Narrative WritingMrs. Rogers

Purpose of Narrative Writing• To tell a story, or part of a story.• To re-create an experience. • To reveal an insight about the action or people involved.

Narrative writing appears in, but is not limited to:

•Novels•Short stories•Biographies•Historical accounts•Essays•Poems•Plays

Characteristics of Good Stories

• Think about your favorite book, movie, TV show, or story. What makes this story good?

• Now, consider a bad book, movie, TV show, or story.

Let’s compile our list…GOOD BAD

Good stories typically have…• •A clear idea or concept (imaginative, creative)• •Suspense• •Realistic dialogue (perhaps it’s relatable or funny)• •Makes you think (what’s the theme?)• •Character development (relatable, truthful)• •Action (death, climax, intriguing, drama)• •Relates to emotions (readers have an emotional response)• •Makes sense (ideas are clearly organized/ beginning, middle

and end)• •There are just the right amount of details

Characteristics of a Narrative• Plot• Conflict• Characterization• Setting• Theme• Point of View• Sequencing/ Organization• Transitions• Dialogue

Perspective...WHO tells the story

• All about a person’s background knowledge and experiences• What you know impacts how you will act and react to a

circumstance or topic (7 year old with limited knowledge, vs. 87 year old with vast experience)

• Each experience holds different attitudes and voices• Includes the thoughts, feelings, and actions of the character• Seen through the eyes and mind of a chosen character• Can be told from any one of several points of view

Lily’s Perspective...• What is the point of view used in this novel?• What factors shape Lily’s perspective?• How would the novel differ if T-Ray were to tell the story

through his perspective?• What if the point of view were to change? How might this

affect the novel?

Point of View...HOW the story is told

• All about the pronouns• Impacts the way the text is written• Can be told through major character viewpoint, minor

character viewpoint, omniscient viewpoint, or multiple viewpoints

Basic Plot Structure•Exposition/Inciting Moment/Lead• An initial incident gets the action rolling; setting, characters are

introduced•Rising Action• Introduces complications or obstacles to the protagonist (main

character), creating conflict and suspense•Climax• The rising action builds up to a climax which is the most suspenseful

moment or the height of action•Falling Action• The falling action follows the climax when the author tries begins to tie

up loose ends•Resolution• The resolution is the ending where the conflict is resolved or there is

closure to the story• Not all stories have a resolution –some end at the climactic point –we

call these cliffhangers!

Tips for writing a narrative:• Show, don’t tell: Let the reader see, hear, smell, feel, and taste the

experience directly, and let the sensory experiences lead him or her to your intended thought or feeling.

• Let people talk: It’s amazing how much we learn about people from what they say. One way to achieve this is through carefully constructed dialogue.

• Choose a point of view and perspective: This should encompass where you are in time, how much you view the experience emotionally (your tone), and how much you allow yourself into the minds of the characters.

• Tense: Tense is determined by the structure you select for your narrative. Consider how present vs. past tense might influence your message and the overall tone of your piece.

• Tone: The tone of your narrative should set up an overall mood. Look over the subject that you are presenting and think of what you are trying to get across. Let the words you use create an overall feel.

A Picture’s Worth…• Pictures are said to be worth 1,000 words because of the

stories that they tell.• Look at the photograph/object that you brought from home

that depicts life during the 1960s. Using the characteristics of a narrative, write the story being told in the picture. Remember, this is just a snapshot—not a novel. You are recreating the experience. Put your reader in the moment surrounding your photo. Fill in details about what is occurring, who is involved, etc.

• In the heading of your paper (next to your subject and period), identify what person (1st, 2nd, or 3rd) you are writing in.

• Due: AUGUST 25, 2014 written in MLA format; 2-3 pages (no more than 1,000 words ).