1. Personal Narrative Writing English 1 Belfield

2. What is a Personal Narrative?  Definition: A story, written in first person point of view that relates a single, specific event or incident and then reflects on the importance of that single event.

3. What are the ingredients of a fabulous PN? Ingredient #1  INCIDENT: Think of a single, specific incident that has happened to you personally. Establish the setting – where & when? Build the characters – who is involved? Build the plot of the event step by step – rising action, climax, falling action

4. Ingredient #2  LANGUAGE: As you build the setting, characters, and plot, use rich, descriptive language for the reader! Include literal and figurative language:  Details  Similes  Metaphors  Personification  Symbols  Sensory detail  Imagery, etc.

5. Ingredient #3  DIALOGUE: A personal narrative includes dialogue  Dialogue means characters in the story have conversations with one another or themselves.  Use quotation marks to show a character is speaking.  Use tone and diction choices that communicate the characters’ age, education level, social status, relationships with one another, etc.

6. Ingredient #4  REFLECTION: As the narrator, explain the significance of this single event or incident. If you were assigned a topic to write, here is where you would relate the incident to the assigned topic. What life lesson did you learn from this event? How did it change you as a person? How was someone else’s life changed? This is the theme portion of your story!! Without meaningful reflection, it’s just a story; it’s not a personal narrative!

7. Show; don’t tell! Huh?? What does THAT mean? SAMPLE: I walked into the classroom and sat down. I was tired and wanted to go home. The teacher was mean. Think - Does this really make the reader feel involved in the story? Can you picture the action happening, or are you just being told a couple of events. Is it creative? Does it use rich language? NO! Write – Rewrite the sentences to make them SHOW the reader what is happening. Add dialogue. Add adjectives and adverbs. Add detail. Add figurative language. NOW you’re showing!