative and thus need to be developed cautiously. Experiment with events and how these characters can react to them to help them progress towards the ultimate conclusion of the story.

Write, Proofread, Edit & Repeat!

Once you have finished writing a story, the final step should always be to proofread and edit the narrative. Ask a friend to read the story, get it reviewed and you can keep editing, adding to it and removing any additional paras until you feel good to go!

How to Write Advanced Stories?

As your academic level increases, it becomes mandatory to upscale your writing skills as well. Here are some story writing tips and narrative writing format: 

1. Use a combination of 1st, 2nd and 3rd person narration in your story 
2. Create a story setting 
3. TO enhance the story affect mention time, location, duration, atmosphere and context clearly
4. Dialogues are an important part of the story hence use expressions in them
5. Keep 2-3 main characters in your story and a few side characters to make the plot engaging 
6. Follow the above-mentioned format for covering the plot
7. Include 2-3 conflicts at regular intervals in your story and resolve them with time, this again will increase the engagement. 

Sample Story 

Now that you know all about the story writing format, here is a sample question and story to explain the practical meaning of story writing: 

Question: Write a story in  400 words with the given references: 

Window display in toy shop __________Diwali season_________theft________alarm sounded___________no clues found__________police non-plussed_________little boy spots the difference in window display leading to arrest

Answer:

During a buzzing month of November, people shopped for festivities, sweets and clothes as it was the Diwali Season. All the people shopped endlessly to their heart’s content. The children played and waited for their parents to take them to the toy shop that was located by the corner of the road. This particular toy shop had many attractive toys decorated on a window display. While everyone was shopping, a small poor boy was looking sadly at the window display of the toy shop while a man was adjusting some toys on the display. The poor boy did not have any money to go to school or pay for the toys. Suddenly, the theft alarm started blaring from the shop. The boy jerked from the sound of the alarm as the man disappeared hurriedly. The man collided with the poor boy due to which some of the items in his pocket fell down. The man picked them up and muttered something under his breath. Due to his haste, the man left a bunch of keys behind. The police arrived as soon as the owner of the toy shop had called the police. They found that an expensive and vintage doll from the 16th century had been stolen. The police couldn’t find any clues as there wasn’t any CCTV to focus on the display window. They were nonplussed. A huge crowd had gathered in and around the toy shop. The poor boy wanted to tell the police about the man he saw in the shop a while ago. He also noticed that one of the doors to the glass box in the window display was left unlocked. He told the police about the difference, the fishy man that he saw earlier and gave the police the keys that he found. The police then asked the boy to tell them how the man looked and sent the keys as evidence for further investigation. Due to the information provided by the boy, the police were able to nab the thief red-handed and bring back the expensive doll to the owner. The owner of the toy shop thanked the boy and gifted him a bag of toys and an admission to the nearby school as an early Christmas present.

Story Writing Tips

While many writers experiment with the story writing format, the most important thing you should keep in mind that your narrative appeals to your audience and intrigues their mind. Looking for the right story writing topic is an important part of the process. It takes time to frame a structure, draft a basic narrative, and then write a story woven around a series of events. Take a look at the following story writing tips and narrative writing format that help you to compose an extraordinary story.

• Compose a story with fewer characters.
• Try to establish your narrative in a shorter time frame.
• Describe the setting vividly. 
• Curate the beginning with a compelling first line.
• Mould your characters with certain traits and skills to help the reader remember them. 
• Choose a suitable title that fits your narrative. 
• Use a simpler and understandable language.
• Write short sentences. 
• Maintain coherence in your writing.
• Try to impart the readers with a particular moral or message in the end.

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Narrative Writing Format

Narrative writing aims to tell a story through the form of essays or lengthy writing like a blog. The first rule of narrative writing is to look for the right story writing topic and create the perfect atmosphere for your story through your writing and further provide a real-world experience to your reader through your words.

Here is the format of narrative writing:

1. Introduction: Create the right introduction in narrative writing by a compelling first line and a setting for your essay that can hook the person who is reading
2. Beginning: Build on the main plot and introduce your main characters
3. Middle: Focus on the conflict of your narrative
4. Climax: Come to the climax and resolution of the conflict
5. Conclusion: Conclude your narrative writing piece by mentioning what you learned from this event and leave the reader on an optimistic and positive note.

Story Writing Topics

Here are some story writing topics to practice with:

• Write a story about an author who is losing his sight.
• Write a story about a character who can tell the future but is blind. 
• Write a story about a character who just brought a new coat that is magical.
• Write a story about a character who can travel back in time.
• A character falls asleep on an abandoned ship and awakes on a new planet.
• A character who finds out that they belong to an alien race.
• A lawyer gives up their practice after sending an innocent man to jail.
• Write a story about a dog who can understand the English language. 
• Write a story about a character who can fly but not swim.
• Write a story about a fortune teller who gets called for jury duty.
• Write a story about a character who reflects your personality.

Film Script Format

A film script or screenplay is a document written by the screen writer dividing all the important events of the story into scenes, adding dialogues, additional writer notes as well as intercut, action, fade in, transition and all types of filming techniques.

Here is the simple film script format:

• Use font size 12 in Courier
• The left of the page should have a 1.5-inch margin.
• The right of the page should have a 1-inch margin.
• Make sure to have 1-inch margin on the top and bottom of the page
• There should be 55 lines on each page.
• The block for dialogue should start 2.5 inches from the left of the page.
• All character names are always in uppercase.
• The character names should always be positioned 3.7 inches from the left of the page.
• The first page of a script is not numbered.
• Every page number is always in the top right corner with a 0.5-inch margin measuring from the top.

How to Write a Short Story? 

Books on Story Writing 

Book	Buy Here
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King	Click Here
The Elements of Style by William Strunk Jr.	Click Here
Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott	Click Here
On Writing Well by William Zinsser	Click Here
Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg	Click Here
Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury	Click Here
The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers by Christopher Vogler	Click Here

Story Writing PDF

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