Narrative Writing A Review – 10 Things to Remember When Writing a Narrative.
The Art of Narrative Writing - PC\|MACimages.pcmac.org/SiSFiles/Schools/GA/CoffeeCounty/... ·...
Transcript of The Art of Narrative Writing - PC\|MACimages.pcmac.org/SiSFiles/Schools/GA/CoffeeCounty/... ·...
Narrative Writing
What is a story?
What are some things all stories have in common?
What are some of the words we use to talk about stories?
Short Clip
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6I24S72Jps
This is really annoying, but I bet you’ll remember the words.
Narrative Writing Assignment
Over the course of this semester, you will turn in 4 sections of a short story.
Each “episode” will be 1-4 pages. You should concentrate on one main character and a small group of supporting characters.
Warnings
Avoid profanity. You may write however you like outside of class, but profanity is inappropriate for class assignments.
Beware of abuse stories. I must report abuse to school.
Avoid excessive violence and sexual themes. Keep violence to an “cowboys movie” level (Villain clutches stomach and falls to ground). Keep displays of affection PG.
Narrative Writing Assignment
Grading:
Each narrative episode, in order to earn a passing grade (70), must contain at least four of the eight criteria listed on the checklist. Refer to the following scale:
Meets 4 of the 8 criteria= 70
Meets 5 of the 8 criteria= 77
Meets 6 of the 8 criteria= 85
Meets 7 of the 8 criteria= 92
Meets 8 of the 8 criteria= 100
The Criteria
Dialogue
Point of View
Conflict
Imagery
Setting
Introduce and develop characters and narrator
Format (indention)
Sequencing
Dialogue
Dialogue is the spoken communication between the characters. Dialogue is set apart by quotation marks and indented. Thought is depicted using italics and does not use quotation marks.
John sighed and said, “No one believes we will win this game. I do, this town does, and so does Coach Prescott!”
I cheer them on to victory, but I don’t really believe it.
Point of View
1st Person – The narrator is the main character and the audience only knows his or her thoughts and motives.
2nd Person – Written from the viewpoint of “you.” Only a few experimental French novels written in this view – don’t do it.
3rd Person Limited – Narrator is disembodied voice which knows the thoughts / motives of one character. Most modern fiction uses this.
3rd Person Omniscient – Narrator knows all, sees all, about all characters.
Conflict
Conflict - the problem that drives the story. It could be internal, external or both
Man vs. Self – character battles against self to overcome some problem
Man vs. Nature – character battles nature in order to survive; survival stories (Gary Paulsen, Jack London)
Man vs. Man – character battles aginst other human
Man vs. Society – character must challenge a societal tradition / belief in order to reach goal
Imagery
Imagery - creates a picture in the reader’s head by using the senses (sensory details).
TWO EXAMPLES: John walked into the classroom and sat down. John lazily walked into Mr. Brown’s classroom.
The students were diligently working of their grammar exercises. John looked at the poster of Shakespeare and wondered what it would have been like to see one of his plays. As Ms. Simms cleared her throat to get John’s attention, he scurried to the counter and took a sheet of paper. He slumped into his desk, accidentally bumping into Shelly, his classmate.
Setting
Setting: the time, place and social circumstances in the story. All are not directly stated. Social circumstances mean what is going on in that time: Is there a war going on around the characters?
Example: Time: 1958 Setting: US Army base in Korea, Cold War Social circumstances: John Lancaster misses his
family and worries about possible war with the Soviet Union
Caution Regarding Setting
Your setting may be realistic or fantasy
Beware of choosing a setting you know little about
Example: Dog races in 1930s Alaska. The life of a buccaneer in 1640s Caribbean.
Warnings from Last Semester
The “dead parents” or “car crash” story – Inordinate number of car crash / dead parents stories. If you do this, do you know where story is going over four chapters? Most people did not.
The “sports hero” story – It’s fine if you want to write about sports, but make sure you don’t have the protagonist win the game in the first chapter!
Introduction / Development of Characters
Introduction - the exposition of each story. It includes the setting, characters, and background. Once the exposition is established, the remaining episodes should develop the setting as well as character(s)/narrator(s).
Two types of character: Static (characters do not change) and Dynamic (characters change throughout the story – John overcomes his worries and successfully completes a jet spy mission)
Aim for dynamic characters!
Format
Format - Characters’ or narrators’ speech are always accompanied by quotation marks and their thoughts are often italicized. Indentions are necessary to separate dialogue from prose.
Sequencing
Sequencing – Sequencing is the pacing and order of the story. Authors choose these sequences to suit their purposes in the story. Most common story sequences follow: chronological order, flashback, and flash-forward (or it may be a combination of any of them).
Plot – Your Old Friend!
Episode One will likely deal with Exposition and beginning of rising action.
Identifying Plot Stages
Read Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s narrative poem, “The Ride of Paul Revere”
Follow along to reading – I will be watching who is actually reading along.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7IAwUQkmho
Identifying Plot Stages
On a sheet of notebook paper, identify where the stages of the pyramid begin with regards to “The Ride of Paul Revere”
Character Development
Fill out character questionnaire
On opposite side of sheet, draw circle with dotted line down the middle – Put character’s good qualities on left, troublesome qualities on right