1. (You’ll need some notebook paper and something to write with)
Personal Narrative
Getting Started
(You’ll need some notebook paper and something to write with)

2. Process: Zeroing In on a Topic (10 min.) Jotting (5 min.)
Identifying a story worthy of telling
Jotting (5 min.)
Getting the basics
Zooming out to examine your story (15 min.)
Filling out the rest of the story
Elaborating on a climactic moment (15 min.)
Working backwards and writing a draft

3. Zeroing in on a topic… Review your choices: Identify a moment of:
6-word short stories
Good at/Bad at/Want to try
Fo’ sho’ n’ tell
Favorite Movie/Book Story Map
Favorite Thing homework
Identify a moment of:
Big Change
Drama
Extreme Emotion
Magic
Memory

4. Jotting Jot down your moment
Try to remember who was involved and where it took place.
Try to remember your overall feelings or impression of the moment.

5. Zoom Out
Your moment:
The part of your life where things change in a big, permanent, emotional way is probably the CLIMAX of your story.
Exposition: Introduce your characters and tell when and where your story takes place.
Climax: the big turning point where your life will never be the same…
Suspence:
Maybe you could try to keep your reader guessing by being secretive about what is about to happen…
Rising Action: What happened that started this whole thing?
Resolution: What happened in the end?

6. Elaborating Draft Heading: Name Date Personal Narrative Draft 1
Advisor
Remember
SKIP LINES
Indent Paragraphs
Come up with a cool title
The climax will probably be the part of the story your readers remember best so I want it to be as strong as possible.
Try starting your story by following your plot map and starting at the start.
Create a DRAFT of your personal story to share with me.

7. Mr. Wakefield’s Lost Dogs