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Narrative Writing

This document provides guidance on techniques for writing engaging narrative stories, including using: - A lively writing voice through descriptive actions and words - Quotes from characters to engage the reader - Sensory details that appeal to the senses to help readers visualize the story - Paragraphs to separate changes in time, place, characters or for dramatic effect - Appropriate vocabulary to describe characters, settings and events - Sentence structure techniques like varying length, structure and starting words to avoid repetition.

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Nonny Komalasari
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27 views4 pages

Narrative Writing

This document provides guidance on techniques for writing engaging narrative stories, including using: - A lively writing voice through descriptive actions and words - Quotes from characters to engage the reader - Sensory details that appeal to the senses to help readers visualize the story - Paragraphs to separate changes in time, place, characters or for dramatic effect - Appropriate vocabulary to describe characters, settings and events - Sentence structure techniques like varying length, structure and starting words to avoid repetition.

Uploaded by

Nonny Komalasari
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAMME

GRADE 8
UNIT 5: NARRATIVE WRITING - PART 1

NOTES

This lesson on narrative writing consists of two parts. In Part 1, we are going to look at a
few techniques on how to make your writing exciting to read.
Let’s take this topic: The princess has been kidnapped by a sorcerer. Tell the story about
how you help save her.
We will look at some ways to make this story interesting to read.
To engage the reader in the actions of the story, you need to use a lively writing voice. Look
at these two sentences and decide which one is livelier:

 Yoko shouted, “Let me out!”


 She pounded her fist against the wall and screamed, “Let me out!”
The second sentence reveals her actions: ‘pounded her fist against the wall’. We also learn
about the words she speaks ‘Let me out!’. We guess the feelings of the character by her
actions and words.

Have a look at another pair of sentences.

 Yoko ran.
 Sweat poured from Yoko’s forehead as she continued to run in the dark thick forest.
It is clear that the second sentence creates a picture in the reader's mind. Use words that
describe, and creates a picture in the reader's mind.

To make your story interesting to read, quote some of the speeches of your characters.
Using direct speech allows the reader to get into the story. Here are a few examples:
“May I borrow your sword?” Yoko asked me.
“I brought you some food,” I told Princess Yoko.
“Help me!” exclaimed the little Yoko.
Note that you have to begin a new paragraph every time a different person speaks.

You may use details that appeal to the senses while describing events of the story. Sensory
details help the reader see, hear, taste, smell, and feel what you describe. They help the
reader visualise and feel involved in the story.
For example:
As I entered the dark den, I was hit by the smell of dead rats. There stood the sorcerer. He
was wearing a shiny overcoat, black wellingtons and a peaked hat. He was mixing a potion
in his cauldron. I felt apprehensive, as I crept nearer…
You will agree that the vivid description takes you into the story.

You also have to make sure your story has paragraphs. Use paragraphs when you're
switching time, place, action, character or for dramatic effect.
Start a new paragraph for a change of time.

 Early the next morning…


 Later…
 In the meantime, …

Start a new paragraph for a change of place, like

 On the other side of the mountain …


 At the palace…
 In the dungeon, …

Start a new paragraph for a change of action. For example:

 At that moment the lights went out.


 Suddenly the king appeared…
 The door flew open…

Start a new paragraph for a change of character. Examples

 Unexpectedly, the sorcerer rounded the corner.


 Suddenly, Yoko fell from the roof.

You also start a new paragraph when a new character begins to speak.

 “I am going to kill you,” the sorcerer announced. “I am really fed up and can’t take
anymore.”
 “Oh, I don’t think you could do that,” I replied smugly.

Start a new paragraph for dramatic effect.


 Zing! The lightning bolt hit me.

Note that long paragraphs can be discouraging for the reader so try to keep your paragraphs
short.

Another technique to make your story exciting is by using appropriate vocabulary.


The knight was good. Instead of good, you may use: admirable / praiseworthy/ virtuous/
accomplished / skilled
The sorcerer was bad. Instead of bad, prefer: corrupt / vile / distressing / offensive /
immoral.
The sorcerer’s head became big. Instead of big, use: colossal / immense / massive/ huge/
gigantic.
Yoko threw the thing at the sorcerer. Instead of thing, use: material / object / article/
device/ item.
The sorcerer was happy. Instead of happy, use: ecstatic / delighted / joyous / jubilant/
thrilled.
Yoko was sad. Instead of sad, use: sorrowful /cheerless / dismal/ gloomy / mournful.
Use precise vocabulary as the right words adds to the appeal of the story.

Use long sentences for descriptive passages to create an atmosphere. For example: As the
day came to a close, darkness started to move in, slowly swallowing every detail of the
countryside.
Use shorter sentences to describe a tense or fearful atmosphere. For example: Suddenly I
heard a piercing shriek. It was the princess. I could not believe my luck.

To make your story interesting, pay more attention to the way you begin a seentence. Too
often, students begin their sentences with the name of a character (or pronoun), followed
by the action, like: Charles opened the door…/ She smiled… / He moved away…
Always starting a sentence in the same way can be dull and gives your story a heavy pace.
To make your story interesting to read, vary the way you start your sentences. For example:

 I ran down the alley towards the sorcerer.


 “Stop!”
 He turned his head and met my eyes. Hurrying forward, I hoped I might finally catch
him. But instead, he vanished. He was taunting me – just as he’d done before.
Here, the sentences start not only with pronouns ‘I’ and ‘He’. We have varied the way we
start our sentences by starting with verb ‘Hurrying’ and conjunction ‘But’.

To end this first part on Narrative Writing, remember to use these techniques to make your
story pleasant to read:
- a lively narrative voice
- using dialogue
- using sensory details
- proper use of paragraphs
- appropriate vocabulary
- varying the length of sentences
- and varying the way you start your sentences.

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