Opening in January 2019 for its 9th year, 500 Words is one of the most successful story-writing competitions for kids in the world and is open to every 5 - 13 year old in the UK. It has one aim: to encourage kids to realise that no matter what their background, education or lack thereof, their imagination matters.
We鈥檒l be inspiring children to come up with their own amazing 500 Words story ideas in this live, interactive programme for schools. Content and resources for this Live Lesson are tailored for both 5 - 7 year olds and for ages 7 and up.
To help prepare, we've got some great video and audio resources to support teaching story-writing skills in your classroom.
7th February 2019: 500 Words 2019 - Live Lesson
Join 500 Words judges Charlie Higson and Frank Cottrell-Boyce for tips and inspiration in this Live Lesson for ages 5-13.
A fictional short story writing workshop. video
Rebecca Abrams and Charles Cummins lead a fiction writing workshop that begins with a group of teenagers writing about personal memories of holidays. Suitable for teaching 11 to 14-year-olds.
Michael Morpurgo on storywriting. video
Before an audience of 400 young people, best-selling author Michael Morpurgo reveals how he came to write the novels Private Peaceful and War Horse. Suitable for teaching 11 to 14-year-olds.
Philip Pullman on his novels. video
Philip Pullman reveals some secrets of the art and craft of fiction writing, stressing the importance of stamina and determination because 鈥渨riting a novel is a marathon and not a sprint鈥. Suitable for teaching 11 to 14-year-olds.
Rebecca Abrams - writing tips. video
Novelist Rebecca Abrams offers advice for young aspiring fiction writers on how to find inspiration, learn about writing dialogue, dream up characters and devise plots. Suitable for teaching 11 to 14-year-olds.
What inspires a writer? video
Anthony Horowitz discusses writing the Sherlock Holmes novels and shares his top tips for writing. Suitable for teaching 11 to 16-year-olds.
What makes good story writing? video
Jamila Gavin, Keith Gray, Jacqueline Wilson, David Almond and Malorie Blackman share their writing secrets, giving consideration to where they find their inspiration, what their writing triggers are, and how they get writing started. Suitable for teaching 11 to 16-year-olds.
How did Arthur Conan Doyle create the character of Sherlock Holmes? video
Andrew Marr investigates how Arthur Conan Doyle first created the unforgettable character of Sherlock Holmes, back in 1887. Suitable for teaching 11 to 16-year-olds.
Comic strips and graphic novels. video
Anthony Horowitz introduces writers of young adult fiction such as David Almond and Eoin Colfer who have experimented with form to create exciting new ways of storytelling. Suitable for teaching 11 to 16-year-olds.
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School Radio
Meet the authors. audio
Interviews with some leading children鈥檚 authors 鈥 talking about their work and giving tips. Suitable for teaching 7 to 11-year-olds.
Shakespeare Retold. audio
Famous children鈥檚 authors talk about their approach to storytelling, focussing on the particular story they wrote inspired by a work of Shakespeare. Suitable for teaching 9 to 11-year-olds.
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Interactive Lessons
Watch again: 500 Words 2018 - Live Lesson. video
This interactive lesson is brimming with top story-telling tips for children aged 5-13.
Watch again: 500 Words 2017 - Live Lesson. video
An interactive lesson for 5-13 year-olds, celebrating the launch of 大象传媒 Radio 2's 500 Words story-writing competition.
Watch again: CBeebies: Stories by the Sea - Live Lesson. video
This interactive lesson explores storytelling techniques for 5-7 year-olds with CBeebies friends from Old Jack's Boat.
