How to Write a Narrative Essay – Techniques and Guidelines

We read some essays with pleasure in the next magazine or collection. Others we skim through and don’t remember. Still others become literary monuments. And it’s not just the author’s talent. Much depends on what topic you are covering and to whom you are writing.

There are many types of essays. For example, there are philosophical, artistic, historical, religious, literary, and critical essays. Based on their form, they are divided into sketches, letters, lyrical miniatures, and reviews. According to the method of presentation – descriptive and narrative, analytical and critical, essay-illustration, classification, and others. Let’s consider a type of essay as a narrative one.

In a narrative essay, the author tells a real-life story. The narrative connects events in a certain sequence, most often chronological. Action and conflict play a central role in the story. When working on an essay of this type, the author must answer the following questions: who? what did you do? Where? When? How? The narrative is usually told in the first or third person. The narrative is created around key events and often includes dialogue that animates the action and helps draw the reader into the story. The author needs to interest the reader, make the story as vivid as possible so that the reader wants to become part of the events described and can easily be transported into the story.  

Table of features of narrative essays

Aspect	Narrative essay	Description
Definition	A story about an event, story, or fictional story.	A narrative essay is a type of written work where the author talks about something using elements of narration
Goals and objectives	Develop skills in describing, creating images, conveying emotions, developing imagination, and creative thinking	The main purpose of a narrative essay is to tell an interesting story, attract the reader’s attention, and convey certain thoughts or feelings
Choosing a theme	The topic may be fictional or based on real events	It is important to choose a topic that will be interesting and will allow you to develop the main aspects of the narrative essay
Structure	Introduction, main part, conclusion	The structure of a narrative essay helps organize information and make the text logical and consistent.
Language and style	Using a variety of language means, descriptions, dialogues, emotional coloring	The narration can be pictorial (the emphasis is on changing images that show the event) and informative (the text not only talks about the event but also explains it and includes interesting facts).
Preparation	Studying the topic, planning	Preparation for writing a narrative essay includes preparing source material and planning the structure of the text
Implementation	Writing text according to plan and structure	The implementation of a narrative essay is the process of writing a text, where the author uses various techniques to create an interesting story
Evaluation and adjustment	Error analysis and correction	After writing a narrative essay, it is important to analyze it, evaluate the logic and coherence of the text, correct errors, and improve the text.

Essay writing rules

The main feature of any essay is freedom of expression. The essay does not have a clear form; the author is free to express his opinion in his own natural manner. And yet, when writing an essay, there is a significant risk of getting lost in your own thoughts and losing the thread of the narrative. The author should remember that the main purpose of the work is to convey a point of view to the reader. Therefore, it is worth adhering to the principles of logic.

The following recommendations will help you write an essay in this genre:

• Follow the logic of the story. No matter how deep the issue under consideration, the author’s position must be clear and holistic.
• Form an outline before you start writing. Most often, it will consist of an introduction, several arguments, and a conclusion.
• Keep your speech simple and casual. Use accessible terminologyб avoid cliché phrases such as “The duty of every citizen is to be devoted to the Motherland”, “I want to become a professional and benefit people.”
• Emotionality and artistic techniques are acceptable in the essay. However, you should not overuse them: the quality of speech forms the portrait of the author. Keep your language clean, avoid jargon, etc.
• Write specifically and to the point. You should not delay the introduction or develop the same argument if it is already clear. Details are important, but only if they help to better convey the point. If a sentence or phrase does not advance the thinking or contribute to the overall perception of the idea, cross it out.
• Avoid ambiguous language. Build sentences and phrases so that the idea is clear after the first reading. Do not force the reader to figure out the meaning of your words or doubt the correctness of their understanding. Research the question before writing your essay. The more alternative points of view you learn, the easier it is to understand how to argue your position.

Choosing a topic and planning a narrative essay

Choosing a topic and planning a narrative essay are important steps in the writing process. At this stage, you need to determine what your essay will be about and what story you want to tell.

When choosing a topic, you should consider your interests, knowledge, and experience. It is better to choose a topic that is close to you and that you can talk about with enthusiasm. This will help you maintain the reader’s interest and make the text more lively and exciting.

After choosing a topic, you need to plan the structure of the narrative essay. An outline will help you organize your thoughts and ideas and organize the chronology of events in the text.

Also read in this blog – about Exciting Ideas for Essay Topics.

When planning the structure of a narrative essay, you can use the following scheme:

• Introduction

The introduction should grab the reader’s attention and introduce the main topic of the essay. Here, you can use artistic devices, quotes, or interesting facts to interest the reader.

• Main part

The main part of the narrative essay contains the main events and details of the story. Here, you can describe the characters’ actions, thoughts, and feelings and create tension and conflict.

• Conclusion

The conclusion should wrap up the story and leave the reader with a feeling of closure. Here, you can draw conclusions, emphasize the importance of the story, or leave an open question for reflection.

Remember that an outline is a flexible tool and can be changed as you write. The key is to have a clear idea of what you want to say and how to organize your thoughts.

Features of language and style in narrative essays

A narrative essay is a text in which the author talks about an event, story, or experience. In such writing, it is important to use certain features of language and style to convey the atmosphere and emotions of the story.

Use descriptive adjectives and verbs

In a narrative essay, it is important to use descriptive adjectives and verbs to create a vivid picture and convey the mood of the story. For example, instead of simply “he walked,” you can use “he walked hastily” or “he walked slowly and hesitantly.” Such details will help the reader better imagine the events and experiences of the characters.

Use Dialogs

Dialogue in a narrative essay helps bring the story to life and allows the reader to understand the characters better. Dialogue can use spoken language to convey the characters’ personalities and emotions. For example, instead of a formal “Hello, how are you feeling?” you can use a more natural “Hi, how are you?” or “How are you feeling?”

Use environmental description

Describing the environment helps create an atmosphere and convey the mood of the story. A narrative essay can describe the setting, weather, architecture, and other details that will help the reader visualize the events. For example, “It was cold and damp outside, the rain was pouring down in buckets” or “There were tall green trees around, their leaves rustling in the wind.”

Use emotional coloring

In a narrative essay, it is important to convey the emotions of the characters and evoke an emotional response in the reader. To do this, you can use emotional adjectives and verbs and also describe the internal experiences of the characters. For example, “He was full of joy and excitement” or “She felt deep sadness and disappointment.”

It is important to remember that the language and style in a narrative essay should be subordinated to the goal of conveying the story and creating an emotional impression on the reader. Therefore, use a variety of linguistic means and stylistic devices to make your text lively and exciting.