What is the best way to start a personal narrative? If you could give me an example on how to start that would be great.My topic is about my family...

Let me give you a few
tips:

1. Open with a word picture that vividly describes a
image or feeling. One way to do this is to make sure you use sensory details and lots of
adjectives and adverbs. Also, make sure your language is strong by using specific verbs
and nouns. Let me give you an example of a word picture. I am at Saturday School right
now, so that's my setting to think about.

"Sterile white
walls and a clock that moved slower than molasses shouted out the reality of Saturday
School: it takes forever. The first two inmates walked in dressed in all black from
their trenchcoat tails to their think eyeliner, lipstick and nail
polish."

2. Be careful of the word "I". It is easy to use
this over and over in a personal narrative because you write from your own
perspective.

3. Since you are talking about a boat ride and
your concern is the water, think of all the different vocabulary you know to describe
water: cascading waterfalls, transparent, crystal clear, soothing, refreshing. I bet you
can come up with many more.

4. Think about opposites. You
might consider writing your intro about how you thought your trip
would be. In the last sentence state how wrong you were, and then tell the real story of
what happened.