Tips for Writing Narrative Essays
Narrative writing is a type of expository writing that provides the writer with the opportunity to write something related to his or herself. This means they must first think about themselves and reflect on their experiences. Everyone has memories of various experiences, many of which are worth sharing. However, people often have memories of so many experiences meshed together that a large part of writing a narrative essay is spent on the preliminary stage.
With the narrative style, the writer is recounting a story. If you look at any narrative essay example, you will see that these essays are often written from a particular viewpoint, usually that of the writer. Therefore, as well as hard fact and sensory detail, there is real feeling in the writing. This helps those who read the story to get involved in its various parts and progress. Verb usage should be accurate and vivid. A piece of narrative writing should have a point, which is usually presented in the opening or first sentence. However, this is sometimes placed in the final sentence of the introductory paragraph.
No matter what narrative essay topics the writer chooses, an essay of this type depends on his or her life experiences and is presented in story format. Using the story-telling technique, the writer must make sure they include all the related elements such as characters, a plot, a setting, a high point and an end. The ‘story’ is normally full of carefully chosen detail to support and explain the story and to add embellishment. Every detail should be linked to the writer’s main point.
Therefore, to sum up, narrative essays are:
- Presented from a specific viewpoint
- Built upon a key point, which the writer must support
- Based on accurate detail
- Most effective when all modifiers and verbs are precise and vivid
- Similar to any story in the way they use sequence and conflict
- Open to the use of dialogue
A narrative report’s primary purpose is to provide a description of some thing or other. A lot of students confuse narrative reports with essays and other college papers. Although the information provided in these types of reports is rather basic compared to other writing forms, a narrative report does not require the same high level of thinking as an essay. Therefore, in the usual sense, narrative reports do not attract the same high grades as other assignments. A book report is a form of narrative report in that it describes a book. Usually it has characters and a description of the way they act, as well as scenes (optional) and a plot (optional). Essentially, unlike writing a narrative essay, it describes, “what happens” in a book while leaving out a lot.
One thing that is omitted is any of the book’s underlying meaning, ideas, assumptions or concepts. Narrative reports leave out any discussion that puts the events in the book into context with what the book is actually about. What is it about? Is it about life and love or the fast pace of modern life? Maybe it is about poverty and illness or power and wealth? Perhaps it addresses societal problems? Put another way, it means neglecting the writer’s viewpoint as put forward in the book or their purpose for writing it. Essentially, if you want to know how to write or how to start a narrative essay, there are certain conventions to observe.
When a topic or event is selected, there are three rules the writer should bear in mind:
- Get the readers involved in the story or plot. An event or incident is a lot more interesting when it is recreated rather than just told.
- Find some general ground that fits the story in your narrative essay. If the writer’s own experience is to become meaningful to the reader, this is the only way it can be achieved. This general ground does not have to involve the whole of humanity. It can be based on the writer or any individual of any background or age.
- Do not forget that even though the primary component is a story, it is important to choose details carefully so that they explain, support and embellish the story.