Unit 1: Extended Writing Project

Narrative writing tells a story of real or imagined experiences or events.

Every narrative plot contains a conflict, or problem the characters must face.

A story’s conflict builds to a climax or turning point, when the characters—the people or players in the narrative—are forced to take action.

This problem is presented by a narrator, who serves as the voice of the story.

The introduction is the opening of the story, which sets the stage for the events that follow.

Because the introduction of a narrative is the reader’s first experience with a particular story, writers often include elements of exposition—essential information such as character, setting, and problem—in the opening paragraphs of the story.

Dialogue, what the characters say to one another, is often used to develop characters and move the events of the plot forward.

Writers often manipulate the pacing of a narrative, or the speed with which events occur, to slow down or speed up the action at certain points in a story.

Writers use description to build story details and reveal information about the characters, setting, and plot.

As the story continues, the writer includes details and events to develop the conflict and move the story forward. These events—known as the rising action of the story—build until the story reaches its climax.

These events—known as the rising action of the story—build until the story reaches its climax. This is a turning point in the story, where the most exciting and intense action usually occurs.

The writer then focuses on details and events that make up the falling action of the story.

This is everything that happens after the climax, leading to a resolution.

These elements make up a story’s conclusion, which often contains a message or final thought for the reader.

Transitions are words or phrases that help carry a thought from one sentence to another, from one idea to another, or from one paragraph to another.