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00:00Hang on a second.
00:07I have to journal our progress to earn my Bear Scout self-reliance badge.
00:11All right, I suppose we can answer a letter first.
00:15Dear Tim and Moby, what are the different types of writing?
00:19From Seth.
00:21You have come to the right source, Seth.
00:24The three main types of writing are narrative, informational, and opinion.
00:30Narrative writing tells a story or shares an experience, which can be real or made up.
00:36It includes novels and stories, plays, memoirs, and the musings from my hiking journal.
00:43The sun had barely peeked her head over the horizon when I rose, ready to heed the call
00:48of the great outdoors.
00:51Armed with boundless anticipation and baggies of gorp, Moby and I began our journey.
00:57Not ten paces down the path, a deadly snake the size of my arm appeared at our feet.
01:03Heroically, I tossed a stick at the beast, which slithered away in defeat.
01:08Victory is mine, I shouted, flush with triumph.
01:13My companion and I pressed on, safe once more, though forever changed by our brush
01:19with death.
01:20No way, that snake was huge and definitely venomous.
01:25Anyway, my narrative includes all the key story elements, characters, setting, plot,
01:31and conflict, and the vivid details to bring the story to life.
01:36Instead of writing, it was early, I describe how the sun had barely peeked over the horizon.
01:44I don't just say the snake was big, I compared it to the size of my arm.
01:49Both are examples of figurative language.
01:52That's when you use comparison or figures of speech for a heightened effect.
01:57Dialogue and action give dimension to the characters.
02:01Like my brave moves and cry of victory show my prowess in the face of danger.
02:07Let's move on.
02:09Trail Guide, please.
02:12From the trailhead, walk east 500 feet, then bear right at the blue blaze.
02:22Continue to follow the blue blazes until you reach the stream.
02:26Use the wooden bridge to cross the stream, then turn left and follow the yellow blazes
02:30uphill.
02:33Directions like these are an example of explanatory or informational writing.
02:38They explain or inform us how to navigate the trail.
02:43The point of explanatory writing is to deliver info in a clear, straightforward way.
02:48Recipes, instruction manuals, encyclopedia articles, or other explanations of a topic
02:54all qualify.
02:56Anyway, I know these woods like the back of my hand.
03:01Follow me.
03:02A true bear scout needs no directions.
03:08Hmm.
03:09I could have sworn we were supposed to veer left at that last fork.
03:13Well, might as well take five for some more reflective journaling.
03:17The correct way to go hiking, by Moby.
03:26Hiking can be fun, but only if it's done correctly.
03:29Moby, any bear scout will tell you that there's no one right way to go hiking.
03:35For example, it is important to carry a trail guide at all times.
03:40The bear scout's hiking badge literally shows a trail map.
03:45Otherwise, you might end up wandering for hours, totally lost, and completely out of
03:50gorp.
03:51Also, to hike literally means to walk, not sit around on rocks writing in your journal.
03:58Plus, you should not exaggerate and claim you've seen a venomous snake.
04:04Then no one else will hike that trail, which is too bad, because it's a very nice trail.
04:10Or it was, before someone made us leave it behind.
04:14Okay, you're expressing some pretty strong opinions here, pal.
04:19Which, wrongheaded though they are, makes this a great example of opinion writing, or
04:25argumentation.
04:26You're trying to persuade readers of your point of view, and you back up reasoning with
04:31evidence, even if some of it is a bit questionable.
04:34I might just respond with my own opinion essay about how hiking can be whatever you want
04:39it to be.
04:40I bet the local newspaper would be thrilled to run it on their op-ed page.
04:44Fine, I'll write it later.
04:47To sum up, narrative writing tells a story, informational writing conveys facts, and opinion
04:54writing, or argumentation, aims to convince you of something.
04:58Although, not all writing falls neatly into one of these categories.
05:02Some texts fit into two, or even all three.
05:07Take my A-plus project on Henry David Thoreau.
05:10Most of it tells the story of Thoreau's life, so it's a narrative.
05:14But it's also informational, with parts explaining his experience of living off the land.
05:19Finally, the author, me, is trying to persuade you that following Thoreau's philosophy of
05:26self-reliance will make you a better person.
05:29Which makes it opinion writing.
05:32I don't care that Thoreau's mother did all his laundry.
05:35He was self-reliant in other ways.
05:37Speaking of, how about I just call my mom to come and get us?
05:43Yeah, hi mom.
05:44Do you think you can come pick up Moby and me?
05:47Oh, a good question.
05:50Where are we?