This document provides strategies for writing an effective narrative. It begins by defining narration as telling a single or related story. It then lists some prewriting strategies such as focusing on a personal experience or public event that evokes strong emotion. The main points of focus are identifying the internal or external narrative conflict, developing only relevant details, and organizing the narrative sequence through techniques like flashbacks. Additional tips include making the narrative easy to follow with clear paragraph focus and time signals, as well as making it vivid through sensory details, dialogue, and active verbs while maintaining a consistent point of view and verb tense.

1. Narration
telling a single story or several related stories
“There are only two or three
human stories and they go on
repeating themselves as fiercely
as if they had never happened
before.”
--Willa Cather

2. Prewriting strategies
• What event evokes strong emotion and will
have a powerful effect on your readers?
• Think about a personal experience, an
incident in someone else’s life
• You may want to focus on a public event
• If you write about someone or something
else, will you be able to interview them or
research the situation?

3. Focus on the conflict
• What is the source of tension? Internal or
external conflict? Personal or social?
• Will the conflict create enough interest to
hook your readers?
• What point does the conflict convey?
• What tone is appropriate?

4. Strategies for Writing a Narrative
1- Identify the point of the narrative conflict.
--Probably won’t have a thesis but must have focus
2- Develop only those details that advance the
narrative point
-- Keep your audience in mind
-- Show, don’t tell
-- Use your dramatic license- faction
3- Organize the narrative sequence
--flashback
--flashforward
for emphasis only

5. 4- Make the narrative easy to follow
--each paragraph should have a clear focus
--use time signals (now, then, later, next, after)
5- Make the narrative vigorous and immediate
--add sensory details (see, hear, touch, smell, taste)
CAUTION- sensory detail slows the pace
--add dialog to quicken the pace
--vary the sentence structure
--use vigorous verbs and active voice
6- Keep your point of view and verb tense consistent
--probably 1st person in a personal narrative
--past tense is preferable