A narrative essay is a form of essay writing that is all about sharing a personal experience and, in doing so, conveying a point or a lesson learnt. It’s not just a summary of events; it’s a story with a central point, characters, setting, climax, and resolution.
Unlike most other essay types, you can let your creativity and ideas flow freely in a narrative essay, although it should still be factual.
Why should I write a narrative essay?
Writing a narrative essay helps you find deeper meaning in your personal experiences and share them in a compelling way. The process also develops crucial skills in storytelling, self-reflection, and communication. When you transform a simple event into a structured story with a lesson, you learn to connect with an audience on an emotional level, making your message more powerful and memorable.
Narrative Essay Structure
Like other essay types, such as argumentative, expository, descriptive, and discursive, a narrative essay also comprises an introduction paragraph, the main body, and a conclusion paragraph.
🟢Narrative Essay Introduction
The introduction paragraph should start with background information to explain why the story is essential to you. The last sentence of the paragraph introduces the theme of the essay.
🟢Narrative Essay Main Body
The main body paragraphs are where you tell the story, develop the plot, and provide facts and details of the experience you are talking about. Make sure to include all the points in a clear and exciting way.
- When did it happen?
- Who was involved?
- What was at stake?
Staying true to your feelings and using appropriate transition words is the key to telling an interesting story. Four points you should consider following in the narrative main body are:
- Lifelike and relevant detail: In the narrative essay, you present a scene and aim to share the experience with the reader. Include plenty of detail where necessary, but do not waste your word count. Each sentence must advance or enhance the story.
- Use dialogue: The use of direct speech, that which is in quotation marks, makes events more real. Use it where most effective. However, if you use it too much or include long monologues, it will lose its effect.
- Apply chronological order: Tell the story as it happened. This aids clarity and ease of understanding. It is better if your readers read it twice because they enjoyed it, not because they could not understand it.
- Focus on the story only: Keep checking as you write that everything you say relates to the story. It is easy to deviate, and doing so also takes away the reader’s attention.
Note that you will not be making any arguments, criticising, or trying to persuade your readers in any way.
🟢Narrative Essay Conclusion
The concluding paragraph should link back to the background statement and the main theme of your essay. You can also restate some important points mentioned in the body here. The conclusion should emphasise how your experience helped you or others involved to attain a deeper understanding of the situation.
What is the language and pronouns used in narrative essays?
Narrative essay writing involves the use of suspense, conversation, metaphorical language, and the use of first-person (’I’). It is possible to write about what happened to someone else, in which case you would use the third-person point of view (using ‘he’, ‘she’, and ‘they’).
Narrative Essay Template
Here is a narrative essay template that you can view and download:
Can I use my imagination in narrative essays?
Yes, you are certainly free to rely upon your imagination to express personal statements or experiences in a narrative essay; however, it is equally important to follow the suitable narrative essay structure and format.
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5 Steps to Writing a Narrative Essay
Here are the steps that you should follow to write a narrative essay:
Step 1: Brainstorm and choose a topic
The first step is to brainstorm and choose a specific topic. Think about the story you want to tell. Use a story that encompasses a surprise, a lesson, or a particular theme, so you can keep the readers interested throughout the essay. Ask yourself these questions:
- What was a time I experienced a major emotion, like joy, fear, embarrassment, pride, or loss?
- What was a moment that changed my perspective or taught me a crucial lesson?
- What is a story my family or friends still talk about?
- What was a challenge I had to overcome?
Step 2: Outline the plot structure
Every good story has a structure. So, organise your essay structure by using a classic story arc, including an exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and a resolution. Introduce the “who, what, when, and where”. Also, provide a background of what life was like before the event.
The rising action provides the sequence of events that set things in motion. Climax adds a turning point to the whole story. Falling action is the immediate consequences of the climax, and resolution is how the event changed you. This is where you reflect on the story’s significance.
Step 3: Start writing your first draft
When the structure is ready, the next step is to start writing your narrative essay. Your introduction must hook the readers, include a thesis statement, and present the main theme.
When writing the main body, make readers experience your mentioned feelings or emotions by using sensory details like sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste. Add a bit of dialogue between the characters involved. Just show, don’t tell. Also, make sure to keep everything in chronological order.
Lastly, conclude your narrative essay by reflecting on the story’s impact and tying it back to your thesis.
Step 4: Revise for clarity and impact
After completing your draft, put it aside for a few hours or a day. Then, start your revision process. Read your story aloud, as this is the best way to catch awkward phrasing and ensure it has a good flow. Make sure that your essay clearly shows the impact of your story.
Moreover, remove any unnecessary details that don’t serve the plot of the theme.
Step 5: Edit and proofread to improve
Editing and proofreading are the final polish of your narrative essay. Look for technical errors like grammar, spelling, punctuation, verb tense, and formatting. One can do proofreading on their own, but it is better to use a tool like Grammarly.
If you detect any errors or mistakes, rectify them quickly. Moreover, you can use editing and proofreading services.
- Brainstorm and choose a topic
- Outline the plot structure
- Start writing your first draft
- Revise for clarity and impact
- Edit and proofread to improve
Writing a Narrative Essay for a College Application
Most colleges require candidates to submit a narrative essay describing their achievements or ambitions, along with their admission application. For example, the topic can be, “Please submit a one-page, single-spaced essay that describes why you have chosen to apply to Oxford University”.
When writing a narrative essay, think about a story or an experience that would enable you to express the qualities and achievements desired by the college in prospective candidates. For instance, you could talk about your proven ability to learn from your mistakes, your calculated approach, and your love for the subject you wish to study.
Narrative Essay Example
Here is an example of a narrative essay:
“The Quiet Helper”
I always thought being a good friend meant doing something big and exciting. I learnt this wasn’t true on a boring Tuesday afternoon. I was sick in my form room, and I realised that real help is often quiet and simple.
I had a bad cold. I felt awful. I was lying in bed, hoping my fun friend Alex would text me. I imagined him coming over with a big, fun gift to make me feel better.
But my door opened slowly. It was my roommate, Sam. He is a very quiet person. He didn’t say much. He was just holding a banana. It even had a brown spot on it. “For you”. He said softly. He put it on my table and then went back to his side of the room.
I was a little disappointed. It was just a banana. I wanted something more. But then I noticed what Sam did next. He filled up my water bottle without my asking. He closed the blinds because the light hurt my eyes. He left a box of tissues near my bed. He didn’t make a big deal about any of it. He just helped.
Where I was waiting for a big show of friendship, Sam gave me something better: quiet help. He showed me that you don’t need to be loud to be a good friend. You just need to be kind and pay attention. I will always remember that banana. It taught me what real friendship looks like.
Narrative Essay Checklist
- My essay is factual. What I have written actually happened.
- I have written from the first-person point of view, using ‘I’,
- If the events are about what happened to others, I have used ‘he’, ‘she’, and ‘they’.
- I have written the events in chronological order.
- The essay follows a basic structure and also reads like a story.
- Where appropriate, I have used plenty of detail to describe scenes, people, and events.
- I have not used extremely formal language or slang.
- My essay does not argue points or try to persuade readers. It only tells a story.
- My essay does not leave the reader confused or with unanswered questions.
Facing Issues Writing Your Narrative Essay?
Writing a narrative essay is not everyone’s cup of tea. So, if you’re also struggling to write one for your assignment or admission application, don’t get stressed. Consult custom essay writing assistance and get a compelling and impactful narrative essay quicker than you can imagine.
Frequently Asked Questions
A descriptive essay provides an extensive description of a particular place, object, topic, or idea. On the other hand, a narrative essay is used to tell a complete story of a personal experience.
Narrative essays are generally 800-1000 words long. The length of your narrative essay depends on who you are writing the essay for. For example, the high school narrative essay will be shorter than a college application narrative essay.
Narrative essays are assigned to students to evaluate their creative storytelling skills in high schools, colleges, and universities. They may also form part of a college application where you are asked to reflect upon your personal experiences in the form of a story.
