WRITING LEADS Personal Narrative
NARRATIVE LEADS Ø Getting the reader interested in a story right away is one of the elements of good narrative writing. Ø A lead, or hook, is a way to grab the reader s attention. Ø It can be a sentence, a paragraph, or even a few pages (please no). Ø A narrative lead hooks the reader onto your line and doesn t let go, and the story that follows reels them in. Ø Let s start with just a few types of leads
FORESHADOWING LEADS: ü A subtle way of indicating or hinting at what will come later. ü Adds dramatic tension by building anticipation about what might happen next. ü Provides a way for the reader to feel prepared for the events when they happen later. When might you want to use this type of Lead in writing a narrative? What types of stories might benefit from this type of lead? It was the time of year I liked best, when summer turned to fall. I whistled as I drove along. A cool breeze blew across my face through the truck s open window. Then it happened. There was a loud thump. -The Stranger by Chris Van Alsberg p 274
ACTION LEADS: ü Gets the reader quickly involved in the story by starting with an exciting event or some kind of action. ü Focuses on a main character doing something. ü Uses many action verbs and suspense. When might you want to use this type of Lead in writing a narrative? What types of stories might benefit from this type of lead? A storm was approaching, but I scrambled through the strange little hole in the fence anyway. - Time Traveler in Scott Foresman p189
DIALOGUE LEADS: q A character or characters speaking. q Tells part of a conversation using correct punctuation (we ll cover this later) When might you want to use this type of Lead in writing a narrative? What types of stories might benefit from this type of lead? Bet you can t jump over that rille, Runt, Vern challenged. I hated it when my brother called me Runt. Watch me, Runt, Vern taunted. I ll show you how to do it. -Moonwalk by Ben Bova p614
CHARACTER / OBJECT DESCRIPTION LEADS: «Creates a picture in the reader s mind by focusing on the sensory details about a person or object. «Remember the 5 elements of characterization when describing people & the 5 senses when describing objects. When might you want to use this type of Lead in writing a narrative? What types of stories might benefit from this type of lead? I loved to twang my guitar and sing while the prairie wind whistled through the thirsty sagebrush. -The Horned Prince by Jackie Mims Hopkins p94
SETTING DESCRIPTION LEAD: u A detailed sensory description of the setting. u Allows the reader to visualize what and where it is happening. u Focus on the Sights, Smells, and Sounds. When might you want to use this type of Lead in writing a narrative? What types of stories might benefit from this type of lead? As we entered the camp, the longest shadows I had ever seen stretched across the snow, and I realized with a start that the shadows were the lumberjacks walking in the moonlight. I could smell hay and manure and saw silhouettes of horses stomping in a snowy corral. -Marven of the Great North Woods by Kathryn Lasky p218
LET S PRACTICE IDENTIFICATION 1. Dear Guys Who Kicked the Soccer Ball Over the Fence and Asked Me to Toss It Back to Them, Thus Scarring Me For Life: I d like to talk to you about the two minutes of sheer humiliation you subjected me to last night 2. My mom baked the most fantastic cake for my grandfather's 73rd birthday party. The cake was slathered in impossibly thick frosting and topped with an assortment of delightful creatures which my mom crafted out of minimarshmallows and toothpicks. To a four-year-old child, it was a thing of wonder - half toy, half cake and all glorious possibility. 3. Quick, hit the floor, my dad yelled. Whatever you do, don t look up! my mother added as I dropped to the floor and slid myself under the bed. It was a terrifying night for my family when we discovered a bat in our house. 4. I threw on my favorite red dress and scrambled down the stairs as fast as I could. It was my 8 th birthday and I couldn t wait for the party to begin.
LET S PRACTICE IDENTIFICATION 5. I could feel the sweat pouring off my body as I watched the seconds tick off the clock. It was as if I was dribbling in slow motion, weaving in and out of the defenders, and heading towards the hoop. As the buzzer sounded, I felt the ball roll off my finger tips, and I watched anxiously as it spun around the rim for what seemed like an eternity. 6. Ten degrees below zero, and the river is frozen a foot thick. It makes a snapping sound like the limbs of a tree cracking. I glided quickly along the black ice moving towards town. The only sound was the scraping of each blade as it bit into the river. 7. Scarlett Thomas had been my best friend for as long as I can remember. That s why I know when she called me at Summer Camp during the worst week of my life, that something was wrong even before she said it. Just by her voice on the other end of the line. I knew. 8. The sun glowed through the morning fog, straining to burst free. Mist rose off the lake in the distance. The air was still and damp, with a hint of warmth at the edges. Birds chirped and warbled in the distance, the only sound on this otherwise silent morning. In an instant, this serene scene was shattered by my father s voice as he bellowed from the lake.
GUIDED PRACTICE 1. Look back over the list of leads. 2. Examine your draft of Story #2 and revise to include a Lead. Begin by identifying what kind of Lead might work with your story. 3. Writers write strong leads. Even if you wrote one you like yesterday, I want you to do try a new one. This is called REVISION and EXPERIMENTATION! 4. You can write a lead for the same narrative you wrote yesterday or start a new narrative with a new lead. 5. When you are satisfied with your lead, keep writing the rest of the narrative. NOT A PLUG-IN DAY!