Writing a personal narrative?
What will that personal narrative be about? The answer to this question is your TOPIC.
In prewriting, ask yourself these questions:
How many parts tell the story of your personal narrative?
- Write a sentence that tells what each section is about. These sentences are your MAIN IDEA sentences for your paragraphs.
- Write about 3 more sentences that help give more information about what the MAIN IDEA sentences started talking about. These are detail or supporting sentences.
Did you think of something else that needs to be told but don't match your main idea sentences? Make another paragraph.
Are the sentences in an order that makes sense? (and of course make sure the paragraphs are in order.)
Did you indent your paragraphs?
Finally you have a finished piece!
The topic of my personal narrative will be about an awesome roller coaster ride.
I think these are the sections of my personal narrative.
Introduction
Standing in Line
Getting on
Riding the coaster
After I got off
These are my MAIN IDEA sentences.
Introduction
Everybody should have at least one thrill in their life.
Standing in Line
As I stood in line, I kept wondering if I had made the right decision.
Getting on
Getting on the roller coaster was not an easy thing to do.
Riding the coaster
It seemed the ride was going to last forever.
after I got off
All I could think about was that I wanted to ride the coaster again.
The MAIN IDEA sentences started it, now we have to finish it with detail sentences.
Introduction
Everybody should have at least one thrill in their life. How can someone go through life without a thrill? It's got to be a boring life. I've had several thrills but this one I'll remember for the rest of my life.
Standing in Line
As I stood in line, I kept wondering if I had made the right decision. My friends had dared me to go on this roller coaster ride and now I was second guessing myself. Would my neck snap leaving me paralyzed for the rest of my life? What if I got so excited on the ride that I would wet myself? All kinds of ideas ran through my head.
Getting on
Getting on the roller coaster was not an easy thing to do. My foot seemed so heavy when I tried to lift it. It seemed I was moving in slow motion. As I took my hand to reach for the bar it was trembling to the point that I could barely hold on. When I sat down on the soft cushion it actually felt comfortable until they pulled the bar down onto my stomach causing me to feel like a trapped mouse. I wanted out!
Riding the coaster
It seemed the ride was going to last forever. The coaster took off at a creeping slow pace. "Well," I thought, "we could be on this thing for a while. The first hill looked so tall and long. People were talking like they had all day. All I could do was listen to the click clack of the track as the coaster started its slow ascend. Finally, we reached the top of the hill and "whoosh" we took off like a torpedo out of an airplane. Before I knew it, I was screaming to the top of my lungs. Screaming! Wait, screaming was fun. Butterflies were fluttering all over my stomach. Good grief, this was fun, I thought. EVERYONE was screaming. We took a dip and things calmed a bit as we went up another slope. Then here it came, another long hill DOWN! This time, I was ready to scream. It seemed to be more fun to scream along with the ride. Actually, I eventually couldn't decide if I wanted to scream or laugh. My body, my face just couldn't decide which it wanted to do. The thrill just overtook me.
after I got off
All I could think about was that I wanted to ride the coaster again after I got off. I wanted to experience that exhilaration again and soon. I wanted to scream and laugh again. I just wanted to feel thrilled again. Everyone has to experience that same thrill that I experienced. Just at least once.
Now we'll make sure each paragraph has sentences that go with the main idea. If some don't belong, use them in another paragraph.
Introduction
Everybody should have at least one thrill in their life. How can someone go through life without a thrill? It's got to be a boring life. I've had several thrills but this one I'll remember for the rest of my life.
Standing in Line
As I stood in line, I kept wondering if I had made the right decision. My friends had dared me to go on this roller coaster ride and now I was second guessing myself. Would my neck snap leaving me paralyzed for the rest of my life? What if I got so excited on the ride that I would wet myself? All kinds of ideas ran through my head.
Getting on
Getting on the roller coaster was not an easy thing to do. My foot seemed so heavy when I tried to lift it. It seemed I was moving in slow motion. As I took my hand to reach for the bar it was trembling to the point that I could barely hold on. When I sat down on the soft cushion it actually felt comfortable until they pulled the bar down onto my stomach causing me to feel like a trapped mouse. I wanted out!
Riding the coaster
It seemed the ride was going to last forever. The coaster took off at a creeping slow pace. "Well," I thought, "we could be on this thing for a while. The first hill looked so tall and long. People were talking like they had all day. All I could do was listen to the click clack of the track as the coaster started its slow ascend. Finally, we reached the top of the hill and "whoosh" we took off like a torpedo out of an airplane.
Before I knew it, I was screaming to the top of my lungs. Screaming! Wait, screaming was fun. Butterflies were fluttering all over my stomach. Good grief, this was fun, I thought. EVERYONE was screaming. We took a dip and things calmed a bit as we went up another slope. Then here it came, another long hill DOWN! This time, I was ready to scream. It seemed to be more fun to scream along with the ride. Actually, I eventually couldn't decide if I wanted to scream or laugh. My body, my face just couldn't decide which it wanted to do. The thrill just overtook me.
after I got off
All I could think about was that I wanted to ride the coaster again after I got off. I wanted to experience that exhilaration again and soon. I wanted to scream and laugh again. I just wanted to feel thrilled again. Everyone has to experience that same thrill that I experienced. Just at least once.
Paragraphs always start out by being indented. (I use the tab key.)
Introduction
Everybody should have at least one thrill in their life. How can someone go through life without a thrill? It's got to be a boring life. I've had several thrills but this one I'll remember for the rest of my life.
Standing in Line
As I stood in line, I kept wondering if I had made the right decision. My friends had dared me to go on this roller coaster ride and now I was second guessing myself. Would my neck snap leaving me paralyzed for the rest of my life? What if I got so excited on the ride that I would wet myself? All kinds of ideas ran through my head.
Getting on
Getting on the roller coaster was not an easy thing to do. My foot seemed so heavy when I tried to lift it. It seemed I was moving in slow motion. As I took my hand to reach for the bar it was trembling to the point that I could barely hold on. When I sat down on the soft cushion it actually felt comfortable until they pulled the bar down onto my stomach causing me to feel like a trapped mouse. I wanted out!
Riding the coaster
It seemed the ride was going to last forever. The coaster took off at a creeping slow pace. "Well," I thought, "we could be on this thing for a while. The first hill looked so tall and long. People were talking like they had all day. All I could do was listen to the click clack of the track as the coaster started its slow ascend. Finally, we reached the top of the hill and "whoosh" we took off like a torpedo out of an airplane.
Before I knew it, I was screaming to the top of my lungs. Screaming! Wait, screaming was fun. Butterflies were fluttering all over my stomach. Good grief, this was fun, I thought. EVERYONE was screaming. We took a dip and things calmed a bit as we went up another slope. Then here it came, another long hill DOWN! This time, I was ready to scream. It seemed to be more fun to scream along with the ride. Actually, I eventually couldn't decide if I wanted to scream or laugh. My body, my face just couldn't decide which it wanted to do. The thrill just overtook me.
after I got off
All I could think about was that I wanted to ride the coaster again after I got off. I wanted to experience that exhilaration again and soon. I wanted to scream and laugh again. I just wanted to feel thrilled again. Everyone has to experience that same thrill that I experienced. Just at least once.
Now change all the colors to black and you have your piece. Well, I think I'll revision to add more sensory details. I can remember the smell of the popcorn and pewu....the sweat on the seat. Scroll on down and see my piece so far.
keep going
The Thrill of a Life Time
Everybody should have at least one thrill in their life. How can someone go through life without a thrill? It's got to be a boring life. I've had several thrills but this one I'll remember for the rest of my life.
As I stood in line, I kept wondering if I had made the right decision. My friends had dared me to go on this roller coaster ride and now I was second guessing myself. Would my neck snap leaving me paralyzed for the rest of my life? What if I got so excited on the ride that I would wet myself? All kinds of ideas ran through my head.
Getting on the roller coaster was not an easy thing to do. My foot seemed so heavy when I tried to lift it. It seemed I was moving in slow motion. As I took my hand to reach for the bar it was trembling to the point that I could barely hold on. When I sat down on the soft cushion it actually felt comfortable until they pulled the bar down onto my stomach causing me to feel like a trapped mouse. I wanted out!
It seemed the ride was going to last forever. The coaster took off at a creeping slow pace. "Well," I thought, "we could be on this thing for a while. The first hill looked so tall and long. People were talking like they had all day. All I could do was listen to the click clack of the track as the coaster started its slow ascend. Finally, we reached the top of the hill and "whoosh" we took off like a torpedo out of an airplane.
Before I knew it, I was screaming to the top of my lungs. Screaming! Wait, screaming was fun. Butterflies were fluttering all over my stomach. Good grief, this was fun, I thought. EVERYONE was screaming. We took a dip and things calmed a bit as we went up another slope. Then here it came, another long hill DOWN! This time, I was ready to scream. It seemed to be more fun to scream along with the ride. Actually, I eventually couldn't decide if I wanted to scream or laugh. My body, my face just couldn't decide which it wanted to do. The thrill just overtook me.
All I could think about was that I wanted to ride the coaster again after I got off. I wanted to experience that exhilaration again and soon. I wanted to scream and laugh again. I just wanted to feel thrilled again. Everyone has to experience that same thrill that I experienced. Just at least once.
And all of this from four MAIN IDEA sentences with supporting details.