Writing Composition | Learning Lab

Writing Process

Creative Writing Purpose

Writing displaying imagination or invention
Fiction/poetry
Descriptive
Painting a picture with words

Planning

Brainstorm: Get ideas on paper. Use mind maps, lists, or freewriting to get started.

Choose a Topic: From brainstormed ideas, they should pick a clear, focused topic.

Audience & Purpose: Think about who will read your work and why you are writing (to inform, persuade, entertain, etc.).

Organize Ideas: Use graphic organizers, outlines, or bullet points to organize thoughts before writing.

Brainstorm Templates

The Outline

Start Writing: Begin the first draft by turning the organized ideas into sentences and paragraphs.

Your first draft doesn’t have to be perfect—just get the ideas down!

Structure:

Introductions: Hook the reader, introduce the topic.
Body Paragraphs: Develop main points, use details and examples.
Conclusion: Sum up ideas, provide a closing thought.

The Hook

A Hook: the first sentence of your writing that grabs the reader’s attention.

Think of it like the opening scene in a movie — it has to be exciting or interesting enough to make people want to keep watching (or, in this case, reading).

A good hook can be a question, a surprising fact, a quote, or even a short story.

Hook Writing Steps:

1.Start with a Question: Shock your reader with an interesting question.

Example:“Have you ever wondered what it would be like to live on Mars?”

2.Use a Surprising Fact: Surprise your reader with a shocking fact.

Example:“Did you know that the average person spends 6 months of their life waiting at red lights?”

3.Begin with a Quote: A powerful quote from someone famous.

Example:“Albert Einstein once said, ‘Imagination is more important than knowledge.’”

4.Tell a Short Story: A quick, relatable story can make your reader feel connected.

Example:“When I was ten, I got lost in the woods for hours, with nothing but my flashlight and a compass.”

5.Create a Strong Image: Paint a picture with your words to put an image in the reader’s mind.

Example:“The sky was so dark, it looked like someone had thrown a blanket over the stars.”

Introduction

1. Hook: This is the opening sentence that grabs the reader’s attention. It can be a question, a surprising fact, or a bold statement. The goal is to make the reader want to keep reading.

2. Background Information: Provide context about the topic. This helps the reader understand what you’re talking about, but don’t give away too many details yet. Just enough to introduce the topic.

3. Thesis Statement: This is the most important part of the introduction. It tells the reader what the main idea or argument of the essay is. It’s usually one sentence at the end of the introduction that sums up what the essay will be about.

Example of an Introduction

It was a dare that Max couldn’t refuse. The old, abandoned house at the end of Maple Street had been rumoured to be haunted for years, with kids in the neighbourhood spinning stories about strange noises and shadowy figures in the windows. Max’s friends, all too scared to go themselves, challenged him to spend just one night inside. As he approached the house, the wind howled, and the front door creaked open on its own, as if inviting him inside. Max’s heart raced, but he took a deep breath and stepped over the threshold, determined to prove everyone wrong. Little did he know, what waited for him inside was more terrifying than any ghost story. By the end of the night, Max would uncover secrets that no one was prepared to face.

Body Paragraphs

1. Topic Sentence: This is the first sentence of the paragraph and explains what the paragraph will be about. It introduces the main idea of the paragraph.

2. Supporting Details: These sentences provide facts, examples, or explanations that support the topic sentence. They help to explain or prove the main idea with specific details.

3. Concluding Sentence: This is the last sentence of the paragraph that wraps up the idea. It summarizes the main point or provides a transition to the next paragraph.

Inside the house, Max’s footsteps echoed through the dark, empty hallway. Every few steps, he thought he heard whispers, but when he stopped to listen, there was only silence. The walls were covered in peeling wallpaper, and the air smelled like dust and something rotten. As he moved deeper into the house, the floor creaked loudly under his weight, making him jump every time. Suddenly, a cold breeze swept through the room, even though the windows were all closed. Max’s heart pounded, but he told himself it was just the wind and kept moving forward. He was starting to regret ever taking the dare, but he knew there was no turning back now.

Example Body Paragraph

This body paragraph starts with a topic sentence about Max inside the house, includes supporting details about what he hears, sees, and feels, and ends with a concluding sentence that hints at his fear and determination.

Conclusion

1. Restate the Thesis: Restating the main idea or argument of the essay, but use different words. This reminds the reader what the essay or story was about.

2. Summarize Key Points: Briefly summarize the main points or events that were discussed in the body paragraphs. This helps the reader remember the important details.

3. Closing Thought: End with a final thought or reflection that leaves the reader thinking. This could be a lesson learned, a prediction, or a feeling of resolution. It gives the writing a sense of completion.

Example Conclusion

Max had faced his fears, but the house had left him with more questions than answers. What began as a simple dare had turned into a night full of strange whispers and chilling moments.

As he left the house at dawn, he couldn’t shake the feeling that something—or someone—had been watching him the whole time. He had survived the night, but the mystery of the haunted house would haunt him forever. Max realized that some dares aren’t worth taking, and sometimes, it’s better to leave certain secrets undiscovered.

From the eerie creaks of the floor to the icy breeze, Max knew the stories about the house were true.

This conclusion restates the main idea about Max facing his fears, summarizes key moments from the body paragraph, and ends with a final thought about the lasting impact of the experience.

Step 6: Revise & Edit

Rethink & Rework: Read through your draft and focus on improving the content.

Add more details or examples.
Show don't Tell: Use the five senses to improve your story. Help the reader feel the story.
Rearrange ideas for better flow.
Remove unnecessary sentences.

Proofread: Now it’s time to focus on correcting grammar, spelling, punctuation, and sentence structure.

They can read it aloud to catch mistakes.

Peer Review: Have them exchange papers with classmates for feedback.

Step 8: Tips & Tricks

1) Avoid Tired Words

Nice, big, small, thing, stuff, got, said, went, good, bad

Example)

"Alice went down the hill"

"Alive tumbled down the hill, her laughter echoing as she disappeared into the wild forest below"

2) Figurative Language

Figurative language uses words creatively to enhance writing, often through comparisons or vivid imagery. Key types include:

Simile: Comparing with “like” or “as” (“Her smile was like sunshine”).
Metaphor: Saying one thing is another (“Time is a thief”).
Personification: Giving human traits to non-humans (“The wind whispered”).
Hyperbole: Exaggeration for effect (“I’ve told you a million times”).
Onomatopoeia: Words that mimic sounds (“Buzzing bees”).

3) Show Don't Tell

"Lucas was miserable"

"Lucas’s eyes welled with tears. He buried his face in his trembling hands and began to sob uncontrollably"