One of the most annoying things that can happen is when we’ve got a good story, incredible even, filled with jokes, adventure, and amazing details, and then when we start telling it and our friends are trying not to be too confused about our chaotic ramblings, we realize it’s very hard to tell a story. Yeah, it happens to the best of us. The good news is we’ve got a guide to help you.
You Should Still Follow the Basic Structure of an Essay
With this, we mean that your narrative essay outline should still have an introduction, conclusion, and complete paragraphs that support your narrative. Your paragraphs should have a clear purpose, and a good way of differentiating them is to divide your story into moments, stages, or elements that create a cohesive whole. For example, you might talk about your time in high school by focusing on each grade level or talking about what you learned in a specific subject. You can write your prompt, topic, general idea, etc. onto Litero and it’ll give you a draft of what you can write or just general ideas to help you get started.
Prewrite!
Here are a few things your narrative essay should include, and you can prewrite by including what belongs in each category:
- Purpose: what’s your main goal?
- Characters: who’s in your narrative? Why?
- Sequence: which events are you including?
- Climax: is there a moment that yields more lessons?
- Conclusion: what is the message behind your narrative?
Remember, you’re the one in control of the narrative, so it’s your responsibility to create a good story.
Main Goal + Lesson
Listen, sometimes a story is just that, a story, but when we’re talking about essays for a class, there’s usually an underlying goal. Not every story has to be like a fable, where the events tell you a clear lesson about life, like don’t lie or don’t go into dark forests. However, they all need a purpose. The purpose can be to tell a funny anecdote, explain why you chose your major, or even write about a historical event through the eyes of everyday people. Your narrative essay outline and its elements should always consider this purpose.
Define the Narrator
Narrative essays are usually written in the first person, but this isn’t always the case. It’s important to define the narrator because your narrative essay outline depends on it. Moreover, you might feel that assuming a more omniscient tone is better for your audience. It all depends on what your story is about and what you want to do with it. If you’re telling a story about your summer, then keeping things in first person and only mentioning things you were aware of is the best approach. However, if you want to write about how people in your high school experienced a specific event like a snowstorm or when a rat got into the AC vents, third-person narration could be better.
Consider the Flexibility of a Narrative
Narratives can be a lot more freeing than traditional essays, and you should remember this when doing your narrative essay outline. You can write in first person or adopt a more general narration style; it all depends on what you need. Asking rhetorical questions and writing in a less formal tone are also possible!
‘Should I Add Dialogue’?
The truth is, we can’t answer this for you. Your narrative essay outline could include dialogue, but this depends on the requirements for the essay. If you can add it, dialogue can bring life to characters and help your audience understand the plot and how different characters react to an event. It’s not the same to write something like: ‘I was shocked at what I saw,’ than to write ‘I then asked my brother, ‘Are you seeing the same thing I’m seeing”? Both of them can refer to the same event and reaction, but they convey completely different things.
Make Sure Your Audience Has Enough Context
It’s easy to think that our ideas are clear, but we can think this if we’re the ones writing them. Of course, we know why our best friend is deadly afraid of turkeys, but, if it’s relevant to the narrative, you should give sufficient information so everyone understands. This is why a narrative essay outline is so important; we see our writing in stages and sections, allowing us to make sure our writing makes sense.
Add Connections If Necessary
Like any regular essay, you need to move from one point to another. For a narrative essay, you need to do the same, but this time, it’s a bit different because the transitions in this narrative essay outline can relate to supporting events or the regular transitions we’ve used for other essays. Again, it depends on what you need to do. However, regardless of the type of transition you need, Litero can help you. Asking the program to expand or create another point allows you to create a cohesive essay that does not ask your reader to try to guess what you want to say.
Conclusion
The final paragraph of your narrative essay outline should encompass the main lesson or point from your story. Consider these questions: did the characters grow throughout the story? Why or why not? What is the lesson or purpose of the story and how does it relate to its larger context? Summarize the main events and link them to the goal you defined at the beginning.
Litero.AI: Your Narrative Writing Ally
Creating a narrative essay can be challenging, but Litero.AI makes the process seamless and enjoyable. Whether you’re brainstorming ideas, outlining key moments, or refining your draft, Litero.AI serves as the ultimate writing companion. Its AI-powered tools provide tailored suggestions, help craft engaging dialogues, and ensure smooth transitions between sections, making your story flow naturally.
Need to build a vivid setting or add depth to your characters? Litero can expand your ideas or suggest creative ways to make your narrative more compelling. It’s especially helpful for maintaining context and coherence, ensuring that every detail in your essay is clear to your audience. Plus, Litero’s grammar and style checker ensures your final draft is polished, professional, and free of errors.
From structuring your outline to perfecting your conclusion, Litero.AI empowers you to write with confidence. With its innovative features, it’s like having a personal editor and brainstorming partner rolled into one. Whether you’re a seasoned storyteller or just starting out, Litero ensures your narrative essays captivate and inspire.