Narrative Writing
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Literacy Strategy
Writing
Narrative Writing
Aims:
• To revisit the teaching sequence from reading to
writing;
• To provide ideas to cover the main aspects of
story writing.
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Literacy Strategy
Writing
Activity
What are the key features of narrative text types?
Fill in the sheet looking at:
• Purpose
• Structure
• Language features
• Writer’s knowledge
• Story connectives
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The teaching sequence from reading to
writing
Reading and responding
Analysing texts
(reading for writing)
Planning and
writing
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Basics about stories
• Structure:
Problem
Opening
Build-up
Problem
Resolution
Ending
• Stages of development:
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Build Up
Opening
Resolution
Ending
Retelling
Innovation
Invention
Writing
Capturing stories
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Story Mountain
Story Map
Timeline
Post its
Scene list
Storyboard
Flowchart
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Characterisation
He came down the road.
Simon stormed across the road without looking
either way.
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What has the author done to build up the character?
Coral Ocean stood on the edge of the playground and
waited. No one came near. All the other children seemed
to be engrossed in their own games. She gazed through
railings and pretended to notice something interesting in the
distance. Blinking back tears, she roughly rubbed her eyes
and hoped that no one would notice.
“What’s up?” A tall boy had come across and stood bouncing
a ball against the shed.
“Clear off!”, snapped Coral, not yet even ready to try.
“Keep your hair on”, muttered the boy. He spun round and
raced back the playground bouncing his ball as he went.
Coral could see him chatting to some other boys and
pointing back at her.
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Planning your character
• Names
• Special details
• Feelings
• Type
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Characterisation techniques
• What characters say
• What characters do
• Showing rather than telling
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Characterisation through
saying and doing
Tim walked through the graveyard. He felt very scared.
Tim raced through the graveyard, his heart thudding. He
paused by a tombstone and peered into the darkness.
He could feel his legs shaking. What was that dark
shape ahead of him.?
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Settings
Creating settings:
• Think real
• Be precise
• Time of day
• Weather
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Liam’s Story Opening
Burning like he was on fire Chris ran for shade he
was dying to get out of this heat. He had a headache
so he dashed for his warm sand-filled towel. When
he woke up it felt like he was on a completely
different beach but 10 times hotter.
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Scary settings checklist
• Use short sentences to create tension and
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make the heart beat quickly
Balance short sentences with longer ones
containing detail
Keep the reader wondering
Pick out unusual details to describe the setting, creating
atmosphere
Mention dark, or cold
Have the character think aloud, e.g. ‘What was that?’
Describe the character’s reactions to show how they feel,
e.g. His hand gripped the banister till his knuckles turned
white.
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Different types of
setting
Rewrite this paragraph, changing the setting to science
fiction…
Tara walked into the next room. There was a long, silver
table down the middle of the room. Pictures of elves, in
green and red tunics, hung from the wall as well as a
mirror edged with leaves of gold. On the floor lay a
carpet woven with flying dragons . . .
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Openings
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time
name
exclamation
question
dialogue
warning
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wish
scene setter
traditional
the new arrival
dramatic action
introducing the monster
Writing
Paragraphs
Problem
Build Up
Opening
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Resolution
Ending
Writing
Tips for writing endings
• Describe, or show, the character’s feelings
• Reflect on events and perhaps provide a moral
• Look to the future
• Revisit where the story began
• Comment on what has happened
• Show, or comment on, how the character has changed
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Showing character change
Beginning:
Jo gazed miserably at her
breakfast. The fried egg
seemed to be staring at
her. It had a sneer on its
sunny face. She stabbed
it with her fork, spilling its
eggy blood on to the
white plate.
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Ending:
Jo’s mother slid the plate
in front of her. Jo glanced
at the fried egg, sunny
side up, and grinned at
her mum.
“I’m starving!” she said,
picking up her fork and
tucking in. “I could eat
seven breakfasts!”
Writing
Time to go home!
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