Simplified Guide to Write a Good Personal Narrative Essay

Your professor has requested you to write a personal narrative essay. He says it’s an easy task, something that shouldn’t take you long. ‘Narrative essays are not hard. You won’t have a problem with it.’ You feel a little bit encouraged. Well, except for the fact that you don’t believe him. Writing a narrative essay isn’t hard, but writing a ‘good’ narrative essay is a different story.

How are you going to be compelling enough? What is a personal narrative essay anyway? Your professor is right about one thing; a personal narrative essay does not have to be hard. But you need to understand what it is all about for you to do a good job.

Are you ready to get that A+ in your narrative paper?

Follow me closely.

What is a personal narrative essay?

A personal narrative essay is a type of an essay that is meant to tell a story about a particular event or experience that the author of the essay went through. It has ‘personal’ attached to it because…well, it’s about you. That is what makes it different from all other essays that you can possibly get to write. The idea of a narrative essay is to give an interesting story about you, and make it good enough to interest the readers.

Most essays might involve you reading books, or going to the internet to get the knowledge about certain concepts. For narrative essay, it is about searching your heart, and giving a story that is unique to you. It is an essay that talks about something that made you happy, an event that you will never forget, or something that really scared you. This kind of an essay gives readers access to a part of you. They get to connect with you as a person.

How do you write a good personal narrative?

Before you get down to business, it is very important to first of all prepare. Preparation process includes:

Understanding what is expected of you

Not all personal narrative essays are the same. Your professor may be looking for something specific in your essay. It is therefore very important to read and understand the instructions given. While a narrative essay does not follow very strict rules, your professor may ask you to talk about a specific event. However, it is up to you to make your paper readable, personal, and as interesting as possible.

Choosing the right topic for your essay

Choosing the right topic is very important as it can determine the success or failure of your paper. Choose a topic that is unique, interesting, and something that captivates you. Truth is, it’s very hard to sell something you don’t believe in. When you write about something that captivates you, it is very easy to transfer that enthusiasm to your reader.

When choosing a narrative essay topic, consider, some of the events that have shaped your life, some of your most memorable moments, one thing that has shaped your life, or even the saddest or funniest thing that has ever happened to you.

Narrative essay outline

Once you are well prepared, it is now time to start the actual writing. Narrative essay, just like every other essay is divided into three main parts: the introduction, the body, and the conclusion.

You might also like: 5 Main Parts of an Essay

Your introduction should be able to catch the readers’ interest. The body should include the major points of your story, beginning with the most important. Use conjunctions in the body part to weave the points together and ensure the flow of the story. The conclusion should be thrilling enough, to keep your readers thirsting for more.

Please note:

Since this is a personal essay, you should write it in first person. Use ‘I’ throughout your essay

Use emotions. This is one of the few essays that need you to pour your emotions in them. Are you talking about a sad event that happened in your life? Let your readers feel that sadness as if they were right there with you as the event was taking place. Is your narrative essay about a happy occurrence? Make your readers smile or even laugh as they read your paper.

Give vivid description of events, characters, and places in your essay. Create a real picture in the minds of your readers.

Personal narrative examples

Below is an example of a short narrative essay to help you understand how to write a good narrative essay.

He knelt besides me concern written all over his face. He held my face with both his hands, forcing me to look at him. I could not let him see the pain and anguish in my eyes. I could feel his heart beat, so hard that I was afraid it would break. We both suffered the same loss. But still, I wasn't ready to share my sorry with him or anyone for that matter. He lifted my chin and spoke for the first time since it happened,

"why won't you look at me?"

The above example paints a good picture of how a narrative essay should flow. Make sure your story has a good flow in it. Do not just take all your points and mix them up with no plan at all. Following the right narrative format will make it easy for you to write a flowing essay.

Final Thoughts

Once you’re done writing your paper, ensure that you go through it, looking for any errors and mistakes. A good narrative essay should have correct grammar and punctuations. You can also trust someone else to read the paper and give you an honest opinion before submitting it to your professor. With this done, you are ready to write the best essay of your life! Alternatively, you can check our essay writing services for quality narrative essays