Narrative Writing Techniques in Creative Writing: Writer's Guide with Slides

Narrative Writing Lesson - Learning Objectives

The focus of this lesson is to enhance students' creative writing skills, enabling them to construct compelling narratives based on real or imagined experiences. The lesson emphasizes the development of four key skills:

1. Engaging Opening: Craft an opening that captivates and hooks the reader's interest.
2. Sensory Detail: Use sensory descriptions to create mood and atmosphere when portraying a setting.
3. Dynamic Action: Select specific verbs to create movement in scenes involving action.
4. Character Description: Employ direct and indirect characterisation to intricately describe a character.

Narrative Writing Style: Slides

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Practicing these creative writing skills is invaluable for those aiming to construct narratives that are not only effective but also memorable. Armed with the right tools and techniques, writers can produce stories that enthrall readers, explore significant themes, and make a lasting impact.

Showcasing creativity in writing enables the engagement of readers through unique storylines, vibrant descriptions, excitement, drama, and memorable characters brought to life.

Regardless of the narrative type or style, honing creative writing skills empowers writers to convey their ideas in a more captivating and memorable manner. The forthcoming lesson will provide guidance on practicing these four essential skills to master the art of crafting an effective narrative.

Let's Begin!

Mastering Engaging Exposition - Learning and Practice

The opening lines of a story serve as the reader's gateway into a new world, influencing their decision to continue reading. The skill of crafting an engaging exposition is crucial for capturing the reader's attention immediately.

The exposition provides an opportunity to showcase your writing style, establish the setting, and introduce central characters and conflicts. It is essential to practice the skill of grabbing the reader's attention from the start through an interesting and captivating introduction.

Here are some tips to enhance your exposition:

• Consider thought-provoking questions or comments about your central theme.
• Utilize surprising, strange, or unexpected statements or details to intrigue the reader.
• Incorporate powerful dialogue or conversation to set the scene.
• Jump right into the action to create tension or suspense.
• Include foreshadowing clues about the character's potential fate to evoke curiosity.

The Activity: Library Scavenger Hunt

Learn from other writers by observing successful story openings. Conduct a scavenger hunt in the library to find engaging expositions. Record details for each passage:

1. Title and Author:
2. Opening Passage:
3. Analysis Notes:
   • Specific stylistic features or choices made by the writer.
   • Reasons why they were effective.
   • Ideas you could mirror or adapt in your own writing.

The Practice: Story Prompts

Choose one of the following story prompts and practice drafting an engaging exposition. Draw inspiration from the skill tips or examples saved during your library scavenger hunt. If time allows, experiment with a different style of opening for the same prompt.

1. In walks the new company director
2. A shoplifter who was spotted
3. An elderly woman peering through her window
4. A strange neighbor who does the same thing every day
5. A woman who has been hiding something from her partner
6. A 3:00 am phone call
7. An ambulance races through the streets
8. A student waiting to enter the principal's office

Let your creativity flow as you experiment with captivating openings for your chosen prompt. Feel free to explore different styles to enhance your exposition skills.

We invite you to share your practice and thoughts in the comments below to foster a collaborative learning environment!

Mastering Characterisation - Using Direct and Indirect Techniques

When crafting characters for your story, employ a combination of direct and indirect characterisation, with a focus on showing rather than telling to create engaging and vivid descriptions. Strive to make your characters true-to-life by weaving detailed imagery.

Direct Characterisation

Tells the reader about a character's personality explicitly and directly, usually in a general and concise manner. For instance, "She was easily annoyed" or "He was a kind man."

Indirect Characterisation

Shows readers a character's traits without explicit statements. This can be achieved through descriptions of appearance, speech, actions, thoughts, and interactions with other characters.

For example:

The street artist sauntered down the sidewalk, his skinny jeans hugging his legs and his thrifted flannel shirt hanging loosely over his lanky frame...

Now, let's delve into an activity and practice this skill.

The Activity: Identify Character Descriptions

Choose a memorable character from a story you've read and find examples of how the author used descriptions. Identify at least one example for each category:

• Appearance (facial features, hair, body clothing)
• Speech or Dialogue
• Actions or Behaviour
• Thoughts
• Relationships or Interactions with Other Characters

The Practice: Character Descriptions

Choose one of the following character prompts and craft 1-2 descriptive paragraphs using a mix of direct and indirect characterisation. Describe elements such as appearance, speech, thoughts, actions or behaviours, and interactions with others.

1. A ballerina obsessed with perfection
2. A frustrated businessman
3. A laid-back surfer
4. An elderly gentleman with a sharp mind
5. A curious five-year-old
6. A public speaker with anxiety
7. A teenager who is the class clown
8. An exhausted waitress

Experiment with creating dynamic and multi-dimensional characters, and feel free to share your practice in the comments below to foster a collaborative learning environment!

Creating Vivid Settings - Using Sensory Detail to Establish Atmosphere

The setting of a narrative not only encompasses the time and place of the story but also plays a crucial role in setting the mood and atmosphere. Effective writers bring settings to life by incorporating sensory details that immerse the reader in the narrative.

Key Tips for Describing Settings:

• Be Specific: Name and describe everything in the scene to enhance detail.
• Include Sensory Imagery: Evoke all senses - sight, sound, smell, touch, taste, and movement.
• Know Your World: Familiarize yourself with the story's world for authentic and vivid descriptions.
• Experiment with Figurative Language: Use similes, metaphors, and personification for memorable details.

For example:

As he entered the gym, the smell of sweat and leather filled his nostrils, and the thudded sound of gloves hitting punching bags echoed all around him...

Now, let's engage in an activity and practice this skill.

The Activity: Visualizing Setting

Before the writing activity, choose one of the prompts and create a quick 10-minute 'vision board' for your setting. Research names, details, historical references, and find images to help you visualize the scene.

The Practice: Writing Detailed Descriptions

Write a detailed description of one of the following scenes, focusing on establishing a clear sense of mood or atmosphere. Include specific details and various sensory imagery:

1. A camping ground at night
2. A waiting room at a doctor's surgery
3. A bustling music concert
4. A crowded freeway traffic jam
5. A school sports day
6. A rooftop view of a suburban neighborhood
7. A busy coffee shop
8. A dusty basement

Experiment with creating a vivid and immersive setting that captures the essence of the scene. Share your practice in the comments to receive feedback and foster a collaborative learning environment!

Using Verbs to Create Action & Movement

Verbs play a crucial role in creating action and movement in a narrative, allowing writers to convey specific moods, ideas, and imagery. The careful selection of verbs can significantly impact the overall tone of a passage.

Passage 1:

She reluctantly picked up her car keys and slowly trudged out the front door, leaving it to close softly behind her. She sat in her car, the engine slowly idling as she contemplated the day before her. After a minute or so had passed she cruised out her driveway onto the quiet street.

Passage 2:

She snatched her car keys and stormed out the front door, leaving it to slam behind her from the impact. She slid quickly into her car, revved the engine, and tore down her driveway onto the busy highway, narrowly missing the oncoming traffic.

Passage 3:

The two boys lunged towards each other, their hands grasping at the same brightly-colored lollipop. They tugged and pulled at each other's limbs and clothes, their bodies swaying back and forth as they vied for control. Their eyes widened with determination as they pushed and shoved, each refusing to give up their hold on the sugary prize. The lollipop bounced between their fingers, the stick wobbling dangerously as they jostled for position. Finally, with one sharp yank, one of the boys triumphantly pulled the lollipop free, thrusting it high above his head like a victory prize, leaving the other boy to stare dejectedly at the empty wrapper.

The Practice: Writing Action Scenes

After selecting one of the following prompts, write a couple of detailed paragraphs describing a scene, incident, or situation that involves action or movement:

1. Some old, rusty farm equipment
2. An awe-inspiring dance performance
3. A dramatic police chase
4. A vibrant underwater ecosystem
5. A group of skiers
6. An injured athlete
7. A skilled skateboarder
8. A busy cleaner

Remember to use descriptive detail, create imagery, and make the story engaging for the reader. Good luck and happy writing!