Writing a Narrative Essay

Writing in a narrative style is basically speaking from your own experience. Typically this is written in first person form. The word "I" usually appears in this particular style of essay quite a bit. A narrative essay is basically a story told from the writer’s point of view. You’re telling about an experience you had with something, how you felt about it, and what your views are about it or as a result of it. It doesn’t necessarily have to be about you, it can be about someone you know. The whole purpose of writing a narrative essay is to make a point in the form of a story. Include the reader in the story for this makes it much more interesting for them to picture

Before beginning a narrative essay, one needs to decide what kind of a point they want to make to the reader and how to tell the story in such a way that it engages and enlightens the readers. Since this is usually in first person and in a storytelling kind of style, you could use a recorder to tell your story to as if you were telling it to a person sitting before you. Then play back the recorder and revise it into an essay form. During this revision, keep in mind that due to the nature of a narrative essay, you’ll need to include all the basics of telling a story. Create a plot, character, setting, climax and conclusion.

Begin with an introduction that explains to the reader what the essay is about, an event, personal experience or observation. Within that introductory paragraph you need to let the reader know what kind of point you plan on making.

Since a narrative essay is writing in the storytelling mode, you need to employ the same principals as writing a fictional story. Use action verbs and modifiers that bring out vibrant pictures. Utilize anecdotes to describe scenes or happenings. Include dialogue if you feel it lends itself to the story but use it sparingly. Your goal is to create a vivid image of the story you are trying to tell to the reader so use precise detail in the telling. Make sure all of those details used explain, support and relate to your main point.

In your concluding paragraph, bring your reader back to your point by stating it here. Show the reader how your whole story ties in to the point that you are trying to make.

Due to the very nature of writing a narrative essay, it tends to become just a descriptive essay, much like writing a book report. To ensure that your essay stands out and gets noticed, you need to make sure to stay with the point of the story. A skillful writer will weave his point of view, assumption or concept that leads him to his point of the story. Don’t get so involved in just telling the story. Tell it in such a way that it makes the readers think or leads them to realize a concept that you’re trying to make. The better you accomplish this, the more your particular essay will stand out above the rest.

Don’t be afraid to go back to edit and revise. All good writing requires at least one revision. It helps to read it aloud to a friend or even yourself to get a feel of how it sounds to the ear. Does it sound natural and free-flowing or stilted and uncomfortable? Wherever it gets to sounding awkward, change the words or sentences. Don’t assume that the reader will understand and gloss over them. These are the places where you are most likely to lose your readers. So, take the time to go through the whole essay and only consider yourself done when the story can be read all the way through in a natural, story-telling manner. When the words and paragraphs flow together naturally, the reader doesn’t feel as if he has to work so hard to get through the essay. Their only concern will be to think about the point you are making.