Writing Personal Narratives

What is a personal narrative? A personal narrative is a story about yourself and an event that happened in your past, but has a purpose and teaches a lesson. Narrative=Story The most creative essay and allows you more freedom than other academic essays. Can tell about: –A good time –A bad time –An important time –A memorable event –A first time –A last time

Is an interesting story about the writer. Is written in the first person (using the pronouns I, me, and my. Has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Presents events in a clear order. Uses details to help readers see people, places, and events. Shows how the writer feels about the experience and why it is meaningful to him or her. Personal Narrative Characteristics

What Narrative Writing Is and Is Not An effective narrative composition... An effective narrative composition is NOT... Tells a personal or imaginative storyA list of events and/or facts May include the writer ’ s imagination and personal experiences that are related to the story An abundance of facts or personal anecdotes that are unrelated to the topic Contains narrative elements such as characters, plot, point of view, setting, conflict, and/or significant events A list of reasons, opinions, or unrelated episodes Contains narrative strategies such as, flashback, foreshadowing, dialogue, tension and/or suspense Formulaic, repetitive writing Is multi-paragraphA single paragraph Presents a story that has a well- developed beginning, middle, and end A paper that lacks a clear beginning, middle, and end

What Narrative Writing Is and Is Not An effective narrative composition... An effective narrative composition is NOT... Uses a lively writing voice to engage the reader Flat, uninteresting writing Uses vivid sensory details and concrete language A story that contains imprecise language Uses a variety of sentencesA story with little sentence variety Contains correct sentences, usage, grammar, and spelling that make the writer's ideas understandable Incorrect sentences, usage, grammar, and spelling that prevent the reader from understanding the writer's ideas

Components of a story Setting=Where the action in a story happens. Theme=Basic idea or point of the story Mood=Feeling or atmosphere the author creates for the story. Characters =The people in the story Plot=What happens in the story

5 W+H Questions Method Answering the 5 W and H questions provides the basic info needed to begin a story. –WHO will be in the narrative? –WHERE will the narrative take place? –WHY will the characters do what they do? –WHAT is the narrative about? –WHEN will the events happen? –HOW will the conflict be resolved?

Introduction-Narrative Describe the background of the story (characters, setting, atmosphere) Prepare the reader on what to expect in the story. Folse (2004) believes that in introductions, you should have a “hook” that will grab the reader’s attention, as well as a thesis that organizes the essay.

How to write a good “hook” Like a fish getting hooked by a fisherman, you need to “hook” your readers and make them want to read your essay. If it’s a good hook, people would want to read your essay. If it is not a good hook, then no one wants to read your essay.

Some suggestions… Ask a question. (How many of you spend hours downloading music to your iPod?) Use an interesting observation (Because of the economy, President Obama is having problems sleeping well these days.) Create a unique scenario. (Traveling at more than 300 km per hour, he traveled to another dimension.) Use a famous quote (“To be or not to be; that is the question.”) Use a statistic (If world temperatures continue to rise, Singapore will be under water by 2050.)

Hooks-Connecting Information After the hook, the writer usually writes three to five sentences that connect it to the topic. Example from Keith Folse Her daily routine was not glamorous. She did everything from sweeping the floors to cooking the meals. If someone had asked her, “Are there any household chores that you practically hate?”, she probably would have answered, “None.”

Thesis States the main idea of the essay (thesis statements). In narrative essays, they introduce the action that begins in the first paragraph of the essay.

Examples 1)Now, as I watched the bus driver set my luggage on the airport, I realized that my frustration has only just begun. 2)I wanted my mother to watch me race down the steep hill, so I called out her name and then nudged my bike forward. 3)Because his pride wouldn’t allow him to apologize, Ken now had to fight the bully, and he was pretty sure that he wouldn’t win.

Body Contains most of the plot-the supporting information. Can be organized in many different ways. One way is chronological, or time, order (where you give more information about the story as it proceeds in time).

Ways to Organize Narrative Writing Purpose: What story is the writer telling? -Beginning -Middle -End Flashback: -End (most dramatic event) -Beginning -Middle -Beginning -Situation or Conflict -Climax -Resolution of the conflict

Transitional Sentences Have two purposes 1.Signal the end of action in one paragraph 2.Link the next paragraph. Gives your reader an ability to follow happens and predicts what will happen next.

Concluding Paragraph Can have two functions: 1.The moral of the story, or what the character(s) learned from the experience. 2.Make a prediction about what will happen next based on what happened.

Examples Moral: The little boy had finally learned that telling the truth was the most important thing to do. Prediction/Revelation: I can only hope that one day I will be able to do the same for another traveler who is suffering through a terrible journey.

Sensory Imagery Using the five senses when writing a narrative helps the reader picture and feel what is going on. Describe what you see, hear, taste, touch, and smell to make your reader become involved in the story.