Reflective Narrative Personal Essay

__________________________________ Period:_____
Prewriting Form

Name:

PREWRITING DIRECTIONS: After reading and analyzing the characteristics of several other example
essays, you are now ready to begin planning/pre-writing and writing your own reflective narrative
personal essay. Your finished essay is due by the beginning of class this Friday, May 1. This prewriting
page is due by the beginning of class tomorrow, Wed., April 29, because you will begin writing the actual
essay in class tomorrow (or you may start today if you finish this prewriting early). Now, answer these
prewriting questions/topics.
1) READ the topic/prompt #1, and PRETEND that you are required to write an essay about it:
TOPIC/PROMPT #1: Tell a story about an event that involved you that your family
members will be retelling for
years to come. What insight(s) did you gain from the moment
described in that story? Are there any lessons you have learned from
your current perspective that you did not learn at that time? What
insight(s) did your family member(s) gain?
NOW, LIST and briefly explain 3 possible events/experiences that you could write about
to answer all the questions in the prompt above and meet all the requirements of a
reflective narrative personal essay.
1a.)
1b.)
1c.)
2) Next, READ topic/prompt #2 that follows, & PRETEND that you are required to write an essay about it:
TOPIC/PROMPT #2: Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or
experience
there, and why is it meaningful to you?
LIST and briefly explain 3 possible places that you could write about to answer all the
questions in the prompt above and meet all the requirements of a reflective narrative
personal essay.
2a.)
3b.)
3c.)
3) Now that you have brainstormed for possible ideas for writing about either topic/prompt, put a
checkmark to
CHOOSE ONE of the topics/prompts to do for your own reflective narrative personal essay. (HINT:
Make sure
your story can fit well with ALL required parts or questions of the prompt you choose.)
_____ CHOICE / PROMPT#1: an event involving me (& a lesson learned) that family members will retell
event? ________________
_____ CHOICE / PROMPT#2 about a place or environment that makes me content and is meaningful
place? ________________

What

What

4) REFLECTION notes (You may you phrases to explain briefly.):

4a) Why is the event or place you chose to write about (depending on which prompt you chose above)
meaningful to you?
4b) How did it make you feel at the time?
4c) How does it make you feel now?
4d) What lesson(s) have you learned from the event/place?
5) POSSIBLE DIALOGUE:
5a) Is anyone else involved in the place or event that you are writing about that would make it
appropriate to include
dialogue with/by the person(s)? If so, who and dialogue about what?

5b) Which PERSONAL THOUGHTS could you possibly write/punctuate like dialogue?
6) a) What will be be particularly DESCRIPTIVE about?
b) Think of some good adjectives and descriptive words/phrases you could use:
7) Can you think of and write any figurative language/figures of speech (or persuasive
techniques) that would be good to include? (maybe a metaphor, simile, analogy, repetition, parallelism,
etc.)
NOW YOU ARE READY to write your essay on your own paper, NEATLY PRINTED, double-spaced
for easier editing.