or Personal Narratives Narrative Essays or Personal Narratives

What is a Personal Narrative? A TRUE STORY about the author. (you) Written in FIRST person (I, me, my) Has a clear beginning, middle, and end Uses time-order words (first, next) Uses sensory detail (sight, sound) Uses descriptive detail and vivid word choice (more info later)

PREWRITING 1st step: BRAINSTORM (make a list of possible topics) Carnegie Hall, New York City Chicago, Illinois Washington, D.C. Panama City Beach Gulf Coast Fair Hope, Alabama Vicksburg, Mississippi Jackson, Mississippi Disney World Six Flags Houston Six Flags Atlanta Lake in Texas Mission trip to Arkansas Mission trip to Alabama Gatlinburg, Tennessee

PREWRITING 2nd step: Narrow down the BRAINSTORM (make a list of possible topics under each topic) Mission trip to Arkansas Trip up there The Motel (yuck) The churches The kids Vacation bible school The fire The fight The hospital visit Carnegie Hall, NYC Trip up there Stop at Washington The Hotel (nice) The Yankees  The practices The performance Making new friends The Boat Ride The trip home

PREWRITING: 3rd Step: Choosing your topic and Sequencing Events We were driving from one church to the other We saw a small brush fire in dry weather We picked up the other group and headed back We saw the fire still going and getting bigger I asked Mr. Bob to go back because no one was watching it We called the fire department We got out and tried to stop it from spreading We borrowed buckets of water from a neighbor The fire department arrived and put it out We met grateful people whose houses were saved

DRAFTING: 1ST Step: Write your Topic Sentence A good topic sentence: Expresses the Main Idea of your essay (tells what it is about) Makes a statement (attention-getting) about the Main Idea Example: Church trips can be rewarding and exciting experiences, and sometimes interesting things can happen away from home.

DRAFTING: 2nd Step: Write your Introduction Start with your Topic Sentence and tell the Beginning of the story: Church trips can be rewarding and exciting experiences, and sometimes interesting things can happen away from home. One hot, dry day while on a mission trip to St. Joe, Arkansas, I had the experience of fighting a fire. Our church youth group went to teach Vacation Bible School at two small churches in that town. My group had the van, so when we were finished for the day, we went to pick up the other group. On the way there, my friend Amber and I noticed a small fire on the side of the road near some woods and houses. I mentioned to our youth minister, but he said someone was probably watching it. However, I didn’t believe that because it had not rained for quite some time in that area. I really didn’t think anyone would be crazy enough to try to burn something.

DRAFTING: 3rd Step: Write the Body Tell the Middle (most interesting part) of the story: On the way back to our hotel from getting the rest of our group, I noticed that the fire had spread and was getting dangerously close to one of the houses nearby. I was alarmed, so I told my youth minister my concerns and that I thought we should let somebody know. He finally agreed to stop at a gas station and call 911. When he got back to the van, all of us talked him into going back to check on the fire’s progress and make sure it hadn’t reached the house or spread too far into the woods. When we pulled up, the fire had spread even farther into the woods and closer to the house. We all piled out of the van, hearts racing excitedly, yelling out ideas on how to stop the fire from spreading more. The guys grabbed branches and headed to the woods. Amber and I ran across the street to another house. Luckily, the woman who lived there was home. She was so helpful; she carried buckets of water from her house to us so we could pour it on the spreading flames. A few of us took charge of keeping the flames from reaching the small white house that was so close to it. I could smell the smoke sinking into my clothes, and I felt it stinging my eyes as I poured the cool water over the hot orange flames.

DRAFTING: 4th Step: Write the Conclusion Tell the End of the Story Point back to the Introduction (if possible) Suddenly, I heard the sound of tires squealing on the asphalt as a woman yelled out of her car window, “It’s headed for my house!” She quickly turned the car around and sped back up the road. Soon, I heard the welcoming sound of sirens blaring from the fire truck as it raced up the street toward us. The tension left our bodies, and our heart beats returned to normal; help had come at last! The firemen wasted no time in putting the fire out. As we were getting back in the van, the lady in the car drove up behind us and thanked us for helping to save her house from catching on fire. All in all, it had been an interesting, exciting, and rewarding experience that I never will forget.

Drafting: 5th Step: READ what you’ve written! Go back over your essay and READ what you wrote! Sometimes you make little mistakes that you didn’t mean to make! Check to see that all of your sentences are complete and have a capital letter and period. Make a second copy for your writing group.