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Narrative essays are perhaps one of the most unnerving assignments you will need to do in your academic life. These not only test your ability to tell a story but also test your skill to create a story revolving around a central theme. This theme must recur throughout the story, which makes narrative essays notoriously scary for students. Some of the things you could do to help are that you could buy narrative essay and get cheap essay help UK. But by learning what a narrative essay includes, you can upskill yourself and become a great fiction writer!
This guide will show you what a narrative essay is and what are main components of it are, and how to write them, so you need not fear! Just put on your creativity hat and dive in.
What exactly is a narrative essay?
In simple words, a narrative essay is a fictional or non-fictional piece of work that has a theme that needs to be present throughout the story. The story revolves around that theme. This is what sets the narrative essay apart from other pieces of work.
The style of writing in this essay needs to be a narrative style, which essentially means that you need to tell a story that has a start, a middle, and an ending. And because it is a creative piece of work, you are also expected to make use of literary devices such as metaphors and personification to make your writing colorful and interesting for the reader. You can also make use of adjectives to add spice to the story.
It’s all about creativity!
Unlike the essays you are used to writing, a narrative essay is a creative piece of work. It is a chance to use your imagination and unique expression to tell an interesting story. Usually, these skills will be tested by asking you to write a personal experience you had, with a central motif behind that experience (Walden University, n.d.). You can also use these skills to help you write excellent personal statements for universities, so it is a very useful skill to learn!
What are the main components of a narrative essay?
Just like any other essay, a narrative essay needs to be divided into three main sections: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. But what to include in these sections and how to write these sections greatly differ from your usual essays.
The following is the structure of a narrative essay.
First part: Introduction
The first paragraph of the essay should introduce the main theme of the essay creatively. Do not simply give out information, do it in a way that really engages the reader.
- Hook the reader
You can start off your introductory paragraph by writing a hook, which essentially is an interesting sentence that gives incentive to the reader to read the essay because it makes the story sound interesting. For example,
“My neighbor’s house was never quiet, even in the dark hours of the night. So, one cold misty night in the fateful winter of 2001, when I couldn’t hear a single squeak or a whisper from across the street, I knew something was not right.”
- Add your thesis statement
The introductory paragraph also includes the thesis statement of a narrative essay. This is different from a regular thesis statement as it does not need to be precise and does not need to provide a summary of the whole essay.
A thesis statement needs to have one of the following two main components: the main theme, or the idea learned. The main theme is the pattern running throughout the essay, and the idea learned is the moral of the story.
Second Part: Body
Here is where you really start telling the main ideas of the story. You can do it in many ways, such as presenting your ideas chronologically or doing them in a way with the relevant ones first (Miami University, n.d.). It is up to you and how you take up your story.
- Structure of paragraphs
You can organise your ideas into different paragraphs when writing your story. You should explain how each idea presented links to the main theme of the essay. Make sure that each paragraph has an introductory sentence that also links it to the previous paragraph. This way, your ideas will be presented in a flow. Making use of transition phrases including such as, finally, nevertheless, to begin with, etc. can help you create a flow of ideas.
- Describe characters
Characters are essential to your narrative and include those people or animals involved in the events. You are the main character in a personal narrative essay. These characters need to be developed in the body of the essay.
- Add a dialogue
Since you’re writing a story, it’s important to include dialogues. This can help your story be animated and can also help with describing characters in your narrative.
- Use creative descriptions
When describing events in the body, always use creativity to bring the events to life and make it easier for the reader to imagine them in their minds. You can also make use of the five senses when writing your descriptions. Explain how something tasted, what you could hear, how it smelled, what it looked like, and how it felt against your skin. By adding these details, you are helping the reader to stand in your shoes.
Third part: Conclusion
Unlike regular essays, the conclusion of a narrative essay does not summarize the main arguments in the essay. The conclusion in this essay provides a resolution to your story. This is essentially a way to solve the major conflict in the story and provide a learned lesson. Make sure you link this to the theme of your essay.
Now that you know what narrative essay writing is all about, it must seem easy as pie. It is a kind of essay that shows your imagination, so make sure to enjoy the experience as you work on this creative and imaginative assignment!
References
Miami University, n.d. Narrative Essays. https://miamioh.edu/hcwe/handouts/narrative-essays/
Walden University, n.d. Undergraduate Writing: Drafting a Narrative.
