Autobiographical Incident
Step 1: Analyze the Prompt
Prompt:
Write about an event in your life that was significant
because you learned something or were changed in some
way.
Modeling Autobiographical Incident
Step 3: Explore your memory for details.
First Time Snowboarding
Scenes
Ski lift
(going up and
view below)
The trip
down
Key People
Me
(nervous,
excited, tired,
proud)
Main Events
Up the lift
Riding down
The lodge
Going again
My sister (joking) And again
Significance
I learned that
getting out your
comfort zone
and trying
something new
can be very
rewarding.
Autobiographical Incident
Step 4: Write an introduction. Include a grabber, some
background information, and a hint of the topic.
Growing up, I always wanted to be the kind of person who loves to
Grabber
try new things… but there was
one problem… the unknown terrified
me. I had skied a few times as a kid and loved it. Several loyal
snowboarding friends tried to convince me that their sport would be
even better, and although I figured they were right, I felt completely
Background
unsure of myself. My sister
had done it a few times before and
begged to teach me. When the big day came, the anxiety on the ski
lift, the exhilaration of actually snowboarding down the mountain,
and the gratification that I felt
afterwards, all made trying something
Topic
new an extremely exciting experience.
Autobiographical Incident
Step 5: Write your conclusion. Remember to state or imply
what happened as a result of your experience. Try
to use a statement about human experience in
general .
Years later, snowboarding is still one of the best events I’ve ever
participated in. It is not only a fun pastime, but an exciting adventure
why it was memorable
as well. Despite the fact that my body had never been so chillingly
cold, so unbelievably tired, or so painfully sore before, I knew that it
was all worth the enjoyment. The pride I felt in getting out of my
relate
human
experience
comfort zone to try something
newto
was
emanating
from me. I knew
that this afternoon would not soon be forgotten. After the incredible
experience of snowboarding for the first time, I realized that it
definitely would not be my last.