Determine the scope of the narrative. Some instructors ask students to relay their experiences with reading and writing from early childhood to the present day. Other instructors require students to focus their literacy narratives on a particular event and its effects. For example, if you wrote a letter to someone that had a profound impact, you might construct your narrative around the power of literacy during and after that event. Other instructors might ask you to connect the literacy practices you have learned during a semester to a broader understanding of yourself as a reader and writer. Check with your teacher or professor for specific requirements.
Choose a major assertion to drive your narrative. The scope of your narrative will partially determine its overarching focus. The leading contention of your literacy narrative is not exactly like a "thesis" since the major assertion you make about your literacy practices drives a narrative, not an argument. You should tailor your assertion to the scope and other specifications of your assignment.
Select specific examples for your literacy narrative, especially if you plan to write a narrative that addresses an expansive period of time. In "Literacy Narratives as Genres of Possibility," DeRosa notes how self-reflective writing often explodes students' self-perceptions or "literacy myths." How has the conception of yourself as a writer changed? Consider this along with your relationship as a writer with the community at large when you choose the examples for your literacy narrative.
Write a draft of your literacy narrative, following the specifications provided by your instructor. Do not worry about writing the "perfect" first draft. Share your draft with a peer. If possible, share it with your instructor.