Narrative Writing
Guide
Function: What is a Narrative?
Narrative writing tells a story. It can be fiction or non-fiction (as with
writing personal narrative, or memoir writing). The main feature of
narrative writing is that it spans time and has a plot - something happens
that keeps readers reading to see what's next. A narrative often (but
certainly not always) is written in chronological order.
To become more familiar with the elements of narratives complete the
three activities below. Complete a new, knew and do chart as you
engage in the following lessons.
1. Story Planning
2. Explore, imagine and entertain - Activity
Plan your own narrative. You can use a map or another graphic
organizer. Make sure that your planning system features the following
things:
Superb Story Plans
Escape into fiction
Story Plans
Setting
Two or more believable characters
One or more problems
Resolution: Show how they solve the problems?
Y? Who what when where how why?
Personality
Link the ending to the beginning
Appearance of Characters?
Names?
Show through senses.
Form: Studying Expert Examples
Studying examples of how real authors write narratives is the best way to
become an expert narrative writer. Read the following examples.
Story and Play Writing (Grades Four to Five)
Story: The Terror of Kansas Story: Chloe’s Day Story: The Haunted House
Creative Writing (Grades Six to Eight)
Story: Linden’s Library Story: How the Stars Came to Be Poem: The Call Poem: My Backyard
1. What are five things that these short stories
have in common?
2. Why do the authors begin new paragraphs?
Compare your list of
five things with a few
class mates and create
a checklist entitled:
“Five Things Every
Story Must Have.”
Form: Studying the Elements of Short
Stories
As you complete each lesson, complete the corresponding section of your
own narrative. Your narrative should be connected to your current Unit
of Inquiry.
Story Openings
Stories can begin in at least four different ways. They can start with:
A description of a character;
A description of the setting;
Action;
Dialogue. Below are some different openings to a story.
Do: Read these story openings and decide which type of opening it is.
“Quiet!” shouted Jim. He was fed up with Sarah telling him to have a bath. He would have one when he wanted! Rebecca was a lazy girl-even her mother thought so. She was so lazy, she couldn’t even be bothered picking her own nose. The door burst open, leaves swirled around the passage. Distant screams could be heard, as the misty night grew darker and colder. Ingrid lived in a small, quiet town in Doncaster, surrounded by fields and meadows. At this time of year, it was especially beautiful, as all the flowers were out to bloom. “Oh for goodness sake! Who stole my Groovy Chick pencil this time?” “Not me. Don’t even try to blame me. I didn’t take it!” protested Lucy. Ugly. That’s how you’d describe Billy Bobbins. Ugly. What with his large spotty nose, crooked teeth and lazy eye, he wasn’t exactly a model. But nevertheless, Lucinda still fancied him rotten! Graham had the letter in his hand. Time was running out, he had to get to the post office in double quick time, this was his last chance. The sun went down over the tall towers that loomed over the smoke filled city. New York was a pretty impressive place. A place that once you’d been, you didn’t want to leave.
Discuss: Which story opening wants you to read more? Why? Do: Take a look at the openings of some of your favourite stories to see how the authors started their stories. Try: Write the beginning of a story using one of the methods described above.
S.T.E.P into
Fiction PARAGRAPHS
When should a new paragraph start when writing
nonfiction?
Change of setting: The action in the story happens
in another place.
Change of time: The story moves on to another time
that day or the next day etc…
Change of event: Something new happens in the
plot.
Change of person: A new character is introduced,
they may say something or just be described.
S.T.E.P into
Fiction PARAGRAPHS
When should a new paragraph start when writing
nonfiction?
Change of setting: The action in the story happens
in another place.
Change of time: The story moves on to another time
that day or the next day etc…
Change of event: Something new happens in the
plot.
Change of person: A new character is introduced,
they may say something or just be described.
Characters
Do: Read this page about characters and
complete a knew, new and do chart.
Discuss: Which of these things do you actually do when you describe characters in your own stories? What are you going to try and do when describing characters in your own stories?
Two or three characters are usually enough for
a short story. Read on to find out how to make
the characters seem real.
Give them suitable names.
For example:
Pirates: Captain Peg-Leg, Scar-faced Bill, Sly Sam,
One-eyed Pete
Astronauts: Commander Ben Lewis, Assistant
Commander Buzz Owens, Captain Tilly Jones
Don't just use your friend's names in a story!
Describe what they look like and how they move. For
example:
A wizened old man shuffling about the house in
slippers.
A giant, hairy, orange caterpillar creeping slowly
along.
A ten year old girl, rather small for her age, skipped
merrily along the street, her long fair hair flying in the
wind.
Try to show their personalities in the things they do,
for example:
Careless – John was always breaking or losing things.
Lazy – Jim never wants to do anything, he always
finds quicker ways of doing things.
Coward – Billy was nervous. He always hid behind
the others, stammered and stuttered.
Competitive – Jill always tries to do things better and
faster. She always wants to win.
Posh – Victoria talks very properly. She is snooty
and thinks she is better than everyone else.
Try to show how characters feel using adjectives and
adverbs, for example:
Although tired, he excitedly ran towards the door.
With an ungrateful sigh he angrily unwrapped the
present.
Sadly, her curiosity turned to worry as she nervously
read the test. Three hours seemed like three years.
Paddy was relieved to his little brother…
Write what they say and what they think. For
example:
"I'm sure I'll be able to fix the spacecraft." At that
moment she believed herself.
Improving Setting Descriptions
I want you to practise describing the setting of your stories, by hinting rather than being direct in order to keep your
reader interested. Look at these story openings. I haven’t told you where the story is set, but I have described it
through the things you might see and hear if you were there. Can you guess where these stories are set?
Story 1
The automatic doors opened swiftly as Jade strode in.
She glanced quickly at the cluster of signs and
pressed on down the wide polished corridor. Ahead
of her a set of double doors flew open and a trolley,
pushed by five concerned faces, passed rapidly by.
The smell of antiseptic caught at the back of her
throat. Pushing through the doors at the end of the
corridor, she emerged into a brightly lit room. Rows
of plastic seats groaned with injured people. Where
was Manny? The call had been brief. All she knew
was that Manny was here somewhere… .
Story 2
Sadie thrust the ticket into the man’s hand. Half-torn
he returned it and pulled open the door. Her eyes
narrowed as she stepped forward urgently into the
dimly-lit room. Stale popcorn collapsed under her
feet. She felt her way down the narrow aisle. She had
agreed to meet Gerry somewhere in the middle. The
front was too close, whilst the back meant you spent
most of your time staring at the hairstyle in front. A
young couple stood up to let her pass, their coats fell
from their laps and were lost in the dark alley
beneath their folding seats.
Story 3
The vegetables gleamed under the lighting as special
offers swung giddily on their strings from the ceiling.
He inched forward, keeping himself well hidden
behind the woman whose child rocked in the metal
cage provided at the back of the trolley. As they
passed the cheese and milk a cool draught caught the
back of his neck, sending a shiver down his spine…
Story 4
The warm dusty draught flapped at her coat,
revealing the lining and causing her to pull it tight
around her. She thrust her ticket into the metal slit
and strode forward confidently. The dull whirring of
the escalators carried her down, lost in the confusion
of posters advertising West end shows and cheap
phone calls. She thought she saw a familiar face
passing upwards to her right and stared back to see if
she were right...
Think about the settings described above and answer the questions below:
I think the setting for story one is:
The words and expressions that helped me guess were:
I think the setting for story two is:
The words and expressions that helped me guess were:
I think the setting for story three is:
The words and expressions that helped me guess were:
I think the setting for story four is:
The words and expressions that helped me guess were:
Do: Try to write a story opening in which your character passes through a classroom, a messy boy’s bedroom or a car park. Remember, describe the things you might see and hear if you were there. Don’t tell your reader directly.
Characters
You should always try to describe one of the characters in your story. For example:
Scientists (they’re the ones with white coats, test tubes and weird flyaway hair) Professor Longbottom looked exactly
like a scientist.
Many people believe that that you make a judgment about someone in the first ten seconds, based purely on their appearance. You look them up and down, and think to yourself, ‘Yuck! That’s the ugliest jumper I’ve ever seen!’ or ‘What hairy nostrils!’ We all make decisions about someone based on aspects of their appearance. It could be their hair, eyes, smile, clothes or posture.
Your aim is to create a picture of the character’s appearance in the reader’s mind. You really don’t need to describe more than a few small details – the reader’s imagination will fill in the rest. By zooming in on a mouth, this writer creates a vivid picture of an old lady:
Anna dreaded kissing her Gran goodbye. There were something about Gran’s obviously false teeth and thin chapped
lips, not to mention a bristly moustache, that made Anna feel quite ill.
Sure, the ‘Gran’ you’ve imagined is different to the ‘Gran’ the writer pictured, but it doesn’t matter – the detail created a small picture, and your imagination filled in the rest.
Do: Describe only the eyes of an evil character. Show your description to a friend and see if they can guess whether your character is nice or nasty.
Events or Plot
Do: Read this page about events or plot and complete a knew, new and do chart.
Discuss: Which of these things do you actually do when you describe plot or events in your own stories? What are you going to try and do when describing plot in your own stories?
An interesting story will contain several events. A strong exciting plot centers on an unexpected event, a crisis, or a
problem, which needs to be sorted out by the end of a story. Stories can contain more than one problem. Plans could go
wrong:
There could be an accident.
Someone or something could get lost.
A machine could break down.
Something important could get stolen.
Suspense or mystery is created by building up to events slowly. Don't just write: The monster attacked. Hint at the attack
by, for example, using speech:
A very hairy monster slid amongst the trees, hid behind a bush and watched hungrily. The monster growled.
"What was that?" asked Christopher in a very scared voice.
"Probably just the wind," replied Luke.
"No, it sounded like a lion's roar," said Christopher anxiously.
"Listen and see if you can hear it". The monster growled again and this time Luke heard it.
"That noise?" he asked.
"Yes!" replied Christopher. Next moment the monster leaped from behind a bush and started to attack.
Story Endings
Explain the result of the events or show how the problem was solved. (But don't end with everyone going home for tea or
someone waking up to find it was all a dream - that's boring!) Endings usually bring the story round 'full circle'. For
example:
Start: Three scruffy pirates sat gloomily around a table in the Lord Nelson pub, staring down in to
their empty beer glasses. One by one they emptied out their pockets. It seemed they had all run out
of money.
Ending: The pirate gang made their way down the quay to their favourite pub to celebrate their
success. They had earned enough money now to buy a year's worth of beer - and have change.
The final sentence is as important as the opening sentence. It usually sums up the story's theme or message.
It had been the best day of my life.
I'll never forget her.
If only he hadn't been so selfish.
She realised taking part is much more important than winning.
It just goes to show, crime really doesn't pay.
They were richer than they could ever have dreamed.
I still laugh when I think about it.
For more ideas, look at some of your favourite stories and check out the very last sentence in each.
Discuss: Which story ending would leave you feeling most satisfied? Why? Which story ending teaches the reader a lesson?
Try: Rewrite the ending to a story you have written.
Perspective:
Compare the Quality of
Short Stories
Compare two narratives. In your
opinion, what makes some narratives
better than others? What does a buddy think?
Story: Linden’s Library Story: How the Stars Came to Be Poem: The Call Poem: My Backyard
Responsibility: Use your Knowledge to
Create a Narrative Connected to Your
Unit of Inquiry
Follow the writing process to create a top quality
narrative.
Scintillating Story Checking
Stop and Check with
Cops Clues Pass!
Capitals
Omissions. What’s missing?
Punctuation, paragraphs?
Spelling!
Clues
L inks – Everything links or belongs. Ending links to beginning.
Characters link to setting. Problems link to characters.
U nderstandable dialogue?
E motion?
S uperb verbs
Problem solved.
Adverbs and adjectives.
Show through senses.
Symbolism or Similes?