Writing : Narrative

Reema Elnaime
Study the model text below
Now complete the following story map
 The beginning : setting the scene

What did the writer use to set the

scene?

How did he add some suspense to the

beginning of the story?
Organize your thoughts
Ways to start your story
Describing the setting and
 Dialogue
explaining the conflict.
 Example: Example:

“Leave him alone or The public-houses, with gas-

lights burning inside, were
I’ll call the police” already open. By degrees,
She woke up other shops began to be
screaming. Two years unclosed, and a few scattered
people were met with. Then,
had passed , and she came straggling groups of
still sees him in her labourers going to their work;
nightmares. then, men and women with
fish-baskets on their heads; 
Ways to start your story
Flashback
In this example, the flashback
is a scene that returns to
events in the past. happens when the man
 A man is about to give a
remembers his childhood. The
speech to a large audience on
biology. Suddenly, he flashback serves to reveal that
remembers playing with frogs
the man had an early passion
and toads in his backyard as
a curious child. He smiles at for animals and has now, as an
the memory, and then begins
to speak to the audience adult, made a fantastic
about a new, groundbreaking discovery in that area of
finding about frogs.
science.
 Lets write an introduction
YOUR TURN
WRITE AN
INTRODUCTION

1) SETTING
2) INTRODUCE THE
CHARACTERS
3) SET THE SCENE
(USE ADJECIVES)
characters : building your character
When you build a character you have to
focus on two aspects.
1) physical appearance.
2) Personality description.
Building your character
 Show DON’T tell
When you tell rather than show, you simply
inform your reader of information rather
than allowing him to deduce anything.
You’re supplying information by simply
stating it. You might report that a character
 is “tall,” or “angry,” or “cold,” or “tired.”
That’s telling.
Showing would paint a picture the reader
could see in her mind’s eye.
Examples
Rather than telling that your character is angry, show it
by describing his face flushing, his throat tightening, his
voice rising, his slamming a fist on the table. When
you show, you don’t have to tell.

Cold? Don’t tell me; show me. Your character pulls her
collar up, tightens her scarf, shoves her hands deep into
her pockets, turns her face away from the biting wind.

Tired? He can yawn, groan, stretch. His eyes can look

puffy. His shoulders could slump. Another character
might say, “Didn’t you sleep last night? You look shot.”
 Activity Time
 match the telling statement with the showing
description.
 Show DON’T tell: Try it yourself
Tell the reader Show the reader

1. Jessica dresses unusually.

2. The movie was boring.

3. My room needed cleaning.

4. Alex was forgetful.

5. The roller coaster ride was scary.

6. Gabriel’s cooking was not great.