MASTERCLASS IN NARRATIVE ESSAY WRITING

How to write a narrative essay?

Choosing the theme

• Think what is your idea. You cannot just describe a usual day of your life (the exception is when your aim is to show the borrowing routine), take something special, something that is interesting, has moral value or has changed your life.
• Do not opt for too broad themes. Narrative essay writing is not creating an epic story; you will not manage to make it interesting when trying to describe a great number of characters and events within a few pages.

The pace of the narration

What is necessary for your story? These elements, which you find crucial, should be longer and with many details. Do not stop on the details, which play a secondary role.

Language and style

Do not use clichés and poor sentence structures. The words in narrative essay writing should be interesting and meaningful. Use as many adjectives and adverbs as you can. Bring the reader into the situation.

Create vivid pictures, think about the feelings you had at the moment it happened. It is advisable to include such details as smells, sounds, interiors or landscapes into a narrative essay. Do everything to show the atmosphere, to make your reader believe or, even better, pass through everything with you.

Do not be afraid to use informal language when you need. Narrative essay writing is not like an admission essay or a research paper. It is a creative and original process.

Thesis statement

As well as the argumentative essay where you include your thesis statement in the first paragraph, the narrative essay should also have the main idea stated at the beginning. It is something, why the event is important, what have you brought out of that all. Do not write, “It was important for me,” say why it was important, for example, “That was a summer I have got to know why so many girls choose bad guys,” or “After the experience, I have never ignored, my mother’s advice.”

Narrative essay review

The last stage before handing your paper in is always reviewing. After your text is written, read it for the first impression. Imagine it is not your essay, but you read it as a separate person. Ask yourself such questions: “Have I met my aim? Can I pay someone to write my essay”, “Are all moments and sentences clear to others?”, “Is my essay interesting to read?”

If the answer is “no”, think what significant moments could you miss, or, maybe, your text is overloaded with unnecessary details. Then look carefully at your sentences. It is possible to alternate long, complicated sentences with short ones. It makes your essay easier to read and more understandable. Finally, always proofread the whole work, pay attention to typos and punctuation mistakes.