An introduction to narrative writing. What you need to write a good narrative. The structure of a narrative, the story arc - for Year 8 English.

1. SHARED STORIES PROJECT!
2020
YEAR 8 ENGLISH

2. Audience: The writer’s capacity to orientate, engage and entertain the reader.
Text structure: The organisation of the structural components that enable the development of a plot, into an
appropriate and effective narrative text.
Ideas: The selection, relevance and elaboration of creative (original) ideas for a narrative piece
Narrative devices: The use of a range of narrative devices to enhance the writer’s position and inform the reader
Vocabulary: The range and precision of contextually appropriate language choices
Cohesion: The control of multiple threads and relationships across the text, achieved through the use of referring
words, ellipsis, text connectives, substitutions and word associations
Paragraphing: The segmenting of text into paragraphs that assists the reader to follow the narrative structure.
Sentence structure: The production of grammatically correct, structurally sound and meaningful sentences.
Punctuation: The use of correct and appropriate punctuation to aid the reading of the text
Spelling: The accuracy of spelling and the difficulty of the words used
CRITERIA
Things you need to consider when telling your story.

3. What is narrative writing?
A definition of NARRATIVE:
A narrative ‘is a text that is used to narrate events
and to create, entertain and emotionally move an
audience.
It tells a story and usually goes in chronological
order (the in the order in which events happened)
Other social purposes of narrative writing may be to
inform, to persuade and to socialise.’
Source: Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority, Writing Narrative Marking Guide (2010)
https://www.nap.edu.au/naplan/writing

4. NARRATIVE WRITING
When do I use it?
To tell a story, to provide entertainment, or make an audience think about an issue, teach a lesson to the reader
or excite their emotions.
Novels, short stories, diaries, biographies, some songs, dramatic monologues, plays, narrative films, poems can
all use this format.
SCAFFOLD (How you organise your narrative)
1. Orientation
Tell the audience who is in the story, when is it happening, where it is happening and what is going on. (introduce
the setting and characters)
2. Complication
This is the part of the story where something happens, usually a problem for the main character, which triggers a
chain of events.
3. Series of events
This tells how the characters react to the complication; rising tension occurs, leading to a climax (high
point/major drama). It includes their feelings and what they do. The events can be told in chronological order
(the order in which they happen) or with flashbacks
4. Resolution
The complication is sorted out or the problem is solved. (The characters will have been changed by the events in the story.)
5. Coda
The narrator includes a coda (an additional section) if there is a moral or message to be learned from the story.

5. Put more simply:
• Retells something that happened
• Usually goes in chronological order, in the order
that events happened
• Provides the setting, where the story takes place
• Gives interesting details and tries to hit all of the
five senses
• Gives enough details for the reader to feel some
emotion
• It may teach the reader a lesson
NARRATIVE WRITING

6. Good
narrative
writing
• Have a satisfactory resolution of
tension or complication
It will:
• Have well defined characters and
well described scenes
• Have interesting developments in
the story
• Create tension
• Evoke emotion

7. Where can
you draw
inspiration
from for your
imaginative
writing?
Narratives you have read, seen or heard
Traditional tales, myths and legends
Science fiction or realistic adventures
Draw on themes, such as good vs
evil, surviving against the odds, etc…
A proficient writer
uses these themes
as a rich source of
ideas
Experiences from your own life

8. You must write a narrative using this template.
(Download it from SEQTA)
On this template:
You are given some animal characters
and settings.
You will need to choose at least one of
these to put into your story.
You are also given a list of opening lines.
You are going to choose one of them to
start your story.

9. STRUCTURE OF A STORY
(SOMETIMES CALLED THE STORY
ARC)
• ORIENTATION
• COMPLICATION
• CLIMAX
• RESOLUTION
1
2

10. THE STRUCTURE
OF A
NARRATIVE (2)
ORIENTATION (BEGINNING)
Set the scene by introducing your characters,
setting and time of the story. Establish your
who, when and where in this part of your
narrative.
COMPLICATION AND EVENTS (MIDDLE)
In this section activities and events involving
your main characters are expanded upon.
These events are written in a cohesive and
fluent sequence.
RESOLUTION (ENDING)
Your complication is resolved in this section.
It does not have to be a happy outcome
however.
EXTRAS -
You will stick to a straightforward format for
your story this time. Whilst orientation,
complication and resolution are the agreed

11. ESSENTIAL
INGREDIENTS
OF A
SUCCESSFUL
NARRATIVE
1. An introduction
This includes “who, what, where” information. Who is in the story?
What is happening? Where is the story set?
2. A complication
Narratives usually have some kind of problem for the main
characters.
3. A series of events
Several events happen in the story as the main characters attempt
to solve the problem.
4. A resolution
The complication is solved.
5. A conclusion
The narrative finishes with a concluding paragraph to sum up the
story for the characters.
6. A Moral Sometimes the characters in the narrative learn a
lesson, or a moral, about life. Sometimes called the Message - the writer
intends to communicate this by telling the story. It is different from the topic.

12. VIDEOS
EXPLAINING HOW
TO WRITE A
NARRATIVE
How to Write a Story for kids (very simple)
https://youtu.be/OFWcSnRIAmc
Planning a short story (4min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qo72Zo_Nvtw
Creative Writing Tips for Students & Teachers : How to
Write an Interesting Story (3min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2NWk1K2WdU&feature=e
mb_logo
An interesting story contains detailed characters, entertaining plots,
diverse settings and creative writing styles. Discover how to write an
interesting story to hook the audience with this free video from a
professional writer.
The Hero's Journey - Writing a Great Story (5.12 min)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=1&v=iUMSfhWL
pnc&feature=emb_logo
Zach King explains the 12 steps of the Hero's Journey through the movie
Toy Story.

13. CRITERIA used for marking narratives in the past years
Criteria Outstanding, 10 Excellent, 9 Very Good, 8 Good, 7 Satisfactory, 6 Developing, 5 Limited, 4 3-0, NS
Use of imagination –
engages reader,
interesting response
to stimulus/theme
Thorough, insightful
and imaginative
response to the
stimulus using
characters, plot and
themes. Highly
original and
perceptive.
Thorough and
imaginative
response to stimulus
using characters,
plot and themes.
The response to
stimulus using
characters, plot and
themes is of a high
standard. There
may be one or two
patches of
inconsistency.
Response to
stimulus using
characters, plot and
themes is solid and
good. The relevance
of the material may
lapse in some
places, and aspects
may be less
imaginative or
interesting.
Response to
stimulus using
characters, plot and
themes is evident
but needs
development. It may
be inconsistently
applied throughout
the piece.
Response to
stimulus characters,
plot/ themes, but
feels
underdeveloped,
clichéd or obvious.
Response to
stimulus discusses
limited aspects of
characters, plot and
themes and feels
unsatisfying, with no
authentic insight to
the stimulus.
Almost no relevant
response and no
imaginative material
of note.
Powerful ‘voice’ Authorial voice is
highly effective and
extremely well-
controlled. It
engages the reader
through its use of
style and shows a
perceptive
understanding of
the genre and sense
of audience and
purpose.
The authorial voice
is clear, effective,
and engaging, and
shows a good
understanding of
style, genre,
audience and
purpose.
The authorial voice
is clear and mostly
effective, with one
or two lapses in
consistency. It is
evident in most
aspects of style, and
understands the
genre, audience and
purpose.
The authorial voice
is generally
effective, though it
may be derivative or
unoriginal, and
there may be several
lapses in
consistency. It uses
appropriate aspects
of style and genre
and has a solid
sense of audience
and purpose.
The authorial voice
is evident in some
aspects of style. It
is competent and
occasionally
effective. It shows a
general
understanding of
genre and a general
sense of audience
and purpose.
The authorial voice
is generally
competent and
consistent but
unremarkable. It
shows little
understanding of
the importance of
style, some
understanding of
genre, and some
sense of audience
and purpose.
There is a low level
of ability in authorial
voice. It may often
be inconsistent or
inappropriate.
There is little sense
of style and little
perception of genre
or a sense of
audience and
purpose.
There is a very low
level of ability in
showing an authorial
voice. There may
be one or two
examples of style
shown, and one or
two glimpses of an
understanding of
genre, audience and
purpose.
Effective
organisation of
ideas (plot and
character
development; overall
structure of
response) in
planning, writing
and reflection
An outstandingly
clear structure with
highly organised,
logical ideas clearly
presented using
appropriate features
and conventions and
a highly competent
use of paragraphing.
A clear structure
with logical ideas
clearly presented
using all appropriate
features and
conventions and
excellent
paragraphing.
A clear structure
with very good
logical ideas clearly
presented using
appropriate features
and conventions,
and competent
paragraphing.
A clear structure
with good logical
ideas clearly
presented using
appropriate features
and conventions and
generally accurate
paragraphing, with
some errors.
A clear structure
with some logical
ideas clearly
presented using
appropriate features
and conventions.
Paragraphing is
inconsistent.
A simple structure
with an introduction
and a conclusion.
Paragraphing may
have errors.
Some ideas without
a specific
introduction or
conclusion. The
paragraphing is
inadequate.
Limited ideas with
no structure.
Use of mechanics –
spelling,
punctuation &
sentence
construction
Outstanding spelling
and grammar, with
highly sophisticated
punctuation,
vocabulary, sentence
structure and
expression
Excellent spelling
and grammar, with a
perceptive use of
punctuation, and
sophisticated
vocabulary, sentence
structure and
Accurate spelling
and grammar, and
punctuation, and a
clear competence in
vocabulary,
sentence structure
and expression.
Mostly accurate use
of spelling, grammar
and punctuation,
with generally well-
chosen vocabulary,
sentence structure
and expression.
General accuracy in
spelling, grammar
and punctuation,
but with quite a few
errors. Vocabulary,
sentence structure
and expression are
Limited level of
accuracy in the use
of spelling,
grammar,
punctuation,
vocabulary, sentence
structure and
Very limited
accuracy in spelling,
grammar,
punctuation,
vocabulary, sentence
structure and
expression. There
Insufficient display
of accuracy in
spelling, grammar,
punctuation,
vocabulary, sentence
structure and
expression.