How to Write a Narrative Paper
First up, what are narratives? Narratives are the same as plots or stories. A narrative paper is an essay that conveys themes while telling a story in an interesting way. Usually, when you are asked to compose a narrative essay, you are not going to be required to conduct research on a topic or theory. You are most likely to be asked to use your imagination abilities instead of writing a bibliography. You still may have to research for your essay, but the writing part might come a lot easier for you since you are not required to add specific quotations from primary sources.
In order to write a narrative paper, below is a short list of reference guides:
- Decide which topic to work on.
- Discuss your topic with your instructor and peers during class, or private tutorial, or a group discussion.
- Brainstorm. Compare several different ways your narrative essay could be composed.
- Start writing your narrative essay.
- Do not stop writing. Just let it flow in a stream of your consciousness.
- Revisit your narrative essay to refine your writing.
- Edit your essay. Correct any grammar or spelling errors. Make sure your essay follows the technical writing rules.
- Ask someone else to read through your essay and edit the grammar and content.
Before beginning composing your narrative essay, it’s important to brainstorm ideas in order to better visualize what your narrative goes. In order to invent plot, anything can be written down from your imagination in a plausible and coherent way. A lot of narrative essay writers choose to use diagrams to get started.
First come up with your main idea (a subject, an object, or a person), and then circle it. Use descriptive words to write several lines about your main idea. Continue expanding each idea outward further and further, till you end up with a spider looking diagram that includes many thoughts. Choose any combination of ideas for your narrative essay and then follow it in the writing.
Ultimately, you want to come up with a narrative that reads pleasurably instead of academically. Taken into consideration of the nature of a narrative essay, you are usually assigned to write one in literature seminars or creative writing class. A lot of times, students are assigned to write narrative essays in freshman writing courses or composition courses.
When facing the assignment of a narrative essay, you need to also remember that it is still an essay in nature instead of a novella or novel excerpt. A narrative essay is a self-contained paper with a theme at the focus of your writing. Although a narrative essay is more creative instead of academic, syntax and grammar are still vital for its success.