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How to Write a Narrative Paragraph
Last Updated: December 5, 2023 Fact Checked
This article was co-authored by Grant Faulkner, MA . Grant Faulkner is the Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and the co-founder of 100 Word Story, a literary magazine. Grant has published two books on writing and has been published in The New York Times and Writer’s Digest. He co-hosts Write-minded, a weekly podcast on writing and publishing, and has a M.A. in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 327,216 times.
A narrative paragraph tells a story, either real or fictional, by introducing a topic, giving more details, and then ending with a reflection or transition to another paragraph. Being able to properly write a narrative paragraph is an essential skill for anyone who wants to write or tell stories, from authors to journalists to advertisers and beyond. Learning the essential elements (an introduction, necessary details, and a conclusion) and how to put them together concisely will enable you to craft brief but complete stories for any audience. Plus, you'll become a better, more confident writer, too!
Introducing Your Story
- You could relate something that happened to someone else, even a fictional person.
- The exception would be if you were switching between the current discussion of the story’s meaning (in present tense) and the narrative of the story’s events (past tense).
- A good first-person topic sentence might be, “I’ll never forget the time I picked out my new puppy.” If you were using third person, the same topic sentence would be written, “He would never forget the time he picked out his new puppy.”
- For the first-person example about picking out a new puppy, you might continue, “My mom drove me to the breeder, which was 45 minutes away.”
- You might say: “I was 11, so the car ride seemed like an eternity. We lived in Wisconsin at the time, and the breeder was in Chicago.”
- All background information after the topic sentence, such as other characters and where the story takes place, should be approximately 1-4 sentences long.
- While the length of your paragraph will vary based on the content, a standard 5-sentence paragraph likely will not provide enough detail to tell a complete narrative.
Providing Narrative Details
- You could say, ”When we arrived at the breeder, I felt dismayed. I didn’t see any puppies at all.”
- You might continue, ”The breeder whistled. I was relieved when the puppies bounded around a corner and into the entryway. I saw a puppy in my favorite color—white—with two black spots. ‘Mom, can we keep him?’ I asked hopefully. She paused for a minute, seeming to reconsider getting a puppy at all.”
- You could end, “Then, mom smiled. ‘Only if we can name him Oreo.’ I hugged her, and Oreo gave me a lick of approval.”
- Resolution could be as brief as 1 sentence or as many as 3.
Concluding Your Story and Proofing Your Paragraph
- Regarding the puppy story, you might say, ”It was the happiest day of my life.”
- The nature of your conclusion will depend greatly on the tone and content of your story as well as the perspective the story is told from.
- Reading your story out loud is a great way to listen for grammar problems and other spots that don’t quite flow.
- Don’t rely on spell-check, as it won’t catch everything!
Template and Example of a Narrative Paragraph
Expert Q&A
- To make your narrative paragraph engaging, bounce story ideas off a friend before you begin writing. It’s best to focus on a moment that was special and transformative for you or your narrator rather than simply relating day-to-day events. [10] X Research source Thanks Helpful 2 Not Helpful 0
- The sentence parameters outlined here are simply guidelines rather than hard rules. When needed, narrative paragraphs can run slightly shorter or longer to suit their content. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
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- ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/grammar/verb_tenses/verb_tense_consistency.html
- ↑ https://k12.thoughtfullearning.com/lessonplan/writing-narrative-paragraph
- ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/paragraphs/paragraph-development-examples/
- ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/writingforsuccess/chapter/10-1-narration/
- ↑ https://opentextbc.ca/buildingblocks/chapter/narrative-paragraphs/
- ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/Proofreading.html
- ↑ Grant Faulkner, MA. Professional Writer. Expert Interview. 8 January 2019.
- ↑ https://opentextbc.ca/writingforsuccess/chapter/chapter-12-peer-review-and-final-revisions/
About This Article
A narrative paragraph tells a chronological story that can either be real or fictional. A good narrative starts with a strong topic sentence that draws the reader in and introduces the tale you’re going to tell. For example, you might start your paragraph with "I'll never forget the day I picked out my new puppy." Once you hook your reader, introduce any major characters involved in the tale. After you set the scene, introduce the main conflict in the story, which you'll want to resolve by the end. For instance, you might write "When we arrived at the breeder's, I was disappointed. There weren't any puppies in sight. But then I heard a whistle and saw a bunch of puppies race around the corner." Your narrative paragraph should be around 9 sentences long. For tips on how to proofread your narrative paragraph, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No
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How to Write a Narrative Essay — A Step-by-Step Guide
N arrative essays are important papers most students have to write. But how does one write a narrative essay? Fear not, we’re going to show you how to write a narrative essay by breaking down a variety of narrative writing strategies. By the end, you’ll know why narrative essays are so important – and how to write your own.
How to Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step
Background on narrative essays.
Narrative essays are important assignments in many writing classes – but what is a narrative essay? A narrative essay is a prose-written story that’s focused on the commentary of a central theme .
Narrative essays are generally written in the first-person POV , and are usually about a topic that’s personal to the writer.
Everything in a narrative essay should take place in an established timeline, with a clear beginning, middle, and end.
In simplest terms, a narrative essay is a personal story. A narrative essay can be written in response to a prompt or as an independent exercise.
We’re going to get to tips and tricks on how to write a narrative essay in a bit, but first let’s check out a video on “story.”
How to Start a Narrative Essay • What is a Story? by Mr. Kresphus
In some regards, any story can be regarded as a personal story, but for the sake of this article, we’re going to focus on prose-written stories told in the first-person POV.
How to Start a Narrative Essay
Responding to prompts.
Many people wonder about how to start a narrative essay. Well, if you’re writing a narrative essay in response to a prompt, then chances are the person issuing the prompt is looking for a specific answer.
For example: if the prompt states “recount a time you encountered a challenge,” then chances are the person issuing the prompt wants to hear about how you overcame a challenge or learned from it.
That isn’t to say you have to respond to the prompt in one way; “overcoming” or “learning” from a challenge can be constituted in a variety of ways.
For example, you could structure your essay around overcoming a physical challenge, like an injury or disability. Or you could structure your essay around learning from failure, such as losing at a sport or performing poorly on an important exam.
Whatever it is, you must show that the challenge forced you to grow.
Maturation is an important process – and an essential aspect of narrative essays... of course, there are exceptions to the rule; lack of maturation is a prescient theme in narrative essays too; although that’s mostly reserved for experienced essay writers.
So, let’s take a look at how you might respond to a series of narrative essay prompts:
How successful are you?
This prompt begs the writer to impart humility without throwing a pity party. I would respond to this prompt by demonstrating pride in what I do while offering modesty. For example: “I have achieved success in what I set out to do – but I still have a long way to go to achieve my long-term goals.”
Who is your role model?
“My role model is [Blank] because ” is how you should start this narrative essay. The “because” is the crux of your essay. For example, I’d say “Bill Russell is my role model because he demonstrated graceful resolve in the face of bigotry and discrimination.
Do you consider yourself spiritual?
For this prompt, you should explain how you came to the conclusion of whether or not you consider yourself a spiritual person. Of course, prompt-givers will differ on how much they want you to freely express. For example: if the prompt-giver is an employee at an evangelizing organization, then they probably want to see that you’re willing to propagate the church’s agenda. Alternatively, if the prompt-giver is non-denominational, they probably want to see that you’re accepting of people from various spiritual backgrounds.
How to Write Narrative Essay
What makes a good narrative essay.
You don’t have to respond to a prompt to write a narrative essay. So, how do you write a narrative essay without a prompt? Well, that’s the thing… you can write a narrative essay about anything!
That’s a bit of a blessing and a curse though – on one hand it’s liberating to choose any topic you want; on the other, it’s difficult to narrow down a good story from an infinite breadth of possibilities.
In this next video, the team at Essay Pro explores why passion is the number one motivator for effective narrative essays.
How to Write a Narrative Essay Step by Step • Real Essay Examples by Essay Pro
So, before you write anything, ask yourself: “what am I passionate about?” Movies? Sports? Books? Games? Baking? Volunteering? Whatever it is, make sure that it’s something that demonstrates your individual growth . It doesn’t have to be anything major; take a video game for example: you could write a narrative essay about searching for a rare weapon with friends.
Success or failure, you’ll be able to demonstrate growth.
Here’s something to consider: writing a narrative essay around intertextuality. What is intertextuality ? Intertextuality is the relationship between texts, i.e., books, movies, plays, songs, games, etc. In other words, it’s anytime one text is referenced in another text.
For example, you could write a narrative essay about your favorite movie! Just make sure that it ultimately reflects back on yourself.
Narrative Writing Format
Structure of a narrative essay.
Narrative essays differ in length and structure – but there are some universal basics. The first paragraph of a narrative essay should always introduce the central theme. For example, if the narrative essay is about “a fond childhood memory,” then the first paragraph should briefly comment on the nature of the fond childhood memory.
In general, a narrative essay should have an introductory paragraph with a topic sentence (reiterating the prompt or basic idea), a brief commentary on the central theme, and a set-up for the body paragraphs.
The body paragraphs should make up the vast majority of the narrative essay. In the body paragraphs, the writer should essentially “build the story’s case.” What do I mean by “build the story’s case?”
Well, I mean that the writer should display the story’s merit; what it means, why it matters, and how it proves (or refutes) personal growth.
The narrative essay should always conclude with a dedicated paragraph. In the “conclusion paragraph,” the writer should reflect on the story.
Pro tip: conclusion paragraphs usually work best when the writer stays within the diegesis.
What is a Video Essay?
A video essay is a natural extension of a narrative essay; differentiated only by purpose and medium. In our next article, we’ll explain what a video essay is, and why it’s so important to media criticism. By the end, you’ll know where to look for video essay inspiration.
Up Next: The Art of Video Analysis →
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Interactive example of a narrative essay. An example of a short narrative essay, responding to the prompt "Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself," is shown below. Hover over different parts of the text to see how the structure works. Narrative essay example.
A narrative essay delivers its theme by deliberately weaving the motifs through the events, scenes, and details. While a narrative essay may be entertaining, its primary purpose is to tell a complete story based on a central meaning. Unlike other essay forms, it is totally okay—even expected—to use first-person narration in narrative essays.
A 3 paragraph essay is a concise format that emphasizes clarity and effectiveness. It allows writers to focus on the essentials and compactly present their arguments. To make your text more impactful, consider the following advice: Prioritize clarity: Define your thesis and use clear language.
Purpose: Reach the peak of the story, the moment of highest tension or significance. Elements: Turning Point: Highlight the most crucial moment or realization in the narrative. Example: "As the sun dipped below the horizon and hope seemed lost, a distant sound caught our attention—the rescue team's helicopters.".
Part 1 Understanding a Narrative Essay. A narrative essay is a form of writing where you share a personal experience or tell a story to make a point or convey a lesson. Unlike other types of essays, a narrative essay aims to engage your audience by sharing your perspective and taking them on an emotional journey. To begin, choose a meaningful ...
3 Pre-Writing and Planning. 3.1 Tips for Selecting a Suitable Topic for a Concise Essay. 3.2 Outlining. 3.3 Crafting a Clear and Concise Thesis Statement that Guides Your Essay. 4 Writing the Three-Paragraph Essay. 4.1 Crafting a Strong Hook to Engage the Reader. 4.2 Crafting a Compelling and Relevant Title for Your Essay.
As with most essays, the three-paragraph essay has three parts: an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Yet with this type of essay-unlike its five-paragraph counterpart-each one of these sections has only one paragraph. ... You can also use it to relate a narrative tale, using the three parts as the beginning, middle, and end of a story ...
0 comment 2. Narrative essays are a type of storytelling in which writers weave a personal experience into words to create a fascinating and engaging narrative for readers. A narrative essay explains a story from the author's point of view to share a lesson or memory with the reader. Narrative essays, like descriptive essays, employ ...
See Chapter 15 "Readings: Examples of Essays" to read a sample narrative essay. Exercise 3. On a separate sheet of paper, add two or three paragraphs to the plot summary you started in the last section. Describe in detail the main character and the setting of the first scene. Try to use all five senses in your descriptions.
6. Plan to write a narrative paragraph of at least 9 sentences. Write 1 topic sentence, 1-4 sentences of background information, 2-4 sentences to start the story, 3-5 sentences to present the conflict, 1-3 sentences to resolve the conflict, and 1-2 sentences to provide a conclusion.
Narrative essays differ in length and structure - but there are some universal basics. The first paragraph of a narrative essay should always introduce the central theme. For example, if the narrative essay is about "a fond childhood memory," then the first paragraph should briefly comment on the nature of the fond childhood memory.
When writing a narrative essay, one might think of it as telling a story. These essays are often anecdotal, experiential, and personal—allowing students to express themselves in a creative and, quite often, moving ways. Here are some guidelines for writing a narrative essay. If written as a story, the essay should include all the parts of a ...
Narrative Essay Definition. Writing a narrative essay is a unique form of storytelling that revolves around personal experiences, aiming to immerse the reader in the author's world. It's a piece of writing that delves into the depths of thoughts and feelings. In a narrative essay, life experiences take center stage, serving as the main substance of the story. It's a powerful tool for writers ...
The main body of a narrative essay is the most important part because it tells the whole story. This is where you state the facts, provide examples, give details, and guide the reader through the plot. According to the five paragraphs essay structure, it has three body paragraphs, but it can depend on the length and word count.
Before you write your narrative essay, you can get a better idea of what to do with a narrative essay example. See real samples along with essential tips.
Unit 5 Narrative Paragraphs. Learning Objectives. To learn what a narrative paragraph focuses on. To understand and practice narrative paragraphs with a focus on the use of time transitions, past tenses, descriptive vocabulary, and specific supporting details. To study narrative paragraphs through analyzing multiple models.
3. Create a Thesis Statement. The thesis statement is the most important sentence and tells the reader what your essay will be about. In a personal narrative essay, the thesis statement can briefly explore the story's events. Or it can tell the reader about the moral or lesson learned through personal experience.
The introduction of a narrative essay is the paragraph that begins your story. In the introduction, you describe the setting, introduce the characters, and prepare your audience for the ... The following example is from Essay 8 on page 43, Paragraphs 2 and 3. Notice how the ideas in the last sentence of Paragraph 2 (the transitional sentence ...
In step 2-4, follow the format of writing about this person in three paragraphs. In each step, I also provide an example of each paragraph. The three sample paragraphs are all one story. In step 5-6, I provide one more student sample of a three body paragraph narration that follows the format in step 2-4. I. Introduction: First paragraph.
Follow the tips provided below to draft an exceptional narrative essay. Clear Content: The narrative essay content should be clear. All the details and descriptions provided should be readable and understandable by the audience. Avoid using complex words and distribute content into paragraphs.
His work is one of the best narrative essay examples of the 19th century. "My life is not an apology, but a life. It is for itself and not for a spectacle. I much prefer that it should be of a lower strain, so it be genuine and equal, than that it should be glittering and unsteady.". "Notes of a Native Son" by James Baldwin.
Part I: The Introduction. An introduction is usually the first paragraph of your academic essay. If you're writing a long essay, you might need 2 or 3 paragraphs to introduce your topic to your reader. A good introduction does 2 things: Gets the reader's attention. You can get a reader's attention by telling a story, providing a statistic ...
Focus on a specific event or detail to make your narrative more focused and impactful. Look for universal themes like love or personal transformation that connect with readers on a deeper level. Brainstorm ideas and write freely to uncover compelling topics. Decide on storytelling techniques like flashbacks or foreshadowing and choose a topic ...