A narrative essay is a story written about a personal experience. Writing a narrative essay provides an opportunity to gain new insights about yourself or your experiences.
Topic Selections:
· Write a narrative essay about an experience that proves appearances can be deceiving
· Write a narrative essay about an experience that made you more appreciative of your life
· Write a narrative essay about an experience of a serious illness or death of a close friend or relative.
· Write a narrative essay about an experience of a significant misunderstanding with an authority, such as parents, police, or instructor
· Write a narrative essay about an experience of your first extended stay from home.
· Write a narrative essay about an experience of a personal failure/success.
Requirements:
· Review resources and powerpoint on Narrative writing .
· Develop at least a five paragraph essay (equivalent to 500 to 600 words).
· Be sure to indent paragraphs and double space
· Refer to the Rules/Guidelines for Writing for complete details regarding fonts, font size, format…
· Submit your essay as a Microsoft Word file attachment
Narrative Writing
Narrative Writing Project
Narration tells a story by presenting events of an experience or incident in an orderly, logical sequence. The narrative writing answers: “What happened? When did it happened? Who did it? What lesson(s) were learned?
Elements found in a narrative include dialogue, narrative order, narrative detail, point of view, and conflict (internal or external). Chronological order is useful in developing the narrative because it controls the order of the story, detailing what happened first, second, third, and last. Transitions are important to connecting sentences and paragraphs. Review the chart below for a list for time transitions and phrases used in a narrative.
· before
· meanwhile
· afterward
· at the same time
· to begin with
· subsequently
· previously
· at last
· at present
· briefly
· currently
· at that time
· in the meantime
· eventually
· finally gradually
· immediately
· in the future
· then
· now
· later
· suddenly
· earlier
· formerly
· shortly
· until now
· in the past
·
Narrative writing should have a purpose or thesis statement and should include details of the events that support the thesis statement. Several conventions are common in narrative writing :
1) narratives are generally written in the first person, that is, using “I,” DO NOT use second person pronouns (you, your yourself). These pronouns are not used in formal writing. However first person pronouns may be used (“I”) and third person pronouns (“he, she, it”).
2) narratives rely on concrete, sensory detail to convey the point, and
3) narratives create “tension” or conflict that is resolved in the conclusion.
4) narratives make a point, communicates a main idea or dominant impression.
Structuring a Narrative paragraph
1) Purpose–Why are you telling the story? Every narration must have a point or purpose.
2) Context–You should establish the context of your narrative early in the paragraph. You can follow these basic guidelines: who, what, when, and where.
3) Point of View–A narrative paragraph may be written in the first person (I) or third person (he, she, it) point of view; DO NOT use second person (YOU). Once you have decided upon a point of view, stay consistent with it.
4) Details–Include enough details for clarity; however, select only the facts that are relevant.
5) Organization–A narrative usually follows a chronological timeline; however, you may find flashbacks a creative option as long as the narrative can be clearly followed by the reader. Most narratives are told in the past tense. You should keep tenses consistent.
Four Basics of Good Narration
1. It reveals something of importance to the writer (the main point).
2. It includes all the major events of the story (primary support).
3. It brings the story to life with details about the major events (secondary support).
4. It presents the events in a clear order, usually according to when they happened.