Now that you have chosen a specific event or experience for your personal narrative, you need to think about the particulars. Here are some questions to ask yourself about the topic of your personal narrative:
The simplest way to keep track of these reflections is by writing them down. Below is a chart you can use to help you record your memories and feelings. For this example, we are using “My best friend Danny” from the “Friendships” section of the brainstorming graphic organizer, but you should use one of the topics you wrote down.
Write the topic you have chosen from your brainstorming graphic organizer here. |
List one memory associated with your topic next to each check box below and then check the one that will be your focus. |
Sample Responses:
My best friend Danny |
Had a brother, Charlie, who was really obnoxious |
Was not athletic or good in school but was bright in his own way |
Took an awesome, great adventure |
Was pretty good at golf |
Now that you have decided on a topic for your narrative and listed some specifics ideas about it, it is time to connect your thoughts to your central idea. For example, if the central idea is “friendship,“ then how do you develop and connect “took an awesome, great adventure” to that central idea? To answer this question, you will need to get into the nitty gritty of the experience and consider exactly what you want to write. You will also need to think hard about the event itself.