Writing

Narrators play a pivotal role in storytelling, presenting the events and details that shape the storyline through their unique perspectives. The narrator is essentially a tool employed by the author to give readers a selective perspective of the story. As readers, we process the story through the eyes of the narrator. Our understanding of the various literary elements—plot, dialogue, conflict, resolution, theme—is shaped by the narrator’s very own (biased) perception. Whether it be first-person narration, where the narrator themself is narrating the story, or third-person narration, where a third party who is not directly involved in the storyline is narrating, we as readers share the narrator’s impression of the world around them.

As readers, we inherently rely on narrators to convey their stories in an authentic way, allowing us to process or make meaning of events and conflicts on our own. However, the fact of the matter is that many narrators are not reliable at all. Every narrator is unique and influenced by their respective biases and emotions. Oftentimes, in following along with a narrator’s rendition of a story, we subconsciously adopt those same biases and emotions—which prevents us from asking ourselves a critical question: Can we really trust the narrator’s version of the story?

Name: Adam Dalva
Genre(s): Fiction, Non-Fiction, Graphic Novels, Literary Criticism
Classes taught at Writers House: Non-Fiction, Introduction to Creative Writing, Advanced Multi-Genre

Tell us three interesting things about yourself that most people don’t know.
I deal 18th Century French Antique Furniture.
I once sang in the White House.
I’m one of the ten highest ranked Goodreads critics in America.

The concept of the “five senses” is not unfamiliar to most—in fact, as early as pre-school, many of us were taught various rhyme sequences and made-up songs to help us remember them. The five senses allow us to perceive, absorb, and navigate the world—but that is not all. They are also quite functional in the context of storytelling.

A good story is one that engages all five of the reader’s senses. Let us take, for example, a story where the main character is strolling through the city. The author must be able to convey the story in such a way that readers can place themselves directly in the character’s shoes. Readers should be able to visualize the tall, looming skyscrapers above them; hear the blaring of horns and chattering of fellow city-goers; smell the pollution-infused air drifting through the square; taste the flavorful punch of roasted peanuts purchased from a local street-food vendor; and feel the rugged, pot-hole infused streets beneath their feet. To help readers truly emulate a character’s journey, authors must appeal to each of their five senses using creativity and vivid imagery. Perhaps the term ‘storyteller’ is counterintuitive, as an engaging story is one where the writer can show, not tell. Simply stating events as they occur may be ideal for a news report, but it is certainly unideal for retaining the interest of readers. Instead, conveying the events in a way that allows readers to feel as though they are experiencing them first-hand will boost engagement. The key to doing so? Keeping the five senses in mind and using them as a guideline while writing.