Narrative

Writing
developing effective
creative writing skills
 Learning Objectives

01 02 03 04
Use direct and
Carefully select
Write an engaging indirect Use sensory detail to
specific verbs to
opening to a story characterisation to create mood and
create movement
that hooks the write a detailed atmosphere when
during a scene that
reader's interest. passage describing describing a setting.
includes action.
a character.
the skill:
The first few sentences, paragraphs or pages of a a thought-provoking question or comment
story are the reader's entry point into a new world. 01 about your central theme
Often, a reader will decide whether or not to continue
reading based purely off a story's exposition!
a powerful piece of dialogue or conversation
02 to set the scene
The exposition is an opportunity to introduce your
writing style, set the scene and establish your central
a surprising, strange or unexpected
characters and conflict. It's extremely important that 03 statement or detail to intrigue the reader
we practice the skill of grabbing a reader's attention
straight away through an interesting and engaging
introduction. 04 jumping right into the action to create
tension or suspense

Try to avoid boring cliche openings and instead

consider the following: 05 a foreshadowing clue about the character's
potential fate to make the reader wonder
 creative writing skill

using direct &

indirect
characterisation
When describing the characters in your story, try to use a combination of direct and indirect characterisation,
focusing slightly more on indirect characterisation to make your story interesting and engaging. A simple rule to
remember is 'show, don't tell'.

Tells the reader about a character's personality explicitly and directly. It is

Direct Characterisation usually quite general and concise. E.g. She was easily annoyed / He was
a kind man.

Shows a reader what a character is like or communicates their traits

without explicitly telling them. They might do this in various ways such as
Indirect
describing their appearance (facial features, body type, clothing etc.),
Characterisation
speech or dialogue, actions or behaviours, thoughts, and how they
interact with or respond to, or are treated by other characters.

Using lots of descriptive detail through indirect characterisation can keep your readers engaged in your story,
making characters true-to-life and interesting through creating plenty of imagery.
example:
The street artist sauntered down the sidewalk, his skinny jeans hugging
his legs and his thrifted flannel shirt hanging loosely over his lanky
frame. His unruly curly hair was pulled back into a messy bun, and his
thick-framed glasses perched atop his nose. As he walked, he hummed
a tune and twirled a spray paint can in his hand, creating a rhythm
with the clinking of the metal ball inside.

Graffiti adorned the walls around him, evidence of his artistic prowess.
He stopped in front of a blank brick wall, his movements deliberate
and fluid. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a burst of color onto
the surface, creating a masterpiece before the eyes of passersby. The
aroma of spray paint filled the air, and the sound of the can spraying
was like a symphony. He was a true creative force, making the world a
little more beautiful one stroke at a time.
the activity:
an interesting character

Choose a character from a story you've read that was

particularly memorable and try to find examples of the
descriptions the author used.

Identify at least one example of each of the following:

appearance (facial features, hair, body clothing)
speech or dialogue
actions or behaviour
thoughts
relationships or interactions with other characters
the practice:
Choose one of the following character prompts and practice writing 1-2 descriptive paragraphs about them. Try to
use a mix of direct and indirect characterisation describing elements such as appearance, speech, thoughts,
actions or behaviours and interactions with others.

A frustrated A ballerina obsessed A teenager who is A laid back

businessman with perfection the class clown surfer

An elderly
An exhausted A curious A public speaker
gentleman with a
waitress five-year-old with anxiety
sharp mind
using sensory
detail to
establish
setting
the skill:
Be specific by naming and describing everything you can about
a scene. E.g. Instead of saying, “the car drove down the road” say,
“the sleek and shiny red convertible sped and swerved down
Anywhere Street"
The setting of a narrative includes the time
and place in which the events of the story
take place (and these can be chosen for Include sensory imagery that evokes all of the senses including
visual (sight), aural (sound), olfactory (smell), tactile (touch),
various reasons) but it also embodies a
gustatory (taste) and kinaesthetic (movement).
sense of mood and atmosphere that can
be crucial in setting the scene for the
events to take place.
Ensure you know the world of your story really well. If it's based
on a real place, ensure you read, research or view pictures to help
Effective writers bring their settings to life
you visualise your setting so you can convey it authentically.
by adding detail upon detail and creating
sensory imagery that immerses the reader
in the story.
Experiment with using some figurative language such as similes,
metaphors and personification. This can help create memorable
Some key tips for effectively describing
details through abstract comparisons.
your settings are:
example:
As he entered the gym, the smell of sweat and leather filled his nostrils and the
thudded sound of gloves hitting punching bags echoed all around him. He
scanned the walls that were lined with mirrors, reflecting the grit and
determination on the faces of the boxers as they trained. The ropes of the ring
creaked and groaned as two fighters sparred.

He threw his bag onto the scuffed wooden floor and crossed the room, noticing
the pungent aroma of liniment and ammonia mingling with the musk of the
fighters. He knew the gym was a place of discipline, where the sound of heavy
breathing and the sight of sweat pouring down faces were as common as the
sight of battered gloves and broken noses.

It was a place where he knew his human spirit would be tested and the limits of
his body would be pushed to their breaking point, but it was also a place where
the sweet science of boxing would be practiced with reverence and respect.
the practice:
Write a detailed description of one of the following scenes that establishes a clear sense of mood or atmosphere.
Focus on giving lots of specific detail and on including multiple types of sensory imagery.

A waiting room at a A camping ground A bustling music

A busy coffee shop
doctors surgery at night concert

A rooftop view of a
A crowded freeway
A dusty basement A school sports day suburban
traffic jam
neighbourhood
using verbs to
create action
& movement
Verbs are used to create action and movement and the careful selection of verbs can result in conveying
specific moods, ideas and/or imagery.

Although the character, setting and order of events are similar, consider how changing the verbs (as well as
some adverbs and adjectives) can alter the mood and meaning of the following passages.

She reluctantly picked up her car keys and slowly trudged out the front
door, leaving it to close softly behind her. She sat in her car, the engine
Passage 1
slowly idling as she contemplated the day before her. After a minute or
so had passed she cruised out her driveway onto the quiet street.

She snatched her car keys and stormed out the front door, leaving it to
slam behind her from the impact. She slid quickly into her car, revved the
Passage 2
engine and tore down her driveway onto the busy highway, narrowly
missing the oncoming traffic.
 example:
The two boys lunged towards each other, their hands grasping
at the same brightly-colored lollipop.

They tugged and pulled at each others limbs and clothes, their
bodies swaying back and forth as they vied for control. Their
eyes widened with determination as they pushed and shoved,
each refusing to give up their hold on the sugary prize.

The lollipop bounced between their fingers, the stick wobbling

dangerously as they jostled for position.

Finally, with one sharp yank, one of the boys triumphantly

pulled the lollipop free, thrusting it high above his head like a
victory prize, leaving the other boy to stare dejectedly at the
empty wrapper.
example:

An awe inspiring Some old, rusty farm A skilled A dramatic police

dance performance equipment skateboarder chase

A vibrant
underwater A busy cleaner A group of skiers An injured athlete
ecosystem
 linkers and
expressions of
time and
sequence
 Linkers and expressions of time and sequence help organize text by showing the order of
events or the relationship between ideas.

First, second, third, lastly: Used to present a list or steps in a process.

Indicating sequence Initially, initially, in the beginning, to start: Introduce the beginning of a sequence.
Subsequently, afterwards, later, next: Indicate that one event follows another.
Finally, in the end, ultimately: Used to signal the conclusion of a sequence.
Before, after, prior to, following: Connect events that occur before or after another.

When, as, while: Join two clauses to show that events happen at the same time or in
Connecting events in
sequence.
time As soon as, the moment: Indicate that one event happens immediately after another.
Until, by the time: Indicate a time period during which something happens.
In the meantime, meanwhile: Refer to something that happens while another event is
ongoing.

Other useful At the same time, simultaneously: Indicate events happening concurrently.
exppressions In the first place, initially: Emphasize the starting point of a sequence.
For the time being, currently: Refer to something that is happening temporarily.
LINKING WORDS
to conclude
Writing an effective narrative requires you to juggle a number of skills and
techniques depending on the style of story you are aiming for.

The most important things to remember are to use lots of descriptive detail,
create imagery for your reader and make the story interesting and
engaging for them to read.

Hopefully you can utilise some of these skills the next time you write a
narrative.

Good luck and happy writing!