Narrative Writing Skills

Narrative Writing & Techniques

​Narrative Writing

• Tells a story!​

• Five components: the characters, the setting, the plot, the conflict, and the resolution.

  • These elements keep the story running smoothly and allow the action to develop in a logical way that the reader can follow.​

• ​When writing a narrative, authors use a variety of tools to develop the plot and characters or to explore their own personal experiences. Narrative techniques include dialogue, description, pacing, reflection, and multiple plot lines. 

• Narratives often have dialogue, or a conversation between characters. Dialogue can be used to develop characters or to move the plot forward.

• In addition, authors use description outside of dialogue to develop the setting, characters, and plot events.

The actual story​

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Begining, middle, and end

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Clear start and finish to story​

​Plot

Location of the story

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Where and when the story takes place​

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Describe the environment and/or ​surroundings​

Setting

Setting vs. Plot

Multiple Choice

What is the setting of a story?

• The story being told

• The location of the story

• The conflict of the story

• The main problem of the story

Multiple Choice

What is the plot of a story?

• The timeline of the story

• The location of the story

• The back story

• The actual story being told

Dialogue

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• Use dialogue between characters to explain events or move the action forward.

  • Set all dialogue off in quotation marks

  • Include identifying names as needed before or after quotation marks.​

    • Our team leader says, “I try to practice every day.”

    • “Let’s go home,” Jeanne suggested.

    • “Very well then,” said Thorin, “supposing the burglar-expert gives us some ideas or suggestions.”

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following is correct? 

• Jane said, "I really want to eat Cheetos."
• Jane said, "I really want to eat Cheetos".
• Jane said "I really want to eat Cheetos."
• Jane said, "I really want to eat Cheetos,"

Multiple Choice

Which sentence uses dialogue and punctuation correctly?

• The mother remarked, "Don't forget to clean your room!"

• The mother remarked "Don't forget to clean your room!"

• The mother remarked, "don't forget to clean your room!"

• The mother remarked", Don't forget to clean your room!"

Multiple Choice

Choose the correctly written dialogue.

• She thought further, Surely they  will get every one of the answers correct."
• She thought further, "surely they  will get every one of the answers correct."
• She thought further, "Surely they  will get every one of the answers correct."
• She thought further, surely they  will get every one of the answers correct.

Soultion

Problem/Conflict

Problem / Soultion

​The struggle or issue

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The plot is centered on this conflict and the ways in which the characters attempt to resolve the problem.

​The solution to the problem is the way the action is resolved. (The end)

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The resolution must fit the rest of the story in tone, and creativity and solve all parts of the conflict.

Open Ended

The ________ to the problem is the way the action is resolved.

Sensory details

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

​Sensory details are words that stir any of the five senses: touch, taste, sound, smell, and sight.

• ​These details are important because they help to orient the reader by establishing a context, or the circumstances that form the setting of events or a situation in a story.
  

“She drank the lemonade,” -----> “She felt her tongue tingle as she sipped the frosty glass of tart, sugary lemonade.”

Description & Sensory Details

• ​Include description to engage the reader and help him or her visualize the characters, setting, and other elements in the narrative.

  • Include only those descriptions relevant to the reader’s understanding of the element being described.

    • Sherell walked slowly through the garden. She stopped and noticed the beautiful flowers and the peace and quiet of the space. Birds and insects buzzed through the air. She felt calm and at peace.

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Sound: describe sounds. ...

Smell and Taste: the words related to these senses are different for each person and evoke concepts such as “good”, “bad”, “pleasant” or “unpleasant”. ...

Sight: words that express colors, shapes or appearances. For example: bright, dark, black, pointed, round, small, blurred, dazzling…

Touch: words that express textures. ...

Sensory Words

Some text here about the topic of discussion

​Sensory words - examples

Sight: huge, foggy, dazzling, gloomy, immense, fuzzy.

Smell: sweet, stinky, smoky, delicate, fresh, fragrant.

Taste: Smooth, bitter, sour, raw, sugary, juicy, fruity, ​zesty.

Motion: vibrating, staggering, mind-boggling,

Touch: hot, furry, hairy, rubbery, puffy, sharp.

Sound: Loud, whistling, snapping, scratch, thumping.

Subject | Subject

Some text here about the topic of discussion

Multiple Choice

What am I describing using sensory details:

I pulled up to my house and instantly started to gag. The sharp, putrid smell was so thick in the air that it even assaulted my taste buds. I scanned my yard for the furry white and black body before making a run for it. I knew the smell would linger for hours, maybe even days.

• A garbage can

• A skunk

• My messy van

• My neighbor's garage

Multiple Choice

What sensory detail does the sentence describe?

Stranded high on the beach, the tiny jellyfish created a disagreeable stench as they began to decay.

• Sight

• Smell

• Taste

• Touch

Multiple Choice

What sensory detail does the sentence describe?

The soft, warm sand by the dunes gave way to coarse sand packed hard by the incoming waves.

• Sight

• Smell

• Taste

• Touch

Multiple Choice

What sensory detail does the passage describe?

When he opened his eyes, Tay was sure he was still dreaming. When he had fallen asleep, he’d still been surrounded by tall buildings, a gray sky, and an endless line of cars on the highway. Now, after rubbing his eyes, all he could see was the brilliant, sparkling blue of the ocean. The tall buildings had been replaced by palm trees waving gently in the breeze, the traffic replaced by an endless stretch of golden sand.

• Sight

• Hearing

• Taste

• Smell

• Touch

Open Ended

Your turn!! Add sensory details to the following sentence:

"Mike rode his bike."