NARRATIVE WRITING Year 11

NARRATIVE WRITING Learning Objectives Learning Objectives To understand the importance of detailed and descriptive vocabulary. To understand the importance of detailed and descriptive vocabulary. To evaluate the amount of narrative possible in a small number of words. To evaluate the amount of narrative possible in a small number of words. To focus on beginnings and ends. To focus on beginnings and ends.

STARTER Look at the piece of quality writing I asked you to bring in a short while ago. Look at the piece of quality writing I asked you to bring in a short while ago. Can you please do three things for me? Can you please do three things for me? 1) Give me a rough word count of how long it is. 1) Give me a rough word count of how long it is. 2) Pick out/highlight any of the quality language in there – good vocabulary, imagery, sentence structure, etc. 2) Pick out/highlight any of the quality language in there – good vocabulary, imagery, sentence structure, etc. 3) Try to find an explanation of why you like it so much. 3) Try to find an explanation of why you like it so much.

MY OWN CHOICE “Fog everywhere. Fog up the river, where it flows among green aits and meadows; fog down the river, where it rolls defiled among the tiers of shipping and the waterside pollutions of a great (and dirty) city. Fog on the Essex marshes, fog on the Kentish heights. Fog creeping into the cabooses of collier-brigs; fog lying out on the yards, and hovering in the rigging of great ships; fog drooping on the gunwales of barges and small boats. Fog in the eyes and throats of ancient Greenwich pensioners, wheezing by the firesides of their wards; fog in the stem and bowl of the afternoon pipe of the wrathful skipper, down in his close cabin; fog cruelly pinching the toes and fingers of his shivering little ’prentice boy on deck.”

WHAT SHOULD THIS TELL US? We really don’t have many words to play with. We really don’t have many words to play with. A wide range of vocabulary, imagery and sentence structure is vital. A wide range of vocabulary, imagery and sentence structure is vital. Great writing comes in all shapes, sizes and genres. Great writing comes in all shapes, sizes and genres.

THE ART OF THE SMALL Ted Henson had just finished up his pitch for his crime thriller masterpiece, Graves, and was waiting to hear the verdict. A suit walked out and ushered him back in. Another suit started, “We’re sorry, Mr. Henson, but we can’t…” And then he noticed the gun in Mr. Henson’s hand.

THE KEY TO A TIGHT NARRATIVE A small number of characters – 3 at most. A small number of characters – 3 at most. One defined setting. One defined setting. One action. One action. A very short time period – minutes at most. A very short time period – minutes at most.

POTENTIAL TASKS Narrative Writing Narrative Writing 3 (a) ‘The figure in the long, black coat.’ Use this as the title of a narrative. 3 (a) ‘The figure in the long, black coat.’ Use this as the title of a narrative.OR 3 (b) Write a story that starts with the opening of a door to a room that you are not supposed to enter. 3 (b) Write a story that starts with the opening of a door to a room that you are not supposed to enter.

SUCCESS CRITERIA Content is complex, sophisticated and realistic. Overall structure is secure and the constituent parts well balanced and carefully managed. Content is complex, sophisticated and realistic. Overall structure is secure and the constituent parts well balanced and carefully managed. The plot is convincing with elements of fiction such as description, characterisation and climax, and with cogent detail. The plot is convincing with elements of fiction such as description, characterisation and climax, and with cogent detail. Writing is consistent, stylistically fluent, linguistically strong and almost always accurate; has a sense of audience. Writing is consistent, stylistically fluent, linguistically strong and almost always accurate; has a sense of audience. Consistently wide range of appropriate vocabulary. Subtle and effective sense of audience; appropriate use of varied sentence structures. Spelling, punctuation and grammar almost always accurate Consistently wide range of appropriate vocabulary. Subtle and effective sense of audience; appropriate use of varied sentence structures. Spelling, punctuation and grammar almost always accurate

THE WONDERS OF THE IMAGINATION This is a game I used to play at my old school and it worked really well for getting the imagination going. This is a game I used to play at my old school and it worked really well for getting the imagination going. I am going to give you an opening sentence and you have five minutes to continue the story. No thinking. No planning. I just want quality vocabulary and the start of a story. I am going to give you an opening sentence and you have five minutes to continue the story. No thinking. No planning. I just want quality vocabulary and the start of a story. After those five minutes, I will ask you to pass your story to someone else but…I will give them the next sentence they must use to continue the story. Then to someone else until you get the story back at the end. After those five minutes, I will ask you to pass your story to someone else but…I will give them the next sentence they must use to continue the story. Then to someone else until you get the story back at the end.

THE FIRST SENTENCE The cold winter night chilled him to the bone. The cold winter night chilled him to the bone.

THE SECOND SENTENCE When he saw the car, he couldn’t help but wonder at some people’s bad taste. When he saw the car, he couldn’t help but wonder at some people’s bad taste.

THE THIRD SENTENCE It seemed unreasonable to ask for an ice cream but he really wanted one. It seemed unreasonable to ask for an ice cream but he really wanted one.

THIS MUST BE THE FINAL SENTENCE No one would ever believe that this all started over a broken pencil. No one would ever believe that this all started over a broken pencil.

PLENARY Next day, we will work on planning and characterization but, right now, what do you think will be the biggest barriers to success in narrative writing? Next day, we will work on planning and characterization but, right now, what do you think will be the biggest barriers to success in narrative writing?

HOMEWORK Remember the exam task from earlier: ‘The figure in the long, black coat.’ Remember the exam task from earlier: ‘The figure in the long, black coat.’ From head to toe, describe the man in the black coat. From head to toe, describe the man in the black coat. Gentlemen, you have to describe him as a hero. Gentlemen, you have to describe him as a hero. Ladies, you have to describe him as a villain. Ladies, you have to describe him as a villain. Sentence structure, vocab, etc are of paramount importance. Sentence structure, vocab, etc are of paramount importance.