How to Write a Narrative
Essay
Knowing and Narrowing Your
Topic
Less is more!
As the poet Taylor Mali says,
The real problem is
you’re not telling me enough about far too much…
Narrowing your Topic
A topic that is too broad (“Decorating
Our Christmas Tree”) is too difficult to write about--it’s overwhelming and you will say very little about far too much.
Instead, “explode a moment” by
narrowing it down to a specific, noteworthy event (“The Time I
Knocked the Tree Over Trying to Put
A good narrative essay contains all of the following elements:
a strong beginning (a “grabber”) to engage
and interest readers
a vivid, detailed description of one
important moment or experience
sensory details and dialogue to help
readers imagine people and events
varied sentence style, paragraph length, and word choice
a clear, logical sequence of events thoughtful reflection about why the
experience is so memorable or significant
The Beginning
A good introduction has two parts:
1. A “grabber”: something that gets
your reader’s attention and makes them want to read more
2. A brief mention of the focus or a
statement that expresses the main idea of the essay (called the “thesis”)
Note: there is usually a transition
Five Simple Ways to Start an
Essay That Will Grab Your
Reader’s Attention
Remember:
You want your beginning to go
VIRAL!
1. Vivid imagery or sensory details 2. Interesting question
3. Related or interesting quotation 4. Anecdote (a brief, interesting
story)
Vivid Imagery or Sensory
Details
key word: vivid—it’s got to be a
really great description of something
works well as part of the
“exposition” to help describe the setting and set the mood
has to be followed up with a
Vivid Imagery or Sensory
Details example
That Christmas Eve, the streets of
Boston were clogged with tourists and locals bundled in wool and flannel.
Shoppers, hawkers, and gawkers
whirled and swirled around me. “Frosty the Snowman,” “Let It Snow!” and
Interesting Question
key word: interesting
no dumb, obvious questions
(“Can you read?” or “Do you like breathing?”)
make it thought-provoking or
funny
follow it up with how it relates to
Interesting Question
example
Have you ever had a moment when you realized your family is absolutely crazy? Every year I
have one of those moments.
Related or Interesting
Quotation
credit the source of the quote (if you
can)
doesn’t have to be from anyone
famous
be sure to explain the significance of
the quote or how it relates to your topic in a follow-up sentence
punctuate correctly:
My friend Flippy Flapponolo once said,
Related or Interesting
Quotation example
“You’re so smart, you rig up the lights!” is
a line from one of my favorite Christmas songs, “The Twelve Pains of Christmas.” I love this song and this line from it because of the memories it stirs up in my mind.
Every year, as one of my family’s many holiday traditions, my father and I would try to string up the Christmas lights on the outside of the house, and every year,
things would end badly. One year in
Anecdote (a brief, interesting
story)
interesting is the key word—funny
or dramatic
can include dialogue!
shouldn’t be more than a few
sentences or short paragraphs
obviously, has to relate to your
topic!
should be a short moment that sets
Anecdote example
I must have been about nine years old, too dignified to sit on Santa’s lap at the Mason’s department
store in Anniston, Alabama, but still young enough to ask—please, please, please—for a G.I. Joe.
“You’re too old to play with dolls,” my brother Sam hissed at me. Sam never was a child. My kin liked to say the day he was born, he dusted himself off in the delivery room and walked home.
“G.I. Joe ain’t no doll,” I hissed back, my face red. “Is,” Sam said.
“Ain’t,” I said.
Loud, Bold Statement
really just a bold statement—I used
“loud” so the mnemonic device (VIRAL) worked
usually a one-sentence paragraph
(for emphasis)
has to be something that practically
jumps off the page (without being rude, insulting, or inappropriate)
needs to be followed up with an
Loud, Bold Statement
example
Santa wears a gold Timex watch.
As a child of five, I didn’t notice it. I didn’t notice anything but that bright red suit and that big
white fluffy beard. Santa was standing right there, in my living room, and I was so thrilled, I nearly exploded in a mushroom cloud of holiday excitement. For my seven-year-old sister,
however, this particular accessory—that gold Timex watch—was awfully suspicious, and she was not willing to let the coincidence go.
Remember: VIRAL
Vivid imagery or sensory details Interesting question
Related or interesting quotation Anecdote (a brief, interesting
story)
Loud, bold statement
Three more things:
These aren’t the only ways to start
a narrative essay.
You might just start at the beginning
of the story you’re telling.
No matter how long or short your
introduction is, make sure it
1. is interesting for your reader, and
One Simple Way to Elaborate Really Well in the Middle Paragraphs
Show, don’t tell
(See the “Show, Don’t Tell
Your middle paragraphs should
also have…
varied sentence style,
paragraph length, and word choice
a clear, logical sequence of
events
elements of the plot diagram
and the elements of fiction!
The Key to a Good Ending:
Reflection
Reflecting means that you show
careful and deep thought about something’s meaning,
Ending an essay with reflection,
continued
Without reflection, you haven’t
really said much in an essay—it’s what really personalizes your
writing, shows your “voice,” and
gives your audience something to connect with
Reflection “deepens” your story,
making sure your reader
Ending with Reflection
example
Sometimes the best gift is the one you give yourself. That
Christmas, I gave myself credit for what I’d accomplished so far and permission to go forward, unafraid. It is the best give I’ve
