Structuring a story

In a nutshell

A narrative is a piece of writing that focuses on telling a story. It can be written to educate or entertain the reader and they can be either fact or fiction.

Narrative structure

A narrative structure is the order in which the story is being told to the readers.

A NARRATIVE STRUCTURE INCLUDES:	Characters - This is anyone or anything that performs the action or speaks the dialogue in the story.	Settings - This is the location and time of the story. A setting can change and it can be fictional or non-fictional.
Conflict - This is the problem in the story that affects the characters.	Climax - This is the part of the story where the action is at its peak.	Resolution - This is the final stage of the story where the problem is solved.

Types of narrative

There are different types of narratives. Here are some of the most common:

Linear narrative	'Linear' means straight, so this type of narrative is when the events of the story unfold in order that they actually happened.
Non-linear narrative	This is the opposite of linear, so the events in this type of narrative will be out of order. Authors may use different time frames to jump back in time and jump back into the present. They may also use flashbacks to show a character's memory, which adds extra detail of a certain event to the story.
Quest narratives	This is just how it sounds! This type of narrative is all about quests and achieving a goal.
Viewpoint narrative	This narrative type is usually written in first person and focuses on the characters view. This may include their thoughts and feelings.

What makes a good narrative?

A story wouldn't be interesting without including the following things:

An entertaining beginning	This is what hooks the reader in. Some authors may start the story from the middle because this is the point of action where the readers are most interested.
Detail	Narratives engage readers by making sure that their stories create an imaginative experience. They do this by using a lot of description and imagery in their writing. Figurative language such as similes, metaphors, hyperbole is used to create detailed images.
Organisation and structure	A narrative needs a good pace. If you write all the exciting events all at once, the rest of the story will be boring, so it is important to make sure your story is organised.
A good ending	Once the reader has finished reading a story, they should feel satisfied about what has happened at the end; perhaps the character has found what they have been searching for or the princess finally gets her happy ever after. The ending of a story is just as important as the beginning.