Narrative Writing: Purpose

The goal of narrative writing is to tell a compelling story: This could involve an account of an event, a real-life experience, or a fictional tale. The success of your narrative hinges on the development of an engaging plot, robust characters, and a well-structured storyline.
Creating characters: The people in your story are key to driving the narrative forward. Give each character a clear personality, with individual traits, quirks, and motivations. This will aid in creating a believable narrative and hold the reader’s interest.
Building suspense and tension: Craft your story to gradually build suspense or tension. Use detailed descriptions to create a sense of anticipation. Keep readers guessing about what will happen next, ensuring your narrative remains interesting.
Descriptive language and imagery: Choose your words carefully to create vivid images in the reader’s mind. Utilise metaphors, similes, and sensory words to describe events, locations, and emotions. This assists the reader in visualising the storyline and connecting emotionally with the characters.
Establishing a setting: This involves explaining where and when the story takes place. Details about the setting provide context for the reader, allowing them to better understand the characters and actions. Vary your descriptions, using memorable and distinctive features to make your settings unique.
Dialogue utilisation: Dialogue can add depth to characters and move the narrative along. Aim for a natural-sounding conversation that aligns with each character’s personality and the story’s era or location.
Narrative viewpoint: Consider who is telling the story and the perspective from which it’s told. This impacts how events are perceived and can shape the reader’s understanding and emotional engagement.
The importance of climaxes and resolutions: The climax is the peak of your story, a pivotal event or challenge. Following the climax, tie up loose ends in your resolution, but consider leaving some things to the reader’s imagination.
Planning and drafting: Devise a preliminary plan for your storyline — a plot outline can guide your writing process. Don’t worry if the first draft isn’t perfect; it’s an opportunity for you to improve and polish your narrative before the final version.
Proofreading and editing: Always set aside time to review your work. Look for redundancies, grammatical errors, inconsistencies, and areas where clarity or detail might be improved. As they say, writing is rewriting!