As you write your narrative essay, I am asking you to complete nine (9) steps. Below I have written a sample narrative using the steps. Review each so you know what to do for your own narrative essay. You can also watch this RECORDING.
Pre-writing
Step 1: Select an Idea
When selecting an idea to write about, you can do one of two things, think of you own idea or use one of the prompts provided. Both are okay. If it takes you a long time to think of an idea, I suggest using a prompt. That is what I did here.
Ms. Hamilton’s idea: “What happens when a normal girl discovers a teleportation device in the park across from her house that only she knows how to use?”
Step 2: Complete the plot diagram.
To complete this graphic organizer, I thought about what is supposed to be included in each part of the plot arc.
In the exposition, I wanted to make sure I introduced my main character, setting, and important ideas, like the fact that Anna is researching honeybees.
The inciting incident is where the conflict begins. This was easy for me to figure out, since it was the premise of my prompt. When you create your inciting incident think about something that will drastically change your character’s life.
The rising action of a story is where the conflict builds. This is where most of the plot happens. Since my story is about a time machine, I wanted to show my main character traveling through time. Yet, that is not enough. Going to the past not only establishes how Anna time travels, but also allows the reader to see the park at its best. Then, I had her travel to the future where the park is gone, which builds the conflict.
The climax is where the conflict is at its greatest. In my story, I knew that had to be something bad, so I had my main character discover a future where the environment has been destroyed.
In the falling action, I wanted to start to fix the problem I created in the conflict. To do this, I wanted to fast forward a bit to ten years in the future, so that Anna has a chance to fix the problems she found time traveling fifty years in the future. The pace of this section will be quick. This is almost the end of my story, and I do not need a ton of details about Anna’s life to make it effective.
Finally, I need a resolution to my story. The end of you story can be happy, sad, or more neutral. If I wanted to make a statement about global warming, I may have decided that Anna would not be able to save the park, but I wanted a happy ending. I want my reader to feel that there is hope in saving our planet if we work to preserve it, so I ended the story with Anna’s success
in helping to save the park by planting more trees and creating a community garden.
Step 3: Create a character sketch of Anna.
For my character sketch, I thought about Anna’s strengths and weaknesses. I made her a curious and adventurous girl who loves to learn about the world around her. However, I also made her a bit of a loner, as she spends a lot of time alone researching honeybees in the park. I made her resourceful and brave when faced with the challenge of time traveling, but I also wanted her to be vulnerable, so that the reader could connect with her on a deeper level.
Drafting
Step 4: Write the introduction.
In my introduction, I wanted to introduce Anna and the teleportation device in the park. I needed to set the scene and establish the conflict that would drive the story forward.
Step 5: Write the body paragraphs.
In the body paragraphs, I focused on the rising action of my story. I described Anna’s adventures through time and the discovery of the destroyed future. I wanted to build tension and keep the reader engaged in the story.
Step 6: Write the climax.
The climax of my story was when Anna discovered the devastating future and realized the impact of environmental destruction. I wanted to evoke strong emotions in the reader at this point in the story.
Step 7: Write the falling action.
In the falling action, I fast forwarded ten years into the future to show Anna’s efforts to save the park and restore the environment. I wanted to show her growth and resilience in the face of adversity.
Step 8: Write the conclusion.
In the conclusion, I wanted to end on a positive note with Anna’s successful restoration of the park. I wanted to leave the reader with a sense of hope and optimism for the future.
Step 9: Revise and edit.
After completing my draft, I revised and edited my narrative essay for clarity, flow, and language. I made sure to check for spelling and grammar errors, as well as to ensure that my story was cohesive and engaging for the reader.
Overall, I followed these nine steps to create a narrative essay that tells the story of a normal girl who discovers a teleportation device and uses it to save her park and the environment. By following these steps, you too can create a compelling and well-crafted narrative essay that captivates your reader from beginning to end.