Y08W26WR The Good Deed No One Knew About

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 a character who does something genuinely good without anyone knowing. What did they do, and why did they do it? How does the secret affect them?

Stimulus: A character does something genuinely generous — quietly, without drawing attention to it or seeking recognition. Perhaps no one else knows it happened. Perhaps someone discovers it later. But for a time, the good deed is a secret.

Task Analysis: This narrative task asks you to show a character performing a generous act in secret. The challenge is revealing what the character values without showing off about it. A strong response allows the reader to discover the generous act gradually and understand the character’s motivation through specific details and choices.

Quick Plan

Before you write, plan:

  • Your character — who are they, what are they like?
  • The generous act — what do they do?
  • Why they do it secretly — what motivates them?
  • How the secret affects them
  • What the act reveals about their character

Characters & want

Make your character real and specific. The generosity should feel authentic to who they are.

The generous act

Show what they do, but reveal it gradually. Let the reader piece together their kindness rather than stating it directly.

Motivation

Show through their thoughts or actions why they do this. What values drive them?

Show, don’t tell details

Use specific moments and choices to reveal the character’s kindness. Let readers infer from what happens.

Resolution

Show how the character is affected by their secret. Has it changed them? Do they need recognition?