Characters

Stories need characters. It is possible to tell a story with just the narrator, but who would want to read
it? There are many different types of characters. Include a couple in your essay.
Attention Catching Techniques:

Dialogue
Dialogue is when characters speak in a story. The voices of the characters are distinguished from the
voice of the narrator through the use of quotation marks. Using dialogue is a great way to start off
your essay. It throws the reader right into the action. If you begin with an interesting or startling piece
of dialogue, you will hook your reader.
Example: “Get up, Sam! You’re going to be late for school!” My mother’s voice startled me awake.

Onomatopoeia
Onomatopoeia is when a words pronunciation imitates its sound, like boomor buzz. Using
onomatopoeia is like using dialogue. You put the onomatopoeic word in quotation marks to
distinguish it from the voice of the narrator. Like dialogue, using onomatopoeia well will toss the
reader right into the action from the first sentence of your story.
Example: “Boom!” The thunder crack shook the lunchroom.

Description of a Character and / or Setting

Many good authors begin their stories with descriptions of a character or setting. This is an
inviting way to bring readers into the world of your story, but be careful not to get caught up on the
detail. You are trying to catch the reader’s attention. Don’t drive them away with tedious
descriptions of leaves. A good way to use this approach is to begin your essay with a figurative
language technique.
Example: The sun peaked over the green hills of Townsville like an eager child.

Character’s Action
Starting your narrative essay by describing a character’s action is a great way to kick off your essay.
Using this technique will drop readers into a story that’s already in progress. You can introduce your
readers to a character and a situation in a single sentence.
Example: I held the empty canteen over my mouth and waited patiently for the last drop to roll
out.
Vertical Time
Time in a story can pass in two ways: horizontally and vertically. Horizontal time is when the writing
moves the plot along. Vertical time is when the writing lingers on a moment. During moments where
the writer has developed the vertical time, the narrative stalls. The writer focuses on descriptions.

Example: “Come on!” Kevin shouted at the bus as it pulled off without him. He kicked an empty bottle
at the gray city bus, though it was hundreds of feet away now. He plopped down on the curb and
struggled to catch his breath. A siren wailed in the distance.

In this short example the main character misses a bus. The story will eventually move on with the
character finding a ride or walking, but the writer lingers in the moment. We spend a little time with the
character as he tries to catch his breath. We hear some of . the noises in his environment. When
creating your essay, think about moments when you can stretch time to build tension and suspense.
It is best to choose a few opportune moments to extend the passage of time in your essay.

“Showing” and Not “Telling”

It is easy for a writer to say that a character is angry, sad, or a bully, but this is telling the reader. Good
writers don’t tell readers about characters; they show them. It takes a bit more work to show readers
your characters. You have to think of behaviors that imply attitudes and emotions.