Narrative Essays

Narrative essays are typically the most fun to write because they draw upon an author’s own experiences in life. In addition, these essays give writers a chance to share some of the most meaningful and memorable experiences in their lives. Often writers will share stories about loss, recovery, triumph, and pain. These topics are typically ones that writers remember in vivid detail and offer readers a reflection on a universal theme.

As with other essay writing styles, narrative essays have a particular set of criteria that sets them apart from other types of essays. It’s simply not enough to write a memory of something that happened to you. Instead, you must be very clear about why you have selected this memory, what details are critical, and what you have learned by this experience.

Keep in mind that writing a narrative essay is incorporating a real story into an essay format that serves to make a point about life. It is not simply writing a real story about an important memory in your life.

What do I include in my introduction?

Namely, what’s the point of the essay? It’s very important that readers understand what point you are trying to make in the introduction so that they have a reason for reading. This is similar to establishing a thesis statement.

Effective narratives make points that are usually universal and to which most people can relate. For example, say you made a bad decision at one time and it turned out you were hurt because you didn’t think about the consequences ahead of time. The point might be, look before you leap.

What do I include in the body paragraphs?

The body paragraphs should not only include the details of the actual event, they should also include some background information. For example, if you were writing about how you suffered a minor car accident because you weren’t wearing your seatbelt, you would want to include some general information about seatbelt use.

When selecting what details to use for the narrative (story), keep in mind the essay’s point. The most important part of the story will highlight the purpose. For example, if you were writing about that car accident it would be important to include details about the weather and road conditions, if the radio was on, if you were text messaging, if there were other people in the car with you and perhaps what was on your mind at the time. On the other hand, it is not critical to include the car’s color or what you were wearing, if you had lunch that day before you got in the car, or that someone told you to be safe. Instead, give readers only the most critical details of the event.

In addition, good narratives include all the elements of strong writing. These include figurative language devices such as metaphors, similes and personification as well as sensory details. The idea in a narrative is to help readers experience your memory as if it were happening to them.

How do I wrap it up?

Remember that narratives are essays and therefore, need a well written conclusion. The conclusion should not include the story (narrative), but instead should include a reflection on how the event affected you based on the point you were trying to make.

For example, with the car accident idea, a strong conclusion would include what you learned about cars, driving and responsibility, in addition to what you might know as a result of your experience.

Avoid simply writing a statement such as “Since I was in a car accident, I now know that I should always wear my seatbelt.” This kind of conclusion is trite and ineffective.

Good Narrative Ideas:

• Acts of courage
• Your worst accident or brush with danger
• A risk that paid off
• An important person that changed your way of thinking
• A gain or loss of something or someone important