writing adventure for children: workshop ideas by jeni mawter

Writing Adventure

Presented by Jeni Mawter

www.jenimawter.com

‘Life is a daring adventure or nothing’

Helen Keller

Are you an adventurer?Do you dream of being stranded on a desert island? Would you like to live in a tree, or adventure on the

high seas?

Battle mysterious creatures or stop a crime ring?

Then adventure writing

is for you!

Use Exotic Settings

More Exotic Settings

Think of an exotic setting for a …

Mystery adventure

Fantasy adventure

Historical adventure

Romantic adventure

Excitement

Click icon to add picture

Danger

Action

Danger

Dangerous SituationsBeing vulnerable to …

injury

loss

evil

risk

Think

of more

examples

Fast-paced action

Story Beginnings …

Start with

action

Elements of Adventure Writing

A likeable protagonist

Elements of Adventure Writing

An unlikeable antagonist

The quest is a long and difficult search for something.

Start the story with a quest

The quest is something we can all

identify with, or want.

Examples???

Humancriminals, corrupt people

The Elements ocean, jungle, desert, ice

InstitutionsArmy, government, secret service

Internalgreed, fear, pride, physical weakness

The hero meets obstacles

and more obstacles …

Don’t avoid the risks and

obstacles

Make life really difficult for the

person on the quest

If you’re confronted with great fear and danger

all you need are imagination and courage.

R.L. Stevenson

Use your imagination to work out how to escape from this situation.

Use your courage to work out how to escape from this situation.

Introduce twists and turns in the plot

Keep sentences short and leanJamie grabbed the rope and started pulling

till her arms ached and then the boy

appeared over the cliff edge and then she got

a shock and almost lost her grip.

Jamie grabbed the rope, pulling till her arms

ached. When the boy suddenly appeared she

almost lost her grip.

Story Ideas setting protagonist questbullfighting arena detective moneydilapidated house orphan save a lifeghost town astronaut find

missing medalhidden cave athlete solve a

mysterymountain top princess make

friendsmilitary base dragon find the

truthriding academy boy/girl freedomwildlife sanctuary refugee catch a

thief