6) Use a variety of techniques effectively to provide supportive detail in writing (snapshot, similes/metaphors, explosions, and dialogue)

It was July 7th, 2004. I remember all the details clearly. It was somewhere around 4:30 in the morning. I woke up to my mom running to the door. I lay there, frozen, just waiting for something to happen. I was just thinking, 'What's going on?' And so many more questions. Then I remember my mom burst out crying. I shot up, stilled for a second, then got out from under the covers. I ran through everything, leaving all behind me. As soon as I could see what was going on, I stopped. Frozen, like a block of ice unable to melt. I stared at my mother, then the cop. Not knowing why he was there. I felt dumb, like I should know what was going on. I didn't know what to say, or think, or even do. I wanted to speak but there was nothing coming out. It felt like I had a big lump in my throat. I don't know how I knew, but I knew that it did involve my father. The cop helped my mother get up off the floor. She looked useless, or flimsy. She layed on the couch, and there I joined her. I remember her telling me what happened. I knew she was leaving out details; she didn't want to tell me the details because she didn't want me to remember my dad living through that. She could barely even speak. I understood my mom very well. I started crying, and I didn't know what to think. I acted very mature for an 8 year old in this situation. I was really confused at first. I had all these questions, like 'Why did it have to be him?' 'Why was it now?' I couldn't help myself from crying. I wanted to wake up my brother and sister. Mom wouldn't let me till about an hour later.

----I chose this paragraph again because it gives you a really good snapshot of what is going on at the time. A lot of emotion and thought. This is the main part of what my memoir is about. It's one of the first important things that was put into the memoir.