FICTIONAL NARRATIVE

PREWRITING STAGE Ideas – In this pre-writing stage, you will generate many ideas to begin to plan your fictional narrative. Once you have a focus, you can start to think about adding details that will develop and elaborate on your ideas. This first stage for writing a fictional narrative focuses on brainstorming ideas. You need to think about the story elements and fictional details – who your characters will be, what your setting will be, and some of the major plot events (including the problem and solution). You don’t need to include all these brainstormed ideas in your narrative, but the more you think about now, the easier it will be to write your story after. Characters * Put a star beside main characters Setting ideas (time and place) Plot events (include ideas for problem and solution

ORGANIZATION Organization – In this pre-writing stage, you will begin to organize your ideas for the beginning, middle, and end of your narrative. During this stage you should think about how you will logically connect your paragraphs through transitions. This second stage for writing a fictional narrative focuses on organization. Using short phrases or point form notes, begin to jot down some ideas for the beginning, middle, and end of your narrative. Think about how you will introduce the characters and the problem at the beginning, what events will lead to solving the problem in the middle, and the resolution of the story in the end. 1. Beginning. How will you introduce your characters? Will you write in 1stor 3rd person? How will you introduce the problem? 2. Middle. What are some of the plot events that will take place in the middle of the story? How will they help develop character and lead towards solving the problem? 3. End. How will you solve the problem? How will the story end?

VOICE In this pre-writing stage, you will take your organized ideas and add to them, thinking about how you will make the writing sound like you. Voice is how you make that reader-writer connection (so important to do right from the very beginning). It is what makes your writing come alive! The purpose of a fictional narrative is to entertain … so be sure your writing is entertaining! The third stage of writing a narrative focuses on voice. You need to now look at the ideas you organized into beginning, middle, and end in the last stage and begin to include ideas to add to your voice in the narrative. Jot down some points below to help you remember to add voice to your writing when you write your rough draft in the next class. What can you do to hook your reader right from the very beginning? How will you make it interesting? Which plot events will you be able to add a lot of emotion to? How will you SHOW the character’semotions? Don’t forget about exciting dialogue to add voice to your writing! How will you add this to your narrative? Remember to show what the main character is thinking – his or her thoughts and feelings. Where can you do this?

ROUGH DRAFT *Think about what you can use for an INTERESTING title! *Do you have a catchy lead? *Use your planning sheets to help you decide what to use in your narrative. *Write a descriptive setting, and introduce your characters thoroughly! *Introduce your problem/conflict/inciting incident! *Add your rising action *Show your turning point in the story *Add your falling action *Show your resolution/denoument *Did you show the emotions and thoughts of the characters through description AND dialogue? *Did you use transition words?

WORD CHOICE The next stage of writing a narrative focuses on word choice. As you begin to revise, start reading through your completed rough draft. Use the following tips to help you focus on this trait during your revising. Pay attention to the verbs you used – do they build excitement for the reader? Have you included enough adjectives to make your details realistic? Swap out your boring words for more interesting synonyms – keep the language natural, but strong, so that your reader is hooked on every word.

1. In your rough draft, circle at least 5 boring verbs you used 1. In your rough draft, circle at least 5 boring verbs you used. Replace these verbs with vivid verbs – for example, swap “walked” for “trudged” – see how better word choice has the power to really SHOW what you are trying to say? Use a thesaurus to help you find synonyms.

2. Figurative Language is another way to include impressive word choice. Look for somewhere to add alliteration. Add it into your rough draft. Think of a simile, metaphor, or idiom you could use to describe your main character – for example, if a character was upset, maybe her voice was like nails on a chalkboard. Add figurative language to your draft to bring your descriptions to life.

3. “Said” is one of the most overused words in a narrative 3. “Said” is one of the most overused words in a narrative. Find examples of the word “said” in your writing and circle them. Now, using a thesaurus to help you find synonyms, change at least half of them. Some examples to get you started: whispered, yelled, inquired, asked, told, wondered, etc.

4. Adjectives and adverbs are necessary to bring life to your writing 4. Adjectives and adverbs are necessary to bring life to your writing. Add at least 10 adjectives to your rough draft – look for places in your writing where the adjectives will help you describe something important. Add adverbs before your verbs. Adverbs usually end in “ly”.