6 key 11 plus (11+) creative writing topics
The following are common topics 11+ applicants may be presented within their creative writing exam, how to tackle them, and examples of books about these topics to prepare with.
Stories about adventures or activities
You may be asked to write a story about an adventure or activity with a prompt similar to the following:
Write about…
- winning a race or award
- a hobby you enjoy
- going on an adventure
Books about an adventure or activity:
Some books that you may find helpful as inspiration for writing a story on this topic are:
- Treasure Island, Robert Stevenson, Examberry Children’s Classic Reading Workbook edition
- Breakfast Club Adventures, Marcus Rashford
- Running on the Roof of the World, Jess Butterworth
- Famous Five Adventure Series, Enid Blyton
- Tanglewreck, Jeanette Winterson
- Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Lewis Carroll
- The Odyssey, Homer, Usborne Young Reading edition
- The Wonder team and the Forgotten Footballers, Leah Williamson
- Harry Potter series, J.K.Rowling
- The BFG, Roald Dahl
Tip:
- Focus on the feeling of discovery – think about what new things your character is learning or experiencing through the adventure or activity.
Stories about animals
You may be asked to write a story about an animal/animals with a prompt similar to the following:
Write about…
- your favourite animal
- your pet
- a zoo/sea/jungle animal/creature
Books about animals:
Some books that you may find helpful as inspiration for writing a story on this topic are:
- The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame, Examberry Children’s Classic Reading Workbook Edition
- The Tale of Despereaux, Kate DiCamillo
- Animal Farm, George Orwell
- Mrs Frisby and the Rats of Nimh, Robert C.O.Brien
- The Butterfly Lion, Michael Morpurgo
- Charlotte’s Web, E.B.White
- Beautiful Joe’s Paradise, Margaret Marshall Saunders
- The Lost Whale, Hannah Gold
- The Last Firefox, Lee Newberry
- Black Beauty, Anna Sewell
Tip:
- Use anthropomorphisation – give the animals human traits to make them more empathetic (more relatable) to the reader.
Stories about emotions
You may be asked to write a story about an emotion with a prompt similar to the following:
Write about…
- a time when you felt afraid/happy/jealous/sad/angry
- how you overcame a fear/challenge
- joy/disgust/hope
Books about emotions:
Some books that you may find helpful as inspiration for writing a story on this topic are:
- A Boy Called Hope, Lara Williamson
- A Pocketful of Stars, Aisha Bushby
- Wonder, R.J.Palacio
- Ella on the Outside, Cath Howe
- The Goldfish Boy, Lisa Thompson
- The Boy Who Lied, Kim Slater
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, Mark Haddon
- Can You See Me?, Libby Scott
- The Book Thief, Marcus Zusak
- See You in the Cosmos, Jack Cheng
Tip:
- Relate the emotions to the five senses – e.g. what colour does hope look like, what does sadness smell like?
Stories about an environment
You may be asked to write a story about an environment with a prompt similar to the following:
Write about…
- the sea, the forest, a garden
- a house, a castle
- a bridge, a door, a greenhouse
Books about an environment:
Some books that you may find helpful as inspiration for writing a story on this topic are:
- The Secret Garden, Frances Hodgson Burnett
- The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, C.S.Lewis
- Nim’s Island, Wendy Orr
- Isadora Moon Under the Sea, Harriet Muncaster
- The Magical Faraway Tree, Enid Blyton
- Wildsmith: Into the Dark Forest, Liz Flanagan
- Our Castle by the Sea, Lucy Strange
- Tom’s Midnight Garden, Philippa Pearce
- Coraline, Neil Gaiman
- Howl’s Moving Castle, Dianna Wynne Jones
Tip:
- Use personification to give the environment a sense of power – e.g. “It was a heavy burden for the sea, carrying all those ships on her blue surface, but she did it proudly, for it was her responsibility to care for them.”
Stories about people
You may be asked to write a story about a person or a group of people with a prompt similar to the following:
Write about…
- a role model
- a family member/friend
- an original character (e.g. wizard, doctor, teacher)
Books about people:
Some books that you may find helpful as inspiration for writing a story on this topic are:
- A Christmas Carol, Charles Dickens, Examberry Children’s Classic Reading Workbook edition
- Anne of Green Gables, Lucy Maud Montgomery
- Heidi, Johanna Spyri
- Sherlock Holmes series, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
- Percy Jackson series, Rick Riordan
- Agent Zaiba Investigates, Annabelle Sami
- Lightning Girl, Alesha Dixon
- Tales from beyond the rainbow, Peter Jordi Wood
- Little People, Big Dreams series, Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara
- Little Women, Louisa May Alcott
Tip:
- Use adjectives – i.e. descriptive words, to describe characters’ appearance and emotions.
Stories about travel
You may be asked to write a story about travelling somewhere with a prompt similar to the following:
Write about…
- travelling to another country
- travelling to another world
- travelling to the countryside, seaside or city
Books about travel:
Some books that you may find helpful as inspiration for writing a story on this topic are:
- The Girl of Ink and Stars, Kiran Millwood Hargrave
- The Boy Who Biked the World series, Alastair Humphreys
- Around the world in Eighty Days, Jane Bingham
- Gulliver’s Travels, Jonathan Swift
- The London Eye Mystery, Siobhan Dowd
- Journey to the Centre of the Earth, Jules Verne, Usborne Young Reading edition
- The Wizard of Oz, L.Frank Baum
- No Ballet Shoes in Syria, Catherine Bruton
- The Children of Castle Rock, Natasha Farrant
- The Phantom Tollbooth, Norton Jester
Tip:
- Use verbs and adverbs – use verbs to add a sense of movement in the story and adverbs to describe the experience of travelling.
11+ Creative Writing Course
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