Narrative Writing

What is Narrative Writing?  It is the written act of telling a story.  The story follows a plot or sequence of events  Written narratives, as opposed to oral narratives, do not change over time.

Conflict  The problem or obstacle the character is trying to overcome. WITHOUT CONFLICT, THERE IS NO STORY.

Types of Conflicts  Person vs. Person  Person vs. Machine  Person vs. Nature  Person vs. Self  Person vs. Society  Internal Conflic  External Conflict

Characterization  The development of characters, whether fictional or non-fictional.  Character development must be done carefully and with detail. What you picture in your mind must be conveyed to the reader. The character must be as realistic as possible, so as to give you choices about what happens to him/her in the story.

Setting  The setting is the environment in which the story takes place.  The setting must be well described.  The setting must be consistent with the facts surrounding the character and the conflict.

Dialogue  The words that the characters speak or say.  The dialogue must make sense. There must be a reason for what the characters say.

Dialogue “Hey man, you look sick as a dog.” “I feel sick as a dog. And the worst thing is that I have to take a math mid-term today,” I complained. “I honestly don’t know if I’ll be able to concentrate.” “Man. I hate that we have to be in school today, especially for you. And these desks are so uncomfortable.” “Well, you’re a good friend.”

Plot & Theme  Plot is the sequence of events in the narrative or story (exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, resolution).  Themes are lessons or truths about life that stories illustrate.