Begin by brainstorming experiences in your life that you think may be a good fit to showcase a story where you experienced gratitude. Once you settle on an experience upon which to write, begin to imagine the experience as a story. Use the storytelling graphic organizer to brainstorm the sequence of events.

Step by Step Checklist: Crafting the Personal NarrativeBegin by brainstorming experiences in your life that you think may be a good fit to showcase a story where you experienced gratitude.Once you settle on an experience upon which to write, begin to imagine the experience as a story. Use the storytelling graphic organizer to brainstorm the sequence of events.Next, imagine the characters who will appear in your story. Of course, you will be in this, but who else plays a role? Imagine you are a character in the story, as well as those who share in the experience. By imagining you and others as characters, this will lead you to appropriately characterize those involved as well as build conversations between the characters. Internal or external conversations or dialogue between characters allows the reader to really see the story unfold. We call this showing vs. telling.Start Writing! As you begin to draft your first draft, focus on using vivid details and sense imagery. If the story becomes too detailed or too long, you can always edit what is necessary. As well, share details that are specific and relevant to this experience.