Everyone has a story to tell. There are many experiences in life that we would like to put in words for others to relate to or to tell exhilarating tales of events that took place in our lives for others to read and experience with us. Narrative essays provide a platform to tell these stories and cement their existence because well, memory is a fragile thing. As you prepare to take your readers on this experiential journey with you, there are some aspects of these essays you may need to pay closer attention to. This text will guide you on how to provide the proper execution to your narrative and thereby attain the desired results.
What Is a Narrative Essay?
It is basically a story, written from a writer’s point of view that includes a sequence of events and experiences taking place, which highlight the writer’s beliefs, biases, likes and dislikes. Ever heard of the saying there are three sides to every story, ‘your side, my side and the truth’? Well, when it comes to narratives, you have the opportunity to share your side of the story. This comes with a freedom to express your views and feelings to engage your readers and spark some of their emotions depending on the type of story you tell. The detailing is accurate and uses verbs that are vivid and precise. Unlike Comparison and contrast essay, narratives only revolve around one motif that contributes towards the development of a theme that is built up in the paper.
Awesome Tips on How to Write a Good Narrative
When it comes to writing a good narrative, having content is simply not enough. Some critical factors come into play here to determine whether it will be a successful story that has all the aspects efficiently executed from the beginning of the story to the ending to the lessons if there are any.
Here are a few guidelines to consider when writing a narrative:
- Prepare
Preparation is important in everything. Get everything you need to write the narrative in order. Select the characters, the events and how they are to relate to each other, provide a setting for the story, and then write a simple draft for the narrative
- Clarity
The basic understanding of a statement in a narrative is key in enjoying it. The language used should be simple enough for the readers to grasp on the first read. The use of complex words and syntax hinders clarity. Ideas should be clearly distributed between sentences and paragraphs
- Show, don’t tell.
When writing a narrative, it is essential to know that your reader wants to have the experience with you. Sensory description brings the story alive for the reader and truly captures their imagination by appealing to their senses of touch, smell and even taste. You should be careful not to over-describe simple things such as your movement.
Wondering How to Start a Narrative Essay?
It is easy. Ensure that you:
- Engage your audience using ABDCE method
Capturing and retaining the interest of readers should be given one of the highest priorities. Authors came up with ABDCE method for this which begins by providing the reader action because that is what sparks their curiosity, the providing a background to the readers about the characters and situations included so that they get the full effect of the story. Then, develop the story by describing the central chain of events, and when the development is at its peak, it reaches its climax which covers the most dramatic and crucial part of the story. Finally, give the ending that shows the aftermath of the events.
- Proofread your Essay
This should be among one of the last things you do before submitting an essay. Check for any errors that you may have made unknowingly just to be safe and correct them.
Stuck on How to Structure a Narrative Essay?
Having a structure is what differentiates these essays from short stories. The narrative essay structure is divided into three main parts, the introduction, the body, and the conclusion. Linking the three to provide a story that flows and achieves its intended purpose is the goal of each writer and author.
Within the three parts a writer is supposed to include the basic components of a narrative which are;
- Plot- a sequence of events that unfold
- Characters- The people in the story who make the story by their decisions and actions
- Conflict- The problem that the protagonist of the story needs to solve or overcome by the end of the story
- Theme- The message the narrative is trying to express either directly or indirectly.
When structuring a narrative time is a major factor to pay attention to because it connects the events chronologically that way the reader can easily tell apart the beginning, the middle and the end. The use of certain transitional words for example now, since, before, then and meanwhile among others, keep the reader invested in the unraveling of the events of the story.
Things to Include in Your Narrative Essay Introduction Paragraph
The introduction paragraph is the beginning of your story. The first few sentences of the story usually include the hook, which grabs the attention of the reader early on. You can then provide a setting for the story, the scenery, the views, then introduce the characters of your story, not necessarily in this order. After this, you prepare the reader for the action to come in the body of the essay.
Revamp Your Narrative Essay Body with These Tips
The body contains most of the plot of the narrative essay. It is undoubtedly the largest part of any essay.
The plot can be organized in different ways with the simplest being in chronological order. This is arranging your thoughts according to how the events occur in time. The first paragraph describes the first event, the second paragraph the second event and so on. As stated earlier keeping the reader hooked is important here. This can be met by capturing and retaining their curiosity through the events in order and providing a flawless transition of ideas between the paragraphs.
The paragraphs of the essay body should show, using a lot of description in order to create a mental picture for the reader to enhance their experience. Because the essays are mostly derived from personal experience, the writer is supposed to clearly describe the lessons learned from the events of the story. The depicted events should have a well-portrayed significance to the writer.
Also in the body, some of the basic rules of essay writing still apply such as avoiding repetition, observing flow, and reviewing how the events are connected.
Complete Your Article with an Incredible Narrative Essay Conclusion
Every good story must have a sound ending. The conclusion to such essays is the final part. It functions to present a moral to the story based on the events in the story. The conclusion sums up the outcomes of all the activities in the introduction and body of the story and answers all the remaining questions in the reader’s mind by satisfying the curiosity carried throughout the paragraphs of the story. The conclusion should ensure that all the events and activities in the narrative are accounted for. Here, the writer can evaluate their overall experience and what the experience means to them. Also, you can state how the experience changed your life.
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Narrative articles are artistic and promote creativity by mastering the art of guiding the reader through your experience and having the freedom to reach deep into their emotions and make them feel what you want them to feel. Our best essay writers online can help you with your essay if you need professional assistance with that crucial paper.