You’ve been a student before and chances are, you’ve written a ton of essays. Your English teachers probably made you write different types too, depending on the goal of the exercise. It’s a great way to hone your language and writing skills.
One type of essay you’ve likely encountered is the narrative essay. Unlike others, this type focuses on telling a story. Let’s talk about how you can effectively write one that will make your teachers proud.
What Is a Narrative Essay?
A narrative essay is simply an essay that tells a story, and often one that’s personal. Most essays tend to be academic, but this one gives you space to be creative and expressive.
Writing a narrative essay isn’t as easy as it sounds though. You must convey your thoughts, emotions, and experiences in a clear and understandable way to the reader. And when you talk about something personal, people often expect something at the end—a revelation, insight, or message of some sort.
As to why teachers love assigning it to students? Usually, the point isn’t the story itself but how you tell it. Teachers look at how you use language to convey your story, the techniques you use to keep it interesting and enjoyable, and how you start and end it in a satisfying manner.
Tips on Writing a Narrative Essay
There’s no specific structure or pattern you need to follow when writing a narrative essay. However, it must still be well-organized for your readers to be able to understand what you’re saying. Here are a few tips on how you can do so:
1. Decide on a topic.
In essay writing, you’re either given a topic to write about or have the freedom to choose your own. Topics often fall into two categories: specific and open-ended.
As its name says, specific topics are those that have clear situations to write about. Examples are “Write about the last time you went out with your family” or “Talk about your experiences during summer camp.”
Open-ended topics are broader, giving a set of instructions that allow for space to play with the topic. Something like, “Write about a time you were inspired to make a significant change about yourself” or “What made you feel like all hope was lost?”
Whatever topic you choose, remember that essays are limited in length. Choose a topic that you can comfortably tell within that limit. Too broad a topic and you start to cram, too specific and you’ll quickly run out of details to tell.
2. Plan the story.
While narrative essays aren’t strict about structure, they must still be organized in a cohesive and easy-to-read way. Having a loose outline will benefit you, even if you’re the type of writer who goes with the flow.
In planning your narrative, it is good to identify its basic elements. Consider its beginning, end, and the key moments that will occur in between.
If you’re a plotter, make a list of which elements to include in each paragraph. Introduce the setting in the first, the characters in the second, and so on.
Think about the pace and tone of your essay. These two factors will likely be affected by your subject matter and length limitations. Deeply emotional subjects tend to be more serious, and short essays are usually fast-paced.
Lastly, consider your central theme and what insights you want to share. As narrative essays come from personal experiences, the audience will expect some evidence of growth from you.
As you begin writing the actual essay, feel free to deviate from your outline if there’s a better way to do it. Minor improvements and revisions can always be made after the writing stage.
3. Write an engaging introduction.
Your opening line is an important part of your story. Whether it’s only one sentence or a paragraph, an excellent introduction ensures that readers will keep on reading.
Some writers prefer to start an essay with a thesis statement. This is a sentence, or sentences, that capture the entirety of your essay. You will then work towards proving that this statement is correct, all the way into the conclusion.
Others like to immediately jump into the story, letting readers gradually discover what the essay is all about. When going with this route, make sure that it’s interesting by using figurative language and exciting scenes.
4. Tell the story.
The body of your essay must maintain your reader’s interest. Keep up the momentum from your introduction by using words that trigger the kind of senses and emotions you want your audience to feel.
Always show, don’t tell. Instead of saying that your summer was simply “hot and sweaty”, be more descriptive. You could write “The heat came in waves, assaulting my skin and drenching me in sweat.” By being vivid, you paint a better picture for your readers.
Make sure that your body is also coherent. A story that people can’t understand isn’t effective. Refer to your outline as much as you need.
To ensure coherence, give your audience the information they need—the characters, setting, action, and enough background information to make sense of what’s happening.
5. Write an effective ending.
You’ve taken the readers on an incredible journey and must now give it the ending it deserves. Your conclusion can be happy or sad, just don’t let it be disappointing.
Summarize the key points, remind your audience about your central theme, and give them something to think about. Use call-to-action to further cement your message into their minds.
Don’t forget about your insights. These can take the form of realizations about your life, advice based on your experiences, and moments of growth.
These insights are an invitation for your readers to be introspective. They might have similar experiences to what they’ve just read. Associating these personal experiences with yours will make your essay more memorable.
6. Lots of editing.
Your first draft is rarely the best example of your writing skills. Once you’ve done writing the essay, get some rest and give your essay another look.
It’s important to rest before moving into the editing phase. You evaluate your essay with fresh eyes, making it easier to spot errors and inconsistencies.
Check your work line by line and paragraph by paragraph. Make sure that each element flows smoothly into one another. If you’re having trouble identifying difficult areas, read your work out loud. The parts that are harder to read are usually the ones that need editing.
What makes a good narrative?
Good narratives are recognizable by their strong characterization, vivid details, and use of conflict or character-driven plots. All three elements take readers into an enjoyable read that they become more and more invested in as it unfolds.
Narrative essays, in particular, are great at forming a connection between the author and the reader. The use of the first-person point-of-view makes them feel more personal than academic. And because the author is telling a personal tale, readers are given a heavier emotional value.
What did you write about in your last narrative essay? Share it in the comments below!
If you enjoyed this post, then you might also like:
- How to Write an Essay: 7 Steps for Clear, Effective Writing
- How to Write a Literary Analysis: 6 Tips for the Perfect Essay
- How to Write an Expository Essay: Types, Tips, and Topics
Cole is a blog writer and aspiring novelist. He has a degree in Communications and is an advocate of media and information literacy and responsible media practices. Aside from his interest in technology, crafts, and food, he’s also your typical science fiction and fantasy junkie, spending most of his free time reading through an ever-growing to-be-read list. It’s either that or procrastinating over actually writing his book. Wish him luck!
