Narrative Writing Flashcards
All 13 cards in this deck
What does "an episode, not a plot" mean for a Question 5 story?
Write about one event over a short span of time, not a chain of events. Not "a whole school trip", but "the ten minutes after the coach leaves without you". Examiners reward depth in a small episode over a fast-paced, superficial plot.
What should the opening of a story achieve?
Establish a voice, a character the reader cares about, a setting and a question or tension that makes the reader want more. It doesn't have to explain everything; leaving gaps is part of the hook.
What is starting in medias res, and what is its effect?
Beginning in the middle of the action, without introduction: "By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs, the water was already at my ankles." It hooks the reader at once and raises questions that the rest of the opening can answer.
How much dialogue should a Question 5 story contain?
Very little. Examiners criticise long exchanges, which slow the story and take over from description. A few purposeful lines, each revealing character or raising tension, are enough.
How can you cut back a long dialogue exchange without losing its content?
Keep the one line that matters, turn the rest into reported speech or a summary, and use action to carry feeling: "She didn't answer. She just kept folding the same towel."
What makes an ending "rushed", and how do you avoid it?
A rushed ending ties everything up in a sentence or two: a sudden rescue, "it was all a dream", everyone dying. Plan the ending before you start, leave time for it, and give the last paragraph the same care as the first.
If the task is the opening of a story, how should you end your piece?
On a turn, decision or unanswered question, not a resolution. The reader should feel the story could clearly carry on, for example with a character stepping through a door or a revelation that changes everything.
What does first-person narration offer compared with third person?
First person ("I") gives direct access to one character's thoughts and voice, building intimacy, but limits what the reader can know. Third person ("she") allows more distance and can move between characters or reveal what the main character can't see.
How many characters should a Question 5 story focus on?
One or two, properly developed. Each extra character needs introducing and handling, and in 45 minutes that spreads the writing thin and makes it superficial.
How can you show a character's personality without stating it?
Through actions, choices and small details. Instead of "Dad was anxious", write "Dad checked the tickets, then checked them again." The reader infers the trait, which makes the character feel real.
How can you control pace at the key moment of a story?
Slow it down: stretch a few seconds over a paragraph with thoughts, sensory detail and short sentences. Move quickly through less important moments. Controlling pace is something the higher levels explicitly reward.
What are "temporal" and "spatial" shifts, which the mark scheme mentions?
Temporal: moves in time, such as a brief flashback or a jump forward. Spatial: moves in place, such as from a street to inside a room. Skilful, purposeful shifts are a typical feature of top-level narratives.
In "I'd rehearsed the apology forty times on the bus. Then she opened the door, and all forty versions left at once.", what technique is used and what is its effect?
Hyperbole and personification: the rehearsed apologies "left at once". It shows the narrator's panic and blank mind in a vivid, slightly comic way, and the short second sentence marks the moment everything goes wrong.