Event report: Structure in narrative writing by Michèle Drouart AE
From Editors WA
By Sophie Whettingsteel
Michèle Drouart, PhD, AE, HLM, began her career as a freelance editor while writing her award-winning memoir Into the wadi (2000). In November 2025, Editors WA was fortunate to have Michèle present her popular talk from the conference, “Structure in narrative writing: another perception”. Michèle is one of our honorary life members and this presentation showcased the excellent editing and literary skills that earned her that distinction.
Michèle walked us through the wonderful world of narrative structures and gave examples of linear, pendular and cyclical narrative structures that echoed a story’s themes. This was a reminder of how the shape of the narrative structure can further emphasise the meaning of the work and deepen the reader experience.
Finally, Michèle provided examples of both classic and contemporary works to help ground this theory in recognisable texts.
This talk was useful for editors and writers alike who were seeking to expand their understanding of the many ways narrative structure can be used to strengthen a work.