Narrative Writers’ Craft 1.) Read this sentence. Expand it into a descriptive segment: It was a grotesque monster. Ex. The monster drooled from its gaping mouth, exposing rows of yellowed, pointy teeth. The beast was covered in patches of filthy matted fur. Its paws seemed leathery and were tipped in sharp purplish claws. 2.) Think of something important that happened to you. Write your memory and a hope about it. Ex. I remember the first time I held my puppy. I hope we have him for a long, long time. 3.) Rewrite this dialogue as description: “Marcie looks really sad,” I said. Ex. Marcie’s shoulders drooped. Tears glistened in her eyes. 4.) Rewrite this dialogue as action: “I’m brushing my hair until it shines,” I said. Ex. I brush my hair until it shines. 5.) Read this suspenseful story question and tell what you are wondering or worrying: What was that strange noise? Ex. Is there danger? Is the character in trouble somehow? What made the noise? 6.) List at least four suspenseful red flag words or phrases and use one in a sentence: Ex. Suddenly, all of a sudden, in the blink of an eye, without warning, just then, A moment later Without warning, a shadow loomed over me. 7.) Read this narrative story beginning: Hi, my name is Josie. This is my story about my camping adventure. Name four techniques the author could have used to get this story off to a strong start. Ex. action, dialogue (exclamation), thoughts/feelings (wonder/ worry,) a sound

8.) Revise this boring narrative story beginning about a day at the beach: Hmmm…what should I do today? First I’ll get some breakfast. Ex. I looked out the window at blue skies. “What a perfect day for the beach,” I shouted. 9.) Imagine you wrote a narrative story about exploring your grandmother’s attic and you found somethingamazing up there. Write a title for your story. Ex. The Secret in the Attic, An Attic Surprise, Amazed in the Attic 10.) Imagine the following story critical object and write a descriptive segment about it: ancient crown Ex. The antique crown was crafted of gold, with platinum trim. It was sculpted into a series of points, each topped with a huge jewel. Rubies, sapphires, emeralds glistened, and the rim was studded with pearls. The inside of this magnificent headpiece was lined in crimson velvet. 11.) Kitt wrote a story about getting stuck in a thunderstorm while camping. Lightning hit a tree near his tent and started a fire, but he escaped. Write an extended story ending for this story. Ex. Kitt’s heart raced as he remembered the CRACK of lightning and the crash of the giant pine as it fell in flames. It was amazing that I escaped without a scratch, he thought gratefully. Still, he collected what was left of his camping gear and packed it up for his next camping trip, hopefully during clear weather. 12.) Rewrite this dialogue as description: “What a beautiful scarlet rose!” I exclaimed. Ex. The beautiful rose had delicate scarlet petals. 13.) Rewrite this dialogue as action: “I’m climbing up the ladder,” I said. Ex. I climbed up the ladder. 14.) Add a red flag word or phrase to this sentence: There was a loud booming sound. Ex. Suddenly there was a loud booming sound.

15.) Ginger is writing a story about spelunking – exploring a cave. Help her revise this boring beginning using either action, dialogue, thoughts/ feelings. Remember to start as close to the main event as possible: This is a story about exploring a dark scary cave. I got up early to get my supplies together. Ex. I adjusted my backpack, switched on my flashlight, and took a deep breath. The mouth of the cave gaped darkly before me. As I inched inside it was as though I was being swallowed up. 16.) List a number of techniques authors use to create fully elaborated main events in narrative stories: Ex. action, description, dialogue/exclamation, thoughts/feelings, sound effect 17.) Imagine you are going to describe a little old man. List several detail generating questions that you would answer in order to generate powerful detail: Ex. How tall was he? What kind, color hair, eyes? What is he wearing? What is he carrying? How is he moving? What expression does he wear on his face? 18.) Name some techniques authors use to craft entertaining narrative story beginnings: Ex. action, description, dialogue/exclamation, thoughts/feelings, sound 19.) Revise this abrupt story ending: Diego was glad he won the tennis match. THE END Ex. Diego smiled as he remembered the moment he slammed the ball over the net for the winning point. He wiped his brow and shook hands with his opponent and looked forward to next season to defend his title! 20.) Imagine you are going to describe a little old man. List several detail generating questions that you would answer in order to generate powerful detail: Ex. How tall was he? What kind, color hair, eyes? What is he wearing? What is he carrying? How is he moving? What expression does he wear on his face?

21.) Add a red flag word or phrase to add a bit of suspense to the following sentence: She heard footsteps behind her. Ex. All of a sudden she heard… (Suddenly, Just then, etc.) 22.) Rewrite this descriptive sentence, showing, rather than telling: Evie was really embarrassed. Ex. Evie's face turned red and she covered her mouth with her hand 23.) Draw the writing diamond and see how many of the sections you can name. 24.) Describe the story critical character in the following sentence: A witch stirred the cauldron. Ex. The old hag wore a long black wrinkly dress and a tall pointy hat. Her long straggly gray hair hung around her skinny face. She had a large wart on her nose and her skin was green. Red and white striped stockings covered her legs. 25.) Revise this sentence using a red flag word or phrase: There was a loud sound that made me jump. Ex. Without warning there was a sound… (Suddenly, Just then, etc.) 26.) Revise this sentence, changing dialogue into action: “Hi Carrie,” I shouted. Ex. I said hello to Carrie. 27.) Eliza wrote a narrative story about a bear hibernating for winter, who is disturbed by a forest ranger. Write an entertaining title for this story. (Ex. Bearly Asleep Nap, Interrupted Getting Up Grumpy! Do Not Disturb a Bear!) 28.) Replace the red flag phrase in this sentence with another: All of a sudden the door burst open. Ex. Without warning the door burst open. (In a blink, Just then, Suddenly…)

29.) Revise this sentence, changing dialogue into action: “I think I’ll head upstairs to bed,” I said. Ex. I headed upstairs to bed. 30.) Revise this sentence using action instead of dialogue: I said, “What should I do during my week off?” Ex. I wondered what I should do during my week off. 31.) Write an attention grabbing title for a narrative story about a boy who finds a note in a bottle. Ex. Message in Glass 32.) Revise this sentence using a better “tag” word: “Hello Ms. Carter,” Glenda screamed, smiling and waving. Ex. hollered, called, shouted, said, exclaimed 33.) Revise this sentence showing, rather than telling what feelings look like: I felt a chill. Ex. I shivered and ran my hands together in order to warm up. 34.) Revise this overly general sentence, showing rather than telling: This weather has been awful! Ex. This snowy, wet weather chills me to the bones! 35.) Revise this sentence, showing what feelings look like: Ms. Elliott was excited! Ex. Ms. Elliott clasped her hands together and jumped up and down. 36.) Revise this sentence using specific detail: A beautiful tree grew in the yard. Ex. A tall, thick-trunked oak tree covered in olive green leaves and small green acorns shaded the backyard. 37.) Revise this boring story beginning using action: This is my story about going skating. Ex. I grabbed my skates and headed to the pond. 38.) Rewrite this sentence, replacing the dialogue with action: Brendan said, “I’m going to eat that sandwich!” Ex. Brendan gobbled up the sandwich

39.) Rewrite this sentence using a direct quote: Mom told me that it was really cold outside. Ex. Mom said, “It’s really cold outside!” 40.) Add a red flag word or phrase to this sentence to build some suspense: The thunder clapped and the rain began. Ex. Without warning the thunder clapped and the rain began. 41.) Add an adverb and a vivid verb to this sentence: I went up the stairs. Ex. I cautiously tiptoed up the stairs. 42.) Your friend is mad at you and tells you he/she is going home. Write this as dialogue using quotation marks and a tag word. Ex. “I’m going home!” Melanie shouted. 43.) Use adjectives to describe the story's critical character and object in this sentence: The bear knocked over the garbage and ripped off the lid. Ex. The hungry bear knocked over the smelly garbage can… 44.) Change this dialogue into action: “Hey, let’s head out to the barn,” Mark said to Anthony. Ex. Mark and Anthony headed out to the barn. 45.) Revise this sentence using a better “tag” word: “Hello Ms. Carter,” Glenda screamed, smiling and waving. Ex. hollered, called, shouted, said, exclaimed 46.) Revise this boring main idea sentence with an interesting question: I will tell you what giraffes look like. Ex. Have you ever seen the amazing, beautiful giraffe?

47.) Your dog is chewing up your new sneakers. What would you say? Write an exclamation using quotation marks and a “tag” word. Ex. I shouted,“Spot, you are a VERY bad dog!” 48.) Use a red flag word or phrase to enhance this sentence: I slipped on the ice and flopped to the ground.

Ex. Suddenly (Without warning, All of a sudden, etc.) I slipped on the ice and…

49.) Revise this sentence using an informative verb: The author wrote about reindeer living in the tundra. Ex. The author described (revealed information about, uncovered

facts about, explored) the ways reindeer live in the tundra. 50.) Identify the story critical setting in the following sentence. Then write an elaborative segment describing this setting. The forest was a wonderland of snow and ice. Ex. (snowy forest) The branches of the trees glistened like glass

in the sunlight. Snow clung to the tree trunks and blanketed the forest floor like white velvet.

51.) Your mom is talking to you! Add quotation marks and an interesting tag line to her exclamation: You’d better get that homework done! Ex. Mom yelled, “You’d better get that homework done!” Or:

“You’d better get that homework done,” commanded Mom. 52.) Write at least four word referents for the following: Elf Ex. • tiny toy-maker • Santa’s helper • small sprite • jolly pixie

• holiday worker • busy little character 53.) Revise this boring beginning using action: One chilly day I went to the park. (I clasped my hands together, blew into them and shoved them

into my pockets. It was chilly, but I still headed toward the park.) 54.) Underline the story critical character in the following sentence. Then write an elaborative segment describing this character. A troll stood beneath the bridge. A troll stood beneath the bridge. He was only about three feet tall

and had long, dirty matted hair that hung to his knees. His bulgy eyes stared angrily at me.)

55.) Read the title to this story: The Bear in the Forest Write a more suspenseful title using word referents. Ex. Forest Dweller, Beast in the Woods, Fur and Fangs in the

Forest 56.) Rewrite this sentence using a sound effect and a vivid verb: The thunder was loud that night. Ex. BOOM! Thunder exploded in the night. 57.) The following sentence is a little dull. Split it into two short sentences. Write the new sentences in present tense and add a red flag word or phrase. How is this revision helpful? The door opened and I gasped. Ex. Suddenly the door opens. I gasp! 58.) Revise this sentence, changing the main character's thoughts to dialogue: Marissa thought she'd like to buy an ice cream cone. Ex. “I'm dying for an ice cream cone,” Marissa said. 59.) Rewrite this boring beginning sentence from a narrative story using ACTION: One sunny day I went to the beach. Ex. I squinted into the bright sun, lugging my towel and sand chair, setting out to find the best spot on the beach.