Narrative Writing
What Is Narrative Writing?
Narrative writing is any type of writing that tells a story or relates a series of events. The word narrative comes from the Latin verb narrare, which means "to relate" or "to tell." You have already encountered many examples of narratives in novels, short stories, news articles, blogs, essays, biographies, and speeches. Narrative writing has many uses and can be found in both fiction and nonfiction pieces. For example, a memoir is a piece of narrative writing that recounts the true events of a person's own life according to the author, whereas a novel is a narrative that presents events that are entirely fictional. Narrative writing does not have to comprise an entire piece, either. In other words, you could write a nonfiction, formal essay that employs narrative writing when describing a piece of anecdotal evidence.
Because narrative writing can be used in both formal and informal writing, the tone and word choice must be consistent with the composition's intended purpose and audience. In this interactivity, click the tabs to examine each of these characteristics in greater detail. Click the player button to begin.
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Exploring Examples of Narrative Writing
Take a moment to analyze a narrative essay before you practice writing one of your own. Using an Internet search engine, locate three examples of narrative essays written by students. Many colleges or universities require a narrative essay as part of their application process, so you can often find sample essays on the school's website.
Once you have read at least three narrative essays, choose the one that resonates with you the most. Then, read the following questions regarding your chosen example and write down your responses to them:
- How does the beginning of the essay "hook" or engage the reader? Does it utilize any devices, such as a quotation or shocking statement?
- What type of person do you think the writer is? Give three specific examples that support your opinion.
- What are three strong composition points of your chosen sample essay? Some points to consider may include word choice, use of description, figurative language, sentence structures, sensory details, imagery, dialogue, plot structure, etc.
- How did this essay affect you as a reader? What was your reaction to it? Cite specific examples.
- What do you think makes this essay effective, and why does it work? Be specific.
Narrative Writing Review
Now that you have taken a look at several examples of narrative essays and analyzed a piece in further detail, review your knowledge of narrative writing in this non-graded activity. Read each statement and select the appropriate answer that correctly completes the statement. Click the player button to get started.