The document provides tips for writing an effective narrative or story. It recommends including an interesting plot and setting, stating a clear thesis, using descriptive details, answering basic questions about key events, incorporating dialogue, and organizing events chronologically or creatively. The narrative should have a purpose and illustrate a point. Writers are advised to visualize and plan their narrative before drafting to craft a compelling story.

1. The Narration Pattern

2. Narration A narrative is a story that explains or illustrates some point . Like all good stories, a narrative should be captivating, have interesting details, and contain features like plot and setting.

3. Tell Your Story for a Reason Your story should have a specific purpose. Make sure to state your point in a clear thesis statement .

4. Details! Interesting & captivating stories usually include specific, descriptive details to make the story vivid. Important details describe scenery, key people, and events. Be careful not to give too many details; determine which details need emphasis.

5. Answer Questions To choose details, answer the standard questions: Who? What? Where? When? Why? How? Explaining the specifics of what happened gives readers all the significant details.

6. Write Dialogue Dialogue can be powerful in a story. It can move a story forward, give pertinent information, or give insight into a character’s personality. To review how to use dialogue, see the quotation section of the punctuation packet.

7. Organizing Chronological order arranges details in the order they occurred. Or, to try something more interesting, tell events out of order.

8. Visualize It is often helpful to plan or pre-write your essay. This help you write a more effective story.

9. Narrative Essay Most narratives involve a story about feelings or emotions. Write a paragraph about a time in your life when you experienced an emotion strongly. Write about an event that you witnessed. Write the event from your point of view, and try to give as much detail as possible.