This document discusses different types of narratives and provides guidance on writing short stories. It outlines personal narratives, which focus on a single event from the author's life, and fictional narratives, which invent a character and moment. Both require a central conflict. Writers should concentrate on a single moment or few moments due to the short format. The document also covers point of view, with examples of first person ("I") and third person ("he/she") perspectives, and provides an outline for story structure with a beginning, middle, end, and reflection.

1. Types of Narratives
(and other information to help you choose a story topic)

2. Personal Narrative
A story about a moment in
your own life.
It is not an autobiography (a story
about your entire life)!
A personal narrative focuses on a
single event or moment in your life.

3. Fictional Narrative
A story about a moment in a
made-up character’s life.
You create the characters, setting,
and conflict, but it should still
focus on a single event or moment
(because this is a SHORT story!)

4. Conflict
Both narrative types need to focus on a
conflict that the main character faces.
Every story worth reading
has a conflict.
If there is no conflict, there is
no tension in the story.

5. Focus!
You can’t write a novel! When creating your
story, focus on a single moment or very
few moments.
Personal Narrative: I will tell the story of the
moment when I forgot my lines while
performing on stage.
Fictional Narrative: I will tell the story of the
moment when my character got lost in the
woods.

6. Point of View:
1st Person:
The narrator is the main
character of the story,
and uses the terms “I”
and “we”.
Personal narratives
must be written in 1st
person perspective.
3rd Person:
The narrator is not a
character in the story,
and uses the terms
“he,” “she,” and “they”
to refer to the
characters.

7. Point of View:
1st Person:
“I never thought that
owning a dog would be
so challenging. When I
brought Fluffy home for
the first time, she
destroyed my favorite
pair of shoes within five
minutes. After I found
the damage, I locked
Fluffy in her crate.”
3rd Person:
“Amber used to think that
owning a dog would be
easy, but when she
brought Fluffy home for
the first time, she
discovered she was
wrong. Fluffy had
destroyed her favorite pair
of shoes. When amber
saw them, she locked
Fluffy in her crate.”

8. Outline
Beginning
• Who is(are) the main character(s)?
• What is the setting?
• What is the problem?
Middle
• How does the character try to solve the
problem?
End
• Is the problem resolved? How?
• Reflect: why was this event important or
meaningful in the life of the character?