Narrative Writing
Daniel Flower

Mini-discussion Why do we tell
stories? What makes a story great? http://3oneseven.com/29/singin-in-the-rain/

Stories are important cognitive events,
for they encapsulate information, knowledge, context, and emotion. --Don Norman, Things That Make Us Smart danorbit.

Stories Use Concrete Language JD
Hancock

Concrete language grabs attention by
appealing to the five senses.

Stronger imagery creates deeper impressions
on a reader.

Need Details? Use the RENNS
Model Yau Hoong Tang

TheRENNS Model Why did something
happen? Why did someone do Reasons something? Examples How did it happen? How did someone do something? Names Who was involved? Where did it happen? Numbers When did it happen? How many were involved? hearing sight smell touch taste Senses (auditory) (visual) (olfactory) (tactile) (gustatory)

1_milano
Random Characters

Sight light and dark, shades
and hues, visible shape and appearance timitalia

Thomas Hawk The restaurant was
shaped like a big bottle, though squatter than a real bottle, and on its cap was a revolving figure of a grinning boy holding a hamburger aloft. --Joyce Carol Oates, “Where are you Going, Where have you Been?”

Smell Often used metaphorically Andrew
Morrell Photography

...I remembered clearest of all...how
the bedroom smelled of the lumber it was made of and of the wet woods whose scent entered through the screen. --E.B. White, “Once More to the Lake” James Jordan

Taste Gustatory, detecting flavor--related to
smell ani-bee

...the walking boots that taste
of Atlantic and Pacific salt... --Robert Frost, “A Record Stride” striatic

Sound volume word choice tone
Vox Efx

...there came to my ears
a low, dull, quick sound, such as a watch makes when enveloped in cotton.... It was the beating of the old man's heart. --Edgar Allan Poe, “The Tell Tale Heart” alvaro tapia hidalgo

Touch Tactile experience and emotion
(tension, reactions) Shemer

You grasp the bark by
a rugged pleat, And look up small from the forest's feet. --Robert Frost, “On Going Unnoticed” ben matthews

Ira Glass: A Story’s Building
Blocks 713 Avenue

The A n ecdo te
like ntly here that s] in .and t it' n.. [tha atio form estin lass h its s a d " --Ira G roug t ha l th tha n g... fee in can tra ethi som .. .you on a to find be re ing going y ou' 96dpi

The Moment of Reflection
cambiodefractal

Robert McKee’s Commandments of storytelling
yoppy

Thou shalt not take the
climax out of the protagonist’s hands Βethan

Thou Shalt Not Make Life
Easy For The Protagonist

Thou sh alt not use
fals e myste ry or su rprise practicalowl

Respect Thine
Audience
yozz!

Have a god like knowledge
of your universe

Use Complexity Rather Than Complication
Thuany Gabriela

Thou Shalt Take Your Characters
To The End Of The Line emma.c

Thou Shalt Not Write On
The Nose Dialogue B Rosen

Thou Shalt Dramatize Thine Exposition
My Melting Brain

Thou shalt
rewrite
pj_vanf

becca.peterson26

Stories have the amazing dual
power to simulate and to inspire. --Chip & Dan Heath, Made to Stick