Writing Out a Draft
Once you have generated ideas and thoughts about how you want to organize your narrative, it’s time to begin drafting. Do this quickly—try to write a complete draft in one sitting, concentrating on getting the story on paper or screen and on putting in as much detail as you can. Some writers find it helpful to work on the beginning or ending first. Others write out the main event first and then draft the beginning and ending.
Draft a beginning. A good narrative grabs readers’ attention right from the start. Here are some ways of beginning:
• Jump right in. Sometimes you may want to get to the main action as quickly as possible. Nichols, for example, begins as she takes the ninth-grade proficiency test for the first time.
• Describe the context. You may want to provide any background information at the start of your narrative, as Vallowe does with an anecdote exposing her fears that she may not be who she thinks she is.
• Describe the setting, especially if it’s important to the narrative. Agosín begins by describing the constellations in her native Chile.
• Provoke readers’ interest. Gomez opens her narrative by describing how she watched Disney movies over and over, memorizing the main characters’ lines.
Previewing this excerpt will help the reader realize that the audience is probably _______.
