GROUP 3

PERSONAL NARRATIVE

The personal narrative is a mode of narrative writing. It can appear as a story,

essay, or a part of either. A personal narrative is a complete story about one's own
experiences. These experiences can amount to a life story, constitute a single chapter
of someone's life, or even describe a single robust event. The definition of personal
narrative is broad and can be applied to different aspects of storytelling.
For instance, an anecdote—which is a short, amusing story about someone's
experience—might be considered a personal narrative. Although short, an anecdote can
tell a complete story about someone's experiences. An autobiography—which is an
account of a person's life, written by that person—also might be viewed as a personal
narrative, although it's likely to contain more references and historical context.
Typically, though, a personal narrative is an informal account. This archetypical
personal narrative is essay-sized or longer, capturing the beginning, middle, and end of
someone's life—or just a part of it.
Many teachers use personal narratives as an assignment to encourage creative,
free-flow writing. Personal narratives also can encourage students or writers to further
develop writing and reflection skills. Some employers or colleges may request
candidates submit a personal narrative to learn more about them beyond their work or
educational experiences. Some people consider personal narratives to be a form of
storytelling, and it uses an active voice in the first person to tell a story.

Introduction: Your personal narrative needs a strong introduction that will serve as an
attention-grabbing hook to pique your readers' interest and ensure that they go on to
read the rest of your personal narrative.
Plot: Your story needs a strong plot with interesting and specific details that will add
substance to your story and contribute powerfully to your portrayal of the experience.
Your plot must not only describe what happened in a way that appeals to the reader's
senses, but it must also have a logical sequence to ensure that it flows perfectly from
start to finish.
Characters: Your personal narrative must describe all the characters involved in the
experience. You can develop the characters through interesting details describing each
of their traits, such as their appearance, words, actions, etc.
Setting: Your personal narrative must describe the setting in a vivid way. Where and
when did the events or experience occur? Use expressive language that makes the
setting come alive for readers.
Climax: Make sure your personal narrative builds to a climax or satisfying resolution of
the problem. Where most personal narrative are concerned, this resolution leads to
some sort of personal growth for the author, which you should make clear in the story
Conclusion: The conclusion of your personal narrative needs to be a strong one that will
leave your readers with a lasting impression of the insights or deeper understanding
that you gained from the experience.

How to Write a Personal Narrative

Now that you know the different elements of a good personal narrative, here is a step-
by-step guide to help you write a great story of your own.
Step #1: Create a Structure or Outline:
Using the tips outlined above for the different elements of a narrative, create a structure
that divides your story into those different parts.
Step #2: Write in First Person.
Use "I" when writing your personal narrative. However, don't overuse that word. Make
sure to use variations to make your style unique.
Step #3: Bring Your Story to Life.
Your story should be well-detailed and it must bring all the different characters to life.
You must give it different subplots, and make sure all of it is presented in an interesting
way through developments designed to intrigue the reader.
Step #4: Write in a Chronological Order.
Chronology is important when writing a personal narrative. You must set the order of
your story to properly convey your writing purpose, otherwise, you risk misleading your
readers or forgetting important incidents which may take away the whole context of your
writing.
Step #5: Edit and Proofread Your Story.
After creating your first draft, make sure you revise it thoroughly. If there are any
repetitions of arguments or ideas, delete them. Rephrase any sentences that are hard
to grasp and check for grammar and spelling mistakes.

Writing a personal narrative can be hard, particularly for anyone with no experience in
writing. But, following the guidelines outlined above will make your work a little easier.