how to write an essay narrative essay

What is a Narrative Essay? How to Write It (with Examples)

Narrative essays are a type of storytelling in which writers weave a personal experience into words to create a fascinating and engaging narrative for readers. A narrative essay explains a story from the author’s point of view to share a lesson or memory with the reader. Narrative essays, like descriptive essays , employ figurative language to depict the subject in a vivid and creative manner to leave a lasting impact on the readers’ minds. In this article, we explore the definition of narrative essays, list the key elements to be included, and provide tips on how to craft a narrative that captivates your audience.

What is a narrative essay, choosing narrative essay topics, key elements in a narrative essay, creating a narrative essay outline, types of narrative essays, the pre-writing stage, the writing stage, the editing stage, narrative essay example, frequently asked questions.

Narrative essays are often based on one’s personal experience which allows the author to express himself/herself in compelling ways for the reader. They employ storytelling elements to convey the plot and captivate the reader while disclosing the story’s theme or purpose. The author must always have a purpose or theme in mind when writing a narrative essay. These essays may be assigned to high school students to assess their ability to create captivating stories based on personal experiences, or they may be required as part of a college application to assess the applicant’s personal traits. Narrative essays might be based on true events with minor tweaks for dramatic purposes, or they can be adapted from a fictional scenario. Whatever the case maybe, the goal is to tell a story, a good story!

In narrative essays, the emphasis is not so much on the narrative itself as it is on how you explain it. Narrative essay topics cover a range of experiences, from noteworthy to mundane, but when storytelling elements are used well, even a simple account can have weight. Notably, the skills required for narrative writing differ significantly from those needed for formal academic essays, and we will delve deeper into this in the next section.

You can talk about any narrative, but consider whether it is fascinating enough, has enough twists and turns, or teaches a lesson (It’s a plus if the story contains an unexpected twist at the end). The potential topics for a narrative essay are limitless—a triumphant story, a brief moment of introspection, or a voyage of self-discovery. These essays provide writers with the opportunity to share a fragment of their lives with the audience, enriching both the writer’s and the reader’s experiences. Narrative essay examples could be a write-up on “What has been your biggest achievement in life so far and what did it teach you?” or “Describe your toughest experience and how you dealt with it?”.

While narrative essays allow you to be creative with your ideas, language, and format, they must include some key components to convey the story clearly, create engaging content and build reader interest. Follow these guidelines when drafting your essay:

Tell your story using the first person to engage users.
Use sufficient sensory information and figurative language.
Follow an organized framework so the story flows chronologically.
Include interesting plot components that add to the narrative.
Ensure clear language without grammar, spelling, or word choice errors.

Narrative essay outlines serve as the foundational structure for essay composition, acting as a framework to organize thoughts and ideas prior to the writing process. These outlines provide writers with a means to summarize the story, and help in formulating the introduction and conclusion sections and defining the narrative’s trajectory.

Unlike conventional essays that strictly adhere to the five-paragraph structure, narrative essays allow for more flexibility as the organization is dictated by the flow of the story. The outline typically encompasses general details about the events, granting writers the option to prioritize writing the body sections first while deferring the introduction until later stages of the writing process. This approach allows for a more organic and fluid writing process. If you’re wondering how to start writing a narrative essay outline, here is a sample designed to ensure a compelling and coherent narrative:

Introduction

Hook/Opening line: The introduction should have an opening/hook sentence that is a captivating quote, question, or anecdote that grabs the reader’s attention.
Background: Briefly introduce the setting, time, tone, and main characters.
Thesis statement: State clearly the main theme or lesson acquired from the experience.
Event 1 (according to occurrence): Describe the first major event in detail. Introduce the primary characters and set the story context; include sensory elements to enrich the narrative and give the characters depth and enthusiasm.
Event 2: Ensure a smooth transition from one event to the next. Continue with the second event in the narrative. For more oomph, use suspense or excitement, or leave the plot with cliffhanger endings. Concentrate on developing your characters and their relationships, using dialog to bring the story to life.
Event 3: If there was a twist and suspense, this episode should introduce the climax or resolve the story. Keep the narrative flowing by connecting events logically and conveying the feelings and reactions of the characters.
Summarize the plot: Provide a concise recap of the main events within the narrative essay. Highlight the key moments that contribute to the development of the storyline. Offer personal reflections on the significance of the experiences shared, emphasizing the lasting impact they had on the narrator. End the story with a clincher; a powerful and thought-provoking sentence that encapsulates the essence of the narrative. As a bonus, aim to leave the reader with a memorable statement or quote that enhances the overall impact of the narrative. This should linger in the reader’s mind, providing a satisfying and resonant conclusion to the essay.

There are several types of narrative essays, each with their own unique traits. Some narrative essay examples are presented in the table below.

How to write a narrative essay: Step-by-step guide

A narrative essay might be inspired by personal experiences, stories, or even imaginary scenarios that resonate with readers, immersing them in the imaginative world you have created with your words. Here’s an easy step-by-step guide on how to write a narrative essay.

Select the topic of your narrative

If no prompt is provided, the first step is to choose a topic to write about. Think about personal experiences that could be given an interesting twist. Readers are more likely to like a tale if it contains aspects of humor, surprising twists, and an out-of-the-box climax. Try to plan out such subjects and consider whether you have enough information on the topic and whether it meets the criteria of being funny/inspiring, with nice characters/plot lines, and an exciting climax. Also consider the tone as well as any stylistic features (such as metaphors or foreshadowing) to be used. While these stylistic choices can be changed later, sketching these ideas early on helps you give your essay a direction to start.

Create a framework for your essay

Once you have decided on your topic, create an outline for your narrative essay. An outline is a framework that guides your ideas while you write your narrative essay to keep you on track. It can help with smooth transitions between sections when you are stuck and don’t know how to continue the story. It provides you with an anchor to attach and return to, reminding you of why you started in the first place and why the story matters.

Compile your first draft

A perfect story and outline do not work until you start writing the draft and breathe life into it with your words. Use your newly constructed outline to sketch out distinct sections of your narrative essay while applying numerous linguistic methods at your disposal. Unlike academic essays, narrative essays allow artistic freedom and leeway for originality so don’t stop yourself from expressing your thoughts. However, take care not to overuse linguistic devices, it’s best to maintain a healthy balance to ensure readability and flow.

Use a first-person point of view

One of the most appealing aspects of narrative essays is that traditional academic writing rules do not apply, and the narration is usually done in the first person. You can use first person pronouns such as I and me while narrating different scenarios. Be wary of overly using these as they can suggest lack of proper diction.

Use storytelling or creative language

You can employ storytelling tactics and linguistic tools used in fiction or creative writing, such as metaphors, similes, and foreshadowing, to communicate various themes. The use of figurative language, dialogue, and suspense is encouraged in narrative essays.

Follow a format to stay organized

There’s no fixed format for narrative essays, but following a loose format when writing helps in organizing one’s thoughts. For example, in the introduction part, underline the importance of creating a narrative essay, and then reaffirm it in the concluding paragraph. Organize your story chronologically so that the reader can follow along and make sense of the story.

Reread, revise, and edit

Proofreading and editing are critical components of creating a narrative essay, but it can be easy to become weighed down by the details at this stage. Taking a break from your manuscript before diving into the editing process is a wise practice. Stepping away for a day or two, or even just a few hours, provides valuable time to enhance the plot and address any grammatical issues that may need correction. This period of distance allows for a fresh perspective, enabling you to approach the editing phase with renewed clarity and a more discerning eye.

One suggestion is to reconsider the goals you set out to cover when you started the topic. Ask yourself these questions:

Is there a distinct beginning and end to your story?
Does your essay have a topic, a memory, or a lesson to teach?
Does the tone of the essay match the intended mood?

Now, while keeping these things in mind, modify and proofread your essay. You can use online grammar checkers and paraphrase tools such as Paperpal to smooth out any rough spots before submitting it for publication or submission.

It is recommended to edit your essay in the order it was written; here are some useful tips:

Revise the introduction

After crafting your narrative essay, review the introduction to ensure it harmonizes with the developed narrative. Confirm that it adeptly introduces the story and aligns seamlessly with the conclusion.

Revise the conclusion and polish the essay

The conclusion should be the final element edited to ensure coherence and harmony in the entire narrative. It must reinforce the central theme or lesson outlined initially.

Revise and refine the entire article

The last step involves refining the article for consistent tone, style, and tense as well as correct language, grammar, punctuation, and clarity. Seeking feedback from a mentor or colleague can offer an invaluable external perspective at this stage.

Narrative essays are true accounts of the writer’s personal experiences, conveyed in figurative language for sensory appeal. Some narrative essay topic examples include writing about an unforgettable experience, reflecting on mistakes, or achieving a goal. An example of a personal narrative essay is as follows:

Title: A Feline Odyssey: An Experience of Fostering Stray Kittens

Introduction:

It was a fine summer evening in the year 2022 when a soft meowing disrupted the tranquility of my terrace. Little did I know that this innocent symphony would lead to a heartwarming journey of compassion and companionship. Soon, there was a mama cat at my doorstep with four little kittens tucked behind her. They were the most unexpected visitors I had ever had.

The kittens, just fluffs of fur with barely open eyes, were a monument to life’s fragility. Their mother, a street-smart feline, had entrusted me with the care of her precious offspring. The responsibility was sudden and unexpected, yet there was an undeniable sense of purpose in the air , filling me with delight and enthusiasm.

As the days unfolded, my terrace transformed into a haven for the feline family. Cardboard boxes became makeshift cat shelters and my once solitary retreat was filled with purrs and soothing meows. The mother cat, Lily, who initially observ ed me from a safe distance, gradually began to trust my presence as I offered food and gentle strokes.

Fostering the kittens was a life-changing , enriching experience that taught me the true joy of giving as I cared for the felines. My problems slowly faded into the background as evenings were spent playing with the kittens. Sleepless nights turned into a symphony of contented purring, a lullaby filled with the warmth of trust and security . Although the kittens were identical, they grew up to have very distinct personalities, with Kuttu being the most curious and Bobo being the most coy . Every dawn ushered in a soothing ritual of nourishing these feline companions, while nights welcomed their playful antics — a daily nocturnal delight.

Conclusion:

As the kittens grew, so did the realization that our paths were destined to part. Finally, the day arrived when the feline family, now confident and self-reliant, bid farewell to my terrace. It was a bittersweet moment, filled with a sense of love and accomplishment and a tinge of sadness.

Fostering Kuttu, Coco, Lulu, and Bobo became one of the most transformative experiences of my life. Their arrival had brought unexpected joy, teaching me about compassion and our species’ ability to make a difference in the world through love and understanding. The terrace, once a quiet retreat, now bore the echoes of a feline symphony that had touched my heart in ways I could have never imagined.

The length of a narrative essay may vary, but it is typically a brief to moderate length piece. Generally, the essay contains an introductory paragraph, two to three body paragraphs (this number can vary), and a conclusion. The entire narrative essay could be as short as five paragraphs or much longer, depending on the assignment’s requirements or the writer’s preference.

You can write a narrative essay when you have a personal experience to share, or a story, or a series of events that you can tell in a creative and engaging way. Narrative essays are often assigned in academic settings as a form of writing that allows students to express themselves and showcase their storytelling skills. However, you can also write a narrative essay for personal reflection, entertainment, or to communicate a message.

A narrative essay usually follows a three-part structure: – Introduction (To set the stage for the story) – Body paragraphs (To describe sequence of events with details, descriptions, and dialogue) – Conclusion (To summarize the story and reflect on the significance)

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What is a Descriptive Essay? How to Write It (with Examples)

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The Art of Narrative

Learn to write.

How to Write a Narrative Essay: Step by Step

A narrative essay is a captivating form of storytelling that allows writers to convey personal experiences or fictional tales in a compelling manner. Whether recounting real-life events or weaving imaginative narratives, the essence of a narrative essay lies in its ability to entertain, inform, or persuade the reader. Let’s learn how to write a narrative essay!

What is a Narrative Essay?

A narrative essay is a form of writing that conveys a story, whether fictional or based on authentic experiences. It allows the writer to share a sequence of events, weaving together the plot, characters, setting, and theme elements. The primary purpose of a narrative essay can vary, as it can aim to entertain, inform, or persuade the reader.

The writer often draws inspiration from personal experiences or observations when writing a narrative essay. It is an opportunity for the writer to share a slice of their life, explore their emotions, and connect with the reader on a personal level. The story can revolve around a specific event, a journey, a turning point, or a significant relationship in the writer’s life.

The structure of a narrative essay typically follows the traditional narrative arc, beginning with an engaging introduction that establishes the setting, introduces the main characters, and hints at the central conflict or theme. The body paragraphs gradually unravel the story, presenting events chronologically or employing flashbacks and foreshadowing techniques to create suspense. The writer uses vivid language, imagery, and sensory details to immerse the reader in the story and evoke emotions.

The writer’s style is crucial in crafting a captivating narrative essay. To enhance the storytelling experience, they may employ different narrative techniques, such as dialogue, incorporating symbolism, or alternating between first-person and third-person perspectives. Using literary devices and figurative language adds depth and richness to the writing, helping the writer convey complex emotions and create a lasting impression on the reader.

In terms of purpose, a narrative essay can be written to entertain the reader by providing an engaging and enjoyable story. It can also be informative by sharing knowledge or experiences that educate or enlighten the reader. Additionally, a narrative essay can aim to persuade the reader by presenting a particular viewpoint or argument, using storytelling to convey a message or influence the reader’s thoughts and emotions.

Narrative essays offer writers a versatile and compelling way to connect with their audience. They allow writers to explore the human experience, share their perspectives, and evoke emotions in the reader. Whether it’s a personal anecdote, a historical account, or a work of fiction, a well-crafted narrative essay can transport the reader to different worlds, inspire reflection, and leave a lasting impact.

Features of a Narrative Essay

A narrative essay is a type of essay that tells a story or recounts a sequence of events from the author’s personal experiences or imagination. Here are some key features of a narrative essay:

Storytelling: The essay is structured around a central story or narrative thread. Writers may base their narrative on real-life experiences, anecdotes, or fictional events.
Point of View : The narrative is usually told in the first person, using “I” to convey the author’s personal involvement or observation in the events described.
Plot: Like any story, a narrative essay typically has a beginning, middle, and end. It may include exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
Characters: The essay may feature characters who play roles within the narrative. These characters could be real people, fictional creations, or even representations of abstract concepts.
Descriptive language often engages the reader and creates a vivid picture of the events. This includes sensory details such as sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures.
Dialogue: Dialogue can add authenticity and bring characters to life. It helps advance the plot and reveal character traits or motivations.
Conflict: A narrative essay often involves some form of conflict or tension, whether internal (within the protagonist) or external (between characters or with external circumstances). Resolving this conflict is often central to the narrative’s arc.
Theme: Narrative essays primarily tell a story but may also explore broader themes or ideas. These themes could include love, friendship, loss, resilience, growth, or any other topic relevant to the narrative.
Emotional Impact: Effective narrative essays evoke emotions in the reader, whether it’s joy, sadness, excitement, empathy, or reflection. This emotional connection helps to make the story memorable and impactful.
Reflection or Moral: Many narrative essays conclude with a reflection or insight gained from the experiences. This reflection offers a lesson learned, a moral drawn from the story, or a deeper understanding of the events described.

A narrative essay aims to entertain, inform, and sometimes even persuade the reader by presenting a compelling story with a clear narrative arc and emotional resonance.

How to write a Narrative Essay Thesis Statement:

Writing a thesis statement for a narrative essay involves summarizing the main point or theme of the story you will tell. Here’s how to craft a strong thesis statement for a narrative essay:

Identify the Main Theme or Message : Reflect on the central idea or lesson that your narrative essay will convey. This theme could be a personal experience that taught you something valuable, a moment of realization, or a significant event in your life.
Consider the Narrative Arc: Consider the key events and turning points in your story. What is the journey or trajectory of your narrative? Your thesis statement should capture the essence of this narrative arc.
Be Specific and Concise: Your thesis statement should clearly state the main point of your narrative essay in a single sentence. Avoid vague language or overly general statements.
Make it Relevant: Your thesis statement should directly relate to the story you’re telling. It should capture the unique perspective or insight that your narrative offers.
Use Action Verbs and Descriptive Language: Infuse your thesis statement with vivid language that conveys the energy and emotion of your narrative. This language will help grab the reader’s attention and set the tone for your essay.
Provide a Preview: Your thesis statement can also hint at the direction of your essay and what readers can expect to learn or experience by reading it.

Here’s an example of a thesis statement for a narrative essay about a transformative travel experience:

Narrative Essay Thesis Statement Example:

“Through the challenges of navigating unfamiliar cultures and confronting my preconceptions, my journey to Orlando taught me the true meaning of resilience, empathy, and cultural understanding.”

This thesis statement succinctly summarizes the central theme (personal growth through travel), previews the narrative arc (challenges and lessons learned), and provides insight into the story’s significance.

How to Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step:

Writing a narrative essay involves several steps to convey your story and engage your readers effectively. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you write a narrative essay:

Choose a Topic : Choose a personal experience or event to narrate. It could be a significant moment in your life, a memorable trip, a challenging situation you overcame, or any other story that has impacted you.
Brainstorm Details: Take some time to brainstorm the details of your chosen topic. Consider the characters involved, the setting, the sequence of events, and any significant dialogue or interactions.
Outline Your Narrative : Create an outline to organize your thoughts and plan the structure of your essay. Include an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. Outline the main events of your story and any key points you want to emphasize.
Write a Compelling Introduction: Begin your essay with a strong hook that grabs the reader’s attention and introduces your narrative’s main idea or theme. Provide some background information to set the context for your story, and end your introduction with a clear thesis statement.
Develop the Body Paragraphs: In the body of your essay, narrate the events of your story in chronological order. Use descriptive language to paint a vivid picture for your readers and bring your story to life. Include details that engage your audience’s senses and emotions.
Include Dialogue and Reflection: Incorporate dialogue to add realism and depth to your narrative. Use quotation marks to indicate when characters are speaking. Additionally, intersperse moments of reflection throughout your essay to provide insight into your thoughts and feelings at different points in the story.
Maintain Narrative Flow: Your narrative should flow smoothly from one event to the next. Use transitional phrases and sentences to connect your ideas and guide your readers through the story.
Create a Memorable Conclusion: End your essay with a conclusion that ties up any loose ends and leaves a lasting impression on your readers. Reflect on the events’ significance and reiterate your narrative’s central message or lesson.
Revise and Edit: Once you’ve written a draft of your narrative essay, take the time to revise and edit it. Check for grammar and punctuation errors, clarify confusing passages, and refine your language for clarity and impact. Consider seeking feedback from peers or instructors to improve your essay further.
Finalize Your Essay: After making revisions, read through your essay to ensure it meets your standards. Make any necessary changes, and then finalize your narrative essay for submission or publication.

By following these steps, you can effectively write a compelling narrative essay that captures the attention of your readers and communicates your story with clarity and impact.

Learn how to write a Prose Poem!

How to write a Narrative Essay Conclusion:

Writing a conclusion for a narrative essay involves wrapping up the story you’ve told while leaving a lasting impression on your readers. Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to write a narrative essay conclusion:

Revisit the Thesis Statement: Start your conclusion by revisiting your essay’s thesis statement or central idea. Remind your readers of the central theme or message that your narrative has explored.
Summarize the Journey: Briefly summarize the events and experiences you’ve narrated throughout your essay. Highlight the key moments that contributed to the story’s development and the characters involved.
Reflect on the Significance: Consider the significance of your story. Consider your narrative about the human experience, personal growth, or the broader context of the events described.
Offer Insight or Reflection: Share your personal insights or reflections on the narrative’s events. Discuss what you’ve learned, how you’ve changed, or any new perspectives you’ve gained as a result of the experiences you’ve described.
Provide Closure: Resolve any unresolved conflicts or questions to offer closure to your narrative. Tie up loose ends and ensure that your readers feel a sense of completion at the end of the essay.
End with Impact: End your conclusion with a memorable statement or thought-provoking insight that leaves a lasting impression on your readers. Consider how you want your audience to feel or what message you want them to take away from your narrative.
Maintain Consistency: Ensure that your conclusion’s tone and style match the rest of your essay. Maintain consistency in your voice and narrative style to provide a cohesive reading experience.
Avoid Introducing New Information: In your conclusion, avoid introducing new information or events. Instead, wrap up the story you’ve already told and reinforce its significance.
Keep it Concise: Your conclusion should be concise, clear, and to the point, avoiding unnecessary repetition or wordiness.

To craft a captivating conclusion for your narrative essay, follow these steps. This will allow you to effectively wrap up your story and leave a lasting impact on your readers:

Narrative Essay Outline:

Here’s a basic outline structure for a narrative essay:

I. Introduction

A. Hook : Start with an attention-grabbing opening sentence or anecdote that sets the stage for your story.

B. Background Information: Provide some context or background information to orient your readers to the narrative.

C. Thesis Statement: Present your narrative essay’s main idea or theme.

II. Body Paragraphs

A. First Event : Describe the first event or experience in your narrative. Use descriptive language to create a vivid picture for your readers.

1. Introduction of Characters/Setting: Introduce any relevant characters or the setting where the event occurs.

2. Description of Events: Provide a detailed description of what happens during this event.

3. Reflection: Reflect on the event’s significance and impact on the narrative and characters.

(Continue pattern for subsequent events)

III. Climax

A. Build-up: Describe the peak of the narrative, where tension or conflict reaches its highest point.

B. Resolution: Describe how the conflict is resolved or how the story reaches its climax.

C. Reflection: Reflect on the significance of the climax and its impact on the narrative and characters.

IV. Conclusion

A. Summary: Summarize the key events and moments of your narrative.

B. Restate: Restate your thesis and how it relates to your overall narrative.

C. Closing Statement: End with a memorable closing statement or insight that leaves a lasting impression on your readers.

If you want to write a narrative essay that will have your readers hooked from the start, this outline is your go-to guide. It’s like a solid foundation that you can build on and customize to fit your assignment or the unique details of your story. It’s all about structuring your essay in a way that keeps your readers engaged from beginning to end.

Download your Narrative Essay Example PDF

Narrative essay example: .

Title: A Day at the Amusement Park

Introduction:

It was a sunny Saturday morning when my family and I decided to spend the day at the local amusement park. The excitement was palpable as we packed our bags with sunscreen, snacks, and anticipation. Little did I know this day would be filled with thrills, laughter, and a few surprises.

Body Paragraph 1:

As soon as we arrived at the amusement park, I could hear the sounds of joyful screams and carnival music filling the air. We started our day by hopping on the roller coaster, where the adrenaline rush left me breathless. The wind whipped through my hair as we soared through loops and twists, and for a moment, I felt like I was flying.

Body Paragraph 2:

Next, we ventured to the water park section of the amusement park to cool off from the summer heat. The lazy river provided a relaxing escape, allowing us to float along peacefully while soaking up the sun. We also dared to tackle the towering water slides, plunging into the refreshing pools below with exhilarating splashes.

Body Paragraph 3:

As the day progressed, we explored the various attractions and games scattered throughout the park. From carnival games to arcade challenges, there was no shortage of entertainment to keep us occupied. We laughed and competed with each other, creating memories that would last a lifetime.

Body Paragraph 4:

However, our day took an unexpected turn when we stumbled upon a magician’s performance near the main stage. Mesmerized by his illusions and sleight of hand, we eagerly volunteered to participate in his act. I’ll never forget the look of amazement on my family’s faces as he made objects disappear and reappear before our very eyes.

Conclusion:

As the sun began to set on our day at the amusement park, I couldn’t help but feel grateful for the unforgettable experiences we shared together. From the heart-pounding rides to the magical moments, each memory forever holds a special place in my heart. As we made our way home, tired but content, I knew that this day would be one that I would cherish forever.

Learn how to write conclusion!

Download your Narrative Essay Example PDF

Tips on How to Write a Narrative Essay

Choose a Compelling Story: Select a personal experience, event, or memory that is meaningful and has the potential to resonate with your readers.
Identify the Theme or Message: Determine the central theme or message you want to convey through your narrative and ensure that it is woven throughout the essay.
Create a Strong Narrative Arc: Your story should have a clear beginning, middle, and end. The beginning should introduce the setting, characters, and conflict; the middle should develop the plot and build tension; and the end should resolve the conflict and leave a lasting impression.
Use Descriptive Language: Engage the senses of your readers by using vivid and descriptive language that brings the story to life. Paint a picture in their minds and immerse them in the narrative.
Develop Memorable Characters: Create relatable and well-developed characters that readers can empathize with—flesh out their personalities, motivations, and conflicts.
Show, Don’t Tell: Instead of simply stating facts or emotions, use sensory details and actions to show readers what is happening. This will make the story more immersive and believable.
Maintain Narrative Consistency: Your narrative’s tone, style, and point of view should remain consistent throughout the essay. Avoid sudden shifts that may confuse or disengage your readers.
Incorporate Dialogue: Use dialogue to add realism and depth to your narrative. Dialogue can reveal character traits, advance the plot, and create tension.
Pace Yourself: Control the pacing of your narrative to create suspense and build anticipation. Vary the length and intensity of your paragraphs to maintain reader interest.
Proofread and Revise: After writing your first draft, proofread and revise your essay. Check for grammar, spelling, and punctuation errors. Polish your language and refine your ideas to enhance the overall quality of your narrative.

How to Write a Narrative Essay with Dialogue

Writing a narrative essay with dialogue can add depth and authenticity to your story, allowing your readers to feel more immersed in the narrative. Here are some tips on how to effectively incorporate dialogue into your narrative essay:

Check out our definitive guide to dialogue!

Set the Scene: Before introducing dialogue, provide some context to set the scene for your readers. Describe the setting, introduce the characters involved, and establish the mood or atmosphere of the scene.
Use Quotation Marks: When writing dialogue, enclose the spoken words within double quotation marks (” “). This helps to distinguish dialogue from other narrative elements clearly.
Attribute Dialogue Appropriately: Use dialogue tags to attribute spoken words to specific characters. Common dialogue tags include “said,” “asked,” “replied,” “responded,” etc. For example:
“I can’t wait to go to the beach,” said Sarah excitedly.
“What time are we leaving?” asked Mark.
Punctuate Dialogue Correctly: When writing dialogue, pay attention to punctuation rules. Place commas or periods inside the quotation marks, and use a comma, question mark, or exclamation point to end the dialogue before the closing quotation mark.
“I love this movie,” she said.
“Are you coming with us?” he asked.
“Stop right there!” shouted the officer.
Show, Don’t Tell: Use dialogue to reveal character traits, emotions, and relationships. Instead of telling the reader how a character feels, show it through their words and interactions with others.
“I’m so nervous,” she whispered, her voice trembling.
“Don’t worry, I’ve got your back,” he reassured her.
Keep Dialogue Natural: Write dialogue that sounds natural and reflects how people actually speak. Avoid overly formal or stilted language, and use contractions and colloquialisms to make the dialogue more realistic.
“I can’t believe you did that!” instead of “I cannot believe you did that!”
Use Dialogue to Advance the Plot: Use dialogue to move the story forward and convey important information or developments. Dialogue can reveal plot points, conflicts, resolutions, or character motivations.
“I saw him leave the party with someone else,” she whispered to her friend, her eyes wide with shock.
Edit and Revise: After writing your narrative essay with dialogue, carefully review and revise it to ensure

A narrative essay is a powerful form of storytelling that can entertain, inform, or persuade readers. Its unique features, such as storytelling, point of view, plot, characters, descriptive language, conflict, theme, emotional impact, and reflection or moral, can create a memorable and impactful experience for the reader.

By following the step-by-step guide for crafting a narrative essay thesis statement and writing your essay, you can create a compelling narrative that effectively conveys your story and engages your readers. So, go ahead and start writing your narrative essay, and let your story inspire, educate, and entertain your readers. It flows smoothly and serves its purpose within the story. Check for consistency, clarity, and relevance.

Purdue OWL – Narrative Essays

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Scriptwriting

How to Write a Narrative Essay — A Step-by-Step Guide

N arrative essays are important papers most students have to write. But how does one write a narrative essay? Fear not, we’re going to show you how to write a narrative essay by breaking down a variety of narrative writing strategies. By the end, you’ll know why narrative essays are so important – and how to write your own.

How to Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step

Background on narrative essays.

Narrative essays are important assignments in many writing classes – but what is a narrative essay? A narrative essay is a prose-written story that’s focused on the commentary of a central theme .

Narrative essays are generally written in the first-person POV , and are usually about a topic that’s personal to the writer.

Everything in a narrative essay should take place in an established timeline, with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

In simplest terms, a narrative essay is a personal story. A narrative essay can be written in response to a prompt or as an independent exercise.

We’re going to get to tips and tricks on how to write a narrative essay in a bit, but first let’s check out a video on “story.”

How to Start a Narrative Essay • What is a Story? by Mr. Kresphus

In some regards, any story can be regarded as a personal story, but for the sake of this article, we’re going to focus on prose-written stories told in the first-person POV.

How to Start a Narrative Essay

Responding to prompts.

Many people wonder about how to start a narrative essay. Well, if you’re writing a narrative essay in response to a prompt, then chances are the person issuing the prompt is looking for a specific answer.

For example: if the prompt states “recount a time you encountered a challenge,” then chances are the person issuing the prompt wants to hear about how you overcame a challenge or learned from it.

That isn’t to say you have to respond to the prompt in one way; “overcoming” or “learning” from a challenge can be constituted in a variety of ways.

For example, you could structure your essay around overcoming a physical challenge, like an injury or disability. Or you could structure your essay around learning from failure, such as losing at a sport or performing poorly on an important exam.

Whatever it is, you must show that the challenge forced you to grow.

Maturation is an important process – and an essential aspect of narrative essays... of course, there are exceptions to the rule; lack of maturation is a prescient theme in narrative essays too; although that’s mostly reserved for experienced essay writers.

So, let’s take a look at how you might respond to a series of narrative essay prompts:

How successful are you?

This prompt begs the writer to impart humility without throwing a pity party. I would respond to this prompt by demonstrating pride in what I do while offering modesty. For example: “I have achieved success in what I set out to do – but I still have a long way to go to achieve my long-term goals.”

Who is your role model?

“My role model is [Blank] because ” is how you should start this narrative essay. The “because” is the crux of your essay. For example, I’d say “Bill Russell is my role model because he demonstrated graceful resolve in the face of bigotry and discrimination.

Do you consider yourself spiritual?

For this prompt, you should explain how you came to the conclusion of whether or not you consider yourself a spiritual person. Of course, prompt-givers will differ on how much they want you to freely express. For example: if the prompt-giver is an employee at an evangelizing organization, then they probably want to see that you’re willing to propagate the church’s agenda. Alternatively, if the prompt-giver is non-denominational, they probably want to see that you’re accepting of people from various spiritual backgrounds.

How to Write Narrative Essay

What makes a good narrative essay.

You don’t have to respond to a prompt to write a narrative essay. So, how do you write a narrative essay without a prompt? Well, that’s the thing… you can write a narrative essay about anything!

That’s a bit of a blessing and a curse though – on one hand it’s liberating to choose any topic you want; on the other, it’s difficult to narrow down a good story from an infinite breadth of possibilities.

In this next video, the team at Essay Pro explores why passion is the number one motivator for effective narrative essays.

How to Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step • Real Essay Examples by Essay Pro

So, before you write anything, ask yourself: “what am I passionate about?” Movies? Sports? Books? Games? Baking? Volunteering? Whatever it is, make sure that it’s something that demonstrates your individual growth . It doesn’t have to be anything major; take a video game for example: you could write a narrative essay about searching for a rare weapon with friends.

Success or failure, you’ll be able to demonstrate growth.

Here’s something to consider: writing a narrative essay around intertextuality. What is intertextuality ? Intertextuality is the relationship between texts, i.e., books, movies, plays, songs, games, etc. In other words, it’s anytime one text is referenced in another text.

For example, you could write a narrative essay about your favorite movie! Just make sure that it ultimately reflects back on yourself.

Narrative Writing Format

Structure of a narrative essay.

Narrative essays differ in length and structure – but there are some universal basics. The first paragraph of a narrative essay should always introduce the central theme. For example, if the narrative essay is about “a fond childhood memory,” then the first paragraph should briefly comment on the nature of the fond childhood memory.

In general, a narrative essay should have an introductory paragraph with a topic sentence (reiterating the prompt or basic idea), a brief commentary on the central theme, and a set-up for the body paragraphs.

The body paragraphs should make up the vast majority of the narrative essay. In the body paragraphs, the writer should essentially “build the story’s case.” What do I mean by “build the story’s case?”

Well, I mean that the writer should display the story’s merit; what it means, why it matters, and how it proves (or refutes) personal growth.

The narrative essay should always conclude with a dedicated paragraph. In the “conclusion paragraph,” the writer should reflect on the story.

Pro tip: conclusion paragraphs usually work best when the writer stays within the diegesis.

What is a Video Essay?

A video essay is a natural extension of a narrative essay; differentiated only by purpose and medium. In our next article, we’ll explain what a video essay is, and why it’s so important to media criticism. By the end, you’ll know where to look for video essay inspiration.

Up Next: The Art of Video Analysis →

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How to Write A Narrative Essay With Tips and Examples

Home / Blog / How To Write A Narrative Essay

Introduction

A narrative essay is where you tell a story. In most cases, it focuses on a personal experience and its importance. Writing narrative essays will test your ability to give words to your experiences compellingly. Often, students use the narrative technique to develop their personal statement for a college application.

Detailed Guide on How to Write a Narrative Essay with Tips

As a student, you may have to work on multiple narrative essays to articulate your thoughts and ideas about a specific subject in a standard format. Understanding how to respond to different topics and develop an engaging piece is important to meet your readers' expectations. This blog will cover everything about narrative essay writer to help you format and create a narrative essay.

Defining What Is a Narrative Essay

A narrative essay is a five-paragraph document focusing on your narration about life or past experiences. As a narrator, you may recall an experience, discuss a future scenario, or explore a hypothetical incident to give insight into who you are and what values you embody.

In academic settings, narrative essays allow you to demonstrate your writing abilities and your ability to engage readers with different writing elements and personal details. Most times, you have to write a narrative essay to emphasize your life experiences on occasions like completing a class assignment , competing for an award, or applying for college.

A great narrative story focuses on storytelling with a purpose. It should be entertaining and convey a message at the same time in a way to connect with the audience. Whether you are writing about your first heartbreak, a life-changing event, or a disturbing moment, your aim should be to take your readers on a journey and make them feel motivated, enlightened, or moved.

Since a narrative essay is a vivid story told from a narrator’s point of view, there are a few elements you should use as a writer – a beginning, body, and ending with an interesting plot, characters, setting, and climax. Your focus should be on the plot and the use of different details leading towards the climax. Make sure your essay:

Follows a chronological order
Defines a purpose, which should be stated in the thesis statement of your essay introduction.
Includes the use of dialogue to demonstrate emotional details.
Covers sensory details and descriptions focusing on the main point you are making.
Provides vivid details to help the readers feel what you felt while writing.
Highlights conflict and sequences and flashbacks and flash-forwards to build the story
Follows the first person, but a third-person perspective can also be used if mentioned.

Types of Narrative Essays

Before you start writing a narrative essay, learning about the different types is essential. Each narrative essay typer has a unique purpose and structure. Regardless of the type, each essay focuses on transporting readers to a different time and place and creates an emotional connection with the reader. Here are the different types of narrative essay writing:

Personal narrative: It is based on the writer's unique experiences or events, like overcoming a challenge or reflecting on something meaningful and impactful.
Fictional narrative: Such essays are based on a made-up story with the fundamental components of storytelling. Fictional narratives focus on different subjects, from science to romance.
Memoir: Memoirs are more like personal narratives but focus more on the specific time or theme of a person's life, like one’s struggle with getting over an addiction or one’s fight to get cultural identity.
Literary narrative: These essays focus on the narrator's literary journey and influence on their life. The writing typically focuses on the writer's significant moments and their impact on their writing, reading, or communication.

Pros and Cons of Narrative Writing

Writing a narrative story is an effective tool for self-expression and creative storytelling. But like any other form of writing, narrative writing has pros and cons. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of narrative writing you should know about:

The narrative style of writing is accessible as writers can use their voice of narration and have a direct connection with their work.
Narrative writing puts readers inside the narrator’s mind, understanding the narrator's portrayal of emotions and thoughts and developing a sense of empathy.
The narrative writing style is direct and allows readers to understand the writers' creative expression and unique tone.
Narrative essays allow writers to provide a clear identity to the text, say whatever they want as a part of the character, and allow self-reflection and growth.
Narrative writing is limited to a single story thread. Sometimes, it may not be an effective way of conveying factual arguments.
Narrative writing can make it challenging for the writer to balance their personal telling with the requirements of their target readers.
Effective narrative writing demands vulnerability and sharing personal details to give an insight into the protagonist's life. This aspect can make some readers and writers uncomfortable.
Narrative essays are subjective, and the narrator may appear self-indulgent or biased. It can become difficult for the readers to understand the writer’s interpretation.

20 Excellent Narrative Essay Topics and How to Choose One

You can write an effective narrative essay when you have the right proposal essay topic to work with. Here are some useful suggestions for finding the best ideas for your next narrative paper:

1. Consider your own experiences: One of the best ways to find ideas for your narrative essay is to brainstorm ideas from your real-life experiences. Therefore, think hard about moments and events that have significantly impacted you. It doesn't matter whether it's positive or negative. Focus on explaining why it is memorable to you.

2. Choose a topic relevant to your audience: Let’s not forget that you are writing for your audience, so focus on them and their interests before finalizing the topic. For instance, if you are writing for young adults trying to make their way in life, consider the events and moments that might interest or motivate them.

3. Find inspiration in literature: Nothing is more inspiring than literature. Both academic and non-academic books are a great source of information for narrative essay writing. Therefore, consider the books or stories you have read that left a mark on you. Try to analyze how you can implement different elements to make your narrative of the story. So, start by referring to your favorite book.

4. Focus on a specific moment or event: All effective narrative essays focus on storytelling. Therefore, it’s important to pick a special moment or event which you can never forget or that has significantly affected you. For example, you could develop a topic from your encounter with a homeless man and how his story changed your view of life.

5. Experiment with different perspectives: Exploring various perspectives in writing helps to give depth to your narration and makes it more interesting for the readers to follow. For instance, you can pick an event and discuss its significance from multiple perspectives, or you can explore the feelings about the events from the perspective of a secondary character.

6. Use writing prompts: A lot of students refer to writing prompts for inspiration to develop their essay topics . If you struggle to find a topic, refer to prompts relevant to themes like love, loss, or growth. Many use essay prompt generators to find unique prompts. You can explore that option as well.

7. Choose a topic with rich sensory details: A good narrative essay should paint vivid pictures in readers’ minds to understand its significance from your perspective. Since you have to use the sensory elements to engage your readers, you could write about a topic that's rich with sensory details, like your trip to the mountains, highlighting the beauty of the hills, the smell of the wet trees, and the sounds of the birds chirping and streams flowing.

8. Choose a topic meaningful to you: Ultimately, a good narrative essay resonates with you and is something you are passionate about. For example, you can write about a life-long goal you want to achieve and why or a hurdle you have overcome. Both these ideas will give you plenty of points to elaborate on.

Here are some sample topics and ideas to inspire you:

The most embarrassing day of your life
A frightening memory from your childhood
An event or experience that taught you life lessons
An experience that taught you to be grateful
An event that helped you overcome your fear
A memorable day with someone dear whom you’ve lost recently
A person you are afraid to lose
Talk about the time you faced rejection
Talk about the day when you had the worst argument with someone
Discuss the importance of loyalty and trust in your life
The most difficult decision of your life
Your most rebellious act
Talk about the incidents that bother you and why
Morality issues and how you deal with them
A decision that you regret
Lies you’ve told that you regret
Talents you have always wanted, and why
The funniest incident you had with your best friend
Talk about your most loved trip
Your first day in college

Narrative Format and Structure

The structure and format are two key elements of a good narrative story. A well-structured essay makes it easier for readers to follow the narration, evoke emotions, and connect with the narrator. Regardless of the type of narrative essay you are writing, make sure you follow the listed guidelines.

1. Introduction: The narrative essay introduction sets the story's scene and introduces the main characters and setting. It should have an engaging factor or a hook to capture readers' attention and compel them to keep reading. If you are unsure how to begin, you can start with an intriguing fact or question or describe a vivid setting.

2. Plot: The plot comprises a series of events with a proper introduction, body, and ending, each section building the plot for the next. Also, the plot should clearly state the issue or conflict the narrator should overcome.

3. Characters: Characters are the people in the story. All characters should be well-developed with unique personalities and traits. The narrator should be clear about each character's goals, while the antagonist should challenge the characters to drive the story.

4. Setting: The setting focuses on the time and place of the story. It should be well-described and set a mood supporting the story’s theme.

5. Dialogue: Dialogues are the conversations between characters. It should be realistic, highlight each character's personality, and help develop the plot and drive the story toward the climax.

6. Climax : The climax is the highest conflict point of the story. It should give the narrative a turning point and resolve the issue or conflict.

7. Resolution: The resolution is the ending of the story. It should draw a satisfying conclusion and tie up the narration by answering the unanswered questions.

These elements will help create a well-structured essay to engage the target readers and take them on an adventurous journey.

Narrative Essay Outline

Always make a narrative essay outline to plan everything you want to discuss in the introduction, the body paragraphs, and the conclusion. Here’s a basic outline of a narrative essay:

Hook: Start the introductory paragraph with an attention-grabbing fact, statement, anecdote, or question relevant to the topic to draw your readers’ attention. Example: “The hall was as silent as the grave, and my heart pounding with anxiousness, fearing the worst.”
Background information: You should provide sufficient context for the story, like the characters or the setting. Example: “I had been preparing myself to cope with this pain for days, shielding myself from heartbreak.”
Thesis statement: The thesis is the main point of the argument and gives a preview of the upcoming events. Example: “This experience taught me that nothing in life prepares you for the loss of a loved one, no matter how desperately you try. You are bound to end up with a void and relentless pain."

Body Paragraphs

First event: Describe the first event with details about the setting, actions, and characters. Example: "As I heard the news, I felt my body go cold, and a sense of pain struck me."
Second event: Move to the second event and highlight how it is relevant to the first event and develops the plot further. Example: "As minutes passed, I returned to my senses and got a hit of the reality."
Turning point: Describe an unexpected or important change that changed the events. Example: "Even though it was difficult, it was time for me to make the most difficult decision of my life.”
Climax: Focus on the story’s highest conflict point. Example: "As the battle of life and death ended, I gathered all my courage and did the most dreaded bit: broke the news to my mother, thus passing the baton of pain to another."

Conclusion:

Restate thesis: Summarise the thesis statement and state how the events in the story support it. Example: “Through this experience, I learned nothing in life is certain. Everything that begins has to come to an end. Ultimately, you must learn to live with the pain, irrespective of how deep the void is."
Reflection: Reflect on the importance of the experience and your lesson. Example: “Looking back, I realize that this experience not only gave me a reality check but also prepared me for the bitter truth of life."
Call to action: End your essay with a relevant call to action so your readers leave with something meaningful. Example: "I encourage everyone not to take anyone for granted because you never know when life will teach you a hard lesson."

Narrative Essay Examples

Narrative essays use vivid details and personal reflections to take readers on a fun reading journey and leave them with a powerful message. Here are two popular narrative essay examples you can refer to as a guide for developing your narration using your own voice and experiences.

Narrative Essay Example for College

College professors expect certain qualities in their students, like adaptability, problem-solving, and learning from mistakes. When writing, keep in mind that your writing should demonstrate each of these factors, irrespective of the topic. Additionally, your essay should highlight your characteristics and creativity. If you have encountered a problem, talk about the approach you've taken to solve it and connect it to your area of interest.

Let’s look at the excerpts of a narrative essay example for college students:

“Today is Press Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, and I'm supposed to be at the fairgrounds by 9:00 A.M. to get my credentials. I imagine credentials to be a small white card in the band of a fedora. I've never been considered press before. My real interest in credentials is getting into rides and shows for free. I'm fresh from the East Coast, for an East Coast magazine. I remain unclear why they're interested in the Illinois State Fair.”

Narrative Essay Example for High School

High school is about taking lessons from the consequences of your actions. To develop a narrative essay for high school, consider the day you made an adult choice. Make sure you use different sources to get the best possible results. Here's an example to give you an idea:

"After a time, tired by his dancing, he settled on the window ledge in the sun, and, the queer spectacle being at an end, I forgot about him. Then, looking up, my eye was caught by him. He was trying to resume his dancing but seemed so stiff or awkward that he could only flutter to the bottom of the window pane; when he tried to fly across it, he failed."

Final Words

Now that you know what a narrative essay is and its key elements, writing will seem less intimidating. If you are still stuck, you can get writing help from a professional writing aid provider. The assignment expert caters to your unique needs and offers flexible payment options. Connect today if you want quality guidance with your essay writing.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Q1. what are the best narrative essay topics.

Some of the best narrative essay ideas are as follows:

A memorable trip you’ve taken as a child
Your saddest day
An event that changed your perspective of life
The day you met someone who changed the person in you
A loss you cannot get over
A unique experience or trip with family or friends

Q2. How long is a narrative essay?

Typically, a narrative essay is about 5 paragraphs long, with one paragraph for the introduction, three body paragraphs, and one for the conclusion. However, the count of the paragraphs will vary with the essay's purpose. For instance, a narrative essay for an award will have different length requirements than an essay written for a school assignment.

Q3. How to start a narrative essay?

The introductory paragraph of a narrative essay will always begin with a strong opening sentence or a hook to grab readers’ attention. Then, briefly summarise the narrative or background information in a few sentences. End the introduction with a thesis statement explaining the main focus of your essay.

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When writers set down the facts of their lives into a compelling story , they’re writing a narrative essay. Personal narrative essays explore the events of the writer’s own life, and by crafting a nonfiction piece that resonates as storytelling, the essayist can uncover deeper truths in the world.

Narrative essays weave the author’s factual lived experiences into a compelling story.

So, what is a narrative essay? Whether you’re writing for college applications or literary journals , this article separates fact from fiction. We’ll look at how to write a narrative essay through a step-by-step process, including a look at narrative essay topics and outlines. We’ll also analyze some successful narrative essay examples.

Learn how to tell your story, your way. Let’s dive into this exciting genre!

What is a Narrative Essay?

The narrative essay is a branch of creative nonfiction . Also known as a personal essay, writers of this genre are tasked with telling honest stories about their lived experiences and, as a result, arriving at certain realizations about life.

Think of personal narrative essays as nonfiction short stories . While the essay and the short story rely on different writing techniques, they arrive at similar outcomes: a powerful story with an idea, theme , or moral that the reader can interpret for themselves.

Now, if you haven’t written a narrative essay before, you might associate the word “essay” with high school English class. Remember those tedious 5-paragraph essays we had to write, on the topic of some book we barely read, about subject matter that didn’t interest us?

Don’t worry—that’s not the kind of essay we’re talking about. The word essay comes from the French essayer , which means “to try.” That’s exactly what writing a narrative essay is: an attempt at organizing the real world into language—a journey of making meaning from the chaos of life.

Narrative essays work to surface meaning from lived experience.

Narrative Essay Example

A great narrative essay example is the piece “Flow” by Mary Oliver, which you can read for free in Google Books .

The essay dwells on, as Mary Oliver puts it, the fact that “we live in paradise.” At once both an ode to nature and an urge to love it fiercely, Oliver explores our place in the endless beauty of the world.

Throughout the essay, Oliver weaves in her thoughts about the world, from nature’s noble beauty to the question “What is the life I should live?” Yet these thoughts, however profound, are not the bulk of the essay. Rather, she arrives at these thoughts via anecdotes and observations: the migration of whales, the strings of fish at high tide, the inventive rescue of a spiny fish from the waterless shore, etc.

What is most profound about this essay, and perhaps most amusing, is that it ends with Oliver’s questions about how to live life. And yet, the stories she tells show us exactly how to live life: with care for the world; with admiration; with tenderness towards all of life and its superb, mysterious, seemingly-random beauty.

Such is the power of the narrative essay. By examining the random facts of our lives, we can come to great conclusions.

What do most essays have in common? Let’s look at the fundamentals of the essay, before diving into more narrative essay examples.

Narrative Essay Definition: 5 Fundamentals

The personal narrative essay has a lot of room for experimentation. We’ll dive into those opportunities in a bit, but no matter the form, most essays share these five fundamentals.

Personal experience
Meaning from chaos
The use of literary devices

Let’s explore these fundamentals in depth.

All narrative essays have a thesis statement. However, this isn’t the formulaic thesis statement you had to write in school: you don’t need to map out your argument with painstaking specificity, you need merely to tell the reader what you’re writing about.

Take the aforementioned essay by Mary Oliver. Her thesis is this: “How can we not know that, already, we live in paradise?”

It’s a simple yet provocative statement. By posing her thesis as a question, she challenges us to consider why we might not treat this earth as paradise. She then delves into her own understanding of this paradise, providing relevant stories and insights as to how the earth should be treated.

Now, be careful with abstract statements like this. Mary Oliver is a master of language, so she’s capable of creating a thesis statement out of an abstract idea and building a beautiful essay. But concrete theses are also welcome: you should compel the reader forward with the central argument of your work, without confusing them or leading them astray.

You should compel the reader forward with the central argument of your work, without confusing them or leading them astray

2. Personal Experience

The personal narrative essay is, shockingly, about personal experience. But how do writers distill their experiences into meaningful stories?

There are a few techniques writers have at their disposal. Perhaps the most common of these techniques is called braiding . Rather than focusing on one continuous story, the writer can “braid” different stories, weaving in and out of different narratives and finding common threads between them. Often, the subject matter of the essay will require more than one anecdote as evidence, and braiding helps the author uphold their thesis while showing instead of telling .

Another important consideration is how you tell your story . Essayists should consider the same techniques that fiction writers use. Give ample consideration to your essay’s setting , word choice , point of view , and dramatic structure . The narrative essay is, after all, a narrative, so tell your story how it deserves to be told.

3. Meaning from Chaos

Life, I think we can agree, is chaotic. While we can trace the events of our lives through cause and effect, A leads to B leads to C, the truth is that so much of our lives are shaped through circumstances beyond our control.

The narrative essay is a way to reclaim some of that control. By distilling the facts of our lives into meaningful narratives, we can uncover deeper truths that we didn’t realize existed.

By distilling the facts of our lives into meaningful narratives, we can uncover deeper truths that we didn’t realize existed.

Consider the essay “ Only Daughter ” by Sandra Cisneros. It’s a brief read, but it covers a lot of different events: a lonesome childhood, countless moves, university education, and the trials and tribulations of a successful writing career.

Coupled with Cisneros’ musings on culture and gender roles, there’s a lot of life to distill in these three pages. Yet Cisneros does so masterfully. By organizing these life events around her thesis statement of being an only daughter, Cisneros finds meaning in the many disparate events she describes.

As you go about writing a narrative essay, you will eventually encounter moments of insight . Insight describes those “aha!” moments in the work—places in which you come to deeper realizations about your life, the lives of others, and the world at large.

Now, insight doesn’t need to be some massive, culture-transforming realization. Many moments of insight are found in small interactions and quiet moments.

For example, In the above essay by Sandra Cisneros, her moments of insight come from connecting her upbringing to her struggle as an only daughter. While her childhood was often lonely and disappointing, she realizes in hindsight that she’s lucky for that upbringing: it helped nurture her spirit as a writer, and it helped her pursue a career in writing. These moments of gratitude work as insight, allowing her to appreciate what once seemed like a burden.

When we reach the end of the essay, and Cisneros describes how she felt when her father read one of her stories, we see what this gratitude is building towards: love and acceptance for the life she chose.

5. Literary Devices

The personal narrative essay, as well as all forms of creative writing, uses its fair share of literary devices . These devices don’t need to be complex: you don’t need a sprawling extended metaphor or an intricate set of juxtapositions to make your essay compelling.

However, the occasional symbol or metaphor will certainly aid your story. In Mary Oliver’s essay “Flow,” the author uses literary devices to describe the magnificence of the ocean, calling it a “cauldron of changing greens and blues” and “the great palace of the earth.” These descriptions reinforce the deep beauty of the earth.

In Sandra Cisneros’ essay “Only Daughter,” the author employs different symbols to represent her father’s masculinity and sense of gender roles. At one point, she lists the few things he reads—sports journals, slasher magazines, and picture paperbacks, often depicting scenes of violence against women. These symbols represent the divide between her father’s gendered thinking and her own literary instincts.

More Narrative Essay Examples

Let’s take a look at a few more narrative essay examples. We’ll dissect each essay based on the five fundamentals listed above.

Narrative Essay Example: “Letting Go” by David Sedaris

Read “Letting Go” here in The New Yorker .

Sedaris’ essay dwells on the culture of cigarette smoking—how it starts, the world it builds, and the difficulties in quitting. Let’s analyze how this narrative essay example uses the five fundamentals of essay writing.

Thesis: There isn’t an explicitly defined thesis, which is common for essays that are meant to be humorous or entertaining. However, this sentence is a plausible thesis statement: “It wasn’t the smoke but the smell of it that bothered me. In later years, I didn’t care so much, but at the time I found it depressing: the scent of neglect.”
Personal Experience: Sedaris moves between many different anecdotes about smoking, from his family’s addiction to cigarettes to his own dependence. We learn about his moving around for cheaper smokes, his family’s struggle to quit, and the last cigarette he smoked in the Charles de Gaulle airport.
Meaning from Chaos: Sedaris ties many disparate events together. We learn about his childhood and his smoking years, but these are interwoven with anecdotes about his family and friends. What emerges is a narrative about the allure of smoking.
Insight: Two parts of this essay are especially poignant. One, when Sedaris describes his mother’s realization that smoking isn’t sophisticated, and soon quits her habit entirely. Two, when Sedaris is given the diseased lung of a chain smoker, and instead of thinking about his own lungs, he’s simply surprised at how heavy the lung is.
Literary Devices: Throughout the essay, Sedaris demonstrates how the cigarette symbolizes neglect: neglect of one’s body, one’s space, and one’s self-presentation.

Narrative Essay Example: “My Mother’s Tongue” by Zavi Kang Engles

Read “My Mother’s Tongue” here in The Rumpus .

Engles’ essay examines the dysphoria of growing up between two vastly different cultures and languages. By asserting the close bond between Korean language and culture, Engles explores the absurdities of growing up as a child of Korean immigrants. Let’s analyze how this narrative essay example uses the five fundamentals of essay writing.

Thesis: Engles’ essay often comes back to her relationship with the Korean language, especially as it relates to other Korean speakers. This relationship is best highlighted when she writes “I glowed with [my mother’s] love, basked in the warm security of what I thought was a language between us. Perhaps this is why strangers asked for our photos, in an attempt to capture a secret world between two people.”This “secret world” forms the crux of her essay, charting not only how Korean-Americans might exist in relation to one another, but also how Engles’ language is strongly tied to her identity and homeland.
Personal Experience: Engles writes about her childhood attachment to both English and Korean, her adolescent fallout with the Korean language, her experiences as “not American enough” in the United States and “not Korean enough” in Korea, and her experiences mourning in a Korean hospital.
Meaning from Chaos: In addition to the above events, Engles ties in research about language and identity (also known as code switching ). Through language and identity, the essay charts the two different cultures that the author stands between, highlighting the dissonance between Western individualism and an Eastern sense of belonging.
Insight: There are many examples of insight throughout this essay as the author explores how out of place she feels, torn between two countries. An especially poignant example comes from Engles’ experience in a Korean hospital, where she writes “I didn’t know how to mourn in this country.”
Literary Devices: The essay frequently juxtaposes the languages and cultures of Korea and the United States. Additionally, the English language comes to symbolize Western individualism, while the Korean language comes to symbolize Eastern collectivism.

Narrative Essay Example: 3 Rules for Middle-Age Happiness by Deborah Copaken

Read “3 Rules for Middle-Age Happiness” here in The Atlantic .

Copaken’s essay explores her relationship to Nora Ephron, the screenwriter for When Harry Met Sally . Let’s analyze how this narrative essay example uses the five fundamentals of essay writing.

Thesis: This essay hands us the thesis statement in its subtitle: “Gather friends and feed them, laugh in the face of calamity, and cut out all the things—people, jobs, body parts—that no longer serve you.”
Personal Experience: Copaken weaves two different threads through this essay. One thread is her personal life, including a failing marriage, medical issues, and her attempts at building a happy family. The other is Copaken’s personal relationship to Ephron, whose advice coincides with many of the essay’s insights.
Meaning from Chaos: This essay organizes its events chronologically. However, the main sense of organization is found in the title: many of the essayist’s problems can be perceived as middle-aged crises (family trouble, divorce, death of loved ones), but the solutions to those crises are simpler than one might realize.
Insight: In writing this essay, Copaken explores her relationship to Ephron, as well as Copaken’s own relationship to her children. She ties these experiences together at the end, when she writes “The transmission of woes is a one-way street, from child to mother. A good mother doesn’t burden her children with her pain. She waits until it becomes so heavy, it either breaks her or kills her, whichever comes first.”
Literary Devices: The literary devices in this article explore the author’s relationship to womanhood. She wonders if having a hysterectomy will make her “like less of a woman.” Also important is the fact that, when the author has her hysterectomy, her daughter has her first period. Copaken uses this to symbolize the passing of womanhood from mother to daughter, which helps bring her to the above insight.

How to Write a Narrative Essay in 5 Steps

No matter the length or subject matter, writing a narrative essay is as easy as these five steps.

1. Generating Narrative Essay Ideas

If you’re not sure what to write about, you’ll want to generate some narrative essay ideas. One way to do this is to look for writing prompts online: Reedsy adds new prompts to their site every week, and we also post writing prompts every Wednesday to our Facebook group .

Taking a step back, it helps to simply think about formative moments in your life. You might a great idea from answering one of these questions:

When did something alter my worldview, personal philosophy, or political beliefs?
Who has given me great advice, or helped me lead a better life?
What moment of adversity did I overcome and grow stronger from?
What is something that I believe to be very important, that I want other people to value as well?
What life event of mine do I not yet fully understand?
What is something I am constantly striving for?
What is something I’ve taken for granted, but am now grateful for?

Finally, you might be interested in the advice at our article How to Come Up with Story Ideas . The article focuses on fiction writers, but essayists can certainly benefit from these tips as well.

2. Drafting a Narrative Essay Outline

Once you have an idea, you’ll want to flesh it out in a narrative essay outline.

Your outline can be as simple or as complex as you’d like, and it all depends on how long you intend your essay to be. A simple outline can include the following:

Introduction—usually a relevant anecdote that excites or entices the reader.
Event 1: What story will I use to uphold my argument?
Analysis 1: How does this event serve as evidence for my thesis?
Conclusion: How can I tie these events together? What do they reaffirm about my thesis? And what advice can I then impart on the reader, if any?

One thing that’s missing from this outline is insight. That’s because insight is often unplanned: you realize it as you write it, and the best insight comes naturally to the writer. However, if you already know the insight you plan on sharing, it will fit best within the analysis for your essay, and/or in the essay’s conclusion.

Insight is often unplanned: you realize it as you write it, and the best insight comes naturally to the writer.

Another thing that’s missing from this is research. If you plan on intertwining your essay with research (which many essayists should do!), consider adding that research as its own bullet point under each heading.

For a different, more fiction-oriented approach to outlining, check out our article How to Write a Story Outline .

3. Starting with a Story

Now, let’s tackle the hardest question: how to start a narrative essay?

Most narrative essays begin with a relevant story. You want to draw the reader in right away, offering something that surprises or interests them. And, since the essay is about you and your lived experiences, it makes sense to start your essay with a relevant anecdote.

Think about a story that’s relevant to your thesis, and experiment with ways to tell this story. You can start with a surprising bit of dialogue , an unusual situation you found yourself in, or a beautiful setting. You can also lead your essay with research or advice, but be sure to tie that in with an anecdote quickly, or else your reader might not know where your essay is going.

For examples of this, take a look at any of the narrative essay examples we’ve used in this article.

Theoretically, your thesis statement can go anywhere in the essay. You may have noticed in the previous examples that the thesis statement isn’t always explicit or immediate: sometimes it shows up towards the center of the essay, and sometimes it’s more implied than stated directly.

You can experiment with the placement of your thesis, but if you place your thesis later in the essay, make sure that everything before the thesis is intriguing to the reader. If the reader feels like the essay is directionless or boring, they won’t have a reason to reach your thesis, nor will they understand the argument you’re making.

4. Getting to the Core Truth

With an introduction and a thesis underway, continue writing about your experiences, arguments, and research. Be sure to follow the structure you’ve sketched in your outline, but feel free to deviate from this outline if something more natural occurs to you.

Along the way, you will end up explaining why your experiences matter to the reader. Here is where you can start generating insight. Insight can take the form of many things, but the focus is always to reach a core truth.

Insight might take the following forms:

Realizations from connecting the different events in your life.
Advice based on your lived mistakes and experiences.
Moments where you change your ideas or personal philosophy.
Richer understandings about life, love, a higher power, the universe, etc.

5. Relentless Editing

With a first draft of your narrative essay written, you can make your essay sparkle in the editing process.

Remember, a first draft doesn’t have to be perfect, it just needs to exist.

Remember, a first draft doesn’t have to be perfect, it just needs to exist. Here are some things to focus on in the editing process:

Clarity: Does every argument make sense? Do my ideas flow logically? Are my stories clear and easy to follow?
Structure: Does the procession of ideas make sense? Does everything uphold my thesis? Do my arguments benefit from the way they’re laid out in this essay?
Style: Do the words flow when I read them? Do I have a good mix of long and short sentences? Have I omitted any needless words ?
Literary Devices: Do I use devices like similes, metaphors, symbols, or juxtaposition? Do these devices help illustrate my ideas?
Mechanics: Is every word spelled properly? Do I use the right punctuation? If I’m submitting this essay somewhere, does it follow the formatting guidelines?

Your essay can undergo any number of revisions before it’s ready. Above all, make sure that your narrative essay is easy to follow, every word you use matters, and that you come to a deeper understanding about your own life.

Above all, make sure that your narrative essay is easy to follow, every word you use matters, and that you come to a deeper understanding about your own life.

Next Steps for Narrative Essayists

When you have a completed essay, what’s next? You might be interested in submitting to some literary journals . Here’s 24 literary journals you can submit to—we hope you find a great home for your writing!

If you’re looking for additional feedback on your work, feel free to join our Facebook group . You can also take a look at our upcoming nonfiction courses , where you’ll learn the fundamentals of essay writing and make your story even more compelling.

Writing a narrative essay isn’t easy, but you’ll find that the practice can be very rewarding. You’ll learn about your lived experiences, come to deeper conclusions about your personal philosophies, and perhaps even challenge the way you approach life. So find some paper, choose a topic, and get writing—the world is waiting for your story!

Sean Glatch

Thanks for a superbly efficient and informative article…

The Real Person!

We’re glad it was helpful, Mary!

Very helpful,, Thanks!!!

Thanks ,It was very helpful.

How to Write a Narrative Essay: Outline, Structure, Tips

A narrative essay is one of the most common academic assignments. This paper allows you to tell a story about your personal life experiences. Unlike other assignments, it unleashes your writing creativity.

While this assignment is critical and interesting, failing to master how to write a narrative essay can cost you good grades. Therefore, this post seeks to empower you with tips on writing a narrative essay. It also answers crucial questions like “what is a narrative writing?” and “how long is a narrative essay?” Keep reading to learn more and polish your writing skills to stay ahead of the park.

What is a Narrative Essay

Let’s start defining a narrative paper and answering the essential question, “what is a narrative essay?” Briefly, a narrative essay is a writing task that tells a story. Your main goal is to create a conducive environment and life-like experiences for your audience.

As a standard, you should write this paper in the first person and prioritize your readers to engage them. A great narrative assignment has and pays attention to the following qualities:

Characters (your story’s actors) who shape its significance.
A central theme, which’s its main idea or meaning.
A thesis statement that mentions your theme and summarizes it.
Non-fiction style of writing.
You write it from your viewpoint.
Story elements combined with a basic structure.
Chronological delivery of information.
Enough details to describe events, persons, or scenes.
Information to the readers of something without an argumentative or educational focus.
Vivid verbs and modifiers.
Use of dialogue

Purpose of a Narrative Essay

Writing a narrative essay has a single goal: to test your ability to tell clear and exciting stories . Your teachers expect you to use different techniques like dialogue, figurative speech, or suspense to fulfill your narrative essay purpose. Its sweetness isn’t necessarily in the story but in how you tell it.

Narrative Essays Types

Narrative essays have two main forms, as discussed below.

Descriptive narrative essay ‍. This genre is the most narrative task that describes experiences, situations, or memories using vivid details. Mainly, it focuses on showing , and not merely telling, a story by evoking readers’ various senses and portraying events in detail.
Autobiographical ‍ narrative essay. This narrative essay shares a true life story and focuses on one event. Unlike its descriptive sister, this one focuses primarily on a story and its goal, not the details.

Narrative Essay Topic Examples for College

Choosing a suitable narrative topic is essential to your success. But how do you select the best subject that will inspire your writing? Many college students still face topic selection challenges. Therefore, this section shows you how to choose an appropriate title and gives examples to inspire you. Remember, nothing teaches better than an excellent example embodying something’s guiding principles.

Start your search by brainstorming potential topics you feel will give you an easy writing time. Narrow your options to at least two titles to ensure you have enough materials to narrate.

Additionally, determine if your preferred topic interests you enough to write about and inspire your writing. An exciting title makes you feel you are “enjoying your thing” instead of performing a heavy classwork duty.

Ensure that your intended story fits in your paper’s limited word count. There’s no point in selecting an exciting account that’s too long to finish within your assignment’s length. So, pay attention to these criteria when choosing a narrative assignment topic.

Now you know how to select your paper’s topic. Our pro essay writing service team has carefully selected these examples to motivate your next narrative assignment.

How you felt on your first day in college.
How you overcame the fear of writing your first essay in college.
The worst moment in your life when everyone failed you, and you stood alone.
How you felt when a close friend betrayed you.
How you celebrated when you scored the highest grade in high school.
The most valuable achievement in your childhood life.
Your life’s greatest moment of failure and the lessons you learned from it.
The greatest failure you fear in life.
Your life’s most challenging moment and how you overcame it.
The most valuable decision that shaped your life’s entire course.
The biggest relational conflict you had.

Narrative Essay Outline

A perfect narrative essay outline drives your paper’s success. Unlike argument, business, or education assignments requiring you to research external sources, this essay doesn’t need all that. However, you still need a narrative essay format to hold and direct your thoughts.

An excellent outline prevents challenges because you won’t forget to include any necessary details. While you don’t have an argument to advance, your structure holds your ideas logically. It also helps your readers read it easily and seamlessly. Further, your audience won’t have a problem following your theme. Thus, mastering how to write a narrative essay outline benefits you and your target audience.

When outlining your narrative essay, identify where your story will start and end and how many crucial moments it needs. Remember to consider your story’s pace and tone. Your essay should have an introduction that catches your readers’ attention to make them want to read more. Its overall structure features the following components:

An introduction sharing your points and how they relate to you.
The first body paragraph setting up your story.
The second body paragraph briefly telling the story up to its climax.
The third body paragraph sharing how your story ends.
A conclusion restating your point and relating it to readers.

Narrative Essay Structure

You need a narrative essay structure to guide your writing. Just like a persuasive essay outline , an outline for a narrative essay brings order and prevents costly mistakes. This essay follows the traditional three-piece format featuring an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. This section shares instructions on how to structure a narrative essay and its elements.

There are important elements that distinguish a narrative essay from other essays. A narrative essay consists of three elements: character, theme, and dialogue. And even if the essay is autobiographical, pay attention. The person writing the essay is a character that involves some other characters who act, act and act like all the other characters featured in the stories and novels.

Dialogue is used to record conversations between characters. Also, in narrative writing, dialogue is the third important element, without which the characters lose their value and liveliness. In addition, a narrative essay is centred on a plot that is told in enough detail to reach a climax.

The following are some other important elements of a narrative essay:

The narrative essay uses tools such as flashbacks, flash-forwards, and transitions. These tools often lead to a climax. In addition, the plot is at the center of the story. However, when creating a narrative, authors must define their purpose. In addition, they must consider their audience, establish their point of view, use dialogue, and organize the story. A narrative essay is usually arranged in chronological order.

Also, in a narrative essay, you are telling a story. And often, it comes down to personal experience. However, you also make your point. Thus, the goal is to tell an entertaining story and explain the importance of the experience.

How to Start a Narrative Essay?

Mastering how to start a narrative essay is critical to your paper’s overall success because a false start can cost you marks. It can ruin your readers’ general expectations by creating a negative first impression.

Several things influence your assignment’s flying start. Start by adhering to your instructor’s prompt. Understanding your prompt is necessary for all the other stages because it shows you what to do.

Unless your tutor provided a topic, brainstorm and choose an appropriate title. Your final topic depends on your assigned prompt, which can be specific or open-ended. The first prompt focuses on particular events or event series. The second one gives you unlimited leeway in choosing your title.

Introduction

Do you still want to master how to write an introduction for a narrative essay? Then carefully consider your story’s introductory paragraph. This opening section is vital and accomplishes three main goals.

Engage your readers using a hook. You must create a powerful attention grabber to catch and detain your readers’ attention. It can be a provoking question, a fascinating fact, a quote from a public figure your readers trust, humor, or an intriguing statement.
Set the scene and give your audience an idea of the events. This element should only whet your readers’ appetite with a brief overview of what to expect.
Define your writing’s purpose. This section must also define your story’s goal and contain a primary idea or thesis that guides your narrative.

Strong Thesis Statement

A compelling thesis statement is one of the most vital narrative essay parts. You must place it at your intro’s end and revisit it in your story’s conclusion.

Your thesis gives a sneak preview of what you want to narrate. It shouldn’t be a question, suggestion, fact, or general truth.

Narrative Essay Body Paragraph

A good structure of a narrative essay requires a body containing the evidence to explain and defend your main idea. Here, you tell the promised story and share all the facts and events with your audience.

This section has three paragraphs or more, depending on your assignment’s length. Incorporate the following elements into your paragraphs:

Vivid and relevant details. Your narrative should create a scene and the mood to follow. Remember to fill your sentences with literary symbols because they are appropriate for this assignment.
Dialogue. Remember to throw your readers into a dialogue to refresh their attention. This technique is one of the best ways to liven your story and support its atmosphere. However, don’t overuse it.
Chronological flow. Readers have difficulties understanding your event’s timeline if you are blunt. Thus, keep your narrative sequential to make it organized.
Focus. Mind your voice when composing this assignment. If you are telling a story a friend told you, write it in the third person. If your narrative is a personal experience, do it in the first person.

Narrative Essay Conclusion

The conclusion is among the most critical parts of a narrative essay. Write it correctly to reflect your final comments. It must include the following three main components:

A restated summary of the primary details and ideas you discussed.
An emphasis on the lessons you learned from a specific situation.
Food for thought to leave your readers thinking.

Narrative Essay Format

You are abreast of your narrative’s outline and all the details. Now, let’s focus on how to format a narrative essay. Besides the traditional five parts in a narrative assignment, it includes the other five crucial elements we shall discuss here because we covered them.

These five components are plot, characters, setting, conflict, and theme. Let’s examine them in more detail below.

Plot. Your assignment’s plot is the incident you share with your audience in the story. This element focuses on the sequence of events that happened in your narrative.
Setting. The setting is the location the events or experiences you are discussing happened. This venue can be your home, school, village, public place, or any other place during the event.
Characters. Your story’s characters are the people who participated in the events you are reliving in the story. You should mention all the persons and clarify their significance as main or minor characters.
Conflict. A story’s conflict is the challenge/s your characters encounter during the incident. Any tense moment in your plot is considered a conflict requiring a solution.
Theme. Lastly, your story must have a theme elaborating its overall goal and why you chose to write about it.

Narrative Essay Writing Tips: Do’s and Don’ts

Many components boost your ease of mastering how to make a narrative essay. One such component is practical tips on how to write a narrative essay. This section contains valuable and actionable narrative essay tips to sharpen your writing.

Keep it clear. Keep your narrative short and clear to make it easy to read and understand. Avoid all complex syntax and phrases by sticking to simple, straightforward language.
Don’t overuse details. While you need sufficient details to pass across your points, use your details sparingly to avoid wordiness and redundancy.
Use dynamic words. Use dynamic words to make your story more engaging. Minimize the passive voice when possible and necessary.

Here are the things to do in your essay.

Draft your story in the first-person or third-person viewpoint, depending on whether you’re narrating your experience or an account you heard.
Start your paper on a hooking note to grab and retain your readers’ attention.
Be crystal clear on what you want to tell before drafting it.
Follow an appropriate narrative format.
Spice up your assignment with some conflict.
Make your story appealing to all of your readers’ five senses by showing them what your story’s characters saw, smelled, heard, felt, and tasted.
Use various descriptive techniques, such as power words and transitions.

Don’t do the following in your narrative essay.

Write in the second-person viewpoint.
Create fictional stories.
Utilize overly formal language, arguments, or slang.
Tell stories instead of showing them.

Some More Features of the Narrative Essay

A narrative essay describes people. In addition, it features their conversations and recounts their experiences to provide lessons for readers. Moreover, it is similar to a story but differs in weaving around a motive. Before episodes of the essay, a motive is given. And readers will become aware of that single theme and central idea as soon as they go through the essay.

In addition, the main purpose of the essay is to provide information about life experiences and the lessons learned from these experiences. Before reading some examples of essay writing, pay attention. To quickly write an engaging narrative essay, follow these tips.

Example 1: New Directions

“Annie, over six feet tall, with big bones, decided that she would not go to work around the house and leave her precious babies in the care of someone else. There was no way to get hired at the city’s cotton mill or sawmill, but there might have been a way to get two factories to work for her. In her words: “I looked up the road I was on and back where I was coming, and as I was not satisfied, I decided to get off the road and make a new path.” She told herself that she was not a whimsical cook, but she could “mix food well enough to scare away the hungry and keep the man from starving.”

The author told how the girl looked and how she behaved. She also wrote direct dialogue to show that this is a narrative.

Example 2: Saturday Evening Post

“When I broke in that day, she was at a conference with an executive from Curtis Publishing Company. She introduced me. He bent low to the waist and shook my hand. He asked if it was true, as my mother told him, that I wanted to conquer the world of business? My mother replied that I was endowed with a rare determination to make something of myself.

“That’s right,” I whispered. “But do you have a character, a spirit that never says what it takes to succeed in business?” My mom said I certainly did.

This material is from the narrative essay of the famous Russell Baker Saturday Evening Post. The author fully described his mother’s efforts in her dialogue. Both character and dialogue are very clear.

Example 3: Daughter Only

“One day a few years ago, when I was just starting my writing career, I was asked to write my own contributor’s note for an anthology I was a part of; I wrote, “I am the only daughter in a family of six sons. It explains everything”. “Well, I’ve been thinking about it since then, and yes, it explains a lot to me, but for the reader’s sake, I had to write: “I am the only daughter in a Mexican family of six sons.” Or even, “I’m the only daughter of a Mexican father and a Mexican-American mother.” Or: “I am the only daughter in a working-class family of nine.” It all had to do with who I am today.”

In this essay, the author describes the daughter and how she looks and behaves. Follow the tips above when writing a good and compelling story.

Need Help Writing a Narrative Essay?

So far, we have shared everything you need to master this essay. You know what it takes to tell a compelling story that unleashes your creative genius. But do you still feel you need more customized help?

Perhaps you understand these principles but still face challenges that disrupt your concentration on writing a killer narrative. What way forward out of such situations? Don’t worry if you are in such disruptive circumstances because you can use our custom writing services to bridge the gap.

Our team is on standby to assist you in beating all deadlines. We help students overcome every obstacle standing between them and timely, excellent academic assignments. You can always reach us whenever you hit a snag.

Trust our professional writers to assist you at all academic levels, from high school to postgraduate. Moreover, we offer writing solutions across all subjects.

Don’t remain behind your classmates when we can accelerate you to get ahead of the park! Irrespective of your challenges, you can order an essay on sale today using our secure online portal.

Do you still need more knowledge about writing a narrative paper? Here are common questions, plus their answers, to promote your learning.

What is the purpose of a narrative essay?

It tests a student’s ability to tell a story academically and logically.

How do you write a narrative essay?

You write this essay by paying attention to its prompt and drafting it in the first person unless otherwise required.

How do you start a narrative essay?

You begin your story on a compelling and hooking note that gives your readers the best first impression.

How to write a good narrative essay?

You write a great essay following all the principles discussed in this article.

How many paragraphs are in a narrative essay?

Typically, it contains five paragraphs, including an intro, three body paragraphs, and a concluding section.

How to write an outline for a narrative essay?

Your essay’s outline should include an intro, three body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

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How to write a narrative essay: example, topics
What Is A Narrative Essay? Narrative Essay Examples And Writing Tips • 7ESL
How to Write a Narrative Essay (12 Best Examples)
Writing a Compelling Personal Narrative Essay: Tips and Examples
How to Write a Narrative Essay
The Secrets of Narrative Essay Writing

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COMMENTS

How to Write a Narrative Essay in 5 Steps | Grammarly
Step 1: Topic choice (or prompt given) The first step in writing a narrative essay is to determine the topic. Sometimes, your topic is chosen for you in the form of a prompt. You might map out the topics you want to mention in the essay or think through each point you’d like to make to see how each will fit into the allotted word count (if ...
How to Write a Narrative Essay | Example & Tips - Scribbr
When applying for college, you might be asked to write a narrative essay that expresses something about your personal qualities. For example, this application prompt from Common App requires you to respond with a narrative essay. College application prompt. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure.
What is a Narrative Essay? How to Write It (with Examples)
0 comment 2. Narrative essays are a type of storytelling in which writers weave a personal experience into words to create a fascinating and engaging narrative for readers. A narrative essay explains a story from the author’s point of view to share a lesson or memory with the reader. Narrative essays, like descriptive essays, employ ...
How to Write a Narrative Essay: Step by Step
A narrative essay aims to entertain, inform, and sometimes even persuade the reader by presenting a compelling story with a clear narrative arc and emotional resonance. How to write a Narrative Essay Thesis Statement: Writing a thesis statement for a narrative essay involves summarizing the main point or theme of the story you will tell.
How to Write a Narrative Essay — A Step-by-Step Guide
A narrative essay is a prose-written story that’s focused on the commentary of a central theme. Narrative essays are generally written in the first-person POV, and are usually about a topic that’s personal to the writer. Everything in a narrative essay should take place in an established timeline, with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
What Is a Narrative Essay? Learn How to Write A Narrative ...
Narrative essays make an argument or impart a lesson through personal experience. - Narrative essays are always non-fiction and usually autobiographical. - They are written with a more creative style versus the strictly objective, fact-based language of academic writing or journalism.
A Step-by-Step Guide to Write a Narrative Essay - EssayHack.io
The narrative writing style is direct and allows readers to understand the writers' creative expression and unique tone. Narrative essays allow writers to provide a clear identity to the text, say whatever they want as a part of the character, and allow self-reflection and growth. Cons. Narrative writing is limited to a single story thread.
How to Write a Narrative Essay - Writers.com
1. Generating Narrative Essay Ideas. If you’re not sure what to write about, you’ll want to generate some narrative essay ideas. One way to do this is to look for writing prompts online: Reedsy adds new prompts to their site every week, and we also post writing prompts every Wednesday to our Facebook group.
How to Write a Narrative Essay: The Only Guide You Need
Elements. For your essay to become a narrative, it needs five elements: Characters: A protagonist (you) and supporting characters (friends, teachers, etc.) to drive your story. Setting: A location and time (when and where the story takes place) Plot: A chain of events happening in the story.
How to Write a Narrative Essay [Full Guide] | Essay.org
As a standard, you should write this paper in the first person and prioritize your readers to engage them. A great narrative assignment has and pays attention to the following qualities: Characters (your story’s actors) who shape its significance. A central theme, which’s its main idea or meaning.

What is a Narrative Essay? How to Write It (with Examples)

Table of Contents

How to write a narrative essay: Step-by-step guide

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What is a Narrative Essay?

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Narrative Essay Thesis Statement Example:

How to Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step:

How to write a Narrative Essay Conclusion:

Narrative Essay Outline:

Download your Narrative Essay Example PDF

Download your Narrative Essay Example PDF

Tips on How to Write a Narrative Essay

How to Write a Narrative Essay with Dialogue

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How to Write A Narrative Essay With Tips and Examples

Introduction

Detailed Guide on How to Write a Narrative Essay with Tips

Defining What Is a Narrative Essay

Types of Narrative Essays

Pros and Cons of Narrative Writing

20 Excellent Narrative Essay Topics and How to Choose One

Narrative Format and Structure

Narrative Essay Outline

Body Paragraphs

Conclusion:

Narrative Essay Examples

Narrative Essay Example for College

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Final Words

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What is a Narrative Essay?

Narrative Essay Example

Narrative Essay Definition: 5 Fundamentals

2. Personal Experience

3. Meaning from Chaos

5. Literary Devices

More Narrative Essay Examples

Narrative Essay Example: “Letting Go” by David Sedaris

Narrative Essay Example: “My Mother’s Tongue” by Zavi Kang Engles

Narrative Essay Example: 3 Rules for Middle-Age Happiness by Deborah Copaken

How to Write a Narrative Essay in 5 Steps

1. Generating Narrative Essay Ideas

2. Drafting a Narrative Essay Outline

3. Starting with a Story

4. Getting to the Core Truth

5. Relentless Editing

Next Steps for Narrative Essayists

Sean Glatch