Formularbeginn Formularende Narrative Engaging Beginnings Good writers sweat their engaging beginnings. Leads give shape to the piece and to the experience of writing it. A strong engaging beginning sets the tone for the piece, determines the content and direction of the piece, and establishes the voice. Of equal importance, the engaging beginning captures the reader’s interest, inviting the reader to dive headfirst into the text. When you read, pay attention to how the writer engages you at the beginning of a story. When you write, experiment with multiple engaging beginnings. Deliberately craft different leads. During revision, choose the lead that you believe works best. Below are examples of many different strategies for engaging the reader. Typical It was a day at the end of June. My mom, dad, brother, and I were at our camp on Rangeley Lake. We arrived the night before at 10:00, so it was dark when we got there and unpacked. We went straight to bed. The next morning, when I was eating breakfast, my dad started yelling for me from down at the dock at the top of his lungs. He said there was a car in the lake. Some effective strategies for engaging the reader: Action: A Main Character Doing Something * I gulped my milk, pushed away from the table, and bolted out of the kitchen, slamming the broken screen door behind me. I ran down to our dock as fast as my legs could carry me. My feet pounded on the old wood, hurrying me toward my dad’s voice. he bellowed again. “Scott!” Dad!” I gasped. I couldn’t see him yet—just the sails of the boats that had “Coming, already put out into the lake for the day. * Dialogue: A Character or Characters Speaking Get down here on the double!” Dad bellowed. His voice sounded far away. I hollered. are you?” I squinted through the screen door but couldn’t “Dad?” “Where see him. down on the dock. MOVE IT. You’re not to believe this,” he replied. “I’m * Reaction: A Character Thinking I couldn’t imagine why my father was hollering for me at 7:00 in the morning. I
Formularbeginn Formularende Narrative Engaging Beginnings Good writers sweat their engaging beginnings. Leads give shape to the piece and to the experience of writing it. A strong engaging beginning sets the tone for the piece, determines the content and direction of the piece, and establishes the voice. Of equal importance, the engaging beginning captures the reader’s interest, inviting the reader to dive headfirst into the text. When you read, pay attention to how the writer engages you at the beginning of a story. When you write, experiment with multiple engaging beginnings. Deliberately craft different leads. During revision, choose the lead that you believe works best. Below are examples of many different strategies for engaging the reader. Typical It was a day at the end of June. My mom, dad, brother, and I were at our camp on Rangeley Lake. We arrived the night before at 10:00, so it was dark when we got there and unpacked. We went straight to bed. The next morning, when I was eating breakfast, my dad started yelling for me from down at the dock at the top of his lungs. He said there was a car in the lake. Some effective strategies for engaging the reader: * Action: A Main Character Doing Something I gulped my milk, pushed away from the table, and bolted out of the kitchen, slamming the broken screen door behind me. I ran down to our dock as fast as my legs could carry me. My feet pounded on the old wood, hurrying me toward my dad’s voice. “Scott!” he bellowed again. “Coming, Dad!” I gasped. I couldn’t see him yet—just the sails of the boats that had already put out into the lake for the day. * Dialogue: A Character or Characters Speaking Get down here on the double!” Dad bellowed. His voice sounded far away. “Dad?” I hollered. “Where are you?” I squinted through the screen door but couldn’t see him. “I’m down on the dock. MOVE IT. You’re not to believe this,” he replied. * Reaction: A Character Thinking I couldn’t imagine why my father was hollering for me at 7:00 in the morning. I
Narrative%20Engaging%20Beginnings.docx