Everything you need to inspire a love of stories and writing — downloadable worksheets, gift ideas, lesson plans, and links to the best UK reading and writing organisations.
Every great story — from Harry Potter to Roald Dahl — follows the same basic recipe. Here's how to write one yourself, step by step.
Before you write a single word of the story, invent your characters. Give your hero a name, a look, a fear, and something they really want. The best characters feel like real people — that means they have faults as well as strengths. A perfect hero is boring. A hero who is clumsy, or scared of spiders, or says the wrong thing at the wrong moment? Brilliant.
Where does your story happen? A haunted library? An island nobody has found? A school for dragons? The setting should feel like a character in its own right. Describe it using your senses — not just what it looks like, but what it smells like, sounds like, and feels like under your feet. If you want to live in your setting, your readers will too.
Every story is about a problem. Your hero wants something — and something or someone gets in the way. It doesn't have to be a villain. It could be a storm, a misunderstanding, a lost map, a secret. The problem creates the tension that keeps readers turning pages. Ask yourself: what is the worst thing that could happen to my hero? Then make it happen.
The beginning introduces your hero and world. The middle is where the problem gets bigger and your hero faces obstacles. The end is where the problem is resolved — and where your hero has learned something or changed in some way. A story without change isn't really a story. Before you write, plan all three parts on your story planner.
Don't start your story with “One day, Jack woke up.” Start in the middle of something happening. “The map had been in the attic for a hundred years. Nobody knew what it led to. Jack was about to find out.” That first sentence is your hook — it needs to make the reader desperate to know what happens next.
What characters say (and how they say it) tells us everything about who they are. A character who says “Indubitably” feels different to one who says “Yeah whatever.” Dialogue also breaks up description and keeps the pace moving. Read your dialogue aloud. If it sounds like something a real person would say, it works. If it sounds stiff, rewrite it.
“She was scared” tells us. “Her hands wouldn't stop shaking” shows us. “He was angry” tells us. “He slammed the door so hard the windows rattled” shows us. Showing is almost always more powerful than telling. When you want to describe a feeling, describe what the body does instead.
The best endings leave the reader with a feeling — satisfaction, wonder, or a slight ache. Your hero should be different by the last page. They've learnt something, gained something, or lost something that mattered. Don't end with “and it was all a dream” — readers find it deeply unsatisfying. End with your hero standing in a new place, literally or emotionally.
All resources are free to download, print on A4, and use in the classroom or at home. No sign-up needed.
A one-page worksheet for planning a story from scratch. Characters, setting, beginning, middle, end — everything on one sheet. Perfect for ages 7–11.
Open & print →One sheet per character. Name, appearance, personality, role, and motivation. Room for three characters. Great for planning before writing begins.
Open & print →A full KS2 creative writing lesson plan with National Curriculum links, 60-minute structure, differentiation guidance and extension activities.
Open & print →A Storywizard book isn't just a gift — it's the moment a child becomes a real, published author. Here are the occasions where it means the most.
The personalised book gift that every child remembers. They wrote the story — now it's under the tree as a real hardback. Order by mid-December for pre-Christmas delivery. From £17.99 including free delivery.
A personalised birthday gift unlike anything else. Their own story, their own characters, their name on the cover as the author. Perfect for ages 7 to 14. Paperback from £17.99.
Celebrate World Book Day in March by becoming a real published author. A Storywizard book is the most meaningful way a child can mark the occasion — by writing one themselves.
Move beyond chocolate — give an Easter gift that lasts. A Storywizard book makes a wonderful Easter present for a child who loves reading, writing or anything creative.
Leaving primary school is a milestone. A personalised novel with their name on the cover is a keepsake they'll treasure forever. The perfect Year 6 leavers gift.
Mark the transition to secondary school with something special. A Storywizard novel they wrote themselves is a beautiful reminder of how far they've come — and a confidence boost for what's ahead.
A wonderful way to include an older child in the arrival of a new sibling. They write the story — starring themselves and the new baby — and it becomes a book to read together forever.
A Storywizard book set in their old hometown — full of characters they love — is a beautiful farewell gift. Something to keep as memories of a place that mattered.
Grandparents who love books know: a personalised story beats any toy. Storywizard books are the gift grandparents give when they want to give something that truly lasts. From £17.99 inc. free delivery.
We have a whole section for you — free creative writing resources with curriculum links for KS1, KS2 and KS3, a lesson plan you can run tomorrow, and everything you need to turn a class's stories into real printed books.
Our free printable resources — the Story Planner, Character Profile Sheets and a complete 60-minute lesson plan — are all designed to be used in class, with or without Storywizard. Every pupil's story is reviewed and approved by their teacher before anything is printed, and books are delivered to the school. Packages are costed per class and invoiced directly.
Verified UK organisations, competitions, and resources to inspire young readers and writers. All links open in a new tab.
You create the characters and the plot. We write it, illustrate it, and print it as a real paperback or hardback with your name on the cover. From £17.99 including free UK delivery.
Start your story ✨