How to Write a Narrative Essay from a Personal Experience
Composing a personal narrative presents an uncommon challenge. When composing a narrative of this type, you benefit from having firsthand experience with what you are writing about. However, it can be difficult to recall the specifics of the event and compose a piece that is detailed enough to allow your reader to picture the event in his mind. By following a systematic approach to the writing of the piece, you can more easily and effectively recount an event from your life through the composition of a personal narrative.
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Instructions
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Dislodge information from your memory banks by freewriting about the intended topic. Sit down with a piece of paper and a timer. Set the timer for five minutes and write until it goes off. Do not allow yourself to stop moving your pen until the time is up.
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Read over your freewriting and use a highlighter to mark any points you've jotted down that you want to include in your narrative.
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Organize your ideas by creating a plot map. Pull the highlighted elements out of your freewriting and craft them into a plot map. Using a fresh sheet of paper, list the first event that you want to discuss in your narrative at the top of the sheet. Draw an arrow down and list the second event. Continue in this fashion until you have a chain of events that you will discuss in your essay.
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Write sensory details next to each section on the plot map. The key to a good personal narrative is the inclusion of copious amounts of description. Consider details that you could add that would appeal to readers' senses. Next to each listed event, write adjectives or short phrases that you could use to add description to your piece.
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Compose your narrative following your map. Use your map as a plan for the composition of your narrative. Start composing the story itself, moving down the map. As you compose, include the details that you listed next to each event.
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Revise and edit your narrative. Review your draft carefully, looking for any places where you could make modifications to enhance your prose. Check for any errors in spelling and grammar to finalize the work and prepare it for publication or submission.
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References
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