Major Writing Assignment #1: Literacy Narrative

Student Learning Outcome A: Rhetorical Situation and Purpose
Student Learning Outcome C: Writing as a Process

In your first major writing assignment for this class, I want you to write a narrative of a single experience you have had with writing, otherwise known as a Literacy Narrative.

Why a Literacy Narrative?

Since human beings communicate primarily in narratives, and because most of you may not see yourselves as “writers” just yet, it is important to examine a single, memorable writing experience you have had to help you recognize that you have been making intentional moves as a writer all along. You’ll do a bit of creative writing, combined with an analysis of your writing experience and rhetorical moves as an author.

What is a Literacy Narrative?

A Literacy Narrative is the retelling of the experience surrounding your writing and identifying the literary tools and moves you made while writing. It includes an in-depth look at the events surrounding the writing (details of the senses, time, place, and situation) with an introspective look at rhetorical moves you have made as a writer to address your audience and include the basic rhetorical elements of genre, audience, situation, and purpose.

The questions you should answer before you begin crafting your narrative include (but aren’t limited to):

  • What writing experience have I had that was significant? Was it a positive or a negative experience?
  • What sequence of events surrounded that writing experience?
  • What sensory details (smell, touch, taste, hear, see) or details of time, place, or situation do I remember? (Remember you have creative license to recreate some of those memories)
  • What rhetorical tools (genre, audience, purpose) did I employ?
  • What intentional persuasive moves did I make as a writer during that experience?

Remember that every narrative follows a structure of some sort, beginning with an exposition (the introduction), rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.

Labor-based Requirements

  • Write a narrative that follows a narrative structure and tells the story of your writing experience
  • Incorporate rhetorical choices of genre, audience, situation, and purpose
  • Include sensory details
  • MLA format, Times New Roman 12 pt font
  • Length: As long as it needs to be to fully examine those details and intentional moves (no short papers—really dive into this)