Great Beginnings

Dialogue You can begin your personal narrative with one character speaking, or dialogue. “Where’s Papa going with that ax?” said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast. “Out to the hoghouse,” replied Mrs. Arable. “Some pigs were born last night.” “I don’t see why he needs an ax,” continued Fern, who was only eight.

Action An exciting way to begin your personal narrative is with action. Get your readers on the edge of their seats from the beginning. Here is Edward Bear, coming downstairs now, bump, bump, bump, on the back of his head, behind Christopher Robin. It is, as far as he knows, the only was of coming downstairs, but sometimes he feels that there really is another way, if only he could stop bumping for a moment and think of it.

Description One option is to begin your personal narrative with a vivid description that creates an image in the reader’s mind. Harry Potter was a highly unusual boy in many ways. For one thing, he hated the summer holidays more than any other time of year. For another, he really wanted to do his homework, but was forced to do it in secret, in the dead of night. And he also happened to be a wizard.