When you’re writing an essay for the 11 Plus exam, especially if it’s a narrative or descriptive piece, your characters and settings need to feel real and believable. One of the best ways to achieve this is through a well-crafted backstory.

But what is backstory, and how do you include it in your writing without slowing down your essay or making it feel like an information dump?

In this guide, we’ll explore what backstory is, why it’s important, and how you can reveal it naturally to make your writing stand out in the 11 Plus exam.

We’ve been helping local  Bromley and Lewisham pupils get a place at their dream grammar or independent school for more than a decade.

If you’re a parent in Bromley or Lewisham, you know how competitive the 11 Plus exams can be. The creative writing component is one of the most challenging but critical parts of the process, especially for grammar and independent schools like St Olave’s Grammar School, Eltham College, Colfe’s School, and Dulwich College.

At Geek School Tutoring, we specialise in preparing children to stand out in these highly competitive exams. Whether your goal is a grammar school like Bexley Grammar or a top independent school such as James Allen’s Girls’ School (JAGS) or Trinity School, we’re here to help your child succeed.

Why Creative Writing Matters in the 11 Plus Exams

The creative writing section tests your child’s ability to:

• Think Creatively: Develop unique ideas that capture an examiner’s attention.
• Write with Precision: Use grammar, punctuation, and vocabulary effectively.
• Organise Ideas Clearly: Structure essays and stories in a way that flows logically.

For schools like Eltham College, City of London School, and Blackheath High School, the ability to write well can make the difference in securing a place.

What Makes Our Tuition Unique to Other Providers in Bromley and Lewisham?

1. Personalised Feedback
Every piece of writing is marked using our unique video-marked feedback system. Your child will see exactly what works, what doesn’t, and how to improve, giving them an edge over the competition.

2. Proven Results
For the past decade, Geek School Tutoring has helped hundreds of children in Bromley, Lewisham, and beyond gain places at prestigious schools, including St Olave’s, Dulwich College, and JAGS – often with scholarships offers.

3. Flexible Learning Options
We offer in-person sessions at our centres in Bromley and Lewisham, as well as online tuition for families who prefer learning from home.

4. Engaging Resources
Our creative writing lessons are designed to inspire and motivate your child, with prompts and exercises tailored to 11 Plus requirements.

5. Our 11 Plus Tutors Have Taken The 11+ Exam, Attended Grammar and Independent Schools

These days, many so-called 11 Plus Exam Tutors are jumping on the bandwagon because they have seen how these exams are growing in popularity. However, many of them are clueless about the high standards required to gain a place at these top schools, and they will use your child as a guinea pig while they try to decipher them.

Geek School Tutoring was started by a survivor of these very exams, Joycellyn Akuffo, who not only sat the 11 Plus Exams but attended an independent school. Her own children have done likewise with numerous offers at both grammar and independent schools. Our 11 Plus Tutors have also done the same and opt to work with Geek School Tutoring to give back. The benefit of this is a supportive network your child can confidently depend on in their preparation for one of the most competitive exams they will ever take.

How to Get Started

1. Join Our Creative Writing Crash Course
   In just six weeks, your child will learn the skills they need to excel in 11 Plus creative writing. With video tutorials and video-marked homework, they’ll be fully prepared for exam day. 👉 Sign Up Here
2. Book a Consultation
   Want to discuss your child’s specific needs? Contact us to arrange a personalised consultation.

Conveniently Located to Support Families Across Bromley and Lewisham

Our centres are ideally situated to serve families in:

• Bromley Town
• Catford
• Forest Hill
• Beckenham
• Blackheath
• Sydenham

We also provide online tuition, ensuring children anywhere in the UK—or internationally—can access expert support.

Take the First Step Today

Don’t let the creative writing component hold your child back. With our expert tuition and unique feedback system, they’ll have the tools they need to secure a place at their dream school.

👉 Get Started Now

Together, we can help your child stand out in the 11 Plus exams and achieve their academic ambitions.

Have you ever read a story and felt like you were right there with the characters? Like you could smell the flowers, hear the birds, or feel the chill in the air? That magic happens when a writer uses sensory details.

Sensory details help readers see, hear, smell, taste, and touch the world in your story. They make your writing come alive and pull readers into your scenes. In this post, we’ll explore how to use sensory details effectively and give you tips and examples to bring your writing to life.

2. Why Are Sensory Details Important?

Sensory details aren’t just pretty descriptions—they have a purpose:

• They Make Scenes Feel Real: Readers can imagine themselves in your story.
• They Build Emotion: The smell of rain or the sound of laughter can create specific feelings.
• They Help Set the Mood: A dark, damp cave feels very different from a sunny, flower-filled garden.
• They Make Writing Memorable: Readers remember stories they can feel.

When used well, sensory details turn flat descriptions into rich experiences.

3. Using Sight to Paint a Picture

Sight is the most common sense writers use because we naturally describe what we see. But don’t just stop at basic colours—think about shapes, sizes, and tiny details.

Examples of Sight Details:

• Sparkling water reflecting sunlight
• Dust particles floating in a beam of light
• Jagged rocks covered in moss

Example Sentence: The sky turned a fiery orange as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the quiet village.

To make your descriptions even stronger, focus on what stands out to your character. Do they notice the broken window or the flickering lightbulb?

4. Using Sound to Create Atmosphere

Sound adds life to your story, whether it’s the cheerful chatter of a marketplace or the eerie creak of an old door.

Examples of Sound Details:

• The distant howl of a wolf
• The sharp crack of thunder
• Leaves crunching underfoot

Example Sentence: The floorboards groaned under his weight, and every step echoed like a drumbeat in the silent hallway.

When writing sounds, try to describe how they make the character feel. Does the crack of thunder make them jump? Does the drip of water in a cave make them uneasy?

5. Using Smell to Trigger Memories

Smell is one of the most powerful senses in writing because it’s strongly linked to memory and emotion.

Examples of Smell Details:

• The sharp scent of freshly cut grass
• The warm, sugary smell of cinnamon rolls
• The damp, musty smell of an old attic

Example Sentence: The scent of her grandmother’s perfume hung in the air, instantly taking her back to childhood summers spent baking cookies in a sunlit kitchen.

Smells don’t just describe a scene—they can also reveal emotions, memories, and character backstories.

6. Using Taste to Add Depth

Taste isn’t just for food scenes—it can also be used in creative ways to describe the air, water, or even emotions.

Examples of Taste Details:

• The salty tang of sea air
• The bitter taste of burnt coffee
• The sweet burst of a ripe strawberry

Example Sentence: The salty sea breeze tickled his lips as he stared out over the endless blue horizon.

When using taste, think about how it makes your character feel. Is it comforting? Disgusting? Unexpected?

7. Using Touch to Ground Your Readers

The sense of touch is often overlooked in writing, but it can create a strong physical connection to your story.

Examples of Touch Details:

• The icy chill of metal against bare skin
• The rough texture of tree bark
• The soft warmth of a woollen blanket

Example Sentence: Her fingers traced the smooth surface of the polished stone, its coolness sending a shiver up her spine.

Touch can show your character’s physical experience and help readers feel closer to them.

8. Mixing the Senses for Powerful Writing

The best writing doesn’t just use one sense—it combines several senses to create layered descriptions.

Example of Mixed Senses:

The market was alive with colour and sound. Stalls overflowed with ripe, golden fruit, and the air buzzed with the chatter of vendors calling out their deals. The sharp scent of spices tickled her nose, and warm sunlight kissed her face as she wandered past tables piled high with treasures.

Mixing senses makes your scenes richer and more immersive.

9. Avoid Overusing Sensory Details

Too many sensory details can overwhelm readers. You don’t need to describe everything. Focus on the details that:

• Are most important to the scene.
• Reveal something about the character.
• Help set the mood or atmosphere.

Example: Instead of describing everything about a forest, focus on a few vivid details:

• The way the leaves crunch underfoot
• The damp smell of moss
• The shafts of sunlight breaking through the trees

A few well-chosen details are often more effective than a long list.

Bring Your Writing to Life with Sensory Details

Sensory details are like magic paintbrushes for your words. They let you create scenes that readers can see, hear, smell, taste, and feel.

Next time you’re writing, stop and ask yourself:

• What can my character see, hear, smell, taste, and touch?
• How can I make this moment more vivid for my readers?

With practice, using sensory details will become second nature, and your stories will transport readers straight into your world.

Have you ever been told to “show, don’t tell” when writing a story? It’s one of the most important tips for making your writing exciting, emotional, and real. But what does it actually mean?

When you tell, you’re simply stating facts: “Lucy was scared.”
When you show, you’re painting a picture: “Lucy’s hands shook as she clutched the edge of the table, her breath coming in sharp gasps.”

See the difference? Showing pulls readers into the scene, making them feel what the character feels. In this guide, we’ll explore what show, don’t tell really means, why it’s important, and how you can use it to make your writing shine.

Have you ever read a book and felt like the characters were real people? Like you could talk to them, laugh with them, or even argue with them? That’s because the author made those characters believable. Great stories don’t just have exciting plots—they have characters that readers care about.

But how do you create characters that feel real? Characters that aren’t just names on a page but people with personalities, feelings, and goals? In this guide, we’ll go step by step and explore how to create characters that your readers will love (or love to hate).

Descriptive words are the building blocks of vivid imagery, painting pictures with words and transforming ordinary writing into something extraordinary. Whether you’re crafting an engaging story, a persuasive essay, or a detailed description, the right choice of words can bring your writing to life.

In this blog post, we’ll explore the power of descriptive words, how they enhance imagery, and provide practical examples for different scenarios. Whether you’re a student preparing for exams like the 11 Plus or a budding writer, this guide will equip you with a rich vocabulary to captivate your readers.

When preparing for the 11 Plus exam, the creative writing section can often be a source of stress and anxiety for both children and parents. But what if I told you that it doesn’t have to be that way? Imagine your child having the skills and confidence to express themselves uniquely and imaginatively, leaving their competitors behind and standing out from the crowd.

That’s where our 11 Plus Creative Writing Course comes in. It’s not just about ticking boxes or following rigid templates—it’s about equipping your child with the tools to think creatively, write with flair, and structure their ideas with confidence.

Essay writing is a crucial part of the 11 Plus exam, but many students fall into common traps that can lower their scores. Below are some frequent mistakes along with practical tips on how to avoid them.

Have you ever read a story where the descriptions went on and on until you forgot what was even happening? Or maybe you’ve read something so sparse that you couldn’t picture anything at all?

Writing powerful descriptions is all about finding the right balance. When done well, descriptions can transport your reader into your world, help them see what your characters see, and feel what your characters feel.

But how do you describe things without overdoing it? How do you paint vivid pictures with words without overwhelming your reader with too many details? In this post, we’ll explore how to write clear, engaging descriptions that make your story shine without slowing it down.

Dialogue is one of the most exciting parts of a story. It’s where your characters get to speak, reveal their personalities, and move the plot forward. But writing good dialogue isn’t just about putting words inside quotation marks—it’s about making conversations sound real, natural, and believable.

Have you ever read dialogue in a book that felt stiff, awkward, or completely unrealistic? That’s what happens when writers don’t pay attention to how people actually talk.