[1/28, 11:06 AM] +263 71 842 5016: GOOD MORNING COLLEAGUES.

TODAY LET US FOCUS ON *HOW TO MAKE NARRATIVE WRITING INTERESTING.*

I THANK YOU ALL.

[1/28, 11:11 AM] +263 77 422 6914: Creating an interesting narrative composition involves several key
elements that can engage readers and keep them invested in the story. Here are some tips to enhance
your narrative writing:

1. **Strong Opening**: Start with a hook that grabs the reader’s attention. This could be an intriguing
question, an unexpected statement, or an action scene.

2. **Vivid Descriptions**: Use sensory details to paint a picture in the reader's mind. Describe not just
what characters see, but also what they hear, feel, smell, and taste.

3. **Compelling Characters**: Create multi-dimensional characters that readers can connect with. Give
them strengths, weaknesses, desires, and fears. Show their development throughout the story.

4. **Conflict and Tension**: Introduce conflict early in the story. It can be external (between characters
or forces) or internal (within a character). Tension keeps readers engaged, wondering how the conflict
will resolve.

5. **Show, Don’t Tell**: Instead of telling readers what a character is feeling or thinking, show it
through their actions, dialogues, and reactions. This makes the story more immersive.

6. **Unique Perspective**: Consider telling the story from an unusual point of view or using an
unreliable narrator. This can add depth and intrigue to your narrative.
7. **Pacing**: Vary your pacing to create excitement. Use shorter sentences and paragraphs for action
scenes and longer ones for reflective moments to control the rhythm of your story.

8. **Engaging Dialogue**: Write realistic and purposeful dialogue that reveals character traits and
advances the plot. Avoid excessive exposition; let conversations flow naturally.

9. **Themes and Symbols**: Incorporate themes that resonate with readers, such as love, loss, or
redemption. Use symbolism to add layers of meaning to your narrative.

10. **Satisfying Conclusion**: End the story in a way that resolves the main conflict and reflects the
characters’ journeys. A good ending leaves readers with something to think about.

11. **Revise and Edit**: Don’t hesitate to revise your work. Editing is crucial in polishing your narrative,
enhancing clarity, and ensuring that every word contributes to the overall story.

By incorporating these elements, you can create a narrative composition that captivates and resonates
with your audience.

[1/28, 11:59 AM] +263 78 334 2897: Narrative writing is story telling. To make it interesting make use of
proverbs, idioms, similes etc. The introduction must be captivating and attractive- leaving the reader in
suspense- having the desire to read more

[1/28, 12:04 PM] +263 77 148 0010: Here's a sample narrative composition:

# The Stormy Night

It was a stormy night in late July, and I was driving home from a friend's birthday party. The rain
pounded against the windshield, making it difficult to see more than a few feet in front of me. I slowed
down, gripping the steering wheel tightly as the wind howled and the thunder boomed.

As I turned onto the main road, I noticed a figure standing on the side of the road, waving frantically for
help. I hesitated for a moment, wondering if I should stop, but something about the desperation in the
figure's movements made me pull over.
As I rolled down the window, a drenched and shivering woman peered in, her eyes wide with fear.
"Please, you have to help me!" she begged. "My car broke down just up the road, and I'm stranded!"

Without hesitation, I told her to get in, and we set off into the stormy night. As we drove, she told me
about her broken-down car, her ruined evening, and her gratitude for my kindness. I listened intently,
feeling a sense of satisfaction and purpose.

As we approached her destination, she turned to me and smiled. "Thank you so much for rescuing me
tonight," she said. "I'll never forget your kindness." And with that, she disappeared into the night,
leaving me feeling warm and fuzzy inside.

As I continued driving home, the storm began to subside, and the rain slowed to a gentle patter. I
realized that sometimes, the most unexpected moments can lead to the greatest rewards.

*What makes this narrative composition effective?*

1. *Vivid descriptions*: The use of sensory details like the sound of the rain, the howling wind, and the
feeling of fear creates a immersive experience for the reader.

2. *Clear structure*: The narrative has a clear beginning, middle, and end, making it easy to follow.

3. *Relatable characters*: The protagonist and the stranded woman are relatable and well-developed,
making the reader invested in their story.

4. *Tension and conflict*: The stormy night and the stranded woman create tension and conflict, which
are resolved through the protagonist's kindness.

5. *Reflection and insight*: The narrative ends with a reflection on the importance of kindness and the
unexpected rewards that can come from helping others.

I hope this example helps illustrate what makes a narrative composition effective!

[1/28, 12:05 PM] +263 77 359 6171: Addition of a plot twist makes the composition interesting

[1/28, 12:05 PM] +263 78 334 2897: I discourage my learners to start with 'It was'/ 'Once upon a time..
[1/28, 12:07 PM] +263 77 355 8958: Use of adverbs and adjectives also works in narrative writing,

[1/28, 12:07 PM] +263 77 327 6873: A good narrative essay should have characters

Setting is also of importance

[1/28, 12:08 PM] +263 78 334 2897: Is this topic, 'The stormy night',a narrative essay or descriptive?

[1/28, 12:09 PM] +263 77 422 6914: The introduction must be captivating. Don't say it all in the
introduction, but rather create SUSPENSE!

[1/28, 12:09 PM] +263 71 660 8477: Creative powers are called upon

Try to be original as possible

A well sustained plot and development, creates suspense

[1/28, 12:14 PM] +263 78 409 6424: Easy way of writing a narrative for me is following the structure of
narration

Exposition- developing the setting and mood. No pre-emptying the storyline

Rising action- developing a background to the story. Introducing characters, and focus on what happens
before the main issue

Climax- the main conflict or the apex of your story is developed. The controversial part.

Falling acting- the atory subsides. The conflict recedes

Resolution- what ultimately is resolved. What do characters understand etc…

This is what I use

[1/28, 12:19 PM] +263 78 409 6424: Exposition I make the imagine a setting of their choice and say
what are you seeing and make a paragraph eg
Setting…

. House

The house has broken windows

Cracked doors

Walls are dirty

The house is surrounded with a dense forest

The old house stood as a testament to the ravages of time, its once-grand facade now worn and
weathered from years of neglect. The windows, like empty eyes, stared out onto the surrounding
landscape, their broken panes a stark reminder of the house's abandonment. The doors, cracked and
creaky, hung crookedly on their hinges, as if pushed open by some unseen hand. The walls, once a proud
white, were now smeared with dirt and grime, the paint chipped and flaking in places. But it was not just
the house itself that seemed to whisper tales of decay and neglect - the very surroundings seemed to
conspire against it. A dense forest, its trees twisted and gnarled with age, pressed in on the house from
all sides, the underbrush so thick and overgrown that it seemed to be slowly reclaiming the structure as
its own. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, and the only sounds were
the creaks and groans of the old house, and the distant, mournful calls of birds echoing through the
forest. It was a place where time seemed to stand still, where the past and present blurred into a
tangled, overgrown mess - and yet, despite its air of abandonment, the house seemed to hold secrets,
to whisper tales of what had once been, and what might yet be.

[1/28, 12:22 PM] +263 78 409 6424: For our below average students every thought is a sentence eg

The house near the river made my youthful life memorable. The windows were broken and cried for
help but no one noticed. The doors were cracked and a creaking sound was always heard from them.
The walls had become very dirty over the years. Outside was a dense forest that always made people
shun this old abandoned house.
[1/28, 12:46 PM] +263 77 148 0010: Narrative and descriptive compositions are two distinct types of
writing, each with its own unique characteristics and purposes.

# Narrative Composition

A narrative composition tells a story or recounts an event, often with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
Its primary purpose is to engage the reader in a sequence of events, conveying a message, theme, or
emotion.

*Key Features:*

1. Tells a story or recounts an event

2. Has a clear structure (beginning, middle, end)

3. Includes characters, setting, and plot

4. Aims to engage the reader emotionally

5. Often uses dialogue, action, and suspense

# Descriptive Composition

A descriptive composition uses vivid and sensory details to describe a person, place, object, or
experience. Its primary purpose is to create a mental image or atmosphere, often to evoke a specific
emotion or mood.

*Key Features:*

1. Describes a person, place, object, or experience

2. Uses sensory details (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell)

3. Aims to create a mental image or atmosphere

4. Often uses figurative language (metaphors, similes, personification)

5. May not have a clear structure or plot

1. *Purpose*: Narrative compositions tell a story, while descriptive compositions create a mental image.

2. *Structure*: Narrative compositions have a clear beginning, middle, and end, while descriptive
compositions may not have a clear structure.

3. *Focus*: Narrative compositions focus on characters, plot, and events, while descriptive compositions
focus on sensory details and description.

In summary, narrative compositions tell a story, while descriptive compositions paint a picture with
words.

[1/28, 1:06 PM] +263 77 580 8866: Learners should be encouraged to read short stories for exposure so
that they can incorporate some rudimentary forms of short story writing in their [Link] a diary
of their daily experiences can enhance story telling techniques.

[1/28, 1:20 PM] +263 77 357 7712: A narration is a story & l feel that the learners must be taught to use
all narrative devices to make their stories interesting:

*suspense

*flashback

*metaphors

*similies

*proverbs

[1/28, 1:22 PM] +263 77 378 0274: Narrative writing maybe interesting if it includes a description

[1/28, 1:23 PM] +263 77 288 5134: Quite a number of chapters in *Mpho's seach* have very good
introductions. I usually copy and change a few words to match / suit the composition topic.

Eg For Form Ones, the topic *The day I fell into trouble at school*

*I stood in the small room ,facing the old man sitting behind a mahogany desk.I fidgeted as I stood, for I
knew something bad was coming. The old and looked angry,very angry*

[1/28, 1:35 PM] +263 77 271 3803: Wide reading of different texts should be encouraged so that..long
term a lot improves...eg expression and
vocabulary

[1/28, 1:59 PM] +263 77 368 8586: I encourage my students to use some expressions or vocabulary from
comprehension passages they read in class

[1/28, 2:03 PM] +263 77 361 8263: -Characterisation

-Setting

-Use of descriptive words such as adjectives and adverbs

[1/28, 2:03 PM] +263 77 386 0437: Don't you risk reading the same introduction from every learner?

[1/28, 3:57 PM] +263 77 230 5450: One feature of a short short story that O Level students struggle to
with is selection of details that should get into the story. Often learners write too long because they
include unnecessary details.

- they take too long to get into the real story

- they relate moments that add nothing to the plot or the conflict

I therefore think that learners should practise planning, just a skeletal plan of which moments to include
in the story.

Five major events can be enough to build a story of the required length at O level.

*For example:*

_*It was a difficult decision to make.*_

Plan:

- Eliza suspects pregnancy (vomits)

- doctor confirms pregnancy

- Eliza vainly looks for a way to abort

- News of a fatal abortion attempt on tv makes Eliza change her mind

With such a plan, a learner should then focus on making these moments as vivid as possible, ignoring
other events during this period which are irrelevant to the plot.

[1/28, 4:08 PM] +263 77 483 6005: Interesting narrative composition should have:

Catchy introduction

Use flashback technique

Suspense

Climax

[1/28, 4:17 PM] +263 77 626 2391: Also encouraging learners to create stories with a sudden twist of
events makes the story vivid instead of having a predictable plot.

[1/28, 4:24 PM] S Nyathi: Learners should avoid writing hackneyed ,trite and unoriginal introductions.
Starting with, it was on the 26th of November etc. The birds were singing their melodious song, the sky
was blue with a few cumilonimbus clouds . They should start with very interesting openings that have
been highlighted earlier by others.

[1/28, 4:43 PM] +263 77 234 5376: # Diction must be appropriate for the topic. The stormy night one is
expected to use terms like thunder, cracking lightning, the darkness of the night etc

[1/28, 4:44 PM] +263 77 600 8937: It must be spiced up with *apt* vocabulary it constructions here and
there. For example, depending on the mood the writer wants to achieve, apt synonyms to, say, "walk",
can make and big difference: dragged, wobbled, ambled, sauntered,, approached, etc.

[1/28, 4:53 PM] +263 77 264 8345: Include suspense, flashback, foreshadowing, all manner of imagery.
That spices up the story.

[1/28, 4:58 PM] +263 71 771 6031: I feel most of our learners rarely demonstrate the necessary
imagination particularly in their introductions.

_There are many market places that I know but today I want to write about a busy market place._
😓

[1/28, 4:58 PM] +263 77 633 1639: Narrative essays are the easiest because everyone is a storyteller.
The challenge comes when committing it to paper. Advise kids to stick to 1 character or 2 to avoid
confusing who does what,when,why &with who + how

[1/28, 4:59 PM] +263 77 304 7104: Help us teachers to inspire thier imaginations especially on

[1/28, 5:00 PM] +263 77 234 5376: That is better. What I cannot stand are compositions that start with
"It was on..."

[1/28, 5:05 PM] +263 77 956 7848: It is a narrative essay with, of course, traces of description

[1/28, 5:07 PM] +263 77 600 8937: Can one afford to thoroughly narrate without describing? Or
thoroughly describe without narrating? I wonder.

[1/28, 5:11 PM] +263 71 771 6031: The boredom comes when you have to mark 40 compositions that
begin in exactly that same way. It seems learners are encouraged to memorise that writing style at
Grade 7.

[1/28, 5:12 PM] +263 71 771 6031: I'm of the view that narrative and descriptive skills are somehow
interwoven.

[1/28, 5:13 PM] +263 77 234 5376: For my form fours we were writing a similar topic about being caught
in the rain. Spent most of the lesson discussing what sort of introductions you could have. They had
some brilliant ideas but knowing my kids they have not used them

[1/28, 5:29 PM] +263 77 633 1639: True. But weak students will lean towards narrative essays heavily

[1/28, 5:30 PM] +263 77 364 6170: True. Just to add we should encourage learners to analyse topics
and identify key terms so that they present relevant information.

[1/28, 5:40 PM] +263 71 139 0833: 1. SETTING

Setting helps to create reality and believability.

Our students my place setting at the beginning or middle of the narrative essay.

Our students should decide on the type of plot they are going to use in their story. They may use a
chronological plot or non- chronological plot.

Each type of the said plots has its own strengths and benefits in narrative writing.
Characters are an important part of narrative writing. As facilitators of the learning process, we need to
draw students' attention to full and correct definition of the term character.

By definition the term "characters" refers to persons, animals and forces of nature that take part in
narrative writing.

In one of my favourite Hollywood movies titled " I am Legend" Will Smith features alongside his dog
character in a world colonized by the living dead. Similarly, our students may write a narrative essay
drawn from the topics" THUNDERSTORM" or "FLOODS," in which lightning strike a human character or
floods flatten a human settlement, destroying infrastructure, plant life and human life.

Another key issue in narrative writing is that of the number of characters. In a 350 to 450 word essay it is
advisable to feature a maximum of three characters.

Let's make it known to our students that character need to be developed through dialogue, actions etc.

Dialogue enables our students' characters come alive to the reader.

However, our students should not just write dialogue for the sake of dialogue. Each piece of dialogue,
Mr Convener Slow Joe, should be meaningful and drive the plot of the narrative forward or else our
students just have to dispense with it.

Dialogue, Mr Scheduler Cuci Mano, is a dramatic unit is as much is a translation of action.

This, Mrs Mandihlare, brings us to the issue of on the nose dialogue and subtext.

On the nose dialogue is unnatural, boring, flat and disappointing as wet gun powder. It does nothing in
revealing character secrets, hidden intentions etc. For the said reason, on the nose dialogue is not good
for dialogue.
However, properly taught students should embrace "SUBTEXT" which is the opposite of on the nose
dialogue.

( To be continued tonight)

[1/28, 6:15 PM] +263 71 230 1308: onr must create suspence in an introduction ...also use deacriptive
language

[1/28, 7:04 PM] +263 77 113 6727: Also encourage learners to vary their sentences. They vary the
sentence structure, type and length. They should also vary the way they begin their paragraphs. It must
not be predictable

[1/29, 6:42 AM] +263 71 771 6031: I must openly confess that I always clearly discourage my students
from attempting any other composition type except narrative. Over the years, I've realised it's a bit
easier to get a C from a below-average student by placing emphasis on narrative writing.

[1/29, 6:48 AM] +263 77 269 8220: Kkkk i also do the same. My students are not the bright type so I tell
them to stick to narrative topics

[1/29, 6:56 AM] +263 71 821 9132: I beg to differ. I have realized that Factual essays are are easier if the
candidate is familiar with the topic eg a question like, "How can young people help in the fight against
HIV?" A below average candidate who chooses such a question will get higher marks than the same kind
of candidate who chooses a narrative essay question. This is because below average candidates are
come up with stories without adequate short story elements such as suspense, flash back etc

[1/29, 7:02 AM] +263 71 771 6031: Kkkk I wonder why you viewed your additional viewpoint as
"differing". If the candidates I take are doing well through narrative compositions and yours are
achieving the same with factual compositions I see it as a huge plus for both of us. I believe the main
determiner is the nature of the student.

[1/29, 7:11 AM] +263 77 487 8585: Try to teach all types of compositions then u identify kids with a
talent for each type and then coach them

[1/29, 7:11 AM] +263 71 771 6031: No, certainly not offended. In a very formal setup I think it's proper
to teach through the whole syllabus, while my current teaching circumstances are those that suit a
"panel-beating approach" in which several factors (including time, resources, a congested work schedule
etc) drive one towards the unorthodox but effective ways kkkk.

[1/29, 7:15 AM] +263 71 821 9132: Yes, I do teacher all types hammer on narrative and factual kkk. I
guess it depends with the types of learners. Most of my learners are those who come for Form One
with , 30 units or more.
[1/29, 7:23 AM] +263 77 355 8958: Your situation and circumstances are similar to mine. I lean towards
narratives. The results I got from the weak candidates were encouraging.

[1/29, 8:21 AM] +263 77 271 3803: Most of my classes lack general knowledge because they don't read
or even watch the news...they just watch Indian or African movies.. so they end up waffling...narrative
composition is better.

[1/29, 8:24 AM] +263 77 348 4434: I also encourage my learners to attempt the narrative and they do
well

[1/29, 10:51 AM] +263 77 263 4210: I also encourage the weak learners to attempt narrative
compositions and it is yielding results.

[1/29, 10:53 AM] +263 77 633 1639: Factual essays are convenient if the candidate employs subject
integration

[1/29, 11:00 AM] +263 77 633 1639: Take for eg: what can people in your community do to preserve
natural resources? Candidates will cite reforestation, deforestation, afforestation. Stream bank
cultivation etc thus using subject integration including agriculture, science, geography etc

[1/29, 11:00 AM] +263 77 264 8345: Gather facts on the topic/ subject. Develop each per paragraph. It
requires a lot of general knowledge

[1/29, 11:13 AM] +263 77 222 3964: Some one word like water ,soil are also better coz they don't limit,
you write what you know about those things

[1/29, 11:14 AM] +263 78 334 2897: I have challenges when my learners try to include dialogue or use of
the present tense in narrative essays so l heavily discourage it

[1/29, 11:21 AM] +263 77 366 3784: I do discourage mine as well..direct speech is bound by many rules
that they cannot follow so its better if they stick to reporting what they experienced