Narrative Writing

Checklists for effective narrative writing

1.   Opening/setting scene or introducing characters

Some possible options for opening a story ‘to grab the reader’

·         using dialogue, e.g. a warning given by one character to another

·         asking the reader a question

·         describing some strange behaviour of one of the characters

·         using a dramatic exclamation (Help!) or dramatic event

·         introducing something intriguing

Techniques for introducing characters

·         using an interesting name

·         limiting description on how the character feels, e.g. sad, lonely, angry or  

          what they are, e.g. bossy, shy

·         relying on portraying character through action and dialogue

·         using powerful verbs to show how a character feels and behaves, e.g. 

          muttered, ambled

·         giving the thoughts and reactions of other characters

·         revealing the characters’ own thoughts and ideas

 

2.     Build-up/creating setting

·         making the characters do something

·         using detail based on sense impressions – what can be seen, heard, smelt, 

          touched or tasted

·         basing settings on known places plus some invented detail

·         using real or invented names to bring places alive – to help to make the setting 

          more real and more believable

·         creating atmosphere, e.g. what is hidden, what is dangerous, what looks 

          unusual, what is out of place

·         using the weather, time of day and season as well as place

·         lulling the reader into a false sense of security that all is well

3.     Dilemma

·         introducing a problem

·         using ‘empty’ words, e.g. ‘someone’ to create suspense

·         using short sentences to be dramatic

·         strengthening nouns and verbs rather than adding adjectives and adverbs

·         employing suspense words such as ‘suddenly’, ‘without warning’

·         drawing the reader in by asking a question

·         occasionally breaking the sentence rule by using a fragment to emphasise a 

          point, e.g. ‘Silence!’

·         varying sentence openings by sometimes starting with an adverb, e.g. 

          ‘Carefully’; a prepositional phrase, e.g. ‘At the end of the street’; a  

           subordinate clause, e.g. ‘Although she was tired, Vanya….’ Or ‘Swinging his 

           stick in the air, he….’

·         delaying the revealing of the ‘monster’ by shadows, sounds, etc.

·         using ominous sounds, darkness or cold to build the tension

4.   Reaction/events

·         building on many of the techniques already used in the earlier part of the story

·         varying sentences structures by using longer sentences to get a rhythm going to 

          describe the increasing tension as events unfold

·         using alliteration and short sentences to portray sounds within the action

·         using metaphor and simile to help paint the scene and describe the feelings of 

          the characters

·         introducing further possible complications, using connecting words and phrases 

          such as ‘unfortunately……’ or ‘what he hadn’t noticed was…..’

5.   Resolution and ending

      Techniques for resolving the dilemma

·         allowing help to arrive in an unexpected form, such as ‘It was at that moment 

          that …..’

·         making the character(s) do something unexpected

·         showing that the problem/dilemma was only in the characters’ minds and not 

           real

·         allowing the character some extra effort to overcome the problem

·         only resolving a part of the dilemma so the characters learn a lesson for the 

           future

      Some possible options for closing a story

·         making a comment about the resolution

·         using dialogue – a comment from one of the characters

·         using a question

·         making a mysterious remark

·         telling the reader to remember or do something

·         showing how a character has changed

·         using one word or an exclamation

·         avoiding clichés such as ‘The end’ or ‘They all lived happily ever after’ unless 

          it  is a fabrication of a traditional story

·         reflecting on events and perhaps providing a moral

·         allowing the main character to think aloud

·         introducing an element of mystery, e.g. ‘Vanya would never know how lucky 

          she was that….’

·         looking to the future

·         revisiting where the story began