Narrative Writing

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Study Skill 15 Narrative Writing

 

Introduction

storybook

Image credit: Image by Phillip Black Links to an external site. from Pixabay Links to an external site. 

 

Let's take a look at the key elements of Narrative writing:

Goal :  The goal of narrative writing is to tell a story

How:  Narrative writing uses the elements of setting, characters, conflict, and beginning-to-end structure to tell someone or something's story. Sometimes, it includes dialogue. It can be told in first person point of view or third person point of view.  The example below is told from a first person point of view. 

Where:  You can find narrative writing in fiction and nonfiction stories, short stories, and essays. 

Watch

 Video: What is Narrative Writing

Source: Audra Kahne via YouTube

 

Video transcript

 

[Theme music]

today i want to introduce you
00:03
to the basics of narrative writing
00:06
[Music]
00:09
narrative writing is writing that tells
00:11
a story
00:13
it can be real or imagined that
00:16
is non-fiction or fiction
00:20
it has a beginning middle and end
00:23
that is it includes the basic elements
00:25
of a plot
00:27
exposition rising action conflict
00:30
climax falling action and resolution
00:33
[Music]
00:35
and it's full of interesting details the
00:38
author's purpose in writing a narrative
00:40
is to entertain the reader
00:44
there are three main types of narrative
00:46
writing
00:47
the first is personal narrative when a
00:50
writer shares a true story
00:52
from his or her own life we could also
00:55
say
00:56
this type of narrative is
00:57
autobiographical
01:01
the second type of narrative is
01:03
biographical
01:04
when a writer shares a true story from
01:07
another person's life
01:12
the third type of narrative is fictional
01:15
when a writer tells an
01:16
invented story short stories and novels
01:20
are fictional narratives
01:22
[Music]
01:25
while we could add to this list there
01:27
are five important parts
01:29
of a narrative that i especially want
01:31
you to remember as you write your own
01:33
narrative
01:34
these parts of a narrative include
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setting
01:38
characters plot
01:42
point of view and dialogue
01:49
the first part of a narrative is setting
01:52
where and when
01:53
the narrative takes place the setting
01:57
affects both the plot and characters in
01:59
your narrative
02:00
so it's important to spend some time
02:02
brainstorming
02:03
where when and in what conditions your
02:06
story takes place
02:10
the second part of a narrative is the
02:13
characters
02:14
the people animals or creatures involved
02:18
in a story
02:19
remember that your story must have a
02:21
protagonist
02:23
the character facing the problem and an
02:26
antagonist
02:27
the character or force causing the
02:29
problem
02:31
take some time while planning your
02:32
narrative
02:34
to focus on your characters beyond the
02:36
characters names and roles they play in
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the story
02:40
think about whether you'd like them to
02:42
be flat with very few character traits
02:45
or round with many character traits
02:48
also think about which characters in
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your story
02:52
will remain static or unchanged and
02:55
which characters will be dynamic
02:57
undergoing an important change in your
03:01
[Music]
03:02
narrative
03:05
the third part of a narrative is plot
03:08
the sequence of events
03:09
in a narrative take some time to think
03:12
carefully through your story's plot
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how will it begin and how will it end
03:19
what conflicts will your characters
03:21
encounter
03:22
what is the climax or turning point of
03:25
your story
03:27
how will the problems be solved creating
03:30
a storyboard
03:31
or labeling a plot diagram are both good
03:34
tools
03:35
for planning your story's plot
03:37
[Music]
03:40
the fourth part of a narrative is point
03:42
of view
03:44
which is the perspective from which a
03:46
narrative is told
03:48
you can choose to write your narrative
03:50
in first person
03:52
writing a personal narrative from your
03:54
own point of view
03:55
or you can choose a character in a
03:58
fictional narrative to tell your story
04:00
[Music]
04:03
another option is to write your
04:05
narrative in third person
04:06
point of view telling the story from the
04:09
perspective
04:10
of an unseen narrator narrator that is
04:13
not a character in the story
04:18
finally the fifth part of a narrative is
04:21
dialogue
04:22
the words the characters speak in your
04:24
story
04:26
dialect dialogue can establish the
04:30
setting
04:31
show characterization foreshadow events
04:34
or advance the action in a narrative
04:37
dialogue brings your narrative to life
04:41
it's important to review how to
04:43
punctuate dialogue
04:45
following grammatical rules for using
04:47
quotation marks
04:49
commas and other end marks such as
04:51
periods and question marks
04:57
as you begin writing your narrative i'll
05:00
help you break down
05:01
each step of the process but hopefully
05:04
this introduction gives you a basic
05:06
understanding
05:07
of what narrative writing is and
05:10
hopefully
05:10
it sparks some ideas for you to begin
05:12
planning your own narrative

 

Key Ideas

Key Features: 

  • It has a beginning, middle, and end.
  • It contains setting, characters, and conflict (a problem to be solved or a challenge to overcome).
  • It can be real or imagined.
  • It uses descriptive, vivid language.
  • It is creative and imaginative.

Example

Mizzou columns

MU News Bureau https://munews.missouri.edu/images-for-media.php

It is the first day of class at Mizzou, and I am late. The day before, I used a map to walk to all of the buildings I had class in. I knew right where every building was and what time I needed to be there. Today, I found the building where I would be taking a poetry course, but I couldn't find the classroom. Now, it is five minutes after class start time, and I am still wandering around the hallways. Where is room 32? I see rooms 30, 31, 33, and 34, but there is no room 32. I check my map again. Yes. This is the right building. I check the time again. Yes. I am indeed late for class. Finally, I give up and look for the nearest exit. I turn a tight corner and walk past a room right before the exit sign. Of course, it is room 32. By the time I take my seat, I am rattled, pale, and a little sweaty. I am a freshman, after all. My voice shakes when the friendly junior in the seat by me asks me if I am okay. "Don't worry," she says. "Everyone has trouble finding their way around when they are new." I smile and begin to relax. It is only then that I realize that the teacher hasn't arrived yet. There are only students around me and no poetry professor. Five minutes later, he briskly walks in. "Sorry I'm late!" he laughs. "This room is hard to find!"

 

Reflection

After writing a narrative piece, ask yourself these questions. 

  • Does my writing have a setting that includes the place and time the story takes place?
  • Does my writing include characters that are developed both directly (description and dialogue) and indirectly (through their interactions with others)?
  • Does my narrative writing have a clear beginning, middle, and end?
  • Does my narrative include all the elements of a plot?  These elements are exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution (denouement).
  • Did I include a conflict and a resolution to that conflict?  Don’t confuse the resolution of the conflict with the resolution of the plot, also called the denouement.  The resolution of the conflict is the solution to the main conflict or problem in the story.  The resolution of the plot is the ending portion of your story.  

  

Apply

Directions: Match the excerpts from the narrative to the part of the plot it represents.