Page 145

Writing Personal Narratives

Sometimes, the worst experiences become the best stories. Things that seem bewildering or tragic at the time might seem hilarious later. People will ask you to tell these stories over and over, and as you do, you’ll get better at relaying them. You’ll create suspense and emphasize the funny parts, even adding gestures and facial expressions.

You can also relay such stories in writing. Establish the place and time, introduce the main people involved, and reveal a problem. Then tell your real-life story. Make it exciting and fun so that people will want to read it again and again.

This chapter provides a model personal narrative about a funny experience, followed by guidelines to help you capture your own memories.