Prewriting (Think About It) Plan a story by brainstorming possible ideas. Look at those ideas that are the most interesting to use and toss aside the ideas that are less important or useful. You can fill a story web diagram and answer questions about the elements of the story such as character(s), setting, plot, problems, resolution, theme.
Consider who will read the story and why (the audience)Form ideas and discuss with others.
Read, observe, gather, and record information as needed.
Brainstorm a list of words and thoughts.
Think about what you want to say.
Plan how you will say it.
Drafting (Write It Down) Using your thoughts that were brainstormed, write your story using descriptive language that clearly explains your fantasy world and characters. Keep in mind the motivation and goals for the characters to achieve. Allow the plot to mount in excitement as complications arise and reach a climax then resolution. Include dialogue to reveal character.
Organize your thoughts.Choose ideas and develop them.
Sequence what you want to say.
Write a first draft.
Have others read it and offer suggestions.
Revising (Make It Better) Now go over your first draft, looking for sentences that sound awkward, dialogues that can be improved, and plot development that may not make sense. In this stage, fix your story so it sounds right. You can insert new ideas, clarify vague points, add or change words, delete things that are confusing, even reorganize or reorder story details. A thesaurus can be helpful to find synonyms for "tired" or overused words.
Read what you wrote with a critical eye.Think about what others have said about your writing.
Rearrange words or ideas.
Add or take out parts.
Change words or ideas to better ones for improvement.
Complete any unfinished thoughts.
Replace overused or unclear words with fresh vocabulary.
Proofreading (Make It Correct) Once pleased with revisions, proofread the story for punctuation, spelling, and grammar errors. You can exchange papers with a classmate to check each other's work. An editor (who could be a grown-up) can help with final touches.
Make sure all sentences are complete.Check spelling, capitalization, and punctuation.
Look for words not used correctly. (Check dictionary)
Mark corrections needed.
Have someone check your work.
Recopy or print it out correctly and neatly.
Publishing (Share It With Others) Now share your story with the class or an audience. You can read your story in small groups or to a partner. A copy of the story should be printed or handwritten carefully and put into a booklet or class anthology. Illustrations can enhance the final product.
Read it aloud to a person or group.Bind it into a book.
Record it on tape.
Display it for others to see like a poster.
Talk if over with someone.
Illustrate it, perform it, or set to music.
Make it part of a personal collection of your work.
Post it to the Internet's world wide web.