Writing Skills – How To Write A Personal Narrative/Recount

By Stuart Ackerman

     A personal narrative, or recount, is a true story about something that happened to the person who is writing, hence, it is personal writing.

     The following description will help you help your child write a personal piece of writing.

     A personal writing piece is the retelling or recounting of someone’s past experiences.  They are usually told in the first person “I”.  Personal writing is descriptive accounts with details that support the writer’s perspective.  It is also important to know that personal writing is structured in a chronological order.   

     The focus of the personal writing piece is to create sequential events that involve the author.  There are several types of personal writing such as, personal recounts, autobiographies, letters, diaries, eye-witness accounts, and journals.                                

    Personally written narratives usually begin with an opening statement that introduces the 5w’s (who, what, where, when, why).  The important events are discussed in detail throughout the body in paragraphs.  Each paragraph should discuss a particular event.  The beginning of each paragraph should start with a linking word such as: first, after, soon, when, later, or finally.  The last part of the personal narrative should include a concluding statement.  This concluding statement should sum up the author’s summary of the events.

The personal writing piece should also have the proper language conventions.  The participants in the recount should be as specific as possible (e.g. instead of my aunt, it should be my Aunt Jenny).  Recounts should also be written in past tense.  Students should edit their work by paying attention to their verb tenses.  Also, transition words that clearly illustrate the chronology should be used in order to create a sense of 'flow' in the writing.   Finally, details and a first person perspective are also essential for a well written personal narrative.

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