Narrative Writing A general outline accompanied by a specific lecture.

Narrative WritingNarrative Writing

A general outline accompanied by a specific lecture

DefinitionDefinition

• A narrative tells a A narrative tells a storystory

• Narration is a Narration is a powerful method powerful method by which a writer by which a writer may engage a may engage a reader and hold reader and hold their attentiontheir attention

PurposePurpose

• A narrative may A narrative may instruct and instruct and informinform

• A narrative may A narrative may divert and divert and entertainentertain

Types of NarrativesTypes of Narratives

• A novelA novel• A short storyA short story• Some poemsSome poems• Anecdotes (a short, entertaining Anecdotes (a short, entertaining

account of a single event.)account of a single event.)

The ProcessThe Process

• Every good story must have a point Every good story must have a point or purpose. or purpose.

• For this essay, your purpose will be For this essay, your purpose will be to create a story that recreates a to create a story that recreates a time in your life when you went time in your life when you went through a rites of initiation.through a rites of initiation.

The NarratorThe Narrator

• The narrator is the The narrator is the teller or speaker in teller or speaker in the story.the story.

• This essay is This essay is subjective—the subjective—the details and language details and language will be chosen to will be chosen to express your feelingsexpress your feelings

Verb TenseVerb Tense

• Telling a story in present tense Telling a story in present tense (instead of past) gives events a (instead of past) gives events a sense of immediacy- -everything sense of immediacy- -everything will seem as though it is happening will seem as though it is happening right now.right now.

• ““PeeringPeering out her window, a woman out her window, a woman spiesspies a strange man.” a strange man.”

What to emphasizeWhat to emphasize

• What happened?What happened?

• Who took part?Who took part?

• When did it When did it happen?happen?

• Where did it Where did it happen?happen?

• Why did this Why did this event take place?event take place?

• How did it How did it happen? happen?

StrategiesStrategies

• Scene: you Scene: you visualize each visualize each event as vividly event as vividly and precisely as if and precisely as if your were there.your were there.

• Recall dialogue, Recall dialogue, portray people, portray people, and include and include description description

SummarySummary

• Relate events conciselyRelate events concisely• Write down just the essentials of Write down just the essentials of

what happened.what happened.

• A summary is to a scene as a A summary is to a scene as a simple stick figure is to a portrait in simple stick figure is to a portrait in oils.oils.

Summary

Scene and SummaryScene and Summary

• Good storytellers know what to Good storytellers know what to emphasize.emphasize.

Use summary to pass briskly from events Use summary to pass briskly from events of less importance to an important of less importance to an important scene.scene.

Summary is the glue that holds scenes Summary is the glue that holds scenes togethertogether

OrganizationOrganization

• The simplest approach is The simplest approach is chronological orderchronological order- -the way the - -the way the events happened.events happened.

• You may begin You may begin in medias resin medias res and and open with aopen with a colorful, dramatic colorful, dramatic event.event.

• You may use You may use flashbackflashback to return to to return to earlier eventsearlier events

TransitionsTransitions

• Use transitions of Use transitions of time to make time to make events clear.events clear.

• ““Seven years Seven years later,” “A moment later,” “A moment earlier”earlier”

The PointThe Point

• In most types of narration, the In most types of narration, the storyteller refrains from revealing storyteller refrains from revealing his or her point at the beginning of his or her point at the beginning of the story.the story.

• Most narratives wait until the end Most narratives wait until the end of the story to state the thesis or of the story to state the thesis or theme.theme.

Narrative strategiesNarrative strategies

• Splitting the second: stroboscope Splitting the second: stroboscope the action in slow motion; slice the the action in slow motion; slice the actions into separate, smaller actions into separate, smaller segments. Fill out the experience segments. Fill out the experience with so much detail that it takes with so much detail that it takes longer to read the event than it longer to read the event than it took to witness the actual took to witness the actual experienceexperience

Splitting the secondSplitting the second

• Example: how can Example: how can you split the you split the second when second when describing how describing how you brush your you brush your teeth? teeth?

• You will split the You will split the second on more second on more important events important events in your essay.in your essay.

Hero Journey Essay Hero Journey Essay OrganizationOrganization

• FlashbackFlashback• First write the conclusion: a First write the conclusion: a

carefully described summary or carefully described summary or insight that is personal, spiritual, insight that is personal, spiritual, historical, or psychological.historical, or psychological.

• This should be a description of This should be a description of yourself as a mature person.yourself as a mature person.


• Now work backwards by going back in Now work backwards by going back in time to the next closest event which time to the next closest event which lead to your conclusion or revelation. lead to your conclusion or revelation. Describe it in detail.Describe it in detail.

• Even though you are writing this section Even though you are writing this section second, remember that it will really be second, remember that it will really be the second to last paragraph in your the second to last paragraph in your essayessay


• Now work backwards again, asking Now work backwards again, asking yourself what experience must yourself what experience must have prepared or under-prepared have prepared or under-prepared you for the second-to last event. you for the second-to last event.

• This experience will form the third This experience will form the third to last event.to last event.


• Keep working backwards until you have Keep working backwards until you have reached the starting point for your story.reached the starting point for your story.

• After you have completed your rough After you have completed your rough draft, you will go back and reverse the draft, you will go back and reverse the order of your paragraphs. Hence, the order of your paragraphs. Hence, the last paragraph becomes your first, etc.last paragraph becomes your first, etc.

Narrative Writing A general outline accompanied by a specific lecture.

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