Narrative Construction Machine: 
a creative narrative construction flowchart developed by Susan Smith Nash

This flowchart will help you develop a narrative that foregrounds consubstantiality -- which is to say that it helps you establish an immediate emotional connection with your reader.  Enjoy!! 

Write down a strong emotion.



Describe what you did last weekend, or what a person in a dangerous and/or compromised situation did last weekend:








Describe a scene from one of your favorite movies:

A slow, steady walk in the sand:  Reality unfolds in sometimes surprising way.

Overhead conversation at a restaurant, dining room, etc.








A philosopher or "classic" writer's name:



Describe a frustrating experience:








Describe the colors, smells, and tastes in a scene where you feel a strong emotion:








Write a sentence about what you dream about doing in the future: