Narrative Writing

2. WHAT IS A NARRATIVE?
A SHORT STORY ABOUT
CHARACTERS WITH AN
INTERESTING CONFLICT

3. AUDIENCE AND PURPOSE
• Peers, teachers, judges
Who will be reading
your story?
• To entertain
• To inform
• To persuade
Why are you
writing?

4. CHOOSE A TOPIC
•A TIME TRAVEL ADVENTURE (FUTURE OR PAST)
•A CONFLICT AMONG PEOPLE OF YOUR AGE
•A NEWS STORY THAT COULD BE FICTIONAL
•A “WHAT IF” SITUATION
•GETTING LOST

5. ELEMENTS OF A SHORT STORY
PICK A SETTING CHOSE A CONFLICT
PICK ONE OR MORE
CHARACTERS

6. PLANNING OUT YOUR NARRATIVE
• EXPOSITION – INTRODUCE THE CHARACTERS, SETTING AND CONFLICT
• RISING ACTION – WHAT EVENTS LEAD UP TO THE CONFLICT
• CLIMAX – THE MOST EXCITING PART OF THE STORY
• FALLING ACTION – BEGINS TO WRAP UP THE STORY
• RESOLUTION – THE CONFLICT IS SOLVED

7. CHOOSE A POINT OF VIEW
• 1ST PERSON - TOLD FROM THE VIEWPOINT OF THE
CHARACTER. USES WORDS LIKE: I, ME, MY, AND
US
• THIRD PERSON - TOLD FROM THE POINT OF VIEW
OF A PERSON OUTSIDE THE STORY. USES
WORDS LIKE: HE, SHE, HIM, HER, THEY

8. BEGIN DRAFTING
INTRODUCTION
INTRODUCE THE CHARACTERS,
SETTING, AND CONFLICT.
GRAB THE READERS ATTENTION
WITH A HOOK
BODY
WRITE THE EVENTS OF THE
RISING ACTION AND THE
CLIMAX
INCLUDE DIALOGUE AND
SENSORY DETAILS TO KEEP YOUR
READERS ATTENTION
CONCLUSION
INCLUDE THE EVENTS OF THE
FALLING ACTION AND THE
CONCLUSION
BE SURE YOUR READER’S
QUESTIONS ARE ANSWERED

9. TIPS FOR WRITING A NARRATIVE

10. INCLUDE DIALOGUE
•“RUN, THERE IS A
MONSTER BEHIND
US!” YELLED BOBBY.

11. INCLUDE TRANSITIONS
First
Next
Then
Finally
The next day
Later that week
In addition

12. REVISING
•IS THE SETTING
BELIEVABLE?
•DO THE CHARACTERS
SEEM REAL? HAVE YOU
INCLUDED DIALOGUE?
•DOES THE SEQUENCE
MAKE SENSE?

13. EDITING
CHECK FOR THE FOLLOWING
• CORRECT SPELLING
• PROPER GRAMMAR
• ACCURATE PUNCTUATION

14. PUBLISHING
• CREATE A FINAL DRAFT OF YOUR
NARRATIVE
• TYPE OR REWRITE YOUR STORY
WITHOUT ANY MISTAKES
• READ OR SHARE YOUR WORK
WITH OTHERS

15. PHOTO CREDITS
• “NARRATIVE-LOCATION” BY JONO TAKES PHOTOS IS LICENSED UNDER CC-BY 2.0
• “EXTERIOR SET FROM WHEN A STRANGER CALLS” BY ADRIEN IS LICENSED UNDER CC-BY 2.0
• “CONFLICT 3” BY FLAVIO” IS LICENSED UNDER CC-BY 2.0
• “DISNEY CHARACTERS: PLUTO, DONALD, AND MICKEY” BY CARLOS IS LICENSED UNDER CC-BY 2.0
• “LEARNING FOCUSED CLASSROOMS” BY JUDY BAXTER IS LICENSED UNDER CC-BY 2.0
• “POINT OF VIEW” BY G33KO IS LICENSED UNDER CC-BY 2.O
• “DIALOG RETREAT” BY VENI IS LICENSED UNDER CC-BY 2.0
• “T-SHIRT SLOGANS: PUNCTUATION SAVED GRANDMA’S LIFE” BY KEN WHYTOCK IS LICENSED UNDER CC-BY 2.0
• “PUBLISH” BY SEAN MACENTEE IS LICENSED UNDER CC-BY 2.O