Mrs.

Archabal 12th Grade English

Creative (Short Story) Writing Rubric

The Assignment:

Write an imaginative story to enlighten and entertain through characterization and theme! The
story should be a piece of fiction. Your setting and characters should be completely imaginary
and focus on a main character within either a utopia or dystopia.

The story must be between 500 and 800 words.

You must complete a pre-writing tool (i.e. outline, plot diagram, story board, etc) of
your choosing with all plot elements/turning points included in an organized way.
Your story must include dialogue.
There should be at least one conflict in your story that has some sort of resolution.
You must include at least three literary devices.
You must have a creative and appropriate title for your story.
The story must be typed. You will have some class time to complete this assignment.

Formatting:

Information in upper left-hand corner same as MLA style essay.

Title font style and size: Font (Your Choice) Size 16-20
Body text font style and size: Times New Roman, 12 point size
Publication type: Traditional story double-spaced; indented five spaces; no extra
spaces to separate paragraphs.
 Imaginative Short Story Rubric:

Categories 4= Exceeds 3=Meets 2=Below 1=Minimal

Expectations Expectations Expectations Effort Score:

Pre-writing Author has created Pre-writing doc is Document is Incomplete

document a pre-writing complete and either incomplete and/or very
document that shows effort to or falls short of a poor effort to
shows all turning accomplish the showing the create a
points of the goal of creating storys sequence coherent pre-
storyline in an writing structure. of events. writing doc.
organized way.

Characterization Main characters Main characters Main characters It is hard to

are used are used choices and tell who the
effectively to somewhat actions are not main
drive the story effectively to used to drive characters are
forward through drive the action of forward very and/or there is
their choices and the story. Readers successfully. little or no
interactions. have some idea of Readers know very effort to show
Readers could what the little about the how they drive
describe the characters are characters. the story.
characters like.
accurately.

Setting/Mood Many vivid, Some vivid, Readers can figure Readers have
descriptive descriptive out when and trouble
(sensory) words (sensory) words where the story figuring out
are used to tell are used to tell took place, but when and
when and where the audience the writer did not where the
the story took when and where supply much story took
place and create a the story took detail. Some place and/or
very effective place and/or show effort toward create an
mood. mood. creating mood effective
made. mood.

Conflict exists Readers very Readers Readers The main

as it relates to easily understand understand the understand the problem the
Human Rights the problem the problem the main problem, but it is characters
main characters characters face not clear how face is not
and Essential face as they relate and why. HRs/EUs they relate to clear and/or is
Understandings. to HRs/EUs. ideas are ones HRs/EUs or not a HRs or
purposeful. why they exist. related to EUs.

Organization The story is well The story is well The story is a The story
organized, using a organized. One little hard to seems to be
sequence of idea or scene may follow. The randomly
events, elements seem out of place. transitions are arranged and
of plot, and clear Clear transitions sometimes not is poorly
transitions. are used. clear. organized.
Techniques and The writer uses The writer uses The writer uses The story lacks
Word Choice several literary some literary very few literary literary
devices and devices and/or devices and/or devices and/or
excellent word good word choice some good word strong word
choice to enhance to enhance the choice to enhance choice.
the story. story. the story.

Creation of a Author uses Author accurately Author makes Author makes

utopian or literary devices, create a world in some attempt to little or no
character which the create and attempt or
dystopian
development and community is a U/ express the reference to
society (but not vivid detail to D. societal/ the society as
called one) create a world in communal norms U/D.
which the reader as they would
feels is a U/D. relate to a U/D.

Conventions The writer makes The writer makes The writer makes The writer
(Grammar and no errors in very few errors in some errors in makes many
Spelling) used grammar or grammar or grammar or errors in
spelling that spelling that spelling that grammar and
effectively distract the reader distract the distract the spelling.
from the story. reader. reader.