how to write narrative thesis

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How to Write a Thesis for a Narrative Essay

Last Updated: June 4, 2024 Fact Checked

This article was co-authored by Alicia Cook . Alicia Cook is a Professional Writer based in Newark, New Jersey. With over 12 years of experience, Alicia specializes in poetry and uses her platform to advocate for families affected by addiction and to fight for breaking the stigma against addiction and mental illness. She holds a BA in English and Journalism from Georgian Court University and an MBA from Saint Peter’s University. Alicia is a bestselling poet with Andrews McMeel Publishing and her work has been featured in numerous media outlets including the NY Post, CNN, USA Today, the HuffPost, the LA Times, American Songwriter Magazine, and Bustle. She was named by Teen Vogue as one of the 10 social media poets to know and her poetry mixtape, “Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately” was a finalist in the 2016 Goodreads Choice Awards. There are 7 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 114,415 times.

In a narrative essay, your thesis will be a bit different than in an argumentative or explanatory paper. A narrative essay is basically you writing a story for the reader. The purpose of a narrative essay is to make a certain point, using personal experiences or life events to convey your main point or theme. [1] X Trustworthy Source Purdue Online Writing Lab Trusted resource for writing and citation guidelines Go to source However, just as in a standard paper, your thesis will still appear in the introduction of your narrative essay.

Creating Your Thesis

• For example: “In this essay, I will discuss the issue of grief by discuss my grandmother's sickness, discuss my grandmother's death, talk about what happened afterwards.”
• Adjust your first attempt so it is grammatically correct: “In this essay, I will discuss the issue of grief by discussing my grandmother's sickness, my grandmother's death, and what happened afterward.”

• You may want to create a thesis that is a bit more sophisticated and less stilted by removing the more formal phrase, “I will discuss”.
• For example: “Grief affects everyone's life at one point or another, and it certainly has affected mine; when my grandmother became sick and passed away, I had to learn how to deal with the aftermath of her death.”

• Avoid packing too many ideas into one sentence. Your thesis should help ease the reader into your essay, not confuse them.

Preparing to Write the Thesis

• Come up with a topic that is important to you and that you feel you can talk about in a personal way.

• Another way to find a personal event is to look through your old social media posts, as they often chronicle important or meaningful events in your life.

• Remembering the details of the event through your five senses will also help to trigger other details or images you may have forgotten.
• For example, maybe you remember the taste of coconut after your grandmother's funeral, which will then help you remember that you all ate your grandmother's favorite coconut cake at the gathering after the funeral. You can then try to find that recipe and use it as a way to jog other memories of your grandmother.

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Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about writing essays, check out our in-depth interview with Alicia Cook .

• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/academic_writing/essay_writing/narrative_essays.html
• ↑ http://writingcenter.unc.edu/handouts/thesis-statements/
• ↑ https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/the_writing_process/thesis_statement_tips.html
• ↑ https://writing.wisc.edu/handbook/process/thesis/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/brainstorming/
• ↑ https://www.grammarly.com/blog/narrative-writing/
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/how-to-write-narrative-essay

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Writing Narrative Essay Thesis

Narrative essay thesis generator.

Right after writing your introduction comes your thesis statement. Aside from the fact that it should draw your reader’s attention, it also helps them in identifying the main topic and the central purpose of your essay. Sometimes called as the controlling idea, your thesis statement also gives direction to the rest of the parts of your essay . It also gives limitations to what you are going to include in your composition so that you can make sure that whatever you are writing on the body or the conclusion is related and connected in any way with your thesis statement.

Since you are to write a thesis statement for your narrative essay, what you will be writing will be a tad different from when you are writing other types of essays such as expository, persuasive, and analytical essays . Thesis statements of narrative essays are often based on personal experiences of a writer, which you can rarely find on other types of essays, with an aim to impart an important lesson to the readers.

5 Steps in Writing a Thesis for Your Narrative Essay

Step 1: Read other narrative essays

Although this method does not do any actual writing, this will definitely help you in writing your own thesis statement. This is not to copy their style of writing but this is to expose you to the plethora of writing styles that will help you find your own. Make sure to take note and list down the points they made and how they came up with their own thesis statement. Since the thesis statement is a narrative essay, also take notice of the creative take of writers in their composition. Did they use wordplay? Did take simple experiences into mind-blowing ones through a strategic sentence construction?

Step 2: Brainstorm

Now that you have read other writer’s essays, it is now time to write your own. However, before you start writing the actual thesis, you have brainstorm ideas. This is to avoid any trouble when you would be starting to write your thesis statement.

Do not mind organizing; the point of brainstorming is to gather the ideas you can come up with that could be included in the thesis. Do not also mind whether it could or could not be included in the statement. You can crash out other ideas later on when you would be drafting the outline of your thesis statement.

The purpose of brainstorming is to just let your ideas flow without limits and also find connections between any ideas. It is also through brainstorming that your previous take on your essay will gain factors that lead to change. In the middle of your brainstorming, you might find the need to change the theme, or you can also find a better of a way of constructing the supporting sentences found further in your composition.

Step 3: Draft an outline

Develop the points you have gathered from your brainstorming through making an outline . Categorize the possible points that are on the same strand. You also have to ditch some ideas that are not that necessary for the thesis statement even if it is a difficult decision to make. After gathering the main points in categories and you find that it does not relate in any way to your main topic, do not hesitate to disregard those ideas; you can always go back to Step 2, or Step 1 if you badly need it.

Although thesis statements are not really that long that you need a lot of time to do some intense outlining, you have to remember that the thesis of your narrative essay is vital and treating it otherwise would cause the essay, as well as the readers, to lose its sight of direction or the path it intends to take.

Additionally, the outline of your thesis is not the outline of your entire essay.

Step 4: Master, but limit, your topic

Writing a thesis statement can be hard, but if you have mastered your topic by heart, then writing the thesis of your narrative won’t be as difficult as initially, you thought it would be. After mastering your topic, you might generate a lot of ideas but you have to remember that your thesis statement does not consist of five or more paragraphs that is why you should be limiting your topic. Get into a narrow scope that would capsulize as much as possible the ideas that you want to include in your thesis.

Step 5: Make a point

You might think that a narrative essay is similar to that of stories and that it does need to make any point at all. But that’s where you are wrong; narrative essays have a point. It makes its point to the readers through the thesis statement of your essay. Make sure that what you have written for a thesis statement should have a connection to your main topic. What good would happen if you only master your topic and the thesis you have written is pointless to your topic?

5 Tips in Writing a Thesis Statement for Your Narrative Essay

1. know your parameters.

Identifying your parameters in your thesis statement can actually help you in further supporting your main topic. Setting parameters is also a way of limiting your topic so that you won’t overwhelm your essay with a lot of broad ideas.

2. Never go vague or generic

Being vague or generic in your thesis statement won’t do you any good. If you put in some vague and generic words and ideas, then you will totally lose sight of direction, resulting to readers dropping your essay because they got lost in trying to understand your whole point.

3. Don’t be excessively and unnecessarily descriptive

The readers understand that you were breathing when you went into that adventure and they also understand that, of course, you opened the car door when you arrived at your destination.

4. Brevity is the key

You do not have a lot of paragraphs allotted for your thesis statement. Remember that your thesis statement summarizes the central theme of your narrative essay so make sure it is well summarized or else the readers would think it is already the body of the essay due to its length.

5. Show, don’t tell

Do not just tell the readers about the lesson you have learned from your personal experiences. You have to show them how significant the lesson is for you and how it can benefit them.

Text prompt

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Write a Narrative Essay Thesis on a life-changing moment.

Create a Narrative Essay Thesis about a journey of self-discovery.

• [email protected]

The Narrative Thesis: Storytelling Techniques in Academic Writing

Storytelling isn’t just for fiction writers; it’s also a key tool for academics 1 . Using the traditional narrative arc can help structure academic papers well 1 . This structure includes phases like exposition, rising action, climax, and resolution 1 . By using storytelling, we can make our academic writing not just informative but also engaging and memorable.

Character Development

• Introduce key figures
• Develop researcher’s voice
• Humanize subjects/data

Plot Structure

• Create a research journey
• Use problem-solution format
• Build tension and resolution

Setting and Context

• Establish research landscape
• Describe historical context
• Paint vivid methodological scenes

Dialogue and Voices

• Incorporate expert quotes
• Present contrasting viewpoints
• Use rhetorical questions

Narrative Arc

• Craft compelling introduction
• Maintain consistent theme
• Provide satisfying conclusion

Imagery and Metaphor

• Use analogies to explain concepts
• Create visual descriptions
• Employ extended metaphors

In the realm of academic writing, the narrative thesis emerges as a powerful tool, blending the rigor of scholarly research with the engaging qualities of storytelling. This approach transforms dense academic prose into compelling narratives, enhancing comprehension and impact.

The narrative thesis incorporates storytelling elements—character, plot, setting, conflict, and resolution—into academic writing, creating a cohesive and engaging scholarly narrative.

This approach enhances reader engagement, improves information retention, and facilitates the communication of complex ideas to both academic and non-academic audiences.

Researchers can implement narrative techniques by structuring their thesis around a central ‘story’, using anecdotes, creating tension through research questions, and resolving conflicts through findings and discussion.

Key Storytelling Techniques for Academic Writing

• 📚 Character Development: Personify research subjects or concepts
• 🌟 Plot Structure: Frame research process as a journey of discovery
• 🏞️ Setting: Contextualize research within its academic or real-world environment
• ⚔️ Conflict: Present research questions as challenges to be overcome
• 🎭 Dialogue: Incorporate scholarly debates as conversations

Trivia & Facts

• The use of narrative techniques in academic writing can be traced back to ancient philosophers like Plato, who used dialogues to convey complex ideas.
• A 2023 study found that theses employing narrative techniques received 28% more citations within the first two years of publication compared to traditional formats.
• The “Hero’s Journey” narrative structure, popularized by Joseph Campbell, has been successfully adapted for structuring scientific papers in fields ranging from physics to anthropology.
• Neuroimaging studies show that narrative-style academic texts activate both the language and experiential centers of the brain, potentially enhancing comprehension and retention.

Impact of Narrative Techniques on Academic Writing (2024 Survey)

Table 1: Comparative analysis of traditional vs. narrative academic writing formats (Source: Global Academic Writing Survey, 2024)

“The narrative thesis is not merely about adorning academic work with literary flourishes; it’s about harnessing the power of story to illuminate the path of discovery, making the journey as compelling as the destination.” — Dr. Amelia Blackwell, Professor of Rhetorical Studies, Oxford University

EditVerse: Crafting Your Academic Narrative

At www.editverse.com , our team of subject matter experts specializes in transforming academic prose into compelling narratives:

• Personalized consultations on integrating storytelling techniques into your research
• Workshops on narrative structure for theses and dissertations
• Expert editing to enhance the narrative flow of your academic papers
• Guidance on balancing scholarly rigor with engaging storytelling
• Tailored advice on adapting narrative techniques to specific academic disciplines

Elevate your academic writing with EditVerse’s expertise in narrative techniques. Our services ensure your research not only informs but also captivates your audience. Explore our narrative thesis services to transform your academic writing.

• Olson, R. (2023). “Houston, We Have a Narrative: Why Science Needs Story.” University of Chicago Press. https://doi.org/10.7208/chicago/9780226270982.001.0001
• Dahlstrom, M. F. (2024). “Using narratives and storytelling to communicate science with nonexpert audiences.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 111(Supplement 4), 13614-13620. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1320645111
• Sword, H. (2022). “Stylish Academic Writing.” Harvard University Press. https://www.hup.harvard.edu/catalog.php?isbn=9780674064485

This article will look into why storytelling is vital in academic writing. We’ll cover techniques for building plot and balancing action with commentary. We’ll also talk about pacing and how to make scholarly work more human-like. Plus, we’ll see the strength of metaphor and framing research in a narrative way 2 .

The article was updated on Feb 20, 2024. It shares many storytelling techniques to boost academic writing. These include telling thoughts, using real-world examples, and adding sensory details 2 .

Key Takeaways

• Storytelling techniques can make academic writing more engaging and persuasive.
• Narrative arcs and plot structure can be mapped onto academic paper development.
• Balancing action and commentary is crucial for effective academic storytelling.
• Mastering pacing through active voice and varied sentence length improves clarity.
• Incorporating human elements and metaphors humanizes the academic writing process.

The Importance of Storytelling in Academic Writing

Telling stories in academic writing is key to grabbing readers’ attention and making our research impactful. By adding narrative elements, we make our work easier to follow and more engaging 3 .

A good story has a clear start, middle, and end. This structure keeps the reader interested and helps them understand why we did the research. It also shows how we thought about the topic, not just the facts 3 .

Why Narrative Structure Enhances Reader Engagement

Studies show that stories in academic writing keep readers hooked 4 . Using narratives makes data more interesting and memorable 4 . Stories are vital for all types of studies, making the findings clearer and the research more impactful 4 .

A strong story has an introduction, body, and conclusion. This structure makes it easy to explain the research steps and results 4 . The introduction grabs the reader’s attention and sets the stage for what’s to come 4 . A great conclusion wraps up the main points and hints at what’s next 4 .

Adding vivid details and characters makes academic writing more engaging 4 . Showing the problems we tackle as challenges makes our research more relatable 4 .

Learning to tell academic stories helps us connect with our audience and spread our research further 3 4 .

Building Plot in Academic Papers

As researchers, we can use storytelling to make our academic papers more engaging. By using the classic story arc in our writing, we guide readers through our work. Studies show that stories in academic essays boost engagement and understanding. They increase reader retention by 30% 5 . This method makes our writing clearer and helps readers see the importance of our findings.

Mapping Narrative Arcs onto Research Writing

The story arc has stages like exposition, rising action, climax, and resolution. It’s a great way to structure our arguments. IMRaD structure is good for academic writing 6 . It starts with a question or hypothesis and ends with a conclusion.

In the beginning, we introduce the topic and our main argument. Then, we build up our case with evidence, like clues in a detective story. The climax is when we present our strongest arguments. Finally, we summarize our points and highlight the issue’s importance 7 .

Using this narrative structure makes our writing more cohesive and engaging. Essays with clear plots and resolutions score 15% higher in evaluations 5 .

Using a narrative approach in research papers boosts reader engagement and comprehension. It also increases the impact of our work. 5 By applying storytelling to our writing, we make it more memorable and impactful for our audience.

Balancing Action and Commentary

In the world of academic writing, finding the right mix of “action” and “commentary” is key. Scholarly storytelling methods require balancing facts with analysis and discussion 8 .

Too much “action” can make writing seem like a list of facts without time to think. This can leave readers feeling lost 9 . On the other hand, too much “commentary” can make the story slow and hard to follow 9 .

Avoiding Excessive Action or Commentary

To write engaging academic prose , find the right balance. Use just enough commentary and move the story along quickly 8 . This keeps readers interested and informed 9 .

“The narrative generation process involves the selection, ordering, and presentation of narrative content through discourse.” 8

Learning to balance action and commentary is key in scholarly storytelling methods . This skill makes our academic writing clear, engaging, and impactful 8 .

Mastering Pacing in Academic Prose

Writing academic papers that grab attention means getting the pacing right. Like in stories, how you pace your words can change everything. Pacing in academic writing is about how fast or slow you share your ideas and the ups and downs of your main points. Using active voice and different sentence lengths can make your articles more engaging.

Using Active Voice and Varying Sentence Length

Writing in active voice makes your words come alive and keeps the pace steady. Short sentences can speed things up, while longer ones can slow down and give readers a break 10 . Switching between these can make your writing more interesting and help your points stick with the readers.

How you structure your sentences and paragraphs also affects the flow of your writing. Mixing short and long sentences keeps readers hooked 11 . Also, pacing helps move the story along and lets you develop characters and ideas more deeply 10 .

Getting good at pacing is key to keeping your readers interested and flowing smoothly through your work. By using active voice, changing up sentence lengths, and mixing fast and slow parts, you can write captivating scholarly narratives . These stories will grab readers and share your research clearly.

Humanizing Your Academic Writing

We often write our research in a clinical way. But to connect with readers and inspire empathy, we should add more human touches. Using characters and first-person narration can make our writing more relatable and engaging.

Employing Characters and First-Person Narration

By making characters the focus of our stories and using first-person narration, we make our writing more relatable. This helps readers connect with the research on a personal level. They understand why we did the study 12 .

Stories are 20 times more likely to be remembered than just facts 12 . Also, storytelling makes organizations more effective in reaching their audience 12 .

Sharing personal stories or showing the human side of our research builds empathy with readers 13 . Nursing stories help readers feel connected and understand nurses’ experiences 13 . Patient stories give a unique view of health and recovery 13 .

By using these storytelling methods in our writing, we make our research more relatable and impactful 13 . This is especially true for sensitive topics, as it connects the academic with the personal.

Storytelling and personal narratives make academic writing more engaging and memorable 12 . Using characters, first-person stories, or personal anecdotes can help us humanize our academic writing . This inspires empathy in our readers 12 13 .

The Power of Metaphor in Scholarly Writing

Using metaphors in scholarly writing can make it more engaging and help readers understand complex topics better. Metaphors turn abstract ideas into something familiar by using analogies. Metaphors are a powerful tool to explain complex ideas with different analogies, making them easier to grasp 14 .

Analogies, on the other hand, compare complex ideas clearly using “as” or “like”. They connect new ideas to what readers already know. Analogies compare two things that share some qualities, making complex ideas easier to understand by linking them to familiar ones 14 . While analogies are often used in academic writing, metaphors are more common in creative writing. They add depth and make abstract ideas more engaging 14 .

“Time is money,” “Life is like a box of chocolates,” and “Love is like a rose” are well-known metaphors and analogies in our culture 14 .

Metaphors and analogies can simplify complex ideas, improve understanding, and add creativity to scholarly writing. They make academic writing clearer and more engaging by simplifying complex ideas and adding creativity 14 . But, writers should avoid plagiarism and use original ideas or cite sources when needed 14 .

By using metaphors in their writing, scholars can create stories that stick with readers and help them understand complex topics better 14 15 16 .

Learning to use metaphors and analogies well can help scholars engage their readers, deepen their understanding, and improve their writing quality 14 15 16 .

Using storytelling techniques in academic writing can make research more exciting. The “narrative thesis” means using story elements like plot and character to make academic arguments clear and interesting 17 . This method helps researchers reach more people, making their work more understood and impactful.

Storytelling tools help writers create a narrative thesis that leads readers through the research. This makes hard ideas easier to grasp and remember 18 . Adding personal stories or vivid descriptions can make academic writing more engaging and powerful 18 .

Learning the narrative thesis can open new ways for writers to engage their readers and boost the impact of their research 17 . By creating engaging characters and plots, writers can turn scholarly work into a deep and impactful read.

“The use of storytelling in academic writing can breathe new life into research and scholarship, making complex ideas more relatable and memorable for a wider audience.”

Framing Research within Context

As researchers, our main goal is to add new insights that deepen our understanding of the world. Explaining why you started your study is key to making your journal article engaging 20 . This helps readers see why your work matters and what sparked your interest.

Describing the Motivations Behind Your Study

Often, writers just list facts without sharing the real reasons behind their research 20 . But adding personal stories can make your writing more engaging and relatable 20 . This makes your work more interesting and shows how it applies to real life.

The shift to digital has made us value storytelling in academic writing more 20 . Adding stories and context to your research can draw in a wider audience 20 .

Every meaningful research has a story. It’s about the questions you asked, the hurdles you overcame, and the new insights you found. By sharing this story, you can make your research more impactful and memorable.

By telling a compelling story and sharing why you started your study, you can make your research more engaging and impactful 20 21 .

Highlighting the Human Connection

We often get lost in data and academic details. But it’s key to remember our work changes lives. Adding personal stories makes our findings more relatable and stirs empathy in readers 22 .

Storytelling connects the abstract to the real world 23 . Sharing personal stories of those impacted by our research deepens our connection with readers. It makes our work more relatable and highlights the importance of our findings 22 .

Autoethnography , exploring personal experiences, is becoming more popular in academia 24 . By adding our own stories, we challenge traditional views, connect with our feelings, and find our true voice 24 . This enriches our research and brings hope and insight to others 24 .

Using Personal Anecdotes to Inspire Empathy

Adding personal stories to our writing stirs empathy and deepens our bond with readers 22 . Whether it’s a story of how our research helped someone or our own field experiences, these stories make our work more human 22 .

By focusing on the human side of our research, we encourage readers to connect more deeply with the topic 22 . This boosts the impact of our work and builds a sense of shared understanding and compassion 22 .

“Storytelling elicits student attention, helps in recall of information, and facilitates connections between students.” – Gargiulo (2005)

Using storytelling in our academic writing makes our work more engaging and impactful 22 . It not only improves our research but also advances the field as a whole 22 .

Evolving Academic Writing Styles

The academic world is changing, and we’re seeing the power of story in our writing. The shift to the digital age has made us focus more on grabbing the reader’s attention. By using stories and context, writers can make their work both strong and interesting 25 .

Embracing Narrative in the Digital Age

In today’s digital world, writing grabs our attention like never before 26 . A great opening paragraph can make readers want to keep reading 26 . Also, a well-structured paper keeps readers hooked and interested 26 .

Adding stories to academic writing gives us a deeper view, by including different voices and stories 26 . This makes the writing feel more real and connects with readers on a deeper level 26 . It also makes the reader think and share their thoughts, making the experience more interactive 26 .

Even as we keep up with critical analysis and ethical research, academic writing has changed to fit the digital world 25 . Using things like infographics and videos helps make research clear and reaches more people around the world 25 .

As we adjust to new tech and social changes, using stories in academic writing is a great way to connect with readers. It lets us share different views and make research more powerful 27 26 25 .

Best Practices for Integrating Narrative

Adding narrative techniques to academic writing is a fine art. Storytelling can grab the reader’s attention and help them remember the information better. Narrative format makes research papers easier to 28 . But, it’s important not to pick data that only supports your story.

Using a clear story structure with a start, middle, and end is a good idea 28 . This makes the paper logical and highlights important points. Adding personal stories or examples can also make the content more relatable 29 .

However, don’t overdo it with personal pronouns. They can make the writing seem too casual for an academic paper 28 . The aim is to tell a compelling story that still fits with academic standards.

By using these tips, writers can blend narrative into their academic work well. This makes the writing more engaging and clearly shares the research 28 . When done right, storytelling is a strong tool for academic writers.

“Businesses have recognized that storytelling is far more powerful in selling products and services than persuasion alone. When we hear a story, our brain releases dopamine that gives us a sense of calm and lowers our blood pressure.” 29

Integrating narrative into academic writing needs a careful touch and a good understanding of the audience and topic. By following these tips, writers can make their academic work engaging, informative, and impactful. It will connect with their readers.

Looking back at our journey, we see how powerful storytelling is in academic writing. By setting our research in context 30 and sharing the human side of our studies 31 , we make our work more engaging. Using literary devices like metaphor 30 helps us tell stories that grab our readers’ attention and deepen their understanding.

The narrative thesis is a great way to share our ideas in a way that sticks with people 31 . As writing styles change, using stories can help us reach beyond the academic world. This makes our research more understandable and impactful.

At the end, using the narrative thesis and storytelling in our writing shows we care about connecting with our readers. By making our work relatable and using the power of stories, we can move people, spark change, and make a lasting impact 30 31 .

What are the key benefits of incorporating storytelling techniques into academic writing?

Storytelling in academic writing makes papers more engaging and memorable. It helps readers connect with the research on a deeper level. By using storytelling, writers can make their work more impactful.

How can writers use the traditional narrative arc to structure their academic arguments?

Writers can structure their arguments like a story. The beginning sets up the issue and the argument. Then, the rising action builds the arguments, like clues in a mystery.

The climax presents the strongest evidence. Finally, the resolution summarizes the arguments and highlights their importance.

What is the importance of balancing action and commentary in academic writing?

Too much action without enough commentary can feel like a quick list. Too much commentary can make the writing slow. The key is to balance both, focusing on the most important points.

How can writers improve the pacing of their academic prose?

Using active voice and varying sentence lengths can improve pacing. Cutting unnecessary words also helps. These methods keep the reader interested and engaged.

Why is it important to incorporate more human elements into academic writing?

Adding human elements reminds readers of the study’s purpose. Using characters and first-person narration helps readers connect personally with the research.

How can metaphor be used effectively in academic writing?

Metaphor helps explain complex ideas by linking them to familiar things. It makes the writing more engaging and memorable for readers.

What is the “narrative thesis” and how can it be applied to academic writing?

The “narrative thesis” means writing research as a story with a clear start, middle, and end. This approach makes research more engaging and still keeps it rigorous.

How can writers effectively frame their research within the context in which it emerged?

To frame your research, explain why you chose the topic and what you wanted to learn. This gives readers context and shows your motivations.

What are some ways to highlight the human connection in academic writing?

Describe how problems affect people’s lives to connect with readers. Using personal stories can inspire empathy and make the research more relatable.

How can writers balance storytelling techniques with the conventions of academic discourse?

Balance storytelling with academic standards by using data carefully. Avoid too many personal pronouns to keep the tone formal. The goal is to engage readers while following academic norms.

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• https://essaypro.com/blog/types-of-narrative-writing
• https://www.enago.com/thesis-editing/blog/does-your-thesis-tell-a-story-how-to-spice-up-your-dissertation
• https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7967278/
• https://sites.bu.edu/impact/previous-issues/impact-summer-2022/the-power-of-storytelling/
• https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/undying-art-storytelling-navigating-4000-years-human-toronata-tambun
• https://www.basilcahusacdecaux.com/post/combining-research-and-storytelling-using-personal-experiences-as-research-data
• https://www.makemyassignments.com/blog/the-evolution-of-academic-writing-traditional-vs-modern-approaches/
• https://acagamic.medium.com/i-discovered-the-one-secret-to-captivating-academic-writing-560735841074
• https://libguides.usc.edu/writingguide/academicwriting
• https://www.cwauthors.com/article/how-to-tell-a-story-in-your-research-paper
• https://lindsayannlearning.com/writing-narratives/
• https://www.butte.edu/departments/cas/tipsheets/style_purpose_strategy/intro_conclusions.html
• https://www.oxbridgeessays.com/blog/guide-to-structuring-your-narrative-essay-for-success/
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5.3.3: Generating a Narrative Thesis

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Turning a Story into A Statement

For a narrative essay, your focus, or main idea, should illustrate the importance or significance of your related experience, whether personal or not. Ask yourself what the point of telling the story is. This is how you can start to pinpoint a thesis statement. Your narrative must have happened in the past, so how does writing about this intend to inform, persuade, or entertain your reader? How will you develop, people, and detail your narrative? What support will you show and how do you intend to order your story: chronologically, spatially, or emphatically?

Sample Thesis Statements From Narrative Essays

In fifth grade, I and my dignity took a tumble when I had a wardrobe malfunction in front of my entire class.

• This thesis statement would allow my essay to expand upon the event and how my reputation was affected. I could also explore my internal and external feelings after the embarrassment!

I had no blueprint for how to escape Damascus, but the fear I had for my children compelled me to figure it out as I went.

• This thesis statement shows that my essay will focus on the maneuvering the author experienced when escaping the Syrian war, which would be a harrowing—if not inspiring—narrative to read.

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Narrative Essays

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What is a narrative essay?

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 story.

This means that you must include an introduction, plot, characters, setting, climax, and conclusion.

• When would a narrative essay not be written as a story?

A good example of this is when an instructor asks a student to write a book report. Obviously, this would not necessarily follow the pattern of a story and would focus on providing an informative narrative for the reader.

• The essay should have a purpose.

Make a point! Think of this as the thesis of your story. If there is no point to what you are narrating, why narrate it at all?

• The essay should be written from a clear point of view.

It is quite common for narrative essays to be written from the standpoint of the author; however, this is not the sole perspective to be considered. Creativity in narrative essays oftentimes manifests itself in the form of authorial perspective.

• Use clear and concise language throughout the essay.

Much like the descriptive essay, narrative essays are effective when the language is carefully, particularly, and artfully chosen. Use specific language to evoke specific emotions and senses in the reader.

• The use of the first person pronoun ‘I’ is welcomed.

Do not abuse this guideline! Though it is welcomed it is not necessary—nor should it be overused for lack of clearer diction.

• As always, be organized!

Have a clear introduction that sets the tone for the remainder of the essay. Do not leave the reader guessing about the purpose of your narrative. Remember, you are in control of the essay, so guide it where you desire (just make sure your audience can follow your lead).

an Excelsior University site

Narrative Argument

A narrative essay is one that uses a story, usually presented in chronological order, to make some kind of point. When you are writing a narrative argument, that point is persuasive or argumentative .

Let’s say you want to make a point about gun control, and you want to argue for stricter gun control laws. In a narrative argument, you may not make this actual claim until the end. Instead, you should focus your essay on telling a story about a child who was killed because someone should not have had access to a gun.

Narrative Structure

You’re likely to see a lot of variation in the structure of narrative arguments. In many cases, your professor may want you to write a traditional introduction with a thesis statement and then use the body of your essay to tell your story. You may also be asked to include a traditional conclusion at the end.

However, you may encounter opportunities to write narrative arguments that save the thesis statement until the end or even use an implied thesis statement.

So, when writing a narrative argument, there may be options.

• Traditional introduction (with thesis at the end)
• Body (story, usually following chronological order)
• Traditional conclusion (summarize main idea and emphasize thesis)
• Narrative story (usually following chronological order)
• Conclusion with a thesis
• Narrative story (usually following a chronological order)
• Thesis is not presented, just implied.

No matter which structure you follow, it’s a good idea to review elements of a good narrative in the Rhetorical Styles  area of the Excelsior OWL.

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How To Write A Narrative Essay Thesis

Table of Contents

The purpose of writing is a guide for writers to compose something moving or at least true to its title. For the most part in academic and commercial writing, the rationale behind researching and coming up with unique ideas is to educate and entertain readers.

Narrative writing is very much different from other academic writing because it relies on emotions and personal experiences rather than empirical data and information extracted from reliable sources. One of the key elements of a narrative essay is its thesis statement. 

Narrative Essay Thesis 101

A thesis statement or a thesis is often a bold and brief statement regarding the central idea or theme of the essay . In other terms, the whole narrative revolves around this statement, and other elements of a narrative essay, such as characters, setting, POV, and conflict, all serve the sole purpose of justifying this statement.

In a typical narrative essay, the thesis statement comes in the introduction section, almost at the end. Sometimes, it is the last sentence of the introduction or opening for the added effect.

Without a thesis statement, the essay is not complete so students who skip through this essential element cannot secure ideal marks in their school or college assignments.

Importance of Narrative Essay Writing

Narrative essay writing is widely used in academic institutions to help students think and put their thoughts into their own words. Teachers gauge the depth of knowledge and ideas and help students rear the art of coming up with ideas and turning those ideas into sentences and paragraphs.

Many professional fiction and non-fiction writers attribute their initial training in schools as the most influential element behind their success. Since a narrative essay is not complete without a thesis statement, students learn to understand the gravity of short and brief sentences by composing riveting thesis statements.

Practical Tips For Narrative Essay Thesis

In this section, we will go through some of the best and most practical tips to write a solid narrative essay thesis and improve the quality of the essay.

Clear Purpose & Intentions

A thesis or thesis statement shows the intentions and inner thinking of the writer. It should have the ability to wrap the underlying theme and central part of the essay into a small sentence.

If writers are having a hard time coming up with a compelling thesis statement, it is best to focus on the title and draw parallels from it. Also, the theme and central part of the point of the essay is a great places to start or augment the thesis statement.

First Person Narrative

A first-person narrative or point of view is the best for a personal narrative essay because it shows a direct line of connection between a writer and their story. Also, it helps the writer in summarizing all the details and central ideas behind the essay in a punchy and bold statement. 

Many writers opt for alternative POVs to either experiment with the narrative or to convey a message in a better way. That’s why you will always find different forms and types of thesis statements in essays.

Probing Tone & Voice

Apart from the placement and structure of a thesis statement, it should have a probing tone and voice for the readers. Many students make the mistake of merely writing the central idea of the essay.

This is not right. Instead, they should explore further actions including highlighting the struggle of the characters or the conflicts baked into the essay.

The idea here is to have a thesis statement that implies action and provokes readers to move and care about the whole narrative.

Putting “Show, Don’t Tell” Into Practice

There is an adage in writing that advises writers to show the details instead of telling them. This is a great way to stress important things without telling the readers that they are important.

For instance, if you want to show that a character was angry at some point in the narrative, it is best to describe his facial features, his actions, or his dialogue that shows that anger. This is will help readers understand the complex psychology of the characters.

Balancing The Structure With Elements

Many students believe that they can wing the process of structuring and  formatting a narrative essay  because it is based on their personal experiences and incidents. There is no denying the source and inspiration behind a narrative essay, but the standard structure is almost universal across the globe.

The idea here is to balance the various elements of the narrative essay through structural constraints. This section is dedicated to helping students see the big picture by laying out the small pieces one by one.  

Opening With A Hook & Thesis Statement

The introduction is where the writer sets the stage for the characters to play and the plot to unfold. It starts with a hook which is a literary device to interest and lure the readers in. It could be a bold, shocking statement, a question asked from the readers or an anecdote that shares some similarities with the narrative essay.

At the end of the introduction, the writers drop the thesis statement. It is a brief and bold sentence that highlights the underlying theme and subjective leanings of the writer.

Main Body – Interplay of Characters, Setting, Conflict, Theme

In a standard structure of the essay where the introduction and conclusion are only a paragraph long, the main body has the lion’s share of three paragraphs. It is because it has to cover all the other elements of the narrative to support the thesis statement. 

The goal of the writers is to balance all the variables, including the characters at each stage of the narrative, and the setting of the narrative in terms of conflict and action.

At the end of the main body, the theme should be highlighted and bridged with the conclusion. 

Concluding With The Lessons Learned

There is no denying that the conclusion of a narrative essay is one of the most important sections. That’s why professionals spend a lot of time and effort in getting it just right. Another reason why it should be as perfectly composed as possible is that it is the last thing that readers will read and probably keep in their minds about that narrative essay.

Ideally, it should summarize the finer points of the main body and highlight the lessons learned in the narrative. Keep in mind that the conclusion of a narrative essay differs a lot from its counterparts.

How To Write A Narrative Essay Thesis In College

Brainstorming & picking the right topic.

Since the topic of a narrative essay and its thesis statement are directly linked, it is necessary to brainstorm different ideas and come up with the right topic. For the narrative essays, the topics dealing with change, loss, and tragedy gain a lot of traction with readers and instructors. So, it pays to put them into your title consideration.

Creating A Functional Outline

By creating an outline after due research, writers set themselves up for success as it helps them predict their next step. There are many instances in writing when moving from one edge to another can cost a lot of time and effort. Instead, a thorough yet flexible outline can help writers progress with ease. It also helps them to stay true to the narrative.

Using Snowflake Method To Start Writing

The snowflake method is about starting with the bare minimum and then adding or omitting details as you go with the writing process. This is great for writing a narrative essay after outlining because writers often forget the most important or riveting things that can come later in the narrative. For starters, you can commence writing by opting for a sentence for a paragraph to set the tone.

Beefing The Narrative Up As You Go

Once you have set the board through the snowflake method, you can work on the nuances of the narrative. This includes giving a unique voice to each character, finding the subtle and direct messages in the narrative, as well as connecting with the reader at a deeper level. If at the first attempt, you cannot nail this step, you can always get to the brass tacks to strengthen the story.

Proofreading & Editing

This is the most important part of writing the essay that many students either ignore or go through it half-heartedly. The best way to proofread and edit a narrative essay is to set some SOPs based on different aspects of writing. During the editing phase, you can go through each one of them and fine-tune them to your advantage. If students can find that they can balance all the elements and cover all the bases by any other method, they are always free to try them.

Finalizing The Process

In the finalization phase, students must look at the essay from a reader’s perspective and improve it accordingly. They can ask friends and family to read the essay and provide feedback. Some online communities and tools can help them further augment the narrative. Once it is finished and everything is checked and accounted for, in terms of elements and their interplay, students should turn their essays in for evaluation and hope for the best.

What can be a thesis in a narrative essay example?

A thesis or a thesis statement is a sentence in a narrative essay that compounds the central idea or theme of the essay. It is a bold and brief statement that also shows the subjective version of the story based on the writer’s perspective.

Usually, you will find a thesis statement at the end of the introduction.

Is a narrative essay complete without a thesis statement?

A narrative essay has around five elements, including conflict, theme, setting, characters, and so on. A thesis statement is an integral part of the essay as it encapsulates the main theme of the essay while foreshadowing the events from the main body and conclusion.

What is the perfect place to state the thesis statement?

Most experts suggest that the best place to state the thesis statement is at the end of the introduction. It is where the main body of the essay is about to start and the other elements are about to be introduced into the narrative.

How can I write the best thesis statement for my narrative essay?

Here are some tips that will help you write the thesis statement:

• Understand the purpose behind writing 
• Connect thematic reference with the title 
• Balance out other elements based on the theme

What is the ideal length of a narrative essay thesis?

There is no set word limit for the thesis statement because the topic and the scope of the title demands different from different essays. Still, it is best to keep it laconic and punchy so that readers can learn it and remember it throughout the essay.

What are three important points of a thesis in a narrative essay?

Here are the three main points of a thesis in a narrative essay:

• Drawing parallels from the writer’s subjective perspective and central theme
• Connecting theme and title with the statement for the intended effect
• Getting readers invested in the narrative

A thesis statement is the summary of the underlying theme or central idea behind the narrative. Many students struggle with coming up with a subtle yet solid thesis for their narrative essays resulting in poor delivery.

This article was dedicated to helping students understand its importance and how to compose one for any type of narrative essay.

Before setting out to write a long essay, it is worth their time to research and understand all the concepts. This will help them save time down the road.

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When writers set down the facts of their lives into a compelling story , they’re writing a narrative essay. Personal narrative essays explore the events of the writer’s own life, and by crafting a nonfiction piece that resonates as storytelling, the essayist can uncover deeper truths in the world.

Narrative essays weave the author’s factual lived experiences into a compelling story.

So, what is a narrative essay? Whether you’re writing for college applications or literary journals , this article separates fact from fiction. We’ll look at how to write a narrative essay through a step-by-step process, including a look at narrative essay topics and outlines. We’ll also analyze some successful narrative essay examples.

Learn how to tell your story, your way. Let’s dive into this exciting genre!

What is a Narrative Essay?

The narrative essay is a branch of creative nonfiction . Also known as a personal essay, writers of this genre are tasked with telling honest stories about their lived experiences and, as a result, arriving at certain realizations about life.

Think of personal narrative essays as nonfiction short stories . While the essay and the short story rely on different writing techniques, they arrive at similar outcomes: a powerful story with an idea, theme , or moral that the reader can interpret for themselves.

Now, if you haven’t written a narrative essay before, you might associate the word “essay” with high school English class. Remember those tedious 5-paragraph essays we had to write, on the topic of some book we barely read, about subject matter that didn’t interest us?

Don’t worry—that’s not the kind of essay we’re talking about. The word essay comes from the French essayer , which means “to try.” That’s exactly what writing a narrative essay is: an attempt at organizing the real world into language—a journey of making meaning from the chaos of life.

Narrative essays work to surface meaning from lived experience.

Narrative Essay Example

A great narrative essay example is the piece “Flow” by Mary Oliver, which you can read for free in Google Books .

The essay dwells on, as Mary Oliver puts it, the fact that “we live in paradise.” At once both an ode to nature and an urge to love it fiercely, Oliver explores our place in the endless beauty of the world.

Throughout the essay, Oliver weaves in her thoughts about the world, from nature’s noble beauty to the question “What is the life I should live?” Yet these thoughts, however profound, are not the bulk of the essay. Rather, she arrives at these thoughts via anecdotes and observations: the migration of whales, the strings of fish at high tide, the inventive rescue of a spiny fish from the waterless shore, etc.

What is most profound about this essay, and perhaps most amusing, is that it ends with Oliver’s questions about how to live life. And yet, the stories she tells show us exactly how to live life: with care for the world; with admiration; with tenderness towards all of life and its superb, mysterious, seemingly-random beauty.

Such is the power of the narrative essay. By examining the random facts of our lives, we can come to great conclusions.

What do most essays have in common? Let’s look at the fundamentals of the essay, before diving into more narrative essay examples.

Narrative Essay Definition: 5 Fundamentals

The personal narrative essay has a lot of room for experimentation. We’ll dive into those opportunities in a bit, but no matter the form, most essays share these five fundamentals.

• Personal experience
• Meaning from chaos
• The use of literary devices

Let’s explore these fundamentals in depth.

All narrative essays have a thesis statement. However, this isn’t the formulaic thesis statement you had to write in school: you don’t need to map out your argument with painstaking specificity, you need merely to tell the reader what you’re writing about.

Take the aforementioned essay by Mary Oliver. Her thesis is this: “How can we not know that, already, we live in paradise?”

It’s a simple yet provocative statement. By posing her thesis as a question, she challenges us to consider why we might not treat this earth as paradise. She then delves into her own understanding of this paradise, providing relevant stories and insights as to how the earth should be treated.

Now, be careful with abstract statements like this. Mary Oliver is a master of language, so she’s capable of creating a thesis statement out of an abstract idea and building a beautiful essay. But concrete theses are also welcome: you should compel the reader forward with the central argument of your work, without confusing them or leading them astray.

You should compel the reader forward with the central argument of your work, without confusing them or leading them astray

2. Personal Experience

The personal narrative essay is, shockingly, about personal experience. But how do writers distill their experiences into meaningful stories?

There are a few techniques writers have at their disposal. Perhaps the most common of these techniques is called braiding . Rather than focusing on one continuous story, the writer can “braid” different stories, weaving in and out of different narratives and finding common threads between them. Often, the subject matter of the essay will require more than one anecdote as evidence, and braiding helps the author uphold their thesis while showing instead of telling .

Another important consideration is how you tell your story . Essayists should consider the same techniques that fiction writers use. Give ample consideration to your essay’s setting , word choice , point of view , and dramatic structure . The narrative essay is, after all, a narrative, so tell your story how it deserves to be told.

3. Meaning from Chaos

Life, I think we can agree, is chaotic. While we can trace the events of our lives through cause and effect, A leads to B leads to C, the truth is that so much of our lives are shaped through circumstances beyond our control.

The narrative essay is a way to reclaim some of that control. By distilling the facts of our lives into meaningful narratives, we can uncover deeper truths that we didn’t realize existed.

By distilling the facts of our lives into meaningful narratives, we can uncover deeper truths that we didn’t realize existed.

Consider the essay “ Only Daughter ” by Sandra Cisneros. It’s a brief read, but it covers a lot of different events: a lonesome childhood, countless moves, university education, and the trials and tribulations of a successful writing career.

Coupled with Cisneros’ musings on culture and gender roles, there’s a lot of life to distill in these three pages. Yet Cisneros does so masterfully. By organizing these life events around her thesis statement of being an only daughter, Cisneros finds meaning in the many disparate events she describes.

As you go about writing a narrative essay, you will eventually encounter moments of insight . Insight describes those “aha!” moments in the work—places in which you come to deeper realizations about your life, the lives of others, and the world at large.

Now, insight doesn’t need to be some massive, culture-transforming realization. Many moments of insight are found in small interactions and quiet moments.

For example, In the above essay by Sandra Cisneros, her moments of insight come from connecting her upbringing to her struggle as an only daughter. While her childhood was often lonely and disappointing, she realizes in hindsight that she’s lucky for that upbringing: it helped nurture her spirit as a writer, and it helped her pursue a career in writing. These moments of gratitude work as insight, allowing her to appreciate what once seemed like a burden.

When we reach the end of the essay, and Cisneros describes how she felt when her father read one of her stories, we see what this gratitude is building towards: love and acceptance for the life she chose.

5. Literary Devices

The personal narrative essay, as well as all forms of creative writing, uses its fair share of literary devices . These devices don’t need to be complex: you don’t need a sprawling extended metaphor or an intricate set of juxtapositions to make your essay compelling.

However, the occasional symbol or metaphor will certainly aid your story. In Mary Oliver’s essay “Flow,” the author uses literary devices to describe the magnificence of the ocean, calling it a “cauldron of changing greens and blues” and “the great palace of the earth.” These descriptions reinforce the deep beauty of the earth.

In Sandra Cisneros’ essay “Only Daughter,” the author employs different symbols to represent her father’s masculinity and sense of gender roles. At one point, she lists the few things he reads—sports journals, slasher magazines, and picture paperbacks, often depicting scenes of violence against women. These symbols represent the divide between her father’s gendered thinking and her own literary instincts.

More Narrative Essay Examples

Let’s take a look at a few more narrative essay examples. We’ll dissect each essay based on the five fundamentals listed above.

Narrative Essay Example: “Letting Go” by David Sedaris

Read “Letting Go” here in The New Yorker .

Sedaris’ essay dwells on the culture of cigarette smoking—how it starts, the world it builds, and the difficulties in quitting. Let’s analyze how this narrative essay example uses the five fundamentals of essay writing.

• Thesis: There isn’t an explicitly defined thesis, which is common for essays that are meant to be humorous or entertaining. However, this sentence is a plausible thesis statement: “It wasn’t the smoke but the smell of it that bothered me. In later years, I didn’t care so much, but at the time I found it depressing: the scent of neglect.”
• Personal Experience: Sedaris moves between many different anecdotes about smoking, from his family’s addiction to cigarettes to his own dependence. We learn about his moving around for cheaper smokes, his family’s struggle to quit, and the last cigarette he smoked in the Charles de Gaulle airport.
• Meaning from Chaos: Sedaris ties many disparate events together. We learn about his childhood and his smoking years, but these are interwoven with anecdotes about his family and friends. What emerges is a narrative about the allure of smoking.
• Insight: Two parts of this essay are especially poignant. One, when Sedaris describes his mother’s realization that smoking isn’t sophisticated, and soon quits her habit entirely. Two, when Sedaris is given the diseased lung of a chain smoker, and instead of thinking about his own lungs, he’s simply surprised at how heavy the lung is.
• Literary Devices: Throughout the essay, Sedaris demonstrates how the cigarette symbolizes neglect: neglect of one’s body, one’s space, and one’s self-presentation.

 Narrative Essay Example: “My Mother’s Tongue” by Zavi Kang Engles

Read “My Mother’s Tongue” here in The Rumpus .

Engles’ essay examines the dysphoria of growing up between two vastly different cultures and languages. By asserting the close bond between Korean language and culture, Engles explores the absurdities of growing up as a child of Korean immigrants. Let’s analyze how this narrative essay example uses the five fundamentals of essay writing.

• Thesis: Engles’ essay often comes back to her relationship with the Korean language, especially as it relates to other Korean speakers. This relationship is best highlighted when she writes “I glowed with [my mother’s] love, basked in the warm security of what I thought was a language between us. Perhaps this is why strangers asked for our photos, in an attempt to capture a secret world between two people.”This “secret world” forms the crux of her essay, charting not only how Korean-Americans might exist in relation to one another, but also how Engles’ language is strongly tied to her identity and homeland.
• Personal Experience: Engles writes about her childhood attachment to both English and Korean, her adolescent fallout with the Korean language, her experiences as “not American enough” in the United States and “not Korean enough” in Korea, and her experiences mourning in a Korean hospital.
• Meaning from Chaos: In addition to the above events, Engles ties in research about language and identity (also known as code switching ). Through language and identity, the essay charts the two different cultures that the author stands between, highlighting the dissonance between Western individualism and an Eastern sense of belonging.
• Insight: There are many examples of insight throughout this essay as the author explores how out of place she feels, torn between two countries. An especially poignant example comes from Engles’ experience in a Korean hospital, where she writes “I didn’t know how to mourn in this country.”
• Literary Devices: The essay frequently juxtaposes the languages and cultures of Korea and the United States. Additionally, the English language comes to symbolize Western individualism, while the Korean language comes to symbolize Eastern collectivism.

Narrative Essay Example: 3 Rules for Middle-Age Happiness by Deborah Copaken

Read “3 Rules for Middle-Age Happiness” here in The Atlantic .

Copaken’s essay explores her relationship to Nora Ephron, the screenwriter for When Harry Met Sally . Let’s analyze how this narrative essay example uses the five fundamentals of essay writing.

• Thesis: This essay hands us the thesis statement in its subtitle: “Gather friends and feed them, laugh in the face of calamity, and cut out all the things—people, jobs, body parts—that no longer serve you.”
• Personal Experience: Copaken weaves two different threads through this essay. One thread is her personal life, including a failing marriage, medical issues, and her attempts at building a happy family. The other is Copaken’s personal relationship to Ephron, whose advice coincides with many of the essay’s insights.
• Meaning from Chaos: This essay organizes its events chronologically. However, the main sense of organization is found in the title: many of the essayist’s problems can be perceived as middle-aged crises (family trouble, divorce, death of loved ones), but the solutions to those crises are simpler than one might realize.
• Insight: In writing this essay, Copaken explores her relationship to Ephron, as well as Copaken’s own relationship to her children. She ties these experiences together at the end, when she writes “The transmission of woes is a one-way street, from child to mother. A good mother doesn’t burden her children with her pain. She waits until it becomes so heavy, it either breaks her or kills her, whichever comes first.”
• Literary Devices: The literary devices in this article explore the author’s relationship to womanhood. She wonders if having a hysterectomy will make her “like less of a woman.” Also important is the fact that, when the author has her hysterectomy, her daughter has her first period. Copaken uses this to symbolize the passing of womanhood from mother to daughter, which helps bring her to the above insight.

How to Write a Narrative Essay in 5 Steps

No matter the length or subject matter, writing a narrative essay is as easy as these five steps.

1. Generating Narrative Essay Ideas

If you’re not sure what to write about, you’ll want to generate some narrative essay ideas. One way to do this is to look for writing prompts online: Reedsy adds new prompts to their site every week, and we also post writing prompts every Wednesday to our Facebook group .

Taking a step back, it helps to simply think about formative moments in your life. You might a great idea from answering one of these questions:

• When did something alter my worldview, personal philosophy, or political beliefs?
• Who has given me great advice, or helped me lead a better life?
• What moment of adversity did I overcome and grow stronger from?
• What is something that I believe to be very important, that I want other people to value as well?
• What life event of mine do I not yet fully understand?
• What is something I am constantly striving for?
• What is something I’ve taken for granted, but am now grateful for?

Finally, you might be interested in the advice at our article How to Come Up with Story Ideas . The article focuses on fiction writers, but essayists can certainly benefit from these tips as well.

2. Drafting a Narrative Essay Outline

Once you have an idea, you’ll want to flesh it out in a narrative essay outline.

Your outline can be as simple or as complex as you’d like, and it all depends on how long you intend your essay to be. A simple outline can include the following:

• Introduction—usually a relevant anecdote that excites or entices the reader.
• Event 1: What story will I use to uphold my argument?
• Analysis 1: How does this event serve as evidence for my thesis?
• Conclusion: How can I tie these events together? What do they reaffirm about my thesis? And what advice can I then impart on the reader, if any?

One thing that’s missing from this outline is insight. That’s because insight is often unplanned: you realize it as you write it, and the best insight comes naturally to the writer. However, if you already know the insight you plan on sharing, it will fit best within the analysis for your essay, and/or in the essay’s conclusion.

Insight is often unplanned: you realize it as you write it, and the best insight comes naturally to the writer.

Another thing that’s missing from this is research. If you plan on intertwining your essay with research (which many essayists should do!), consider adding that research as its own bullet point under each heading.

For a different, more fiction-oriented approach to outlining, check out our article How to Write a Story Outline .

3. Starting with a Story

Now, let’s tackle the hardest question: how to start a narrative essay?

Most narrative essays begin with a relevant story. You want to draw the reader in right away, offering something that surprises or interests them. And, since the essay is about you and your lived experiences, it makes sense to start your essay with a relevant anecdote.

Think about a story that’s relevant to your thesis, and experiment with ways to tell this story. You can start with a surprising bit of dialogue , an unusual situation you found yourself in, or a beautiful setting. You can also lead your essay with research or advice, but be sure to tie that in with an anecdote quickly, or else your reader might not know where your essay is going.

For examples of this, take a look at any of the narrative essay examples we’ve used in this article.

Theoretically, your thesis statement can go anywhere in the essay. You may have noticed in the previous examples that the thesis statement isn’t always explicit or immediate: sometimes it shows up towards the center of the essay, and sometimes it’s more implied than stated directly.

You can experiment with the placement of your thesis, but if you place your thesis later in the essay, make sure that everything before the thesis is intriguing to the reader. If the reader feels like the essay is directionless or boring, they won’t have a reason to reach your thesis, nor will they understand the argument you’re making.

4. Getting to the Core Truth

With an introduction and a thesis underway, continue writing about your experiences, arguments, and research. Be sure to follow the structure you’ve sketched in your outline, but feel free to deviate from this outline if something more natural occurs to you.

Along the way, you will end up explaining why your experiences matter to the reader. Here is where you can start generating insight. Insight can take the form of many things, but the focus is always to reach a core truth.

Insight might take the following forms:

• Realizations from connecting the different events in your life.
• Advice based on your lived mistakes and experiences.
• Moments where you change your ideas or personal philosophy.
• Richer understandings about life, love, a higher power, the universe, etc.

5. Relentless Editing

With a first draft of your narrative essay written, you can make your essay sparkle in the editing process.

Remember, a first draft doesn’t have to be perfect, it just needs to exist.

Remember, a first draft doesn’t have to be perfect, it just needs to exist. Here are some things to focus on in the editing process:

• Clarity: Does every argument make sense? Do my ideas flow logically? Are my stories clear and easy to follow?
• Structure: Does the procession of ideas make sense? Does everything uphold my thesis? Do my arguments benefit from the way they’re laid out in this essay?
• Style: Do the words flow when I read them? Do I have a good mix of long and short sentences? Have I omitted any needless words ?
• Literary Devices: Do I use devices like similes, metaphors, symbols, or juxtaposition? Do these devices help illustrate my ideas?
• Mechanics: Is every word spelled properly? Do I use the right punctuation? If I’m submitting this essay somewhere, does it follow the formatting guidelines?

Your essay can undergo any number of revisions before it’s ready. Above all, make sure that your narrative essay is easy to follow, every word you use matters, and that you come to a deeper understanding about your own life.

Above all, make sure that your narrative essay is easy to follow, every word you use matters, and that you come to a deeper understanding about your own life.

Next Steps for Narrative Essayists

When you have a completed essay, what’s next? You might be interested in submitting to some literary journals . Here’s 24 literary journals you can submit to—we hope you find a great home for your writing!

If you’re looking for additional feedback on your work, feel free to join our Facebook group . You can also take a look at our upcoming nonfiction courses , where you’ll learn the fundamentals of essay writing and make your story even more compelling.

Writing a narrative essay isn’t easy, but you’ll find that the practice can be very rewarding. You’ll learn about your lived experiences, come to deeper conclusions about your personal philosophies, and perhaps even challenge the way you approach life. So find some paper, choose a topic, and get writing—the world is waiting for your story!

Sean Glatch

Thanks for a superbly efficient and informative article…

We’re glad it was helpful, Mary!

Very helpful,, Thanks!!!

Thanks ,It was very helpful.

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