Narrative EssaysNarrative Essays

or Personal Narrativesor Personal Narratives

What is a Personal Narrative?What is a Personal Narrative?

A TRUE STORY about the author. (you)A TRUE STORY about the author. (you) Written in FIRST person (I, me, my)Written in FIRST person (I, me, my) Has a clear beginning, middle, and endHas a clear beginning, middle, and end Uses time-order words (first, next)Uses time-order words (first, next) Uses sensory detail (sight, sound)Uses sensory detail (sight, sound) Uses descriptive detail and vivid word Uses descriptive detail and vivid word

choice (more info later)choice (more info later)

PREWRITINGPREWRITING11stst step: BRAINSTORM step: BRAINSTORM

(make a list of possible topics)(make a list of possible topics)

Disney WorldDisney World Six Flags HoustonSix Flags Houston Six Flags AtlantaSix Flags Atlanta Lake in TexasLake in Texas Mission trip to Mission trip to

ArkansasArkansas Mission trip to Mission trip to

AlabamaAlabama Gatlinburg, TennesseeGatlinburg, Tennessee

Carnegie Hall, New Carnegie Hall, New York CityYork City

Chicago, IllinoisChicago, Illinois Washington, D.C.Washington, D.C. Panama City BeachPanama City Beach Gulf CoastGulf Coast Fair Hope, AlabamaFair Hope, Alabama Vicksburg, MississippiVicksburg, Mississippi Jackson, MississippiJackson, Mississippi

PREWRITINGPREWRITING2nd step: Narrow down the BRAINSTORM 2nd step: Narrow down the BRAINSTORM

(make a list of possible topics under each topic)(make a list of possible topics under each topic) Mission trip to Mission trip to

ArkansasArkansas Trip up thereTrip up there The Motel (yuck)The Motel (yuck) The churchesThe churches The kidsThe kids Vacation bible schoolVacation bible school The fireThe fire The fightThe fight The hospital visitThe hospital visit

Carnegie Hall, NYCCarnegie Hall, NYC Trip up thereTrip up there Stop at WashingtonStop at Washington The Hotel (nice)The Hotel (nice) The Yankees The Yankees The practicesThe practices The performanceThe performance Making new friendsMaking new friends The Boat RideThe Boat Ride The trip homeThe trip home

PREWRITING:PREWRITING:33rdrd Step: Choosing your topic and Sequencing Step: Choosing your topic and Sequencing

EventsEvents

We were driving from one church to the otherWe were driving from one church to the other We saw a small brush fire in dry weatherWe saw a small brush fire in dry weather We picked up the other group and headed backWe picked up the other group and headed back We saw the fire still going and getting biggerWe saw the fire still going and getting bigger I asked Mr. Bob to go back because no one was I asked Mr. Bob to go back because no one was

watching itwatching it We called the fire departmentWe called the fire department We got out and tried to stop it from spreadingWe got out and tried to stop it from spreading We borrowed buckets of water from a neighborWe borrowed buckets of water from a neighbor The fire department arrived and put it outThe fire department arrived and put it out We met grateful people whose houses were savedWe met grateful people whose houses were saved

DRAFTING:DRAFTING:11STST Step: Write your Topic Sentence Step: Write your Topic Sentence

A good topic sentence:A good topic sentence: Expresses the Main Idea of your essay (tells Expresses the Main Idea of your essay (tells

what it is about)what it is about) Makes a statement (attention-getting) about the Makes a statement (attention-getting) about the

Main IdeaMain Idea Example:Example:

Church trips can be rewarding and Church trips can be rewarding and exciting experiences, and sometimes exciting experiences, and sometimes interesting things can happen away from interesting things can happen away from home.home.

DRAFTING:DRAFTING:22ndnd Step: Write your Introduction Step: Write your Introduction

Start with your Topic Sentence and tell the Beginning of Start with your Topic Sentence and tell the Beginning of the story:the story:

Church trips can be rewarding and exciting experiences, Church trips can be rewarding and exciting experiences, and sometimes interesting things can happen away from and sometimes interesting things can happen away from home. One hot, dry day while on a mission trip to St. Joe, home. One hot, dry day while on a mission trip to St. Joe, Arkansas, I had the experience of fighting a fire. Our Arkansas, I had the experience of fighting a fire. Our church youth group went to teach Vacation Bible School church youth group went to teach Vacation Bible School at two small churches in that town. My group had the at two small churches in that town. My group had the van, so when we were finished for the day, we went to van, so when we were finished for the day, we went to pick up the other group. On the way there, my friend pick up the other group. On the way there, my friend Amber and I noticed a small fire on the side of the road Amber and I noticed a small fire on the side of the road near some woods and houses. I mentioned to our youth near some woods and houses. I mentioned to our youth minister, but he said someone was probably watching it. minister, but he said someone was probably watching it. However, I didn’t believe that because it had not rained However, I didn’t believe that because it had not rained for quite some time in that area. I really didn’t think for quite some time in that area. I really didn’t think anyone would be crazy enough to try to burn something.anyone would be crazy enough to try to burn something.

DRAFTING:DRAFTING:3rd Step: Write the Body3rd Step: Write the Body

Tell the Middle (most interesting part) of the story:Tell the Middle (most interesting part) of the story: On the way back to our hotel from getting the rest of our group, I On the way back to our hotel from getting the rest of our group, I

noticed that the fire had spread and was getting dangerously close noticed that the fire had spread and was getting dangerously close to one of the houses nearby. I was alarmed, so I told my youth to one of the houses nearby. I was alarmed, so I told my youth minister my concerns and that I thought we should let somebody minister my concerns and that I thought we should let somebody know. He finally agreed to stop at a gas station and call 911. know. He finally agreed to stop at a gas station and call 911. When he got back to the van, all of us talked him into going back to When he got back to the van, all of us talked him into going back to check on the fire’s progress and make sure it hadn’t reached the check on the fire’s progress and make sure it hadn’t reached the house or spread too far into the woods. When we pulled up, the fire house or spread too far into the woods. When we pulled up, the fire had spread even farther into the woods and closer to the house. We had spread even farther into the woods and closer to the house. We all piled out of the van, hearts racing excitedly, yelling out ideas on all piled out of the van, hearts racing excitedly, yelling out ideas on how to stop the fire from spreading more. The guys grabbed how to stop the fire from spreading more. The guys grabbed branches and headed to the woods. Amber and I ran across the branches and headed to the woods. Amber and I ran across the street to another house. Luckily, the woman who lived there was street to another house. Luckily, the woman who lived there was home. She was so helpful; she carried buckets of water from her home. She was so helpful; she carried buckets of water from her house to us so we could pour it on the spreading flames. A few of house to us so we could pour it on the spreading flames. A few of us took charge of keeping the flames from reaching the small white us took charge of keeping the flames from reaching the small white house that was so close to it. I could smell the smoke sinking into house that was so close to it. I could smell the smoke sinking into my clothes, and I felt it stinging my eyes as I poured the cool water my clothes, and I felt it stinging my eyes as I poured the cool water over the hot orange flames. over the hot orange flames.

DRAFTING:DRAFTING:44thth Step: Write the Conclusion Step: Write the Conclusion

Tell the End of the StoryTell the End of the Story Point back to the Introduction (if possible)Point back to the Introduction (if possible)

Suddenly, I heard the sound of tires squealing Suddenly, I heard the sound of tires squealing on the asphalt as a woman yelled out of her car on the asphalt as a woman yelled out of her car window, “It’s headed for my house!” She quickly window, “It’s headed for my house!” She quickly turned the car around and sped back up the turned the car around and sped back up the road. Soon, I heard the welcoming sound of road. Soon, I heard the welcoming sound of sirens blaring from the fire truck as it raced up sirens blaring from the fire truck as it raced up the street toward us. The tension left our the street toward us. The tension left our bodies, and our heart beats returned to normal; bodies, and our heart beats returned to normal; help had come at last! The firemen wasted no help had come at last! The firemen wasted no time in putting the fire out. As we were getting time in putting the fire out. As we were getting back in the van, the lady in the car drove up back in the van, the lady in the car drove up behind us and thanked us for helping to save behind us and thanked us for helping to save her house from catching on fire. All in all, it had her house from catching on fire. All in all, it had been an interesting, exciting, and rewarding been an interesting, exciting, and rewarding experience that I never will forget.experience that I never will forget.

Drafting:Drafting:55thth Step: READ what you’ve written! Step: READ what you’ve written!

Go back over your essay and READ what Go back over your essay and READ what you wrote!you wrote!

Sometimes you make little mistakes that Sometimes you make little mistakes that you didn’t mean to make!you didn’t mean to make!

Check to see that all of your sentences are Check to see that all of your sentences are complete and have a capital letter and complete and have a capital letter and period.period.

Make a second copy for your writing Make a second copy for your writing group.group.