Narrative writing

1. Narrative writing Tapping into our impulse to tell stories…

2. What makes a story good? It catches and holds a reader’s interest! It has a point!

3. How? Subject matter • Choose an event that has significance for you. • It should convey an emotion or intellectual meaning to the reader. • Care! • Does not have to be a dramatic adventure.

4. Elements of narrative Beginning Middle End PLOT STRUCTURE: • Exposition • Rising action (suspense, conflict) • Climax • Falling Action • Resolution/denouement

5. Exposition • Characters are introduced. Consider how you want to reveal your characters to your readers. • Setting is established. • Introduce conflict.

6. Conflict • A struggle between opposing forces. • Every plot contains some type of conflict. • Narratives can have more than one kind. • Internal: takes place within a character • External: comes from an outside force • Person • Animal • Nature

7. Rising action Suspense! • You should make readers want to know the outcome. • Show the series of events that work as obstacles for the main character.

8. Climax • The peak, the height of action. • Some narratives end here. • This is the point at which the conflict is decided one way or another.

9. Resolution/denouement • Get to it quickly after climax. • Loose ends of the plot are tied up and the story is brought to a close. • Could be an explicit mention of theme, but doesn’t have to be. • It should flow naturally from the chain of events. • It should be believable.

10. Tricks of the trade Grab the reader’s attention as quickly as possible. • Consider starting with action, jumping right into the conflict and describing the characters and setting as a part of the action. • Consider starting with dialogue. • Consider your point of view and how that will affect your purpose.

11. Tricks of the trade • Character development • Ask yourself, “What does this character look like?” and brainstorm details about his/her appearance. • Ask yourself, “What does a reader need to know about this character” and list the important facts. • Ask yourself, “What is this character’s personality like?” and list pertinent qualities. • Know that you can use a character’s movements, gestures, and facial expressions to show his personality.

12. Tricks of the trade • Setting • Consider both time and place. • Brainstorm details about your setting. • Include sensory details.

13. Writing style • Compression and expansion * Use the element of time to suit your purpose. * Such variations help to emphasize important incidents and ignore unimportant ones.

14. Writing Style • Create the illusion of reality. * Present tense verbs. * Concrete and specific diction. * Dialogue * Personal experience

15. Writing style • Tap into your descriptive writing skills. *Be original *Be creative *Stretch your imagination *Use your vocabulary *Select worthwhile details! Description works best when it comes off as effortless – and that takes work!

16. *Consider using figurative language! Simile Metaphor Hyperbole Onomatopoeia Hyphenated words Made up words

17. SHOW, DON’T TELL • Instead of telling me the girl is beautiful, let your words show me that she is. • Here’s a sample of telling: Nature scenes are beautiful. • Here’s a revision, this time of showing: In the first shimmer of sunlight, the trumpets of honeysuckle sparkled with dew.

18. Don’t forget… Telling stories is fun. Writing is fun. Doing either well is not easy, but when done well, each is memorable. HAVE FUN!