Narrative Hints

A narrative tells a story; a story has a unified structure; often this structure has to be imposed on the chaos of real events

A story often introduces and then resolves a conflict

Remember to select and arrange; make careful choices; don’t include anything that does not contribute to the story

Detailed observations of people, places, and events; offer vivid details and pertinent dialogue; get beyond generalities and abstractions; be descriptive

Punctuate dialogue correctly

Description represents in words sensory impressions caught in a moment of time; use descriptive details carefully to set a moods or tone

Your introduction should arrest attention

Specific scenes set in time and space—show the reader actual events; don’t just tell about the events; a scene brings the characters and actions directly before readers

Make note of changes, contrasts, or conflicts that occurred during the narrative sequence

Remember that people like to read about other people

Story writing is generally an attempt to satisfy the love of the uncommon, but sometimes the quality of writing is more important than the exotic nature of the subject