Writing Narration and Description Writers goal Write about

Writing Narration and Description

Writer’s goal �Write about a significant event in your life �Write so readers: �Vividly relive the experience �Learn something about you (and themselves)

Key to success: Be passionate �Choose an experience from your life that still makes you: �Happy �Angry �Humble �Afraid �Or some other strong emotion

Think of it as a truth �We see ourselves in an earlier time, but we also see it in context of what we know today �We know more than what we see �Share that with the reader

Is there an itch you need to scratch? �Start with what interests you, but ask: �Is there anything about this experience you want to understand better? �Does anything about it make you curious?

Confused? Uncertain? �That’s a great place to start �You don’t have to have it figured out before you begin

Dig deeper and ask: �Why did I do that? �What does it mean? �Why did it happen? �How did I really feel? �What do I really think about it?

Include characters �Make people in your narrative come to life �Show their actions �Use their words �Be descriptive

Create memorable description �Trigger senses �What did you see? �What did you hear? �Choose strong nouns, active verbs

Guidelines for narrative essay �Choose a memory important enough to share �Remember a time you first discovered the world was stranger, more wonderful, more complex than you had though as a child.

Focus on a moment or outcome �What led to this key moment? �How did others experience this? �What has time taught you? �What would you have changed?

Think about purpose, audience �Why are you telling this story? �To entertain? �To remind? �To warn? �To challenge? �To persuade? �To encourage?

Gather materials �To remember details, use: �Photos �Home videos �Letters �Conversation

Write a first draft �Set the stage �Include dialogue �Build the plot �Express your feelings �Use transitions �Select verbs carefully

Revision checklist �Did you focus on a specific incident or event? �Are there details, description, dialogue? �Is the significance clear? �Does the writing sound sincere, natural?