Narrative Writing

The Task
Tell the story of a time when a decision you made impacted your life and changed how you saw
yourself.

Prewriting: Finding a Topic

To get started writing there are some questions to consider before you start:
What topic do you want to explore? Choose an experience that is memorable and still vivid to you; you must also
feel comfortable about writing about it.
What do I want this essay to accomplish? There are generally three purposes to narrative essays:

To express ideas or feelings: how can you imbue your key participants, events, or settings with the tone you
are hoping to convey?
To inform: if your story includes a setting or events that need explaining (like the rules of a sports events)
how will you incorporate these in an interesting way that engages the reader?
To persuade: if you came to understand something about yourself that might be difficult for your reader to
understand, how can you lead them to come to the same conclusion?

What do you want to help convey to your audience? How will your tone impact your persona? Consider that
your audience may not have any specialized knowledge about the topic youve decided on define any terms or
jargon. Your readers may not necessarily share your opinions and values use your appeals to get your audience to
consider something different. Imagery and descriptive writing will help immeasurably to convey tone.
Which point-of-view would best serve your comparison? First person is usually most successful in relating personal
experienced, and third person is can be effective if your purpose is to inform. Second person should only be used
under extreme caution because of the seriously violent aversion your AP Lang teachers have to it.
Developing a Thesis
A thesis statement in a narrative makes the main point clear and might leader to understanding a potential theme in
your writing. An example: The silver serving platter, originally owned by my great-grandmother, became our most
prized family heirloom after a robbery terrorized our family.
Notice that the thesis identifies the object, introduces the experience that made the object a valuable
family possession, and expresses the main point of the narrative.
A thesis works at the beginning or at the end of a narrative
Gathering Details about the Experience or Incident
Thinking about the event, try to recollect as many details as possible; here are a few ways that might help:
Replay the experience or incident in your mind. Imagine it taking place and jot down what you see, hear,
smell, and feel -- colors, dialogue, sounds, odors, and sensations and how those details make you feel.
Write the following headings down and list ideas under each heading: Scene, Key Actions, Key Participant,
Key Lines of Dialogue, and Feelings.
Describe the incident or experience to a friend. Have your friend ask you questions as you retell the story.
Jot down the details that the retelling and questioning help you recall.
Consider different aspects of the incident or experience by asking who, what, when, where, how, and why
questions.
Make sure to include the types of details that are essential to an effective narrative.
SCENE: choose relevant imagery think of all the senses and which details will help convey tone. When
describing a place, the reader should feel as if they are there.
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McWhorter, Kathleen. Successful College Writing. 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2006.

KEY ACTIONS: choose actions that create tension, build it to a climax, and resolve it. In gathering details
about the conflict, consider these questions:
o Why did the experience or incident occur?
o What events led up to it?
o How was it resolved?
o What were its short- and long-term outcomes?
o What is its significance now?
KEY PARTICIPANTS: concentrate only on the appearance and actions of those people who were directly
involved.
KEY LINES OF DIALOGUE: include dialogue that is interesting, revealing, and related to the main point of
the story. To help the dialogue sound natural, have a friend read it aloud to you.
FEELINGS: record your feelings before, during, and after the experience. Did you reveal your feelings then?
If so, how? How did others react to you? How do you feel about the experience or incident now? What
have you learned from it?
Choosing a Narrative Sequence
You may choose a conventional chronological approach start with the first event and follow through to the last
event or you might use foreshadowing and flashbacks to add dramatic effect.
Remember the thesis about the robbery? An example of flashback might include a description of the narrators sister
discovering the platter in the bushes, and then flashback to tell how it got there.
Another option could be foreshadowing the robbery by describing a relevant scene from the past, such as when she
polished the platter and wonder why her family valued the antique so much.
Here are some other ways to help you figure out the best sequence for your story:
Index Cards: write a brief description of each even on an index card. Be sure to highlight the card that
contains the climax. Experiment with various ways of arranging our details by arranging the cards. When
you have chosen a sequence, prepare an outline of your narrative. You can do this in a word doc as well
with a list or text boxes.
Draw a graphic organizer of the experience.

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McWhorter, Kathleen. Successful College Writing. 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2006.

First Draft: Topic & Structure

DUE: 11/20 WIKI

Consider the following guidelines to help keep your narrative on track:

The Introduction (or Exposition and Inciting Incident):

Your essays introduction should catch your readers attention, provide useful background information, and
set up the sequence of events. Your introduction may also contain your thesis, if you have decided to place
it at the beginning of the essay.

The Story (or Rising Action, Climax, and Falling Action):

The story should build tension and follow a clear order of progression

Be aware of your paragraphs:

New paragraph when there is a change in time, location, speaker, or subject.

Be consistent in your verb tense:

Most narratives are told in past tense, but short, fast-paced narratives can be successful when told in present
tense. AVOID shifting tenses (unless the context of the narrative calls for it).

Use transitions:

These are so important in helping guide your readers as they follow your events.
o E.g., during, after, finally, then, and at the same time.

The Ending (or Denouement/Resolution):

Conclude the essay in a satisfying manner; consider one of these techniques:

o Make a final observation about the experience or incident: what was the most relevant or
unexpected take-away for you?
o Ask a probing question but better make it good, Ms. Lange gets annoyed when this is trivial or
condescending.
o Suggest a new but related direction of thought: what could have changed the outcome of your
story?
o Refer back to the beginning: this is Ms. Langes favorite. Cyclical story-telling rocks.

Revision: Structure & Style imagery, figurative language, diction, & syntax
DUE 12/04 WIKI
Take some time after youve written your first draft before you reread or revise it.
Then read your narrative aloud better yet, ask someone to read it to you.
As they read it, ask yourself: will it interest readers and make them want to know what happens next? Does it make
your point clear?
Make sure that any details that dont add to the sequence of events or that add tone are eliminated.
To further check your structure, try these steps:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Highlight the sentence that expresses your main point.

a. Is your main point clear?
At the bottom of your paper, write a brief sentence that summarizes the conflict of your narrative.
a. Does the narrative present a clear conflict? Is it directly related to the main point?
Place an x by each important scene, person, or action
a. Is it clear how each important scene, person, and action relates to both the main point and conflict?
Place a checkmark by each descriptive word or phrase
a. Is each important scene, person, or action vividly described?
In the margins of your paper, number the sequence of major events in chronological order.

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a.

6.
7.
8.
9.

Is the sequence of events clear? If you use foreshadowing or flashbacks, is it clear where you do
so?
Note after each paragraph if there is a change of time, location, speaker, or topic.
a. Is each paragraph focused on a separate part of the action?
Put a wavy line under the dialogue.
a. Is it realistic when you say it out loud? Does it directly relate to the conflict?
Circle each personal pronoun and a dot under each verb.
a. Do you use a consistent point of view and verb tense?
Draw a box around your introduction and conclusion.
a. Do they address each other and the main point? Does the conclusion resolve the conflict?

Examine your syntax and consider these writing strategies to strengthen your sentence structure:

Begin your sentences in a variety of ways (No Two Sentences Start with the Same Word).
Vary the length of your sentences (not all long, complex or short, choppy sentences).
Feel free to use coordinating conjunctions to make compound sentences (but dont forget your
commas Ms. Lange hates that).
Make sure no sentences end in a preposition (unless its in dialogue and intentional).
Avoid starting sentences with a coordinating conjunction.
You read your paper aloud to someone already, right? It should have an easy flow and rhythm.

Review your diction and consider these strategies to strengthen your word choice:

Eliminate weak verbs and adjectives

Avoid dead words or untouchables
Use consistent tense in your writing (present? past?) youve already checked this, right?
Select accurate, strong, specific, powerful words that energize your writing
Use transitions consistently in the writing to show that you are moving from one detail to the next (Check
one more time).

Final Draft: Usage, Punctuation, & Grammar check

DUE: 12/11 WIKI

This is a common mistake made in narrative writing, check your writing for this possible error:
Be sure to punctuate dialogue correctly.
o Kaiden screamed from the kitchen, I love you!
Dont forget about these old favorites:
Look at adjective and adverbs and their degrees of comparison positive, comparative, and superlative.
o Make sure you change the form of adjective and adverbs when you compare two items
(comparative) and when you compare three or more items (superlative).
Both The Others and Hannibal were suspenseful, but I liked The Others better (not best).
Make sure that items in a pair linked by correlative conjunction (either or, neither nor, not only but
also) are in the same grammatical form.
o The Grand Canyon is not only a spectacular tourist attraction, but also scientists consider it a useful
geological record for scientists.
Use a comma between coordinate adjectives that are not joined by and.
o Kaiden was a confident, skilled pianist.
You can tell if you need a comma because they can be switched and it still makes sense:
Kaiden was a skilled, confident pianist.
Do not use commas between cumulative adjectives.
o Two frightened brown eyes peered at us from under the sofa.
You wouldnt write frightened two brown eyes.
Use a hyphen to connect two words that work together as an adjective before a noun.
o Well-used book
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McWhorter, Kathleen. Successful College Writing. 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2006.

o Perfect-fitting shoes
o Foil-wrapped pizza
Use a comma before a coordinating conjunction when joining two independent clauses.
o I love writing descriptive papers, but they seem out of place when they are not integrated into a
full essay.

Writing Reflection
What do you consider your greatest strength in this paper?

What part of this paper would you revise again if you could?

What do you think youve improved the most in the writing of this paper?

What was the most difficult thing you wrestled with in writing this paper?

What would you like Ms. Lange to think about as shes reading your paper?

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McWhorter, Kathleen. Successful College Writing. 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2006.

I Want an A Checklist:

FINAL Due Date: December 16th or 17th t

Topic

The subjects being compared and contrasted are substantive, meaningful, and worthwhile
Whether you cover similarities, differences, or both your subjects are treated fairly
The main points of the comparison and contrast are clear and compelling
Writing is authentic, coming from writers experience

Structure

Paragraph focusses on one point of comparison or subject

Strong topic sentence(s)
Thoughtful transitions clearly show how ideas connect
Sequencing that is logical and effective
o Point-by-Point
o Block
Paragraph structure matches the purpose of writing and flows smoothly
Solid closing sentences that drives home the dominant impression or theme

Diction

No weak verbs or adjectives are included

Included vocabulary that is striking and varied
Consistent tense is used throughout writing
No dead words or untouchables
Transitions are used to make reading clear and smooth

Syntax

Complete sentences are used throughout the writing

Sentences begin with a variety of ways (NTSSWTSW)
Sentences vary in length
No sentences end with a preposition
No sentences start with a coordinating conjunction

Usage, Grammar, and Punctuation

Accurate use of adjectives and adverbs and their degrees of comparison positive, comparative, and
superlative.
Items in a pair linked by correlative conjunction are in the same grammatical form.
Use a comma between coordinate adjectives that are not joined by and.
Do not use commas between cumulative adjectives.
Use a hyphen to connect two words that work together as an adjective before a noun.
Use a comma before a coordinating
conjunction when joining two independent
clauses.
Use MLA heading

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McWhorter, Kathleen. Successful College Writing. 3rd ed. Boston: Bedford/ St. Martins, 2006.