Writing Prompt - Narrative

Each of us has a time when family or friends got together that is a happy memory. Perhaps it was a holiday like Thanksgiving or a birthday. Maybe it was a family reunion or a picnic. It might have been a graduation or wedding. It could have been a sporting event. It really could be any time that your family or friends gather together. For one reason or other, it stands out as being a pleasant time in our life.

Choose on of those pleasant times and tell us about it in a five-paragraph essay.

Use a planner.

Select any time that you would like to share. Be sure to define it carefully as the subject.

Think about the things that made it a pleasant experience. Write them down as possible subtopics.

Select the three that you feel are most important or that have the best things to share. Put them on your planner.

What is the best organizational pattern to use? Should you use time order? Should you focus on something else. That decision will dictate the organization of the essay.

Under each, give three things, activities, reason, emotions etc. that explain to the reader about the topic. Be specific.

Think about and plan for the summary ending to remind the reader about all of the things that made this a memorable event.

As you begin to write the essay, remember that a narrative often should have some emotion expressed in the topic sentence. It focuses the reader's attention and sets the stage for what is to come.

As you continue to write, use specific details, strong active voice verbs, and descriptive language. You are inviting the reader to participate in your event. They cannot do it if you only present general information.

It is sometimes hard to keep the writing from becoming a list, but with a little effort and attention to each sentence, as you write it, a good flow and unity in each paragraph can be established.

Refocus the reader in the summary. Retell the subject and the supporting details to reinforce the memorable quality of the gathering.

When you are finished, reread and edit. Be sure there are no distracting errors to take way from the enjoyable reading. Correct any that you might find.