An awesome beginning

Description

• Describe the situation at the start of the story• Introduce setting, character(s) and how

everything is going at the beginning• Start with creative ways of description . Do not

start with ‘One day’-rather mundane.

Description

• The moon had retreated to seek refuge behind the clouds. The road leading to Peter’s house was pitch dark, save for a row of streetlights which cast a yellowish glow to dimly light up the path. Peter had just alighted from the bus and was on his way home. He had a project meeting in school which ended at eight o’clock.

Dialogue

• Start with direct speech (dialogue)• A good way to convey the mood and feelings

of the characters.

“ Hi Mum, I’ ve just alighted from the bus and should be home in ten minutes,” reported Peter to his mother. He had stayed back late in school for a project meeting and made it a point to update his mother on his whereabouts every hour to set her mind at ease. “Walk carefully, son. Dinner’s almost ready,” replied Mrs Lim as she hung up the phone. Little did Peter nor his mother realize that Peter would be waylaid by two robbers shortly after their conversation.

Flashback

• The story starts at the end• The characters then look back at the past

events as the story unfolds.• Tells how the story ends before giving the

reader the full story.

• Within safety of the high security police station, Peter felt a little more at ease. Scenes of the robbery he had been a victim of played continuously in his mind. He remembered every detail and was prepared to recount his harrowing ordeal to the police officer.

Question

• Begins with the character asking himself a question.

• Question can be directed at another character.

• “ What are they going to do to me? Will I make it out alive?” Faced with two mean and menacing gangsters who had stopped him in his tracks as he was making his way home from the bus stop, Peter kept thinking about these questions. The duo had appeared out of nowhere. Peter was scared out of wits. His first instinct was to run away as fast as his legs could carry him. However, fear had sapped the strength out of his legs, which wobbled like jelly in the presence of impending danger.

Proverb, Idiom or Wise Saying

• Relate proverbs, idioms or wise saying to your introduction-but must be relevent.

• Cannot be used all the time unless suitable.

• “ Mother knows best. Disobey at your own peril”. Peter’s mother had issued him this warning countless times before, especially with regards to taking the dimly lit short cut home at night. Unfortunately, her warning had fallen on deaf ears. As Peter trudged along the path that night, little did he realize that he was finally going to suffer the consequences of failing to heed his mother’s advice.

Climax

• Unveils the most interesting part of the story

• “ Your money or your life!” demanded the big, burly robber as he held a knife to Peter’s neck. Minutes earlier, Peter had been path walking home along a dimly lit path, smacking lips in anticipation of having his mother’s freshly roasted chicken especially for dinner. Now he was being held at the sharp point of a knife by a robber, whose accomplice was beside him, acting as a lookout.

Now you tryContinuous Writing

• Tina was alone at home one afternoon where there was a knock on the door. She heard a voice ……………

-Choose one type of beginning and write it according to your own imagination.