icse creative writing competition

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Poorvika Mehra of Class 10 A, has been awarded the Merit Certificate for her Essay, written for The Albert Barrow Memorial- All India Inter School Creative Writing Competition 2016, by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations.

The Albert Barrow Memorial All India Inter School Creative Writing Competition is held every year by the Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (ICSE) to encourage the students of the schools affiliated to the Council, to go beyond their syllabi and texts. The competition provides them a platform not only to showcase their talents and creativity, but also to express their views on a variety of subjects that are of concern in our society today. It is their concerns which help us to identify the way forward.

The theme of this year’s competition was, ‘The Role of Social Media in shaping our Lives’. The theme was chosen keeping in mind the great hold that social networking has over the lives of everyone, young and old. The efforts of the students who participated in the competition revealed great depth and maturity in addition to creativity and command over language and expression. Reading their contributions has been an enriching experience as it offers a glimpse into their minds. The students expressed balanced, rational views. They showed considerable insight in identifying the pros and cons of social media.

Poorvika Mehra, of Class 10 A, participated in the competition and the essay written by her has been adjudged to be the sixth best essay from all the students who took part across the country.

We congratulate Poorvika and wish her all the success in future.

Poorvika's prize winning essay has been attached.

Essay on The Role of Social Media in Shaping Our Lives by Poorvika Mehra

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The albert barrow memorial all-india inter school creative writing competition (a compilation of essays).

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ALBERT BARROW MEMORIAL ALL INDIA INTER-SCHOOL CREATIVE WRITING COMPETITION-2023 ORGANISED BY THE COUNCIL

Start Program Date: 16/07/2023

Albert Barrow Memorial All India Inter- School Creative Writing Competition-2023 organised by the Council

On 14th of July 2023, Vivekananda Mission School hosted the Albert Barrow Memorial All India Inter- School Creative Writing Competition- 2023, Category I, where participants from sixteen prestigious schools participated.The competition took place at the Main Campus.Sister Raha delivered a short speech and the competition was declared open in presence of the supervisor. The topics were disclosed in presence of the supervisor and the sixteen participants got half an hour time for preparation.The duration of the competition was one hour.

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Albert barrow memorial all-india inter-school creative writing competition 2019 - category ii, school updates.

Creativity is a magic wand that works in two ways. When you set it in action and seek to create something, it does not just bring into existence that object or work, it also raises in your heart a dream, a hope, and a will to achieve that creation. And when all else seems lost and steeped in hopelessness, the magic of creativity can still keep you going and gives you an aim to look forward to. If you just take hold of this urge it will take hold of you and see you through even at the darkest times.

Abhyasa International Residential School, Toopran hosted the prestigious Albert Barrow Memorial All India Inter School Creative Writing Competition 2019, Category II.

17 ICSE schools from Hyderabad participated in the competition. The program began with lighting of the lamp, Mrs. Bharathi was the Supervisor for the competition who declared the topics. Students were given an hour to write their essays. May the best writer win!

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ICSE English Composition: 25 Latest Topics

by Yash Soni on Sep 27, 2022

ICSE English language exams for Class 9 & 10 include composition writing as a mandatory question. Make sure you read important tips to write compositions in ICSE before you begin your practise.

Below are 25 trending composition topics in ICSE that you can use to practise essay writing:

Descriptive Essays

• Describe your favourite place in the world.
• Which of your family members do you spend the most time with? Describe your experience of being with them.
• Describe what you like about your house and give a sneak peek of your surroundings.
• Imagine a time you accomplished a personal goal. Give a brief description of the goal you were after and how you achieved it. Describe how you felt when you achieved it.
• Life revolves around people. Describe how one person has had a significant influence on your life.

Narrative Essays

• Narrate an experience you had when you were expected to perform well but for some reason were not able to. Narrate what happened and why it happened. In what way did it teach you something?
• Think of a time when you found yourself in an embarrassing situation. Narrate how you got into that situation, how you dealt with it, and the lesson you learnt from it.
• Explain how your teacher has influenced your life. Refer to relevant incidents or relate appropriate anecdotes to show how the actions of your teacher and his/her example have affected your life.
• Narrate an incident when you had difficulty travelling from one place to another. Mention what made it difficult for you to travel and where did you go?
• Narrate an incident when you were caught in a traffic jam for hours. What difficulties did you face? What were the consequences?

Argumentative Essays

• "Teenagers today are more worldly-wise than their parents." Express your views for or against the statement.
• "Plastic bags are convenient and should not be banned by the government." Give your views for or against this statement.
• "Book reading is a dying phenomenon of life nowadays." Throw light on the factors responsible for it and give suggestions for its improvement.
• "The use of Mobile Phones must be allowed in schools." Express your views for or against this statement.
• "Money causes more harm than good." Express your views for or against this statement.

Story Writing

• Write an original short story that ends with the words: "... I put the keys back into the drawer, hoping no one would notice they had been touched."
• Write an original short story that begins with the words: "The day started off well enough, who thought it would..."
• Write an original story that ends with the words: "... it came as a blessing in disguise."
• Write a short story which illustrates the truth of the statement, 'Absence makes the heart grow fonder.'
• Write an original story which illustrates the truth of the statement, 'One lie leads to another'.

Picture Composition

You can practice this essays and get it evaluated from your class teacher and get a better understanding of your performance. You can also improve your grammar as students lose lot of there marks due to grammar.  Our Top 5 essay writing tips can also be a game changer for your upcoming exams.

Also checkout Almond Books English Compositions for Class 9 and 10

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Formal eMail and Notice Writing for ICSE Class 10 English

ICSE Class 10 English students should refer to ICSE class 10 English Grammar, formal email and notice writing study material provided here. Students will be able to understand the best way to write notes, comprehensions and emails which will help them to answer related questions in their standard 10 English question paper for class 10. You can also refer to icse class 10 English literature question paper provided on our website.

ICSE Class 10 English Formal eMail and Notice Writing

Students can refer to the solved samples provided below for Formal eMail and Notice Writing in ICSE Class 10 English. This is an important topic which is normally asked in all English exams in standard 10th English exams. We have provided below solved questions which will help the students to understand the type of questions which can be asked in examinations.

ICSE Class 10 English Grammar

Question (a) Your school is hosting an interschool debate competition. Write a notice for your school informing them of the event.

Specimen Answer:

War of Words Inter-school Debate Competition on 8th December 2017 from 9.00 a.m. to 12 noon at Centenary Hall, St. Hilda’s School All pupils from Classes IX & X who wish to participate are to give their names to Mrs. T. Baker on or before 1st December 2017

(b) Write an e-mail to the principal of a neighbouring school informing her of the event and requesting her to send a team to participate.

Specimen Answer: [email protected] Inter-school Debate Competition Dear Madam, Our school is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year. As part of the celebrations we are hosting a series of competitions and we are beginning with ‘War of Words’, an inter-school debate competition. It will be held on 8th December 2017 from 9.00 a.m. till 12 noon in the Centenary Hall of St. Hilda’s School. Please do send your senior debate team to participate in the event. The topic will be given to the participants an hour before the start of the competition. They may bring their laptops for use during the preparation time. We look forward to your school’s participation in the competition. Thanking you, Yours faithfully, Ashish Roy Debating Secretary

Question (a) You are the President of a children’s club in your locality. You and your team are planning to organise a programme to celebrate Teachers’ Day. Write a notice, to be put up in the local Supermarket, giving details of the programme to create an awareness of the event.

Thank you Teacher! A cultural programme to celebrate Teachers’ Day on 5th September from 5.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. at Community Centre, South City Mall All teachers who are residents of the South City Complex are cordially invited

(b) Write an e-mail to the General Manager of the Supermarket seeking permission to display the notice and requesting a sponsorship for the event.

Answer [email protected] Teachers’ Day Celebration Dear Sir, Teachers’ Day is around the corner and we, the residents of the South City Complex, would like to express our gratitude to our teachers by hosting a brief cultural programme on the 5th September between 5.00 p.m. to 7.00 p.m. There are about 25 teachers in our complex and we would be grateful if you allow us the use of the foyer in the Supermarket for the celebration. We also request you to please sponsor a cup of tea and light refreshments for the teachers and a few guests, about 40 in all. We look forward to a favourable response. Thanking you, Yours faithfully, Ashish Roy Secretary, Youth Club, South City Society.

Question . (a) Your school is conducting an inter-class talent search. Write out a notice to be put up in your school informing students about the event and inviting them to participate.

SPECIMEN ANSWER: EVERYBODY’S GOT TALENT Inter-class Talent Search Date: Tuesday, 24 July, 2018 Time: 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Venue: The Auditorium of St. Agnes’ School Interested students from classes 8, 9 and 10 may register with the Vice Principal on or before 14 July, 2018.

(b) Write an e-mail to the Principal of a neighbouring school requesting him / her to send a team of teachers to judge the event.

SPECIMEN ANSWER: To:[email protected] Subject: Request to appoint judges for a talent search event. Dear Madam, I am Maya Gilani, the Cultural Secretary of the Student Council, St. Agnes’ School. We are conducting a talent search contest for the students of classes 8, 9 and 10. This is to be held on the 24th of July, 2018, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. in Music, Art, Dance, Magic, Acrobatics and Stand-up Comedy. We request you to send a team of three teachers from your school to judge the talent search, Everybody’s Got Talent. Anticipating a positive response, Yours faithfully, Maya Gilani Cultural Secretary, Student Council St. Agnes’ School

Question (a) You are the Games Captain at school. The school is organizing an inter-house basketball competition. Write out a notice to be put up in your school informing students about it.

SPECIMEN ANSWER: DRIBBLE STARS Inter- House Basketball Competition Date: Wednesday 4th July, 2018 Time: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Venue: The Main Basketball Court, Berkeley High Sports Complex

The Match schedule is as follows • Ruby vs Emerald • Sapphire vs Topaz • The Battle- Match for third place • The Grand Finale- The Final Match

All House Captains are requested to keep their respective House teams ready and submit the names to the Games Captain before 25th June,2018.

(b) Write an e-mail to a prominent basketball coach of your city who has agreed to be the referee at the event, giving all relevant details.

SPECIMEN ANSWER: To:[email protected] Subject: Invitation to Referee Dribble Stars – Inter House Basketball Competition.

Dear Sir, I am Sam Sequeira of Berkeley High and I write with reference to my telephone call to you earlier. We are conducting an inter- house basketball competition on 4 July, 2018 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the Main Basketball Court, Berkeley High Sports Complex. Thank you for having accepted our request to referee the event.

The schedule is as follows • Ruby vs Emerald Match 1 • Sapphire vs Topaz Match 2 • The Battle – For third place – Match 3 • The Grand Finale – The Final Match

We will arrange to pick you up by 8.15 a.m. from your residence and you will be dropped back after the Basketball Competition. We look forward to seeing you at Berkeley High. Thanking you, Yours faithfully, Sam Sequeira Games Captain Berkeley High

Question (a) Your school is organizing a charity drive for the underprivileged children of the nearby locality. Write out a notice to be put up in your school informing students about the event and inviting them to participate in the charity drive.

SPECIMEN ANSWER: GIVE TILL IT HURTS! (Charity Drive for the Underprivileged Children of our locality) Date: Friday, 3rd August, 2018 Time: 8 a.m to 11 a.m Venue: The Assembly Area, SMJ School All the students from class 5 to 10 kindly contribute to make the charity drive a success. Used text books, unused notebooks, stationery, blazers, sweaters or shoes that are in good condition may be handed over to your class Prefect. Be as generous as possible. Give Till It Hurts!

(b) Write an e-mail to the Principal of a neighbouring school requesting him/her to allow the student of his / her school to participate in the event.

SPECIMEN ANSWER: To:[email protected] Subject: Invitation to participate in the charity drive- ‘Give Till It Hurts!’. Dear Sir, I am Prabha Mukund, Secretary of the Student Council, SJM School. We are hosting a Charity Drive called ‘Give Till It Hurts!’ on Friday, 3rd August, 2018, for the Underprivileged children of our locality. This will be conducted from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the Assembly Area, in the Main Building of our school. We request you to motivate the students of your school to donate their used text books, unused notebooks, stationery, blazers, sweaters or shoes that are in good condition. Participation from your school will make a huge impact on our student community. Please help us make a difference! Anticipating a positive response from you in accepting our invitation, Yours faithfully, Prabha Mukund Secretary, Student Council

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ICSE creative writing

July 9, 2019 by studymumbai Leave a Comment

ICSE creative writing topics.

Write compositions of (300-350 words) on all the following. Use varied and appropriate and vocabulary sense imagery.

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1. Describe and write about a couple of snapshot moments of your earliest childhood memories. Who was your best friend then? Recollect some of the fun things you used to do together. Do you remember your mother’s or your granny`s kitchen?

2. Narrate an experience that taught mc how appearance can be deceiving. What lesson did l learn?

3. Argumentative Essay; ‘Fast Food must come with warning like medicines.’ Express your view for or against the statement.

4. Write an original story beginning with the following statement. ‘It was the biggest risk that I had I ever taken when ……

5. My sudden act of kindness was because of what my sibling taught me.

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Story Writing for Class 9 ICSE Format, Examples, Topics, Exercises

March 18, 2023 by sastry

Story writing: Story writing is a creative art, but rather a difficult one. It requires a lot of creative thinking, planning and mastery of narrative skills and language. A short story is a narrative of moderate length that revolves around a single incident involving one or more characters. It must have a proper beginning, middle and an end. A story needs to be well-planned and written in an interesting manner. In the examination, word-limit for the descriptive composition is 300-350 and it consists of 20 marks weightage.

Looking for an easy way to Learning of  English Grammar Exercises for Class 9 ICSE . You have to learn basic English Grammer topics like Tenses, Verbs, Nouns, etc… In this article, we will review the best English Grammer Topics and compare them against each other.

Steps to Write a Short Story There are no specific rules for writing a story, but there are countless ways to create an interesting one. However, the writer should keep the following steps in mind while writing a short story.

• To write an interesting story, the writer must think like the central character to get or catch his/her emotions and qualities.
• As a story is a short description of any scene or incident, the details should be mentioned creatively to develop reader’s interest. Catch the character’s emotions and qualities.
• While building the plot of the story, the writer should make sure that the sequence of events is proper, to avoid confusion and complexity.
• A very important part of the story is an apt ending to add significance to it. A justified climax is an unsaid expectation of the readers.

Points to be Kept in Mind While Writing a Story

• Before writing, concentrate on the topic and story outline.
• Story should be written in an easy and comprehensible language.
• The style of writing should be lucid and logical.
• Events should be chronologically organised in the story.
• Keep the story in past tense. However, as per the requirement present or future tense can also be used.
• Focus should be only on the incident.
• Keep twist to your story to keep the readers intact.
• Consequences/climax of the story should be clear and satisfying.

Sample Story 1 Write an original short story entitled ‘The Gift’. Answer:

The story begins about two months ago when I had just given the final exams for my BCA degree. I would become a graduate in about two months’ time, when the results would be declared. After this, my father wanted me to take over running of our family’s computer sales and service showroom, as he was keeping indifferent health. My birthday was falling two days after the last paper of my exam was scheduled.

For a few weeks I had been admiring a new model of a Royal Enfield Bullet bike in a dealer’s showroom. I had told my father that it was all I wanted for my 21st birthday. On the morning of my birthday, my father called me into his office in the computer showroom.

He first wished me a happy birthday and then told me how much he loved me. He opened his desk drawer, brought out a gift wrapped rectangular box and presented it to me. Curious, but somewhat disappointed, I opened the box and found a leather-bound Bhagwad Gita in it. I got very angry at him, so I blurted out, “With all your money, you gave me such a book?” Then I decided to leave my home (my mother had passed away two years ago and I had no siblings) and stormed out of the house, leaving the gift on his desk.

I went to live with one of my close friends who was working and staying in an independent flat. I started looking for a job while awaiting my result. However, after a month, I got the information that my father had suffered a heart attack and was hospitalised. I rushed to the hospital, but it was too late. He had passed away.

Soon our family lawyer phoned and told me that in his will my father had left me all his possessions, including ownership of our computer business. With a heavy heart, I went through his papers and soon found the Bhagwad Gita he had given me. It was still gift-wrapped. In tears, I opened the packing and began to turn the pages. Suddenly a key taped to a small envelope dropped from the book. It had a tag with the dealer’s name, the same dealer in whose showroom I had seen the bike I wanted. On the tag was the date of my birthday and the words ‘Paid in full’.

Sample Story 2 Write an original short story that begins with the words “It was raining hard that night. In my hurry to get into the house, I didn’t notice the black car parked across the road, I realised something was wrong when” Answer:

A Pleasant Surprise

It was raining hard that night. In my hurry to get into the house, I didn’t notice the black car parked across the road, I realised something was wrong when I heard strange muffled voices coming from inside the car. Was I being followed ? Were there some robbers sitting inside that car ready to undertake robbery in any one of the houses or what was it?.

I was really terrified when suddenly I saw a man all dressed in black got out of that car or should I say a dark hidden figure, he didn’t even look like a human being. He turned his head and quickened my pace. “ He must’ve noticed me”, I thought, while I was shivering from the coldness and from the fear. As soon as I tried to ring the bell of the house that man called out ‘Excuse me’.

I was terrified at that man’s call and wanted to run away but could not. The man asked me if I knew a mechanic nearby as he was a stranger to this city and heading towards Delhi, where his mother was admitted in a hospital. I was still not sure whether I should trust that man, but at the same time my father opened the door as I had rung the bell.

I just decided to go inside the house when my father happened to have a glance at that stranger. Suddenly my father screamed with excitement “Oh Shreekant how come you are here. You had disappeared suddenly”. That man looked at my father and came running towards him and screamed “Oh Pulkit, it is your house? You are settled in this city”. My father asked him to come inside as the weather was really bad. I was totally confused as I didn’t know the stranger and my father was asking him to come inside.

My father introduced me to that man, who was his class fellow some 22 years back. After finishing college, they had not been in touch with each other. My father was really excited meeting his old class fellow. He called the mechanic to get his car repaired and invited that man to stay and rest till the rain gets over. So, initially what was scary for me, turned out to be a pleasant surprise for my father.

Story Writing Worksheets

1. Write an original short story that begins with the words “I pass through that path everyday, irrespective of my odd office timings. Going there was a mandatory task for me. And everytime ……….” Answer:

A Dog is Man’s Greatest Friend

I pass through that path everyday, irrespective of my odd office timings. Going there was a mandatory task for me. And everytime I went there, I carried a packet of biscuits with me knowing that my little friend Bunny, a small round white bundle of joy would be waiting for me. Bunny was the only one to survive amongst his five brothers and sisters and his mother. I know him from the day he was born. He was extremely adorable puppy and so I named him ‘Bunny’ and since then we have been the best of friends.

The apartment complex where Bunny lived was in a very deserted area and there were a lot of trees all around the place. This often gave me a ‘jungle’ like feel. Many of the residents had earlier complained of wild foxes roaming around freely in that area but luckily no one was ever harmed. The guard always advised us to stay indoors after 10 pm or if anyone is out till then, he should use his own transport, walking in that area was completely unadvisable and unsafe.

One day, my boss asked me to extend my shift as there was some urgent work that had to be completed. I got free from the office at 10 pm and while I was walking towards my home, I completely forgot about what the guard had advised us. Soon, I saw three black dog-like figures approaching towards me very quickly. In no time I understood that they were not dogs but jackals. One of the hungry jackals attacked me.

I screamed loudly for help and out of nowhere, my Bunny came running and diverted the attention of the jackals from me to him. Bunny was as big as the jackals, so while he fought one, I called out for help. The guards came running and rescued me, but during this process the other two jackals managed to kill Bunny.

I was saved but my dog left me. I miss him everyday because I am alive due to him. He gave away his life for me and proved that there can be no other gift a man can get other than a dog.

2. Write a short story using the proverb ‘With a heavy heart’. Answer:

Keshava, the washerman, had a donkey. They worked together all day and at the end of the day Keshava would pour out his heart to the donkey. One day, Keshava was walking home with the donkey when he felt tired. He tied the donkey to a tree and sat down to rest for a while near a school. A window was open and through it, a teacher could be heard scolding the students. He said, “Here I am trying to turn you donkeys into human beings but you just won’t study!” As soon as Keshava heard these words, he pricked up his ears. He thought here was the man who could actually turn donkeys into humans. This was the answer to his prayers. Impatiently, he waited for the school to get over that day. When everyone had gone home and only the teacher was there, Keshava entered the classroom.

“How can I help you?” asked the teacher. Keshava scratched his head and said, “I heard what you said to the children. He said, “This donkey is my companion. If you make it a human, we could have such good times together.” The teacher decided to trick Keshava. He pretended to think for a while and then said, “Give me six months.” So, Keshava left the donkey in the teacher’s care.

After six months were up, Keshava went to the teacher. The teacher had been using the donkey for his own work. Wanting to give it up, he said, “Oh, your donkey became so clever that it ran away. He is the headman of the next village.” Hearing this, Keshava reached the next village where he found the village elders sitting under a tree, discussing serious problems. They were astonished Keshava marched up to the headman, grabbed his arm and said, “How dare you? You think you are so clever that you would run away? Come home at once!”

And, well, that was the end of all. Keshava, because of his foolishness, received a lot of thrashing from the helpers of the headman. He returned home with a heavy heart knowing that the village school teacher had ditched him and kept his donkey. There were bruises all over his body and he could not do anything but to sit and weep under a tree.

3. Write an original short story that begins with the words “The day started off well enough, whoever thought it would ……….” Answer:

An Unpredictable Day

The day started off well enough, whoever thought it would end otherwise. We were going to Mumbai to spend one week, with my elder sister who was settled in Mumbai. We had booked the plane tickets in advance. My younger sister and myself were very happy and excited, we reached the airport well in advance. Finally, the flight time approached and formalities were completed. We were just about to board the plane when a loud announcement terrified us. All passengers about to board the INDIGO/75A flight should immediately deboard and gather in the waiting hall. The flight was cancelled. It was 11 O’clock and I could see the dark airport road outside.

Suddenly an old lady came rushing and said, “there has been a time bomb” and some terrorists are suspected to be inside the airport. We all were very scared and prayed for our safety. Suddenly, there was a commotion as security personnels were running before someone. As the person was running with a great speed, police was not able to apprehend the suspect terrorist.

He was holding a gun in his hands and as he passed the hall where people had been gathered, he started shooting randomly. One old lady who could not move or act very fast became the first victim. I was very terrified but kept cool and decided to help the police. As the terrorist was shooting and running, it became very difficult to catch him. I just bent down and slowly started crawling towards the suspect. As his back was turned, I pointed the security to come closer.

Still bent down I just pushed him hard in the legs, his gun fell down and immediately he was overtaken by 2 security personnels. The suspect was very angry and tried to catch hold of me but because of security personnels, he was captured and taken to a secret place where army would interrogate him.

I was surrounded by people who were there in the hall and congratulated for my presence of mind and courage. As our flight was cancelled and we were too terrified to travel the next day, we decided to return home. I was so excited in the morning but never know the course of events I would face by the end of the day.

4. “Where there is a will, there is a way”. Use this proverb to write a story. Answer:

Reaching to the Heights

Robin belonged to an extremely poor family. His father worked as a labourer in the fields. His earning was insufficient and could hardly support a family of five people. Robin, being the eldest, was different from other members of the family. Instead of taking life as it comes, he decided to go to a nearby town and started distributing newspapers there. He used to get up at 3:30 am, collect the newspapers by 4:30 am and then start the distribution of newspapers. Initially, he would take a cycle on rent as he did not have enough money to purchase one. He used to get monthly wages from the newspaper distributor (his employer) and one newspaper everyday.

Robin was very hardworking as well as studious. He enrolled himself in a government school where the fee was very nominal. Whatever wages he earned, he sent part of it to his family in the village. Years rolled on and his employer was impressed by Robin’s hardwork and studious nature. His employer offered him to get admitted in a college after passing from school. He joined the college and was the first person from his village to become a graduate.

He read all the books he could get hold of. One of his friends suggested him to appear for Civil Services Examination. The coaching and examination fee for this exam were excessively high, so he started taking tuitions in Science and Maths in the evening. He studied till late at night. His hardwork and perseverance ultimately paid off as he was able to pass the Civil Services Examination with flying colours. He was very excited and so were members of his family and the whole village.

After initial training, Robin was posted as District Magistrate of his own district. This was the day when Robin could not hold his tears. The whole village was there to greet and cheer him. He was an inspiration to the other poor people of his village as he had proved that nothing is unachievable if one works diligently for it. ‘Where there is a will, there is a way’!

5. Write an original short story that begins with the words “This story pertains to ……….” Answer:

A Terror Averted

This story pertains to the period when terrorism in Punjab was at its peak. The people in the state lived under the shadow of terror, let loose by a professional soldier from across the border. There were daily incidents of murder, bomb blast and other crimes committed by these misguided elements. The police were constantly publishing photographs of dreaded terrorists and offering handsome rewards to the person providing information for their capture dead or alive. One fine day a clean shaven, muscular built gentleman walked into the studio located in civil lines, the main commercial market of Hoshiarpur, carrying a medium size suitcase.

He told the photographer that he had to leave for Delhi the very next day and hence the photograph would be required positively by late evening. He also requested him to keep his suitcase, as he had some urgent shopping to do prior to his departure for Delhi. No sooner had the strange gentleman left the shop, than the photographer’s friend Col AK Singh, a soldier in the Indian Army, walked in carrying the local daily newspaper. On the cover page was a photograph of a terrorist, whom the police expected to be behind the terrorist activities.

The photographer was taken aback, for the photograph bore a striking resemblance to the stranger who had just left the shop.

He immediately told Col Singh as to what had happened. Col Singh heard him intently, after which he instructed him to call the local police immediately. The telephone lines were dead. It was then that the Colonel took charge. Fearing the worst, he instructed all the shopkeepers to immediately vacate the building. Col Singh then very cautiously moved towards the suitcase and with his deft fingers opened it.

There was indeed a time bomb set off to explode within a minute. With trembling fingers, he set about defusing the deadly device. We all held our breath in nervousness. Finally, the device was defused and we heaved a sigh of relief. The police reinforcement had also come by now and they took the briefcase into their custody. By now, Col Singh had become an instant hero.

6. Write a short story to illustrate the proverb, ‘Knowledge is power’. Answer:

Knowledge is Power

‘Vijay Bhaiya Zindabad, Jeet Mubarak’, shouted the motley crowd of people assembled at the stadium, to welcome their new leader, as he walked in to address them. A tall, lean, strikingly handsome man, dressed in spotless white chooridarpyajama kurta, walked up to the podium, raising his hands to acknowledge the greetings of the people. He was profusely garlanded by the elite of the town, who had come to honour their elected representative to the State Assembly.

Vijay’s trek to glory was not at all that easy. After completing his schooling in the village, Vijay went to Varanasi for higher education. He eventually completed his masters degree in agriculture from Banaras Hindu University. Unlike other youths Vijay returned to his native village to put his knowledge to practical use, for the benefit of the villagers. His scientific method of farming soon caught the attention of the villagers.

His willingness to help and compassion for their well being, soon won their hearts. Having gained their confidence, he formed self-help groups, comprising village youth and with the help of an NGO developed a proper drainage system for the village. To reduce the problem of potable drinking water, he drew the attention of the district authorities to install hand pumps in the densely populated parts of the village.

His knowledge of science came in hardy to produce gobar gas from cow dung. This became an alternate fuel for the oppressed housewives of the village.

Thus, in a span of five years, he transformed the village into a small town having all the basic amenities of a city.

Vijay’s good work, soon caught the attention of the opposition party. Seeing a sure winner in him, they gave him a ticket to contest the election as their party candidate. The rest was indeed history, with Vijay emerging victorious in the elections. This very well illustrates the aptness of the proverb ‘knowledge is power’.

7. Write an original story that begins with the words “He was the funniest boy I had ever met. He would make everyone laugh ……….”. Answer:

Time Heals Everything

He was the funniest boy I had ever met. He would make everyone laugh even in the most trying times. Blessed with a funny nature, Varun would make everyone forget his/her worries in his company. No amount of sadness could dampen his spirit.

I remember, once three of us friends including Varun had failed the chemistry exam badly. Our parents had been called and we were told that most certainly, we would have to repeat a year. That was a very hard time but even then no look of worry could be spotted on Varun’s face or in his behaviour. Even his cheer was undiminished when his father suffered a major financial loss in business. Even in those times, Varun was known to spread cheer around. He pushed his worries to the backseat and dedicated himself towards making others happy.

However, the loss of Varun’s pet Veeto some months ago, immersed him in grief. That was the only time which robbed him of his smiling face. For days he did not speak to anyone and shut himself up in his room. We could not see him like that, so all of us friends decided to do something to dispel his gloom.

One day, we all went to his place and rang the door bell of his house. There we kept a little box, slightly open from one side and hid ourselves so that he could not see us. When he opened the door, he was surprised to find no one. He picked up the box with a look of amazement on his face. He took the lid off, and there came out a pug, quite like Veeto. He held it in his hands and started to play with it. It brought the smile back on his face. Then we all came into the sight and uttered with excitement, ‘surprise’.

Indeed, that little effort from our end, helped Varun come out of his depression.

8. Write an original short story that begins with the words “It wasn’t going to be easy she knew but somehow she had to confront him. She took a deep breath and walked into the room.” Answer:

Confessions

It wasn’t going to be easy she knew but somehow she had to confront him. She took a deep breath and walked into the room. She came across a dark corridor that led to her father’s room. He was sitting right in front reading the newspaper. His back was towards her.

She was nervous as she knew why she was called. Initially, she hesitated but somehow she broke the lump in her throat and called for him. Hearing her voice, he turned towards her and kept the newspaper aside. He was wearing spectacles which he suddenly took out and put them on the table. He asked her about her report card. She kept looking down as she did not have the courage to look him in the eye.

He waited for her response but when there was no answer, he lost his calm and shouted with anger. His eyes got filled with blood and he pushed the chair violently. It made the poor girl rattle with fear. Shiveringly, she dropped her report card on the floor. All the blood vanished from her face making her look completely pale. Her father picked up the report card.

As he opened it, he saw that his daughter had scored all the marks in nineties. A smile came upon his angry face. His eyes turned towards his daughter who was still trembling with fear. He went towards her and hugged her. She was aghast at her father’s behaviour.

Although, out of words she felt the love of her father for her. This was all that she ever desired. Two months before her boards, her father made it very clear that she must score full marks in order to get into the best college in the city. But, when her result came, her score was 92.5 per cent which was not enough to get her a seat in the best college of the city.

She was scared that her father would be disappointed. Thus, she was afraid to reveal her marks to her dad. Her dad, however jumped with excitement as his daughter had worked hard and scored in the nineties. A chill ran down her spine and suddenly all her fear disappeared. Now, she could enjoy her result.

9. Write a story that concludes with the sentence ‘Every cloud has a silver lining.’ Answer:

Every Cloud has a Silver Lining

“You are under arrest.” I looked back and saw the police officer accompanied by his juniors. I was whisked into a car and taken like a high profile criminal. The car stopped not in front of the police station but at the Crime Branch Headquarters where the SSP and other senior officers were waiting for me. As I stepped out of the car, newsmen flashed their cameras. There was a chaos. However, I was taken inside a room for interrogation. I was frightened and had no idea about the happenings and was totally disordered.

At last someone dressed in civil uniform came and started questioning me. “How do you know Dawood?

What are your plans?” The questions pouring in caused a more puzzling environment. The police was already issuing statement mentioning the details of how they had trapped Chetan, Dawood’s man in Pune. All kinds of stories were circulated within hours. The evening newspaper had splashed my photograph on the front page and every channel worth its name had footage of me as breaking news.

I was sweating. I told him that I was innocent but no one paid any heed to it. I also heard some of the police officials talking about using third degree on me so that I reveal the truth. I was terrified at the thought of it. But, the truth was that I was innocent and no one wanted to believe that.

After great difficulty, I understood the entire situation. The much talked about criminal, Dawood was sending orders to his counterparts in India. These orders were given on a mobile number which was similar to mine. The police had intercepted some messages and played them for me. I said the voice was not mine. They recorded my voice and sent the record for the audio and voice forensic analysis. Finally, it was proved that the voice was not mine. Then they went into the details of the number again and enquired whether it was 98919XXXXX. I told them that my number was 989981XXXX. Only then they realised their folly.

Eventually, I was allowed to go and all the charges levelled against me were removed. I was also interviewed by many news channels. I became a star overnight. After it was all over, I realised that ‘Every cloud has a silver lining’.

10. Write an original short story that begins with the words “I was returning to India after having completed my studies from abroad. The yearning to meet my parents and friends grew ……….” Answer:

The Hijacking

I was returning to India after having completed my studies from abroad. The yearning to meet my parents and friends grew with every passing minute as I boarded the plane. Seated next to me was a boy who was about five years old. He was going for visiting his grandma in India and was travelling alone. Next to him were two old ladies in their late fifties, who despite their gray hair were bubbling with excitement and chattering excitedly causing some distraction. No sooner had the plane taken off from London Airport, than the boy jumped out of his seat removing his seat belt and started roaming about in the plane.

He was very candid and spoke to every one in the plane. The old ladies called the boy and gave him two chocolates. The air-hostess brought some snacks and tea, which was indeed very tempting. After having my refreshment, I settled down to complete a novel that I had brought with me. I had almost completed my novel, when I heard the captain requesting passengers to fasten the safety belts, as we were about to land at Palam airport.

Just then a young man seated behind me got up and caught hold of the boy, placing a knife on his neck. He warned us to stick to our chairs. Entering the cockpit, he ordered the pilot not to land the plane. Suddenly, one of the old ladies collapsed on the floor. Seeing this, the other lady shouted at the hijacker for having caused her a heart attack.

The hijacker’s attention was momentarily diverted. Sensing this, a well built young man sitting in the front passage just near the hijacker, knocked the knife out of his hand. Pandemonium wild and noisy disorder prevailed for a while, as the others pounced on the unarmed hijacker, freeing the boy in the process. He was overpowered and everybody heaved a sigh of relief. The plane finally landed at the airport and the hijacker was promptly arrested.

We were all accorded a warm welcome from the waiting crowd which had gathered at the airport as news of the hijacking had spread. The child leaped into the open arms of his grandma who hugged him lovingly. It was indeed a very eventful homecoming for all of us.

11. Write an original short story that begins with the words “It’s not my fault”; he shouted ………. Answer:

Misplacing of Camera

“It’s not my fault,” he shouted as he went across to the opposite bank of the river in the boat. He was very annoyed with his friends, who accused him of forgetting the camera at a coffee shop.

He seemed a teenage boy, who came with his friends on a school trip. I came here because this place was a famous tourist spot. It was famous for its scenery and numerous water sports besides the folk dance of the locals. It was really fascinating to see how one could enjoy a whole world of entertainment here. However, I was curious to know more about the teenage boy. Many questions came in my mind-Whose camera it was? What made him forget the camera? Did he go to find it?

Therefore, to settle my curiosity, I enquired about him from the children who came on the same school trip. I came to know that his name was Rohan. He belonged to a middle class family. He was passionate about photography. Another child informed me that some of his friends Were quite rich. One of his friends named Ankit brought his camera on the trip. Because Rohan clicked beautiful pictures, his friend gave his camera to him. After every click, Rohan used to return the camera to his friend, Ankit. But, Ankit was very irresponsible.

After clicking pictures in the coffee shop, Rohan placed the camera in Ankit’s hands. Ankit however kept it out on the table. They sat there for a while and then left the place. When they crossed a beautiful temple, they thought of getting some pictures clicked. It was then that everyone realised that the camera was missing. Ankit and others started blaming Rohan for misplacing the camera. Rohan felt humiliated and left his group.

I felt pity for Rohan and wanted to help him. I went to the coffee shop and narrated the entire incident. The Manager of the coffee shop was a genuine man. He ordered his staff to find the camera. Suddenly, one of the staff members remembered that one of those boys went to the washroom while leaving. The camera was found in the washroom. I took it and returned it to Ankit. He then realised his mistake and apologised to Rohan.

12. Write an original story entitled “Lost and Found”. Answer:

Lost and Found

The graveyard was cold, dark and dreary. One weary old oak tree leaned over the entrance gate and broken, battered headstones were scattered all around. I could hear the sound of the howling wind and the creak and groan of branches as they swayed in the storm. The smell of fear and rotting leaves filled my nostrils and I breathed deeply afraid that I would get sick. As I walked towards my brother’s grave, I heard another noise. It was of slow heavy footsteps. When I turned back, a tall muscular man was walking towards me. “I don’t think this is a good idea”, I shouted. “It’s too late to change your mind”, the man replied in a low threatening voice. “Either we dig him up now or you spend the rest of your life wondering how he died.”

“Ok, Ok”, I mumbled.

I could still remember the day those two army officers arrived at my house to tell me that my brother was dead. I lost my brother. Their cold hard faces gave little away when I asked how he died. “Killed in the course of duty” was all they would say. Everything else was ‘classified’.

They handed me a letter from my brother, saluted, then turned and left. I stood frozen the spot, dazed, confused and devastated. I could not bear the loss of my brother. Finally, I opened the letter with trembling fingers but it only stared back at me.

“I’ll always be with you brother, John” were my brother’s last words. What did he mean? How could he be with me ever again? He was dead.

Now, I leaned heavily on the dusty shovel in my hands and started to dig, determined to uncover the truth. The scar-faced man beside me began to dig at the other end of the grave and soon my brother’s coffin began to emerge from beneath the layers of sodden Earth. Faced with this moment of truth, I began to panic. What if I was wrong?

I knew John hated the army, I knew he wanted to be out. I looked down at the coffin as my hired helper tugged at the lid with a crowbar. With a loud snap the lid flew back revealing the frozen corpse inside. My whole body was filled with relief when I saw that the dead man in the coffin was not my brother.

13. Write a short story entitled, “Escaped”. Answer:

John wanted to escape from the world. He had nobody in the world. One day he went to the city to get some food. On his way, he shot 16 zombies who wanted to attack him. Then he saw a girl who was being followed by a zombie. When she saw him, her eyes glanced. There was hope in her eyes. John shot zombie that was following the girl. She got scared. He stopped the car and the girl ran to him. John took her home. Her name was Jane. She had lost her whole family to the zombies. But, now she felt safe with John. One day, John went to the forest but while he was coming home to the farm, he saw thousands of zombies at the farm. He ran as fast as he could but he couldn’t help it anymore.

The zombies had got Jane. He screamed and cried. His new found hope was gone as he lost Jane in the zombie invasion. The zombies got attentive because of John’s screams. But, his eyes were closed and he opened them when he heard some strange noises in front of him. He saw all the zombies coming towards him. He ran to his car and turned on the engine. He drove away from the farm, crying. After hours of driving, he didn’t know where he was. He drove along a lonely highway. Every hundred metres, there were some crashed cars with dead persons or zombies. He knew he was lost.

After days of only driving around he stopped the car on the highway. He took his gun and held it to his head. His eyes hurt and were red. There was no other way to escape the zombies. He lost his only hope and he had no food for days and as a result, he began to get crazy and started conversations with himself.

One fine moment he pulled the trigger. A loud noise came out of the gun and he escaped the world. He took his life, when he was only two miles from the military base where he could have been safe with other people who gave up on their hope. But, he didn’t make it and escaped his life.

14. Write a story that ends with the words ‘ ………. would not have to go through all this. Answer:

Advice not Taken

The ability to make effective decisions is a fundamental requirement for both professional success and personal happiness. A teenager is restless, keen to learn, willing to try new flavours of life and finally, aggressive in behaviour. As a teenager, we feel that our decisions are right and perfect and so we do not prefer to listen to advice of our elders.

Teenagers are friendly and so I am. I would prefer to be in a park with all my friends than in Mauritius with my family. Once, my friends and I decided to go out and watch a movie at PVR. On the other hand, there was a family function that day. I asked my mother if I could go out with my friends that day and the clear and obvious answer was, No! “How can you be out when there is a family event?” she said. I stood hard on my decision and compelled her to stand with it.

The difficult part was over as I had convinced my mother and did not have any pressure of missing the event. Like all mothers, my mother advised me not to go out to crowded places and insisted on carrying a cell phone. We all left earlier than the scheduled time as we decided to roam around and spend some time in the gaming centre. After that, we went to book tickets for the movie. Luckily, we got the tickets of the show and all our seats were in the same row. But, little did we know that our luck would stay with us for a while. Hardly had the movie begun than a group of men barged into the theatre hall and started creating a chaos.

They asked all of us to leave the screening hall. Then they began damaging the chairs, lights and were creating a rampage. All of us were suddenly taken aback. Some panicked, some rushed out, some stayed in their places and some were confused like us. The exit doors got jammed as all the audience started rushing out. It was almost like a panic scene.

Soon the police arrived and the situation was under control. They took us aside and made sure that we were safe. They asked us why we had come without our parents and advised us not to go to such places without them. Disappointed, I came home and also felt guilty for not taking my mother’s advice. If I had taken my mother’s advice, I would not have to go through all this.

15. Write an original short story that begins with the words “In the background I could hear an awful commotion, men’s voices raised and women screaming”. Answer:

Tremulous Fire

In the background, I could hear an awful commotion, men’s voices raised and women screaming. I was at loss to understand what the matter was. I tried to ignore and sleep, but the voice was too severe. I could hardly sleep. I was so irritated that I threw my sheet and rushed towards the window. I was aghast to find that thick black clouds of smoke were emanating in the sky. I was sure that something terrible had happened.

The whole scenario was one of chaos and hundreds of people had come out of their homes with buckets full of water. They tried to extinguish the fire, but of no avail. Huge flames of fire leapt into the sky making the scene look tremulous and terrifying.

I rushed into my parents’ room and woke them up. They were fast asleep, as their room was in the rear. They too were totally bewildered after I gave them the news. We rushed downstairs and joined the crowd which was besirk with shrieks and clamours. While some people were running desperately for water, some fainted due to suffocation.

On enquiring, we came to know that the multi-storeyed building was caught in a blazing fire. Short circuit was expected to be the reason of the fire. I could see a lot of smoke rushing out of its many floors but nothing seemed to be clearly visible.

The entire building was disastrously caught in fire, without any possibility of rescue and escape. Many people were caught in the building. The black hideous smoke wrapped itself around the building. The whole building was lost in a pack of miseries and cries of people shouting for help.

The fire brigade arrived and many fire tenders rushed to the spot. Water was thrown at a tremendous speed and quantity. The people trapped were asked to move to one side of the building. Slowly they all were rescued from the demolishing fire which was ready to swallow each and everything at sight.

I had never had such a bewildering experience in my entire life. It was the most devastating and dangerous live experience I witnessed.

SELF ASSESSMENT

1. Relate a short story which has as its theme “Regret but Too Late to Repent”. 2. Write a story with the theme ‘A friend in need is a friend indeed’. 3. Draft a story that ends with the note “I haven’t got what I have wanted in my life”. Put your own experience in it if possible. 4. Write a short story in which the conclusion has the following proverb “A stitch in time saves nine.” 5; Write an original story that begins the words “She was the very beautiful and charming I had ever met. She would make everyone amazed ………..” 6. Write a short story on the theme ‘Sweet are the uses of adversity’. 7. Write a story with the following beginning and give a suitable title to it ‘Rahul was alone at home. Suddenly the phone rang ………..’ 8. Write a story with the following beginning and give a suitable title to it. It had been over two hours waiting for the train. Ruhi was getting restless. Suddenly she ……….. 9. You went to your aunt, Mary’s house for her blessings on your birthday. She asked you to do one good thing everyday. The next day when you were going to your school you helped an old woman. Write a story how you helped an old woman when you remembered your aunt’s advice. 10. Meena is staying with her mother. One day a stranger came to Meena’s house. Her mother was not in the house at that time. The man caught hold of Meena. She began to cry loudly. But no one was there to hear her ……….. Complete the story.

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Idaho Writers Guild

Educating writers about the business and craft of writing., thank you for making 2024 iwg conference amazing.

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The vision of the Idaho Writers Guild is to support and nurture the craft and business of writing in the State of Idaho.

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The mission of the Idaho Writers Guild is to support writers through teaching craft, the business of publishing, the development of a community of peers, promoting resources for Idaho writers, and raising awareness of writing talent.

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500 Words Competition

From 500 Words

Resource type: Competition

Price band: Free

Key stage: KS1, KS2

Region(s): All of UK

The 500 Words Competition is the UK’s largest story-writing competition for primary-aged children. The aim of the competition is to get children of all abilities and backgrounds to use their creativity and imagination to write a story that they would love to read themselves.

There are two age categories: 5-7 and 8-11 year-olds. Entries are invited for an original piece of prose fiction, written in English, that is no more than 500 words long. All stories are judged on characterisation, plot, originality, language and enjoyment.

Volunteer judges and official partners The Reading Agency whittle down the thousands of entries over two rounds of judging to produce a list of 50 finalists. The winners are chosen by a panel of judges made up of children’s authors.

The gold, silver and bronze winners for each age category will have their stories read by a celebrity guest reader at the grand final on World Book Day and each winning story will receive its own illustration by a top children’s illustrator and will be included in an exclusive 500 Words winning stories book.

• Registration to be a volunteer judge will open in late summer.
• The 2024 competition opens for entries on 24th September 2024.
• The winners will be announced on World Book Day, 6th March 2025.

About 500 Words: The 500 Words Competition was launched in 2011 by Chris Evans when he was the presenter of the Radio 2 Breakfast Show. Since its launch, it has received over one million stories from children around the UK. After a brief pause, the 500 Words Competition is returning to the BBC where it will be hosted by BBC Breakfast, supported by BBC Teach and a group of partners that include leading UK publishers and literacy organisations.

Further resources

• Read the top 50 stories from last year’s 500 words competition.
• Authors share some Tips and Tricks on how to write your best story.
• Find ideas to support and inspire young writers aged 5-7 and  7-11  from the BBC and partner organisations.
• Catch up on last year’s 500 Words Live Lesson featuring some of this year’s author judges for more inspiration.

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2022 Palouse Writers Festival

The Palouse Writers Guild is pleased to present the line-up for our 3rd Annual Palouse Writers Festival and Books & Brews events. This year’s theme is genre fiction and we hope to have a little something for everyone!

Date:  Saturday, June 18, 2022 Location: 1912 Center, 412 East Third St., Moscow, ID 83843 Registration Page: Events and Workshops

Keynote Address

The blissed-out writer: letting go of struggle and finding your flow.

Presenter:  Kerry Schafer Date:  Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 9:00 am Cost: $10.00 Location:  Lecompte Auditorium, 1912 Center, 412 East Third St., Moscow, ID 83843

As writers, we’ve been conditioned to believe that the writing life is difficult, which contributes to unnecessary and avoidable writer’s block, burnout, and disillusionment. Once upon a time, when we first started writing, it wasn’t this way. We wrote because we loved words and stories, or because we found release in putting words on paper. Shifting our focus, remembering our why, and letting go of pervasive myths about writing can help us approach our writing with joy instead of dread.

Born and raised in Canada, Kerry has been successfully transplanted into US soil and has lived in Washington for twenty-five years. In addition to writing, Kerry is the founder of Author Genie, through which she provides writer mindset coaching, online classes, and virtual assistant services. She has also been active in the podcasting community and is currently the host of Taming the TBR. When not absorbed in creative pursuits, you’ll find Kerry hanging out with her real-life Viking on their little piece of heaven just outside Colville, Washington.

Workshop Session 1

Workshop a finding your voice: mining the writer’s toolbox to intentionally shape narrative voice.

Presenter: Annette Bay Pimentel Cost: $10.00 Date:  Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 10:00 am Location:  Arts Room, 1912 Center, 412 East Third St., Moscow, ID 83843

Editors and agents often say that the main thing they look for in a submission is a strong voice. But if you ask them to define what voice is, they usually flounder. This workshop explains voice, provides contrasting examples of writing elements and discuss how the differences affect narrative voice. Participants will also have an opportunity to write/revies their own work using techniques leaned in this workshop.

Workshop B Steal Like a Fantasy Author

Presenter:  Voss Foster Cost: $10.00 Date:  Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 10:00 am Location:  Fiske Room, 1912 Center, 412 East Third St., Moscow, ID 83843

Fantasy authors seem like a bunch of unassuming wallflowers. Well-read, but harmless. But the truth is, every fantasy author is a thief. We steal history and legends and tropes from other genres. We let them sit and percolate as we brainstorm. We change a few names, add a sprinkle of magic, and then use our books to fence our ill-gotten gains. And you can too, with a little know-how. Come learn how to twist facets of the real world—from media to myth to the modern day—into the fantasy stories readers love.

Featured Presentation

Secrets to great writing.

Presenter:  Carrie Stuart Parks Cost: $10.00 Date:  Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 11:30 am Location:  Lecompte Auditorium, 1912 Center, 412 East Third St., Moscow, ID 83843

We want our readers to stay up late because they can’t put down our book. In this workshop, Carrie will show us how to create tension, which results in page-turning stories. It covers common mistakes that make your writing sluggish, how to craft your words for maximum impact, and how to put that polish on your manuscript that any agent or publisher seeks.

Workshop Session 2

Workshop c how to create a storyboard for your picture book and why you should.

Presenter:  Jessica Linn Evans Cost: $10.00 Date:  Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 1:00 pm Location:  Arts Room, 1912 Center, 412 East Third St., Moscow, ID 83843

Storyboarding is an effective way to see your whole manuscript at a glance: a visual outline. With a storyboard, you are able to quickly and simply identify the pacing, story-arc, action, and character development in fiction picture books, as well as themes, refrains, and building ideas in non-fiction and concept books. This workshop explains how to create four different storyboards (action, character, setting, and theme) as well as a simple illustration storyboard for author-illustrators. We will then learn to identify any trouble spots using storyboards as a guide. Participants will have an opportunity to create a storyboard from their own work, or a favorite picture book, and be given time to identify any trouble spots for future editing.

Workshop D Temper Your Enthusiasm: The Art of Giving and Receiving Critiques.

Presenter:  Crystal Carney Cost: $10.00 Date:  Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 1:00 pm Location: Fiske Room, 1912 Center, 412 East Third St., Moscow, ID 83843

You’ve painstakingly written a short story, a novel, a chapter, a page—and now you’re ready to offer it to a group of readers to get those valuable perspectives every writer needs to be at their best. The thing is, not all feedback offered feels valuable. In fact, it feels as though you’ve thrown your hard work into the waiting maw of judgment where it’s slowly being torn apart bit by bit. Feelings of anxiety and regret are all too commonplace when your hard-earned words are being workshopped. The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way.

In this interactive workshop with Independent Editor, Crystal Carney, participants to learn techniques and gain valuable insights into what it means to give–and receive–constructive criticism.

Workshop Session 3

Workshop e look listen do you smell something engaging the senses in horror..

What does death smell like? What does primordial ooze feel like? What is the sound of the end of the world? What does revenge taste like? A writer’s job is to project scenes and feelings into the reader’s imagination. Often, the visual can fail us—Lovecraft’s infamous too horrible and unknowable to describe—and so we must go beyond our eyes and engage other senses to achieve our desired effect.

Workshop F Strategically Engineer your Romantic Fiction for Maximum Sales and Audience Growth

Presenter:  Trish McCallan Cost: $10.00 Date:  Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 2:30 pm Location:  Arts Room, 1912 Center, 412 East Third St., Moscow, ID 83843

As the acknowledged behemoth of the publishing industry, romantic fiction accounted for 1.44 billion dollars of sales, along with one third of all adult mass market fiction sales last year. The romance audience is a voracious one, with many readers devouring multiple books every week. As early adopters to ebooks, the romance audience is open to both digital and self-published books, which makes it attractive to writers. However, while there is great opportunity in this genre, there is also great competition, which makes it difficult for new authors to stand out. This presentation will offer tricks and tips to strategically engineer your romantic fiction to appeal to this massive audience. I’ll cover the tropes and elements that romance readers love. Utilizing favorite tropes, romantic elements, and correct structure can help new writers stand out and connect with readers in a crowded marketplace.

Panel Discussion

Fighting over shelf space: the genre vs. literary fiction debate.

Can lowbrow be hoity-toity? This panel discusses how genre fiction challenges literary gatekeepers, the nuances of literary merit, and the expansiveness of the literary ideal.

Presenters:  Beth Torgerson, Delaney Daly, and Sanan Kolva Cost: $15.00 Date:  Saturday, June 18, 2022 at 4:00 pm Location:  Lecompte Auditorium, 1912 Center, 412 East Third St., Moscow, ID 83843

Books & Brews

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