How to Write a Narrative
Personal Narrative Examples: Diary, Memoir, Autobiography, Biography (Third Person), Journal, anecdote.
Fictional Narrative: Fairy Tale, Fable, Allegory, Parable, Fantasy, Realistic fiction, and the list goes on.
The first thing you need to do is use your person maker.
It’s your imagination:
Start with a name, a character trait, a physical trait, or a problem.
A character trait: a descriptor of behavior, who they are inside.
Physical trait: what they look like.
Problems / conflicts / desires: these are the things in the way or the things they want. These drive story.
PERSON -> PLACE -> PROBLEM.
We then need two more things:
Description, and events.
We write the person into the place by describing it and having them move around in it. Think of the opening levels of video game.
The island that cost $5 prompt example:
Robert Anderson took his first steps onto the jagged rocks which formed the beach of his new home. It was an island. It was his island. To be honest, he’d had reservations about the place. All of the pictures he had seen of his new home were shrouded in fog, and the real-estate agent had been unclear about whether or not there were any actual homes, or buildings on the place.
“The island comes at a price of $5, and that includes all structures, creatures, and outbuildings.” The sallow, bald man said in a deep monotone. “The rest you will have to see for yourself. The contract is draw up for you to sign, and states that the island is to be sold, as is, where is.” He smiled slightly then. It was the only smile he had ever shown me. “It is a standard clause.”
What this example shows is that the beginning of the story needs certain things:
1) An engaging first sentence. An attention grabber.
4) At this point you are working toward the climax, and the resolution. In order to do that and have a great piece of writing, you need to be consistent with a few things.
Content:
Organization:
Word Choice:
Voice:
Sentence Structure:
Conventions:
So now we have the questions :
what does each of these things look like?
how will I be able to prove that I have done them?
Here are some examples from student writing prompts:
EXAMPLE 1:
Becca: I screamed at my sister to get out, and she did.
EDIT:
“Gah! Get out of here you little twirp!”
My sister shot away from me, socks sliding smoothly on the oak floor. “Ha ha, gotcha!” she yelled as she retreated.
EXAMPLE 2:
Jeremy: "You... Murder." and then the body went limp. Jamantha was scared.
EDIT:
"You... Murder..." His hand fell limply to the floor. Jamantha could see that he was dead. She backed away slowly, trembling, a cold chill gripping her body. She tried to inhale but her breath came in jagged lurching gasps.
Don’t tell me, SHOW ME: create the feeling. Don't tell me what to feel.
Fictional Narrative: Fairy Tale, Fable, Allegory, Parable, Fantasy, Realistic fiction, and the list goes on.
The first thing you need to do is use your person maker.
It’s your imagination:
Start with a name, a character trait, a physical trait, or a problem.
A character trait: a descriptor of behavior, who they are inside.
Physical trait: what they look like.
Problems / conflicts / desires: these are the things in the way or the things they want. These drive story.
PERSON -> PLACE -> PROBLEM.
We then need two more things:
Description, and events.
We write the person into the place by describing it and having them move around in it. Think of the opening levels of video game.
The island that cost $5 prompt example:
Robert Anderson took his first steps onto the jagged rocks which formed the beach of his new home. It was an island. It was his island. To be honest, he’d had reservations about the place. All of the pictures he had seen of his new home were shrouded in fog, and the real-estate agent had been unclear about whether or not there were any actual homes, or buildings on the place.
“The island comes at a price of $5, and that includes all structures, creatures, and outbuildings.” The sallow, bald man said in a deep monotone. “The rest you will have to see for yourself. The contract is draw up for you to sign, and states that the island is to be sold, as is, where is.” He smiled slightly then. It was the only smile he had ever shown me. “It is a standard clause.”
What this example shows is that the beginning of the story needs certain things:
1) An engaging first sentence. An attention grabber.
- Some people use a technique called, In Medias Res, which is Latin for "in the middle of things." So you begin in the middle of the action. Stuff has already happened, and we are thrown into the middle of it.
- Some people use an interesting description.
- Some use a piece of dialogue. They get their characters talking and interacting.
- Your exposition must create a mood, because every story feels different. This is done with descriptions, dialogue, and word choices. The place you describe or create, the way people speak, and the choices you make for each word, will create a tone. NOTE: if you use words that differ from the tone you are trying to create, then those words will be jarring.
4) At this point you are working toward the climax, and the resolution. In order to do that and have a great piece of writing, you need to be consistent with a few things.
Content:
Organization:
Word Choice:
Voice:
Sentence Structure:
Conventions:
So now we have the questions :
what does each of these things look like?
how will I be able to prove that I have done them?
Here are some examples from student writing prompts:
EXAMPLE 1:
Becca: I screamed at my sister to get out, and she did.
EDIT:
“Gah! Get out of here you little twirp!”
My sister shot away from me, socks sliding smoothly on the oak floor. “Ha ha, gotcha!” she yelled as she retreated.
EXAMPLE 2:
Jeremy: "You... Murder." and then the body went limp. Jamantha was scared.
EDIT:
"You... Murder..." His hand fell limply to the floor. Jamantha could see that he was dead. She backed away slowly, trembling, a cold chill gripping her body. She tried to inhale but her breath came in jagged lurching gasps.
Don’t tell me, SHOW ME: create the feeling. Don't tell me what to feel.
narrative_3_-_point_of_view_&_revision.pdf | |
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narrative_notes_2_-_character_wheel.pdf | |
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narrative_notes_1.pdf | |
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the_harvest_-_amy_hempel.docx | |
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the_harvest_questions.docx | |
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she_breaks_your_heart_-_amy_hempel_article.docx | |
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Repetition Notes
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On The Sidewalk Bleeding Questions:
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1) Identify any words that were new to you, or used in a different context (ie. jump) and determine their meaning from how they are used in the story.
2) Identify at least one example of each of the following from the story: a) metaphor b) simile c) personification. 3) How does the story represent gangs? Is it similar to, or different from The Outsiders? Explain your answer. 4) Why doesn't Andy worry about dying right away? 5) Explain why each of the people who find Andy, do not help him. 6)Why does Andy take off his jacket? 7) What conclusions can you draw from the police officer's comment at the end of the story - about the story, about Andy, and about what will happen next? |
007_in_new_york.docx | |
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mitty_questions.docx | |
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the-secret-life-of-walter-mitty.pdf | |
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the_rabbits_who_caused_all_the_trouble_questions.docx | |
File Size: | 19 kb |
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the_short_story.doc | |
File Size: | 40 kb |
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