A narrative essay communicates something personal about you. You will most likely be asked to write some type of narrative essay for your college admissions. You want your essay to reflect your personal voice, style of writing and something unique about yourself. Here are four tips for writing a narrative essay that will put your best foot forward.

 

 

  • Write in first person

 

You have been taught that an essay should be written in third person. It is rare in writing to use words such as I and me. However, a narrative essay is about you. It should include personal experiences, therefore it is ok to tell it from your own perspective. Using personal pronouns like I and me will make the essay more relatable.

 

  • Choose a topic that reflects your personality

 

A narrative essay should be about you. You may be given a specific prompt or an open ended topic. Be sure to follow instructions, but choose stories and examples that truly reflect who you are and what kind of student you will be. It can be easy to get stuck thinking only about what admissions officers will want to hear, but understand that they want to get to know you through this essay. They will appreciate an open and creative essay that reflects your personality.

 

  • Use descriptive words and colorful language

 

Narrative essays lend themselves well to descriptive and colorful language. An article from Your Dictionary encourages writers to help their audience feel the moment. Use language that vibrantly describes the setting or your particular emotions in the scenario.

 

  • Make sure it is organized

 

Just because an essay is personal and narrative, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be organized. It should be like any other essay with an introduction, body, and conclusion. Make sure you have some kind of attention grabber in the introduction and then state your point or thesis clearly so that readers understand what they are reading about. The thesis in a narrative essay could be something an experience taught you, a way you changed, or a personality trait reflected through the stories shared. It can be easy to meander when telling stories, but be sure that everything included in the body of your essay points back to your thesis or main point stated in the introduction. A conclusion should wrap up the story and again point back to the thesis. You should write an outline to ensure that your essay stays on point and organized.

These four tips will help you write an excellent narrative essay. Don’t be afraid to edit, rewrite, and revise until you communicate exactly what you want to say about yourself. Use a personal tone and voice, but don’t let your grammar or spelling get sloppy. You want to be relatable, but also professional. Most of all, you should enjoy writing about personal experiences and be proud of your essay when it is finished.

 

Sunnyvale ACT SAT test prep tutoring

Play Video
Play Video