Lesson 4: Creative Writing and Storytelling

🟦 Introduction

Have you ever imagined an entirely new world, invented a character in your mind, or thought of an unusual “what if” scenario? That’s creative writing—where your imagination becomes your greatest tool.

In WASSCE, creative writing is usually tested as a form of narrative or storytelling. But unlike typical narrative essays that may draw from personal experiences, creative writing pushes you to invent original plots, settings, characters, and twists. You are expected to write realistically or fantastically, so long as it’s engaging and logically structured.

This lesson will help you develop your imaginative thinking, structure your stories effectively, and use language that brings ideas to life.

🟩 Key Concepts and Explanations

1. What is Creative Writing?

Creative writing is the art of telling a fictional or imaginative story, often involving invented characters, scenarios, and events. It allows you to explore fantasy, mystery, adventure, emotion, and even humor—as long as the story makes sense and connects with the reader.

Unlike expository or argumentative writing, creative writing is expressive and emotionally rich.

2. Elements of Creative Writing

🧠 Remember: Even fantasy stories need believable logic and emotional truth.

3. Common WASSCE Prompts for Creative Writing

• Write a story that ends with: “I had never felt so free.”

• Continue the story: “I opened the door and saw something I never expected…”

• Invent a story around the theme: “Jealousy.”

• Write a short story titled: “The Stranger in the Rain.”

These prompts expect you to craft original content with realistic development and vivid language.

4. Language and Style

• Use sensory language and figurative expressions: similes, metaphors, personification.

• Include dialogue to reveal character and move the story.

• Vary sentence lengths for rhythm and emotion.

• Keep tenses consistent, usually past tense.

• Show emotions and motivations—don’t just describe events.

✍️ Example:
Instead of “He was scared,” try:
“His hands trembled, and his breath caught as the doorknob slowly turned.”

🧭 Step-by-Step Sample Walkthrough

Essay Prompt:

Write a story that begins with the sentence: “I always thought I knew my best friend—until that night.”

Step 1: Brainstorm the Plot

What could your best friend be hiding?

• Maybe they lied about something big

• Maybe they did something heroic or dangerous

• Maybe you found out a dark secret

Step 2: Outline the Structure

Introduction

• Narrator explains friendship and trust

• Hints at something strange happening

Rising Action

• Friend starts acting differently

• Suspicious event (e.g., sneaking out, strange phone call)

Climax

• Truth revealed (e.g., friend is in trouble, hiding a crime, saving someone)

Falling Action & Resolution

• Emotional reaction

• Final decision and reflection

Step 3: Write the Story (Excerpt – Opening)

I always thought I knew my best friend—until that night. Kojo had been quiet all day, barely laughing at my jokes, which was unusual. But I didn’t ask. That was my first mistake. Later, when I followed him out of the compound and saw him hand over a brown envelope to a man in a black car, I knew something was terribly wrong.

🟨 Practice Exercises

Exercise A: Complete the Story Starters

Finish the paragraph for each of these opening lines:

1. The wind howled as I stepped outside, clutching the letter tightly…

2. She had been warned never to go near the river after dark. But curiosity is a powerful thing…

3. They said the house was abandoned, but someone—or something—was clearly watching me.

Exercise B: Character Sketch

Create a character profile for a fictional person in your story. Include:

• Name:

• Age:

• Personality traits (e.g., shy, clever, arrogant):

• Physical description:

• Their secret or challenge:

✍️ Sample:
Name: Ama Mensah
Traits: Smart, sarcastic, secretly afraid of the dark
Challenge: Must lead her friends out of a forest after getting lost during a school trip

Exercise C: Dialogue Practice

Write a short dialogue between two characters in a tense moment. Keep it realistic.

Example:
“You weren’t supposed to be here.”
“And yet, here I am. Why are you hiding that letter?”

🔁 Recap

You’ve learned that:

• Creative writing focuses on imaginative storytelling with invented plots and characters.

• It includes the elements of plot, setting, conflict, climax, and resolution.

• Good creative writing shows emotion, uses vivid language, and creates tension and interest.

• WASSCE prompts for creative writing expect originality, clarity, and a strong conclusion.

🪞Reflection Prompt

If you could write a story about a secret, a surprise, or a transformation, what would it be?
What kind of character would you create, and what message or emotion would you want your reader to feel at the end?