The narrative essay is common writing assignment you will see throughout your time in school. They generally require you to tell a story from your life experience that connects in some to a theme being discussed in class or brought up on the assignment prompt. Here is some useful advice for crafting a great narrative essay at any level:
There are two components that make up a great narrative essay: a story and some kind of analysis of the story. Your topic should relate to specific them, issue, or concept as told from a personal point of view calling on some past experience. No matter what story you wish to convey, make sure that it fits within the parameters of the assignment prompt.
Next, you want to take your topic idea and make sure that you will be able to discuss it fully and that it has a number of vivid details. While you are writing non-fiction, you should still bring the story to life much in the same way as you would with fiction writing. Make a list of details to help get your creative juices flowing, remembering to touch upon as many senses as possible.
Before you start writing, gather your brainstorming notes and list of details together to create an outline and thesis statement. This will help you narrow the focus of your essay so that you are discussing only the most important details and allow you to structure your paper in a logical manner before you start the writing process.
The best method for writing your first draft is quickly and efficiently, without pausing to make corrections to minor errors in grammar, punctuation or spelling. You should also keep your outline nearby for constant reference. This will help you stay on topic if you find yourself getting off track or distracted.
Lastly, don’t skip the revision, editing and proofreading processes of your narrative essay before turning it in. Your first draft will be full of errors as well as instances of poor English writing. Spend several hours doing these last exercises to ensure you have made all of the appropriate corrections and that you are submitting a flawless piece of writing.