Y05W01WR The Moment After

Part 1

How to Write

Narrative – Short story

A short story draws a reader into a character’s world and carries them through an experience that changes something. It is written for an audience who wants to be engaged and moved — not just informed. The tone is vivid and personal, making the reader feel present in the moment and curious about what comes next.

  • Ideas & content: Give your character a clear situation and a problem or tension that matters. Include specific details rather than general descriptions, and make sure something genuinely changes by the end.
  • Structure & cohesion: Move from orientation to complication to resolution. Use paragraph breaks to shift scenes or time, and connect moments with time words and action to keep the story moving forward.
  • Voice & audience: Find a consistent narrative voice that brings the reader close to the character’s experience. Show feelings through actions and reactions — not just by stating them.
  • Language choices: Choose strong verbs and sensory detail. Use dialogue to reveal character. Vary sentence length — shorter sentences create tension, longer ones build atmosphere.
  • Conventions: New speaker, new line — every time. Use speech marks correctly. Keep your tense consistent throughout.

Common pitfalls: Starting too slowly with too much backstory — get into the situation quickly and let detail emerge naturally. Telling the reader how a character feels instead of showing it through what the character does.

Part 2

Your Task Plan for Today

The brief

Question: Write a story about that moment and what it means to you afterward.

Stimulus: You have always been afraid of the deep end of the swimming pool. At your school carnival, something happens that forces you to make a decision you have been avoiding for years.

Task Analysis: This story is about a moment when you have to face something you have been scared of. Show what happens and how it changes you. The reader wants to know what you decide and how you feel afterward.

Quick Plan

Before you write, plan:

  • What you are afraid of — why the deep end scares you
  • What happens at the carnival — what forces you to decide?
  • Your choice — do you go in or stay out?
  • How you feel after — what changed?

Show, don’t tell details

Use the sights, sounds and feelings of the swimming pool. Let the reader feel the water, hear the splashing, see the blue edge of the deep end. Show your fear through what you see and hear, not just by saying you are scared.

Characters & want

Who is there with you? Maybe a friend, a family member or a teacher. Show how they make you feel. Do they push you or help you? What do they say?

Turning point

Find the moment when something changes — when you have to decide. This is the most important part of your story. Give it space and make it real.