Relating to the Prompt

During planning, it’s important that you make sure you know how your prompt will be incorporated in the text. Do not leave it for later, because if mistakes are made, they’re going to require structural changes, which takes time.

Ways the prompt could be incorporated are:

• Main plot line, and/or
• References weaved through more than half of the number of paragraphs.

It’s important that the prompt is a central part of your piece i.e. that it is undeniable that the story is about the prompt.

It is highly advised that you do not:

• Write a story and put references to the prompt as a ‘side addition’.
• Write a template and then adapt for the prompt.

Assessors are extremely strict with this and stories, however, well written, can be disqualified if not related to the prompt.

How to integrate the prompt into your storyline

Here are considerations to integrate the prompt into your storyline if you have a:

Picture prompt

• Main action in the prompt would form the main event (surrounding media request).
• Object – note down key characteristics of the object (telephone) and what someone can do with the object can form the main event.
• Abstract – an everyday story around a quirk is always an achievable idea for an exam (television in tree).

Worded prompt

• Quotes should feature in the piece but the main event should form the essence of the piece.
• Pay attention to punctuation and content as a hint for the ‘tone’ of the piece. E.g. “You go first, I’ll follow…” vs. “You go first, I’ll follow!” vs. “You go first, I’ll follow?”

Combined prompts (images, words, other items).

• Determine the overall tone of the piece from the items combined. E.g. Imagine you have woken from a 1,000-year slumber + image of an apocalyptic world.
• Incorporate each item in a paragraph of their own if you have many items. E.g. image of a train journey, the words: a journey and a timetable.

Remember simple is best – the biggest mistakes we see are those that try to write complicated plot lines. When you have a simple plot line, it’s easier to weave in your prompt.

Examples

Watch video to see worked example/s for the following two image prompts:

Practice time!

Now, it's your turn to practice.

The questions in this checkpoint are provided to help you develop your writing skills.

To do your practice questions, click on the below to download your question paper. You can print it out or work from the electronic version. We do recommend that you write your answers by hand in a notebook or on paper.

NW-CP6-Questions.pdf

Once you have completed your questions, review the suggested solutions. You can download (and print if you wish) the PDF suggested solutions and/or watch the suggested solutions video (all below).

Once you're done with reviewing the practice question suggested solutions, move on to the next checkpoint.

NW-CP6-Answers.pdf

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