Narrative What is meant by Narrative Writing? Creative writing is known as narrative writing.

A narrative writer writes to entertain the reader. Therefore a fully developed narrative fiction or nonfiction should have a central theme that has to be introduced in the beginning, followed by the development of the theme and an eventful middle and a memorable end. Types of Narrative Writing The three main types of narrative writings are personal, imaginative and narrative essay.

Personal Narrative

The narrative writing is known as personal narrative when a person writes about himself or about his experiences. In this style of narrative writing, the writer already has a plot. However, he has to narrate the experiences in such a way that it will capture the interest of the reader. A personal narrative writer has to pay attention to the flow of story; the dialog (if any) and he should also include the description wherever necessary. On reading, the reader should experience the same feeling that the writer experienced in reality.

Imaginative Narrative Writing

When a narrative writer writes a fiction or creates a story it is known as imaginative narrative writing. For an imaginative narrative writer, creativity is a must. Here the narrative writer can go beyond the reality. He can create unusual situations and events that could never happen in real life. Here the writer has to create a plot and make it sound convincing to the reader.

Narrative Essay

Narrative essays are always written from a defined point of view. The point of view would be none other than that of the author's. The narrative essay should have a central theme and points to support and elaborate the theme. A narrative essay includes vivid verbs and modifiers and is very precise in description of the characters. The narrative essays may or may not use dialogs. However, it can use conflicts and sequences like any story. Conventions of Narrative Writing Whether it is a personal, imaginative or narrative essay, you have to keep in mind the conventions of narrative writing. Remember that the narrative writing means story writing.

Narratives can be written using third person - he, she and it. But generally, it is written in the first person, using the word "I". Narrative of any of the three types should have a concrete theme, settings and characters, a climax and a good ending. In narrative writing, the writer has to provide all the essential details to create a unified and dominant impression on the reader.

To summarize, narrative writing tells a story or a part of a story. Narrative writing is found in novels, biographies, autobiographies, essays and short stories. Narrative writing depends on the personal or imaginative experience of a person. A narrative writing should contain an entire story - beginning, middle and end. It should cover all the necessary details that explain the story. The narrator should be able to pass on his thoughts and views to the reader. Persuasive Persuasive writing, could be referred to as a creative writing or an argument, in which the speaker uses words to convince the reader of a writers view(s) regarding an issue. Persuasive writing involves convincing the reader to perform an action, or it may simply consist of an argument(s) convincing the reader of the writers point of view. Persuasive writing is one of the most used writing types in the world. Persuasive writers employ many techniques to improve their argument and show support for their claim. Another definition is "an essay that offers and supports an opinion". The traditional parts of persuasive writing that can be used to strengthen an argument. While these do not have to be followed exactly or in this order, they are helpful in forming the structure in persuasive writing.

Exordium, or introduction Narration, or background statement of the facts Partition, or forecast of the topics to be presented Conformation, or the confirmation of the piece. In contemporary English classes, this would be called the body of the text. Refutation, or discussion of alternatives Peroration, or a conclusion. Its often helpful to tie the conclusion back to the introduction in order to strengthen your claim. Rhetorical Questions, to get the reader thinking.

Informative Informative essays, also called expository essays, seek to inform or educate the audience on a given topic. The goal is not to persuade the reader but to give the reader more information, to provide the reader with insight, and to support the writers interpretations with factual information. Informative essays do not express the writers opinion. Views, pro and con, can be included but they must be presented in an unbiased fashion, pointing out comparisons and contrasts of viewpoints. One way to do this is to imagine that the audience holds a common view of the topic; the writers purpose is to give the audience a surprising new view based on research. To do this you can:

 Enlighten your audience with new facts and/or statistics. Give them usable material that they can apply. Present sufficient information to explain the new findings about the topic. Make clear from the beginning of your paper its purpose. What are some Expository Organizational Patterns In order to give you more information about oral and written exposition we have provided you with eight different examples of expository organizational patterns. You will find that most of these organizational patterns are very familiar to you. You may have never really considered them to be "kind" of organizational patterns. As you read through the different types of organizational patterns that are presented below, try to figure out how many of these organizational patterns do you already find yourself writing or speaking on a daily basis?

Pattern

Description

Graphical Cue Organizer/Sample Words Passages

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Depicts a pattern in which the speaker Circumlocution discusses a topic, then diverts to discuss a related but different topic. A pattern or a sub-pattern imbedded in other patterns in which the speaker or writer intersperses a narrative within the expository text for specific purposes, including to clarify, or elaborate on a point or to link the subject matter to a personal experience. When the speaker discusses a topic, then restates it using different words or symbolism. It is used to drive home a point and to give special emphasis to the text.

Narrative Interspersion

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Recursion

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(Ball, 1991, "Organizational Patterns in the Oral and Written Language of African American Adolescents", adapted from dissertation submitted to Stanford University.)

Pattern
Description

Description
The author describes a topic by listing characteristics, features, and examples

Cue Words
for example, characteristics are

Graphical Organizer/Sample Passages

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Sequence

The author lists items or events in numerical or chronological order.

first, second, third; next; then; finally

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Comparison

The author explains how two different; in or more things are alike and/or contrast; alike; how they are different. same as; on the other hand The author lists one or more causes and the resulting effect or effects. reasons why; if...then; as a result; therefore; because problem is; dilemma is; puzzle is solved; question... answer

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Cause and Effect

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Problem and The author states a problem Solution and lists one or more solutions for the problem. A variation of this pattern is the questionand-answer format in which the author poses a question and then answers it.

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Descriptive Descriptive writing strives to invoke a vivid and involved experience for the reader. It is often considered as one of the most creative forms of writing since it is basically about being able to evoke emotions in the reader through the power of words. A good descriptive essay, for instance, has the ability to arouse the readers senses and create a lasting impact on his or her mind. This effect can be achieved not through statistics and facts, but by detailed descriptions and observations. As you start with your descriptive writing, one of the most important things is identifying exactly what you are setting out to describe. Usually, a descriptive essay will include the depiction of the following: a place, a person, a pet, an object, an experience, or a memory. Anything that you experience or perceive about your subject can be the focal point of your descriptive writing. While it can be a wonderful creative exercise to simply describe anything you observe, but in descriptive writing, there is often a specific reason for writing whatever you have set out to describe. Tapping into this reason can help you to keep the description focused and infuse your language with a particular emotion or perspective.

If there is one thing you need to keep in mind when you undertake any kind of descriptive writing, it is the famous maxim "Show, dont tell." But, how does one show and not tell? Well, take these two examples:

I felt tired at work today. As the day wore on at work, I felt a cramp beginning to form at the nape of my neck, my eyes began to feel droopy, and the computer screen in front of me began blurring.

While the first sentence merely tells your reader directly that you felt tired at work today, the second one shows the reader how you grew tired. Effective descriptive writing is full of such showing sentences because they allow readers to experience or imagine what the writer felt for himself or herself. However, care must be taken not to overdo it. Dont just use descriptive words merely for the sake of filling the page up. The writing must be able to draw in the reader, hence the writer should say things that the reader can relate to or empathize with. An introductory backdrop can often provide an effective setting for the remaining part of the piece. Great descriptive writing have the ability of luring the reader, enticing him or her to continue reading right to the end. While giving the details is important, it is how they are presented that makes the difference. Hence, while writing, one of the most effective ways to make the experience you are describing vivid for your reader is to use the five senses: smell, sight, sound, taste, and touch. When the descriptions are focused on the senses, you provide specific and vivid details in such a way that it shows your reader what you are describing. Therefore, it is a good idea to take the time to brainstorm, before you actually begin writing. For instance, if you are going to be writing about a flower arrangement, you could jot down a few ideas before you start describing it, like: vase, color, types of flowers, leaves, stem, style, shape, fresh, etc. Once you have the basic words, you could start writing descriptive sentences for each one. Then, carry on from there. Make the language as descriptive as you can. Hence, instead of using merely horse, why not choose to use mare, foal or stallion? Instead of bland happy, why not joyous, glad, or delighted? Or, why not closefisted, niggardly, or miserly in place of insipid ungenerous? Such word choices color the image you are trying to create in the readers mind and also provide nuanced interpretations that help to serve your purpose better. The idea is to coax the reader to not only enter but also become a part of the world you are trying to create. Language that relates to powerful emotions such as love, hatred, admiration, or disgust can convey the range and intensity of feeling. You can create a tremendous impact if you use a wide spectrum of words which encompass all the senses. Make the descriptive writing a rewarding experience, both for your reader and yourself. If you like what you write, chances are high that your reader will too. As is evident, having a comprehensive vocabulary is the key to good descriptive writing. But mere vocabulary will fall short if your writing lacks passion, logic and interest. The trouble with descriptive writing is that it can easily become an incoherent rambling of senses and emotions. To avoid that, present what you are writing about in a logical and organized sequence of thoughts, so that the reader comes away from it with a cogent sense of what you have attempted to describe.