The narrative style of writing follows a different organizational structure than the inverted pyramid.

1. Gold Coins
Adding observation
to your writing
Jim Streisel
Carmel (IN) High School
www.hilite.org/streisel

2. Gold Coin Story Structure

3. Gold Coin Structure • 3 D’s
Description
What color are
your source’s
eyes? How tall is
she? What
mannerisms does
he display as you
interview him?

4. Gold Coin Structure • 3 D’s
Detail
What are the
specific titles in
your source’s
music library?
What’s in the CD
player right now?
What kind of car
does he own?

5. Gold Coin Structure • 3 D’s
Dialogue
What does your
source say when
he’s not
answering your
questions? How
does she respond
to others? What
do they say back?

6. The info between gold coins
The nut graf/the
point
The angle of the
story — what you
want readers to
think about.

7. The info between gold coins
Expert sources
These are the
credible, relevant
people who know
something about
the issue at hand.

8. The info between gold coins
Research
The data,
statistics, facts
and figures that
give your story
credibility and
relevance.

9. The info between gold coins
Transitions
The words that
take readers from
paragraph to
paragraph and
scene to scene.

10. How many gold coins to have?
Depends on the
length of the
story, but the
most important
gold coins are
the first and the
last.

11. Gold coins in action

12. Gold coins in action
When senior Jessica Green went back-
to-school shopping last June, almost three
months before the school year began, she
thought she would get a jump on the
competition. She spent more than $300 on
several outfits, including almost a dozen
midriff-reveraling shirts.
Just a week ago, she found out that her
pre-planning was all for naught.
“I found out about the new policy and
my heart jumped in my throat,” Green said.
“I mean, almost everything I bought doesn’t
meet the new requirements.”
Gold Coin #1
Introduces
readers to
Jessica Green,
one of many
students who is
or will be
affected by the
school’s new
dress code
policy.

13. Gold coins in action
Green is not alone. Many students must
reevaluate their wardrobes because of a
new policy just passed at last week’s school
board meeting. Now the dress code rules
state that students must wear “tuckable”
shirts.
The point = the nut
graf
Illuminates the
main idea/angle
of the story,
what the
reporter wants
to reader to
think about.

14. Gold coins in action
“That’s, like, everything I own,” junior
Mary Skelding said. Skelding, like Green,
shopped early to avoid back-to-school store
crowding. In addition to shirts, students can
no longer wear hats and they can’t don
pants that reveal undergarments.
“We had to do it,” Principal John
Hawkins said. “I know there will be some
dissention, but students’ clothes can
certainly be a distraction to the learning
environment, and we want to provide the
best environment possible.”
The path
This is the “meat”
of the story. Shares
secondary source
(Skelding) as well
as expert source
(Hawkins).
Outlines the
specifics of the new
policy.

15. Gold coins in action
But this explanation doesn’t help
Green.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do
with all of these clothes,” Green said. “I
can’t take them back because it’s been more
than 90 days since I bought them. I guess
I’ll just have to buy something else and
wear these on the weekends.”
Gold Coin #2
Brings the
reader back to
Green. Lets
readers know
that this policy
affects people
just like them.
Also, when in
doubt, end with
a quote.

16. Where are the gold coins?
Next to the unfinished class float in the
middle of a colorful mountain of crepe paper, senator
and freshman Eric Stevens throws another glue-laden
wad onto a growing pile of mistakes.
“I don’t think I’ll ever get this right,” Stevens
says quietly. “And it needs to be done by
tomorrow.”
Stevens isn’t alone in his frustration. Many
freshmen said the pressure of the high school
Homecoming takes away from the fun.
“My homework is piling up,” Freshman Class
President Ashley Jones said. “But I know I can’t do
my classwork because I’ll be letting down too many
people in my class.”

17. Where are the gold coins?
For most freshman officers, this is their first
glimpse of Homecoming festivities. And for many of
them, according to class sponsor Rita Carson, the
work is more than they can handle.
“I’ve seen it before,” Carson said. “These are
highly motivated kids, and doing a bad job is not an
option.” But at the same time, she said, they don’t
know yet how to prioritize their lives.
Stevens said he agreed.
“I thought Homecoming was supposed to be
fun,” he said, his fingers coated in glue residue. “But
now I’m not so sure.”

18. Stay in touch
Jim Streisel
www.hilite.org/streisel
jstreise@ccs.k12.in.us