PERSONAL NARRATIVE Editing I: Writing Dialogue

Personal Narrative Now that we’ve finished revising our content, it’s time to turn our attention to the editing stage of our narrative. In this stage, we will focus on writing mechanics and grammar to ensure that our work is clear and coherent. We want our writing to look and sound professional. This will give us more credibility and allow us to communicate effectively with our readers.

Personal Narrative Today we are going to look at how to properly punctuate dialogue. Dialogue, as we all know, is a conversation between people, or sometimes your inner thoughts. There are several things to remember when punctuating dialogue. Here is a list of rules to follow…..

Personal Narrative “Are you okay?” I asked. He slowly turned over onto his hands and knees. “Yeah,” he said, wincing. “I’ve had worse.” Mom pointed at him as if he were a garden pest. “He’s a heap of trouble,” she said to me. Then she said to Frankie, “If you have to hurt yourself, please do it in your own yard.” What do you notice about this excerpt? Which rules from the chart do you see represented in this excerpt?

Personal Narrative Let’s practice our editing skills in collaborative groups. This passage contains several mistakes. With a partner, discuss what is missing or incorrect. Correct the passage.

Personal Narrative Now let’s turn our attention to our own writing. Look through your personal narratives for any dialogue (or places where dialogue could be added). Use the “punctuating dialogue rules” chart and the interactive editing passage to help you. Ask your partner to help you with your own editing of your narrative.