How to Effectively Storytell

Something I learned this week was how to effectively develop a character in literary work without writing a stereotypical narrative. Instead of having a chronological order, I can dissect the person – metaphorically – into events and perspectives that are crucial to portray. This was explained in great detail in The Atlantic’s article on storytelling. Even my choice novel, The Beautiful and Damned by F. Scott Fitzgerald, utilized this technique by having each, seemingly unrelated, chapter represent a different trait of the main character. When an author decides to write a narrative where all the events are chronological and not independently and uniquely representative, the main purpose gets heavily distorted. In other words, the characters get watered down. This advice is especially helpful for college application essays: as I have to tell a story about myself, I need to do such efficiently without ignoring any vital elements. Furthermore, this method of storytelling connects to the integration of an epiphany. By essentially “splitting” the unconventional narrative, I can dedicate a portion to the epiphany. This allows for the expansion on complete thoughts rather than jutting some realization midway in the essay. If I do apply this method of writing a narrative, I will also correct the errors my peers noticed during the in-class review of an underdeveloped pith. Another benefit is the lack of uninteresting sentences. To effectively convey the message in each section, all the sentences must further develop the desired meaning. This – ideally – keeps the audience engrossed in the essay the entire time.



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