Storytelling in Academic Writing

Learning to tell a story helped me to learn how to write. In a class called The Writing Workshop, I was assigned to write a personal narrative about something that changed my mind or heart. I told the story of how my sister... [ view full abstract ]

Learning to tell a story helped me to learn how to write. In a class called The Writing Workshop, I was assigned to write a personal narrative about something that changed my mind or heart. I told the story of how my sister confronted me and told me that I was a hypocrite as a Christian. Her confrontation helped me to see my self-righteous pride and recognize my need for forgiveness. I created and shared my personal narrative both as an essay and as a short film. Through analysis of my memories, I engaged in the research process as I composed a personal narrative. By retelling my narrative, I engaged in the revision process, practicing judgement as I incorporated the questions and feedback of my peers into later drafts. I practiced decision making when I selected the major themes of my narrative to present in my short film. By telling my story in multiple ways I gained a greater understanding of my past and how it continues to influence my life today.