Characteristics of

 Personal~having to do with oneself  Narrative~telling a story A personal narrative is a story about yourself!

 Personal Narratives are told in FIRST PERSON point of view  Use pronouns like I, me, we…  YOU are telling the story of what happened to you.

 Focus on only ONE event in your story  Do not try to tell your whole life story

 Personal Narratives should be told in chronological order  Start with what happened first, second, third, etc.  Use transitions that help show the passage of time (then, later, the next day, etc.)

 Use a sophisticated introduction technique  For this assignment, you will use the technique called FLASHBACK  I will teach you how to use flashback when we start the writing process

 Tell the reader how people reacted to the events in the story  What did you and the other people DO?  What did you and the other people SAY?  What did you FEEL?  Show us the story not just tell  This is what makes the story interesting and connects the reader to the events

 Reflection tells why the story is important  Reflection reveals what you and the other people in the story learned from the experience  Reflection indicates why the story is memorable  This is what makes your writing more mature!  Use reflection throughout your story, but especially at the end (as a conclusion)

 Write a Personal Narrative Essay about an important, life-changing event from your life  Include reactions and reflections in your essay  Use flashback as an introduction technique  Describe your memorable event  Return to the flashback in the conclusion  Follow the steps of the Writing Process

 1. A childhood event. Think of an experience when you learned something for the first time, or when you realized how important someone was for you.  2. Achieving a goal. Think about a particularly meaningful achievement in your life. This could be something as seemingly minor as achieving a good grade on a difficult assignment, or this could be something with more long-lasting effects, like getting the job you desired or getting into the best school to which you applied.

 3. A failure. Think about a time when you did not perform as well as you had wanted. Focusing on an experience like this can result in rewarding reflections about the positive emerging from the negative.  4. A good or bad deed. Think about a time when you did or did not stand up for yourself or someone else in the face of adversity or challenge.

 5. A change in your life. Think about a time when something significant changed in your life. This could be anything from a move across town to a major change in a relationship to the birth or death of a loved one.