Defining Narrative Writing
  • Narrative Writing: Writing that tells a story or gives an account of 
    something that has happened. The purpose is to recount a story 
    grounded in personal experience or the writer’s imagination.
  • Method: 
  • Uses a setting, characters, circumstances or events, a plot, a point of 
    view, and a sense of resolution to tell a story. 
  • Description of these elements is a key factor.
  • May employ strategies such as flashback, foreshadowing, dialogue, 
    tension, or suspense.
                       What Narrative Writing Is and Is Not
           An effective narrative composition .  . .                            An effective narrative composition is NOT . . .
           Tells a personal or imaginative story                                A list of events and/or facts
           May include the writer’s imagination and personal experiences        An abundance of facts or personal anecdotes that are 
           that are related to the story                                        unrelated to the topic 
           Contains narrative elements such as characters, plot, point of       A list of reasons, opinions, or unrelated episodes
           view, setting, conflict, and/or significant events 
           Contains narrative strategies such as, flashback,                    Formulaic, repetitive writing 
           foreshadowing, dialogue, tension and/or suspense
           Is multi-paragraph                                                   A single paragraph
           Presents a story that has a well-developed beginning, middle,        A paper that lacks a clear beginning, middle, and end
           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 sentences                                          A story with little sentence variety
           Contains correct sentences, usage, grammar, and spelling that        Incorrect sentences, usage, grammar, and spelling that prevent 
           make the writer's ideas understandable                               the reader from understanding the writer's ideas
     Overview of 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
        Focus in Narrative Writing
  • In narrative writing, the focus of the story may be character 
   development, the plot, a setting and time period, or a deeper 
   theme.
  • Part of maintaining focus is selecting relevant details that 
   advance the story and leaving out information that may 
   distract the reader from the focus of the story.
  • The focus is usually implied rather than stated directly.
  • Maintaining a clear point of view also indicates focus.