Narrative essays are some of the best essay to write. The writer has the choice to use his/her experiences undergone in the past therefore you have the right to include your own perspective and feelings in your writing.
Narrative essays are written from a defined point of view, often the author’s, so often sensory details provided to get the reader involved in the elements and sequence of the story.
Basic characteristics of a narrative essay
- A narrative essay is different in its own it helps to recreate experiences though a period of time. You don’t have to exactly put your real experiences on paper but may fix them by making them better or look spectacular and ones the reader can understand.
- A narrative essay allows you to write about your feelings, a certain groups feeling or someone else feelings. Most of the writers are often comfortable writing about their own experiences.
- A lesson must be learnt at the end of the story. A typical narrative essay will always provide a lesson and how it is significant to the reader.
First steps for composing a narrative essay:
- Identify the experience that you want to share.
You may choose to write about a sad or wonderful experience you have ever had and if the experience will pass a message to your reader which is the essence of your writing.
- Consider why the experience is so noteworthy.
The experience that you have chosen must have some significance both to you and to your readers. Ensure it carries some importance if not to everyone then a specific target of age.
- Take time and draft your memories.
- Compose an outline of the essential parts of your story.
Creating an outline will enable you to write quickly your narrative essay since you already have a guideline to follow. An outline also guides the readers on the contents of the essay.
Putting your experience to paper:
Write down your experience with the help of the outline you have come up with. Describe each part in details. In narrative essay you don’t exactly tell what exactly happened but you have a chance to recreate the experience in a creative way for your readers. Remember to write a valuable essay that which your readers will be able to understand and put them in the same experience as you.try to share more on the experience you are writing about to put your readers in the same line as you.
Convey the significance of your experience
Communication is important when you start to write your essay. Ensure its significance is clearly and instantly noted by your readers. This will give readers the urge to continue to read and get to know what they will learn from the essay. Where there is no clear communication readers will simply look for better essays.
Immediately start your experiences, avoid skirting around and making irrelevant remarks as this will turn off the reader. Let the reader digest the narrative within your essay and begin to connect with the ideas and enable them to flow till the end where the last sentence you provide the lesson learnt and the significance of the narrative.
You may also use the technique where you introduce your experience in the first paragraph then delay the lesson learnt till the end of the narrative. This will keep the reader stuck to your essay with anxiety on what lesson is learnt.
Revising the final draft
After completion take a break of few minutes then go through your draft to see if your readers will notice some recreation of experiences. Avoid revising immediately after finishing as chances of noticing error are slim as your mind is completely saturated.
Ask your friend to read through your work, some may have other impressions which will guide you to redo and come up with a perfect narrative.
When you read through take note of areas that need more emphasis, details etc
Remove unnecessary statements that cause distractions or confusion to readers.
Potential prompts for your narrative essay
Achieving a goal-start to think of either short term or long term goals you wish to achieve, for instance passing your final exam at the university or getting a good job that will enable you buy a good car and a house for yourself.
A change-you might have a change in your life either positively or negatively, e.g. death of your parents that prompted you to change your lifestyle, an accident that might have led to your wheelchair trauma.
Importance of using concrete details in a narrative
- Makes the story seem real to readers
- Reduces level of confusion
- Gives information that readers can quickly grasp and not vague
Example:
Abstract: This juice is good
Concrete: juice is smooth, containing sweet smelling flavor made of grapes and some chocolate ripples
Elements of a narrative essay
- Told using a sequence of events
- Its purpose is stated in the opening sentence
- It is written with sensory details and vivid descriptions
