some topics of narrative essay

Narrative Essay Topics: TOP 200 Choices for Students

Imagine yourself facing a blank page, ready to fill it with your memories and imagination. What story will you tell today?

As students, you often have to write narratives that capture people's attention. But with so many stories to choose from, where do you start? How do you find the perfect topic that will grab our readers' interest and make them think?

Join our essay service experts as we explore 200 topics for college where stories are waiting to be told, and experiences are ready to be shared. From everyday events to unforgettable moments, each topic is a chance to connect with your readers and make them feel something.

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Ideas for Narrative Essay Topics

After exploring how students write narrative paragraphs, we've put together a list of narrative essay topics designed specifically for college and school students. This list covers a wide range of subjects, so pick one that speaks to you! If you want to see how to develop a topic into a written essay, check out our narrative essay example .

Literacy Narrative Essay Topics for College Students

How about delving into captivating literacy narrative essay topics designed specifically for college-level writing? Exciting, isn't it?

How did a childhood book shape your view of the world?
What challenges did you face when learning to read in a second language?
How has storytelling within your family influenced your literacy journey?
Can you recall a pivotal moment that ignited your love for reading?
How did a specific teacher inspire your passion for literature?
Have you ever encountered a character in a book who profoundly impacted your perspective on life?
What role did writing play in helping you navigate a difficult period in your life?
How has your relationship with technology affected your reading habits?
What cultural or historical event sparked your interest in a particular genre of literature?
How has poetry shaped your understanding of language and emotion?
Have you ever experienced a breakthrough moment in your writing process?
How has reading aloud impacted your comprehension and enjoyment of literature?
Can you recall a time when a book challenged your beliefs or worldview?
How has participating in a book club enriched your reading experience?
What strategies have you developed to overcome reading difficulties or distractions?

Personal Narrative Essay Topics on Relationships

Take a moment to reflect on your past experiences and craft compelling personal narratives with these essay ideas.

How did a specific friendship shape who you are today?
Can you recount a moment that strengthened your bond with a family member?
What challenges have you faced in maintaining a long-distance relationship?
How has a mentor influenced your personal and professional development?
Have you experienced a betrayal in a relationship? How did it impact you?
Can you describe a memorable conflict resolution process within a relationship?
How has your relationship with a pet affected your emotional well-being?
What lessons have you learned from navigating a romantic relationship?
How has your relationship with a sibling evolved over time?
Can you recall a time when you had to set boundaries in a friendship?
How has volunteering or community involvement enriched your relationships?
What cultural differences have influenced your relationships with others?
Can you share a moment when you felt truly understood by someone?
How has technology affected the dynamics of your relationships?
Have you ever experienced a reconciliation that transformed a strained relationship?

Best Narrative Essay Topics on Education and Learning

Consider the beauty of sharing your personal experiences and emotions in a captivating manner through these ideas for personal narrative essays.

What was the most valuable lesson you learned outside of the classroom?
Can you recount a moment when a teacher's unconventional method transformed your understanding of a subject?
How has a field trip or experiential learning opportunity impacted your education?
What challenges have you faced in balancing extracurricular activities with academics?
Have you ever had a "Eureka!" moment while studying? Describe it.
How has learning a new skill outside of school influenced your academic performance?
Can you recall a time when a peer's perspective challenged your own understanding of a topic?
How has technology enhanced or hindered your learning experience?
What role does creativity play in your approach to learning?
Have you ever experienced a setback that ultimately propelled you forward academically?
How has your cultural background influenced your learning style?
Can you describe a time when you had to advocate for yourself within an educational setting?
How has mentorship shaped your educational journey?
What strategies have you employed to overcome academic challenges or obstacles?
Can you reflect on a time when failure taught you a valuable lesson about learning?

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Personal Narrative Essay Ideas on Reflection on Life

Why not ignite your creativity with a range of narrative essay topics, from extraordinary moments to everyday experiences?

How has a moment of failure ultimately led to personal growth and resilience?
Can you recount a pivotal decision that significantly altered the course of your life?
What lessons have you learned from navigating a crossroads or major life transition?
How has your perspective on success evolved over time?
Can you reflect on a time when you had to confront and overcome a deeply held fear?
What role has gratitude played in shaping your outlook on life?
How have your values and beliefs been influenced by significant life experiences?
Can you describe a moment when you found clarity and purpose amidst chaos or uncertainty?
What impact has traveling to a new place had on your understanding of the world and yourself?
How has adversity strengthened your character and determination?
Can you recall a time when a random act of kindness profoundly impacted your life?
What lessons have you learned from embracing vulnerability and authenticity in relationships?
How has practicing mindfulness or self-reflection enhanced your well-being and happiness?
Can you reflect on a period of personal transformation or self-discovery?
How have you found meaning and fulfillment in pursuing your passions and interests?

Ideas for a Narrative Essay on Culture and Society

Engaging your readers with narrative essays on culture and society is a great way to spark interest, offering captivating ideas for exploration.

How has your family's unique culinary heritage influenced your cultural identity?
Can you reflect on a specific cultural artifact or heirloom that holds deep significance for your family?
What challenges have you faced in preserving traditional customs while adapting to modern societal expectations?
How has a local festival or celebration revealed the intricacies of your community's cultural tapestry?
Can you recount a moment when you navigated a cultural clash between your upbringing and the dominant culture?
How has your experience as a first-generation immigrant shaped your understanding of cultural assimilation?
What lessons have you learned from participating in intercultural exchange programs or initiatives?
Can you describe a unique cultural practice or tradition within your community that outsiders might find intriguing or misunderstood?
How has the revitalization of indigenous languages contributed to the preservation of cultural heritage in your region?
Can you reflect on a personal journey of reconnecting with your cultural roots after a period of assimilation or disconnection?
What role does storytelling play in passing down cultural wisdom and values within your family or community?
How has the portrayal of your culture in mainstream media affected your sense of belonging and self-perception?
Can you recount a moment when you challenged cultural stereotypes through creative expression or advocacy?
How has the migration of a specific cultural group enriched the social fabric and economic landscape of your community?
What initiatives or grassroots movements are currently underway to promote cross-cultural understanding and cooperation in your society?

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Narrative Writing Topics on Hobbies and Interests

Wow your readers by turning your passions and hobbies into compelling narrative essay topics that will get them thinking.

How has your passion for urban gardening transformed neglected spaces in your community?
Can you recount a thrilling adventure from your hobby of urban exploration?
What lessons have you learned from restoring vintage motorcycles in your spare time?
How has your fascination with birdwatching deepened your connection to nature and conservation efforts?
Can you describe a memorable moment from your hobby of foraging wild edibles in the wilderness?
What unique skills have you developed through your hobby of beekeeping, and how have they impacted your daily life?
How has your interest in historical reenactment brought the past to life in unexpected ways?
Can you reflect on a transformative experience from your hobby of landscape photography?
What insights have you gained from practicing the art of bonsai cultivation and nurturing miniature ecosystems?
How has your passion for stargazing inspired awe and wonder in the vastness of the universe?
Can you recount a challenging project from your hobby of woodworking and the satisfaction it brought upon completion?
What cultural connections have you discovered through your hobby of traditional folk dancing?
How has your interest in sustainable fashion influenced your consumer habits and environmental awareness?
Can you describe a moment of serenity and mindfulness experienced while practicing the art of tea ceremony?
How has your hobby of letterpress printing preserved the tactile beauty of handmade craftsmanship in a digital age?

Narrative Essay Titles on Life-Changing Moments

Life is full of unexpected twists that can lead to life-changing moments. Take a look at these narrative essay titles for stories that have had a lasting impact on your life.

How did surviving a natural disaster reshape your perspective on life?
Can you recall a single conversation that drastically altered the course of your life?
What was the pivotal moment that inspired you to pursue your dreams against all odds?
How did a chance encounter lead to a life-changing friendship or partnership?
Can you reflect on the decision that transformed your career trajectory?
What profound lesson did you learn from facing a life-threatening illness or injury?
How did traveling to a new country open your eyes to new possibilities and opportunities?
Can you recount the moment when you discovered your true passion or calling in life?
What was the turning point that allowed you to break free from a toxic relationship or environment?
How did experiencing failure or rejection ultimately lead to personal growth and resilience?
Can you describe the moment when you found the strength to overcome a deep-seated fear or insecurity?
What life-changing realization did you have while experiencing a period of solitude or introspection?
How did a profound act of kindness from a stranger restore your faith in humanity?
Can you reflect on the moment when you forgave someone who had deeply hurt you, and how it changed your perspective on forgiveness?
What pivotal decision did you make that allowed you to reclaim control over your own happiness and destiny?

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Good Narrative Topics on Travel and Adventure

Consider creating intriguing titles for your narrative essay ideas by exploring thrilling travel adventures.

Can you recount a memorable encounter with wildlife during your solo hiking adventure?
How did a spontaneous decision to explore an unfamiliar city lead to unexpected discoveries?
What lessons did you learn from navigating a foreign country with only a map and your instincts?
Can you describe the exhilaration of conquering a challenging mountain peak for the first time?
How did immersing yourself in a local culture during your travels broaden your perspective on the world?
What unexpected obstacles did you encounter while embarking on a backpacking journey through rugged terrain?
Can you reflect on the transformative experience of volunteering abroad in a community-driven project?
How did getting lost in a labyrinthine city alleyway lead to serendipitous encounters and newfound friendships?
What was the most memorable meal you had while sampling street food in a bustling market abroad?
Can you recount the adrenaline rush of participating in an extreme sports activity in a foreign land?
How did witnessing a breathtaking natural phenomenon during your travels leave a lasting impression on you?
What cultural traditions or rituals did you participate in during a homestay experience with a local family?
Can you describe the sense of wonder and awe you felt while exploring ancient ruins or historical sites?
How did navigating a language barrier challenge and ultimately enrich your travel experience?
What valuable life lessons did you learn from the mishaps and misadventures encountered during your journey off the beaten path?

Narrative Essay Topic Ideas on Career and Work Experience

College students can uncover captivating narrative essay ideas by exploring potential career paths or reminiscing about past job experiences.

How did a challenging project at work showcase your problem-solving skills and resilience?
Can you reflect on a pivotal mentorship experience that guided your career trajectory?
What valuable lessons did you learn from a career setback or failure, and how did it shape your future success?
How did a workplace conflict lead to personal growth and improved communication skills?
Can you recount a moment when taking a professional risk paid off in unexpected ways?
What insights did you gain from transitioning to a new industry or career path?
How did participating in a cross-functional team project enhance your collaboration and leadership abilities?
Can you describe the satisfaction of achieving a long-term career goal after years of hard work and perseverance?
What impact did a meaningful recognition or award have on your motivation and sense of accomplishment?
How did volunteering or pro bono work contribute to your professional development and sense of purpose?
Can you reflect on the decision to leave a stable job in pursuit of passion or fulfillment?
What strategies did you employ to navigate a toxic work environment and maintain your well-being?
How did a career setback lead to unexpected opportunities for personal and professional growth?
Can you describe a moment when mentorship or sponsorship played a crucial role in advancing your career?
What lessons did you learn from a challenging client or customer interaction, and how did it shape your approach to customer service and relationship-building?

Interesting Narrative Essay Topics about Challenges and Obstacles

If you're not sure what to write about for your narrative essay, think back to the tough times you've had and how you managed to get through them.

How did you conquer a once-paralyzing fear to chase your dreams?
What new strengths did you discover while adapting to a physical challenge?
Can you recall a creative solution you used during a tough financial period?
When did you bravely stand against injustice, despite opposition?
How did overcoming a language barrier broaden your horizons?
What key lessons did you learn from a major setback in your life?
How did you manage overwhelming stress and responsibilities?
What inner reserves of resilience did you draw upon after personal loss?
Describe a time when you defied societal norms to pursue your goals.
Reflect on a moment when failure fueled your determination for success.
When did you find the courage to leave your comfort zone behind?
How did community support bolster you through a challenging time?
Share a time when self-doubt led to newfound confidence.
Can you recount a tragedy that spurred your personal growth?
What insights did overcoming a monumental obstacle reveal about life?

Best Narrative Essay Topics: How to Choose the One That Resonates

A narrative essay is a type of writing that tells a personal story, including characters, plot, setting, and the order of events. Its main goal is to connect with readers emotionally and share a specific message or insight through the retelling of a meaningful experience.

Students write narrative essays as part of their studies for several reasons. Firstly, it allows them to express themselves creatively by sharing their unique experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Secondly, it helps them develop important writing skills like organizing ideas and thoughts effectively.

Choosing good narrative essay ideas involves looking at personal experiences, interests, and the potential for engaging storytelling. Here's a simple guide to help you pick the right topic:

Think about significant moments in your life that had a lasting impact, such as personal growth or overcoming challenges.
Choose topics related to your hobbies, interests, or areas of expertise to make your story more engaging.
Consider what your audience would be interested in and choose topics that resonate with them.
Focus on a specific event or detail to make your narrative more focused and impactful.
Look for universal themes like love or personal transformation that connect with readers on a deeper level.
Brainstorm ideas and write freely to uncover compelling topics.
Decide on storytelling techniques like flashbacks or foreshadowing and choose a topic that fits.
Get feedback from friends, peers, or instructors to see if your topics are interesting and impactful.
Choose topics that evoke strong emotions for a more compelling narrative.
Select a topic that you personally connect with to make your story authentic.

Once you've chosen a topic, brainstorm ideas and create an outline for your essay. Follow your professor's instructions carefully and consider seeking help from our narrative essay writing service if needed.

Bring your stories to life with EssayPro. Select from a vast array of narrative essay topics and let our professionals help you weave your tales into captivating essays. Whether it's adventure, reflection, or imagination, we're here to assist.

Final Remarks

As we wrap up, our list of 200 narrative essay topics is here to fuel your creativity for your next writing project! Whether you're sharing a memorable event, reliving a childhood memory, or expressing a profound insight, crafting a narrative essay can be an uplifting experience that resonates deeply with readers.

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Daniel Parker

is a seasoned educational writer focusing on scholarship guidance, research papers, and various forms of academic essays including reflective and narrative essays. His expertise also extends to detailed case studies. A scholar with a background in English Literature and Education, Daniel’s work on EssayPro blog aims to support students in achieving academic excellence and securing scholarships. His hobbies include reading classic literature and participating in academic forums.

is an expert in nursing and healthcare, with a strong background in history, law, and literature. Holding advanced degrees in nursing and public health, his analytical approach and comprehensive knowledge help students navigate complex topics. On EssayPro blog, Adam provides insightful articles on everything from historical analysis to the intricacies of healthcare policies. In his downtime, he enjoys historical documentaries and volunteering at local clinics.

Narrative Essay

Narrative Essay Topics

Best Narrative Essay Topics 2023 for Students

Narrative Essay Topics for Students

If you're a student looking for a diverse range of topics, we've got you covered with a diverse selection of narrative essay topics.

Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 5

My First Day at a New School
The Time I Learned to Ride a Bike
A Visit to a Haunted House
The Day I Met a Real-Life Superhero
My Most Memorable Family Vacation
A Surprising Encounter with an Animal
The Mystery of the Missing Homework
The Best Birthday Party I Ever Had
When I Lost a Tooth
My Adventure in a Fantasy World

Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 6

An Unforgettable Camping Trip
The Day I Discovered a Hidden Talent
A Mysterious Letter and Its Consequences
A Time I Had to Stand Up for What's Right
The Thrilling Mystery of a Forgotten Diary
A Memorable Encounter with a Famous Person
My Journey Through a Fantasy Land
The Day I Learned a Valuable Life Lesson
An Unexpected Act of Kindness
A Secret Adventure in an Abandoned Place

Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 7

The Most Exciting Adventure of My Life
The Day I Overcame a Fear
A Memorable School Field Trip
The Strangest Mystery I Ever Encountered
An Unforgettable Encounter with Wildlife
A Life-Changing Decision I Had to Make
The Best Book I Ever Read and Why
A Day in the Life of a Time Traveler
The Importance of Friendship in My Life
A Valuable Lesson Learned from a Mistake

Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 8

A Time I Faced a Difficult Moral Dilemma
The Most Memorable Summer Vacation
The Impact of a Life-Altering Decision
An Unexpected Act of Kindness I Received
The Day I Stepped Out of My Comfort Zone
A Historical Event I Would Like to Witness
A Special Family Tradition and Its Significance
A Personal Achievement I'm Proud Of
A Challenging Obstacle I Overcame
A Journey Through My Creative Imagination

Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 9

The Transition to High School: Challenges and Triumphs
A Life-Changing Encounter with an Inspiring Mentor
My First Part-Time Job and What I Learned
The Day I Realized the Power of Empathy
The Impact of a Personal Passion or Hobby
An Unforgettable Travel Experience Abroad
A Meaningful Community Service Project I Participated In
The Role of Technology in My Life
A Defining Moment in My Cultural Identity
My Vision for the Future: Dreams and Aspirations

Narrative Essay Topics for O-Levels

The Day I Took a Leap of Faith
An Unforgettable Journey into the Unknown
A Life-Altering Decision I Made in High School
An Encounter with a Stranger That Changed My Perspective
The Role of Resilience in Overcoming a Personal Challenge
The Impact of a Cultural Exchange Experience
A Lesson Learned from a Unique Life Experience
The Importance of Perseverance in Achieving a Goal
My Most Memorable Academic Achievement
A Glimpse into My Future: Aspirations and Ambitions

Narrative Essay Topics for Highschool

The Moment I Discovered My Passion
A Life-Changing Journey Abroad
A Challenging Decision That Shaped My Future
An Unexpected Act of Kindness That Touched My Heart
The Role of Resilience in Overcoming Adversity
A Personal Experience That Shaped My Values
The Impact of Technology on My Generation
A Time I Took a Stand for a Cause I Believe In
A Memorable Leadership Role I Assumed
A Glimpse into My Ideal Future: Aspirations and Goals

Narrative Essay Topics for College

The Journey to Finding My Academic Passion
A Life-Altering Study Abroad Experience
The Transformational Impact of a Challenging Decision
Navigating the Transition from College to the Professional World
An Unforgettable Encounter with a Mentor or Role Model
The Role of Adversity in Shaping My Personal Growth
A Significant Ethical Dilemma I Faced in College
How My College Experiences Have Shaped My Worldview
The Impact of Technology on My College Education
A Personal Reflection on My Career Aspirations and Goals

Narrative Essay Topics for University

The Evolution of My Academic and Career Goals at University
An Eye-Opening Internship Experience That Impacted My Future
A Transformative Study Abroad Journey
Navigating the Complexities of Balancing Work, Academics, and Social Life at University
The Role of a Unique Research Project in My Academic Growth
A Personal Account of Overcoming a Significant Academic Challenge
A Meaningful Leadership Role in a University Organization
The Journey of Self-Discovery Through Elective Courses at University
The Impact of Peer Relationships and Networking at University
How My University Education Has Shaped My Perspective on Global Issues

Unique Narrative Essay Topics for Students

We've gathered distinct narrative topic ideas to fuel your creativity. Let’s look at some personal narrative ideas to inspire your narrative writing.

Descriptive Narrative Essay Topics

A Peaceful Day by the Riverside
Exploring a Haunted House
My Favorite Childhood Memory
A Walk Through an Ancient Forest
The Perfect Winter Wonderland
An Evening at a Carnival
A Visit to a Vibrant Art Gallery
The Spectacular Colors of Autumn
A Day in the Life of a Beach
An Exciting Night in the City

Personal Narrative Essay Topics

A Life-Changing Decision I Made
A Moment of Personal Triumph
Overcoming My Greatest Fear
A Meaningful Lesson from a Personal Challenge
The Role of a Special Friend in My Life
A Time When I Broke a Personal Record
The Impact of a Mentor on My Life
My Journey to Self-Discovery

Literacy Narrative Essay Topics

My Earliest Memory of Learning to Read
The Book That Sparked My Love for Reading
A Life-Changing Experience in a Library
The Impact of a Special Teacher on My Writing Skills
How Technology Has Shaped My Writing Habits
A Personal Reflection on My Writing Journey
The Role of Literature in Shaping My Perspective
Writing as a Tool for Self-Expression and Healing
How I Overcame Writer's Block
The Significance of Storytelling in My Life

Engaging Narrative Essay Topics

The Mystery of a Lost Treasure Map
An Unlikely Friendship That Changed My Life
A Day in the Life of a Professional Athlete
The Journey of Starting My Own Business
A Haunting Experience in a Historic Place
A Memorable Road Trip with Friends
My Encounter with a Famous Celebrity
The Day I Conquered My Greatest Fear
An Adventure in a Foreign Land
A Life-Altering Decision at a Crossroads

How to Choose a Topic for a Narrative Essay?

Choosing the right topic for your narrative essay can be a daunting task. Before you start writing, it is important to invest some time in researching and brainstorming.

Here are a few tips to help guide you in selecting an interesting and engaging narrative essay topic:

Reflect on Your Personal Experiences: If you are writing about a personal narrative topic, consider the impactful moments in your life and think about experiences that have left a strong impression on you.
Identify a Clear Message or Theme: Determine the central idea or theme of your narrative. Decide what lesson, insight, or emotion you want to convey.
Engage Your Audience: Consider your target audience and what will resonate with them. Choose a topic that captures their interest and keeps them engaged.
Play with Different Perspectives: Explore the option of incorporating different viewpoints. Combining personal and external perspectives can add depth to your narrative.
Test Your Idea: Get feedback from a friend or classmate. Assess if your chosen topic is likely to resonate with your audience.
Stay True to Your Voice: Balance considering your audience with being authentic. Let your unique voice and storytelling style shine through in your writing

Tips for Writing Narrative Essays

Once you have selected a topic for your narrative essay, it is time to start writing.

Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you write your story:

Start with a Strong Hook: Begin your narrative essay with a captivating hook, such as an engaging anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a vivid description.
Follow a Clear Structure: Organize your narrative essay outline with a clear structure. Most narratives follow a chronological order, but you can also use flashbacks or nonlinear storytelling when it serves your narrative.
Build Tension and Conflict: Create tension and conflict in your narrative to add depth and maintain reader engagement. Whether it's a personal struggle, a moral dilemma, or an external challenge, these obstacles will keep readers eagerly anticipating what comes next.
Revise and Edit: After completing your first draft, take the time to revise and edit your work. Review it for grammar and spelling errors, but also examine the overall structure and flow of your narrative.
Practice, Practice, Practice: Like any form of writing, improving your narrative essay skills takes practice. Keep writing and experimenting with different topics, styles, and approaches to develop your storytelling abilities.

Before you start writing, make sure you read some narrative essay examples to learn how to organize your thoughts and structure your story.

In summary, no matter the type of essay you are writing about, you need a topic to start with. Our collection of narrative essay topics offers fresh, distinct ideas.

These topics are crafted to ignite your creativity and captivate your audience. They cover a diverse range of experiences, making it easier for you to connect with your readers on a personal level.

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We stand as the most reliable narrative essay writing service with a specialized focus on crafting exceptional essays designed for high school and college students. Our customer support team is also available 24/7, request write my essays online whenever you need assistance.

Frequently Asked Questions

How are narrative essay topics different from other essay types.

Narrative essay topics are usually based on personal experiences, so they are more emotional and creative than other types of essays. Also, they are often more open-ended, so you have more freedom to choose what to write about.

Where can I find good narrative essay topics?

There are a few ways to find good topics for your narrative essay. You can look through books or magazines for ideas, or search online for inspiration. You can also brainstorm with friends or family members to come up with ideas.

What do I write a narrative essay about?

You can write a narrative essay about anything, but it is usually based on personal experience. Try to recall interesting incidents from your life to develop a narrative about.

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150 Narrative Essay Topics

If you're looking for a more creative approach to writing essays, narrative essays might be a great option for you. With narrative essays, you have the freedom to tell a story and use your own personal experiences to make a point.

Whether you're writing a personal narrative or an experiential essay, you'll want to make sure that you're engaging your reader and conveying your message effectively. This is where custom essay writing services and coursework writing services can be incredibly helpful. With the assistance of professional writers, you can develop a compelling narrative essay that is both engaging and informative.

Overall, writing a narrative essay can be a fun and rewarding experience. Whether you're reflecting on a personal experience or sharing an anecdote, remember that the goal is to make a point and connect with your audience. So why not give it a try and see what stories you can tell? And if you need any assistance, don't hesitate to reach out to a " write my essay" or " write a paper for me" service for help.

What is a Narrative Essay?

A narrative essay is a less formal form of academic writing where the goal is to see whether you can tell a story clearly in an engaging manner. It follows the typical format of an essay with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion but also incorporates classic story writing elements like plot, setting, character, climax, and ending.

This kind of essay is written from a defined point of view, usually yours, so writing in the first person is recommended unlike most other forms of academic writing. You still need to make a point though, so include a thesis statement in your first paragraph and refer to it again in the conclusion.

Many college application essay prompts are narrative writing, for example - describe the most significant achievement of your life. Learning how to write a good narrative paper has use beyond just college essays though, a majority of online content now is based on telling engaging stories. Read on to know more about narrative papers and find a list of 150 fascinating topics for narrative essays.

How to Choose a Topic for a Narrative Essay

Choosing good narrative essay topics are crucial for a few reasons. The story you tell will most often draw from your own experiences and thoughts, so choose a topic that you know well or are well-informed about. Additionally, since the story has to have a purpose, select a topic that has broad potential and narrow it down to tell your unique story. Remember the following things when choosing a topic for a narrative essay.

The key thing to remember is that you’re telling a story

Because a narrative essay is so unlike most academic writing assignments, a common mistake is writing sections like a dry academic assignment. It’s for school, but that doesn’t mean you can’t deliver an experience. It’s about crafting an engaging piece of storytelling while revealing something impactful through the story.

Choose an interesting or meaningful idea to explore

This is a great time to write about something that is particularly important in your life or something you are passionate about. Topics can range from your thoughts and ideas about a concept to an obscure activity that you enjoy.

The pre-writing stage is critically important

A good story flows well and includes details that draw the reader in, but it also has to deliver some idea or message. Collecting information and planning ahead to create an outline for your essay will smoothen your writing process.

Don’t forget to have fun with it!

The story you tell should be engaging, which means you have the freedom to experiment! Drawing from several different but interconnected life experiences, or telling the story from the perspective of an inanimate object are some interesting ways to make your essay stand out.

But remember that it’s still an essay

Even though it’s storytelling, you’re still writing an essay, which means it needs to follow the classic essay structure. Based on the word count, plan how many body paragraphs you need (minimum 3 ALWAYS). Your first sentence should still have a hook, and your first paragraph still needs to have a thesis statement. The story that unfolds in the body paragraphs shouldn’t drift from your thesis statement, and your conclusion needs to end the story as well as reiterate your thesis.

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150 Unique Topics for Narrative Essay

It can be quite tough to think of something meaningful to write your essay about, but almost any experience you have can be an interesting topic. For one person, the first time they played a sport could be a traumatic experience, for another it could be life-changing. Only you know your experiences and thoughts. Here’s a list of narrative essay topics that you can use to start the brainstorming process and spark your imagination.

College narrative essay topics

College is a time of new experiences. So much happens that it shouldn’t be difficult to choose something to write about. The essay you write can be more descriptive, focussing on your sensory observations of an experience, or more contemplative, focusing on new thoughts and feelings. Take a look at these narrative essay topics for college students.

What was it like getting your first acceptance letter?

How you chose which college to go to

Your first day leaving home and coming to campus

Meeting your roommate and whether it went well or not

Your first college party

Your favorite class

Losing touch or staying in touch with friends from high school

The best day in college so far

The difference between sports in high school and college

How you realized college was easier or tougher than you thought it would be

What it was like being in a class with 200 students

Your experience with an extracurricular you had never tried before

Going home for the first time after attending college

Finding a subject you never thought you would like

How did you start feeling truly comfortable in college?

Narrative essay topics for high school students

High school years are chaotic. The changes in students and their social expectations can be frustrating, challenging, and exhilarating. Essays about many important firsts can be drawn from high school. Here are a few examples of narrative essay topics related to high school.

The best day of freshman year

A time you were bullied and stood up for yourself

A time when you were bullied and felt helpless

Your most significant social accomplishment

What was a meaningful volunteering experience you had?

Your proudest moment in a sporting event

Losing a valued friend

Your first highschool dance

Why your favorite teacher became your favorite teacher

When you realized what you want to pursue as a career

The best video game moment you had

An embarrassing moment in school and how you overcame it

Your best social media moment

The buildup to graduation day

An experience helping another student

Personal narrative essay topics

Since narrative essays are often written in the first person and rely on the experiences and thoughts of the author, they can all be considered personal, but a personal essay asks you to specifically tell a story about a time that changed you in a meaningful way. Here are some topics for writing a narrative essay about personal moments and revelations.

A summer vacation adventure that involved heroics

Describe an experience you had in a foreign country that made you feel lucky to be from your country

Your first time following a YouTube tutorial

Your excitement at watching the newest star wars/lord of the rings/Marvel Cinematic Universe etc. movie

Bonding with a new pet

The moment you realized that you admire some traits in a person and want to be like them

A situation that changed your relationship with your parents

A situation when you had to deal with the police

Witnessing an event that needed you to call the police

Your best leadership moment

Your experience attending a large event (politics, religion, sports, etc)

The most meaningful time in church or any religious moment of significance

An experience that humbled you

A situation where you made a serious mistake

A time you had to learn from adversity

Narrative argument essay topics

Like any narrative essay - the goal is to tell a story, but like any argument essay - the goal is to convince or persuade the reader to agree with your viewpoint. Writing an effective narrative argument essay incorporates convincing arguments into the story itself. The trick is finding a balance between getting lost in telling the story and forgetting about storytelling and convincing the reader. Here are a few examples to help you find a topic for a narrative essay.

A time when you convinced somebody against a conspiracy theory

A moment that made you more religious or spiritual

A moment that made you less religious or spiritual

Your favorite trip and why the place you went to is fantastic

How you discovered your favorite art style

The first time you played a new genre of game and why it’s the best

Your experience attending a conference or event about climate change

Watching a movie, tv-show, youtube video, or any media that changed your mind

A situation where you had to verbally defend yourself or a friend

An observation about income disparity gained by working in a soup kitchen/homeless shelter etc.

An experience you’ve had talking to somebody with different political beliefs

A conversation about gender identity with an older person

Seeing the police behave appropriately or inappropriately

Your experience with love and how you developed your definition of it

A time you had to swallow your pride and hold your tongue

Easy narrative essay topics

Here’s a list of some good topics for a narrative essay that most people have experience with and can write about but are still interesting enough to create an engaging story for the reader. Below are some easy but interesting narrative essay topics.

A hike, picnic, or walk that made you appreciate nature

Visiting a particularly awesome amusement park

An especially romantic date

Your first trip to a big city

Your first trip to a foreign country

Discovering a new movie genre

The thrill of watching horror movies

A regular day in your life

A moment when you gained respect for your parents, teachers, or friends

The time you saved an animal

How you broke a bad habit

How you developed a new skill

Your experience at a zoo

The first time you went bowling (tried any new game)

Your happiest day

Did you like our inspiring Narrative Essay Guide?

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Cultural narrative essay topics

Some of the most mind-expanding experiences happen when looking at and understanding a different culture or by analyzing your own culture from an outsider’s perspective. Cultural narrative essay topics are particularly useful when applying to colleges or applying for grants or scholarships for exchange programs.

What you learned from a trip abroad

How the lives of people in various socio-economic brackets are different

Observations on which basic things are different in different countries

How your cultural identity has changed over time

Sleeping over at a friends house from a different cultural background

Describe some unique personal family traditions

An experience where your culture/race/religion affected the situation around you

How you learned to fit in with a different culture

You first experience living in a foreign country

Discovering new subcultures like anime, gaming, k-pop, etc

Your favorite traditions from foreign cultures

How you understood your cultural heritage better

A time when you realized the impact of media on the perspective of other cultures

Getting over stereotypes because someone behaved differently than what you expected

Celebrating a different festival for the first time

Autobiographical narrative essay topics

Autobiographical narrative essays as you to specifically describe and talk about things in your life that impacted you. Take a look at the narrative essay topics below for inspiration.

Your first memory

Your first meaningful memory

Your first day of school

Your relationship with your grandparents

Finding out a shocking family secret

Your proudest achievement as a child

Your favorite childhood hobby

The best day of middle school

A time when you lost something important

How you dealt with losing someone close to you

Discovering your favorite musician

Your first kiss, date, or relationship

The worst day of your life

Why certain things are so meaningful to you

Which people have influenced your life significantly?

Fictional narrative essay topics

Fictional narrative essay topics are an opportunity to flex your creativity. Put yourself in the shoes of someone else, or in a fantastic situation and write a story! These are some narrative essay topics to choose from down below.

What it would be like traveling to Mars

What you would do with a million dollars

Describe a particularly vivid dream

A day in your life if you woke up as the opposite sex

What it would be like to be a professional gamer

What it would be like to have 100,000 Instagram followers

A day at the zoo from the perspective of an animal

A day in the life of a child from a very wealthy family

A day in the life of a child from a war-torn country

What it would be like to have your own talk show

What would you do if you were president?

What would you do if you were a dictator?

What it would be like to be a superhero

Tell a story based on your favorite work of art

A hypothetical dinner with your favorite celebrity

Best narrative essay topics - our choice

The best narrative essay topic ideas are going to be different for every individual. This section is going to choose some topics that offer the most space for creativity, are interesting to write about, or offer a broad chance for self-reflection.

Your earliest sad memory

How you realized someone had become a role model

A day in the life of your favorite fictional character

The thrill of winning

The heartbreak of loss

Understanding gender identity

A clash of culture

A new discovery

Finding your favorite hobby

Performing beyond expectation

Overcoming personal trauma

Helping someone in need

A life-changing trip

Enjoying nature

Questioning the status quo

Final thoughts

A narrative writing is unlike most other forms of academic writing. This can make it challenging for students, but as long as you think about it as writing a story and choose the right topic for a narrative essay, they are actually a joy to write! Here are a few key things to remember as you write your essay.

A narrative essay uses the story structure - beginning, middle, and end, as well as plot, climax, setting, and characters

Spend time on the prewriting phase to gather your thoughts and plan an outline

Don’t lose track of the main purpose of the story

Generally, write in the first person, but the third person can be used as well

Use vivid words and explain sensory details

Above all, have fun and engage the reader as much as you can

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Narrative Essay Topics — Prompts & Ideas For All Grade Levels

N arrative essays can present a serious challenge for even the most seasoned of writers, but fear not, we’ve compiled some great narrative essay topics to inspire your next paper! Follow along as we explore prompts relating to life, school, and more. By the end, you’ll be prepared to tackle narrative essays from a variety of different angles.

Good Narrative Topics

What is a narrative essay.

Before we jump into our narrative essay topics, we have to first answer the question: what is a narrative essay ? A narrative essay is a prose-written story that’s focused on the commentary of a central theme.

Narrative essays are generally written in the first-person POV , and are usually about a topic that’s personal to the writer.

Everything in a narrative essay should take place in an established timeline, with a clear beginning, middle, and end.

For more on narrative essays, check out this video on literacy narrative topics and structure:

Narrative Essay Topic Ideas • Narrative Essay Titles

In the world of literature, narrative essays are held to a rigorous structure. We’re not going to enforce that rigor here! So, follow along as we (hopefully) inspire you with a variety of narrative essay topics and argument essay ideas.

Narrative Ideas

Narrative essay ideas for kids.

Narrative essay topics for kids usually focus on family, school, and friends.

Here are some easy narrative essay topics that work well for kids:

Describe your most recent birthday party.
Tell the story of your first day of school.
Who is your best friend?
Have you ever helped others?
Describe your favorite animal(s)
What is your dream for the future?

This next video from “Teaching Without Frills” explores narrative essay topics for kids in further detail.

Narrative Essay Ideas • Titles of narrative essays

Sometimes it can help to visualize narrative essay topics with pictures, especially for younger kids. If you’re a teacher, consider using pictures to inspire your students!

Narrative essay ideas for teens

Middle school and high school students are often asked to write narrative essays too. But whereas narrative essay topics for elementary school students are usually structured around simple, positive topics, narrative essay topics for teens are generally more contemplative.

Here are some personal narrative essay topics that work well for teens:

Describe a moment of loss.
Describe a moment of serenity.
Recount the story of a lost friend.
Detail your greatest creation.
Tell the story of your favorite teacher.
How would you change the world?

Remember: not every person has the same circumstances as others. That's why they're called personal narrative essay topics.

It’s important to frame narrative essay topics for kids in a way that every kid can relate. For example: the prompt “a lost friend” could mean a friend who moved away or a dead pet. Make sure to word your prompts in such a way that participants can glean their own interpretation.

What is a Narrative? →
What is Narrative in Film? →
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Narrative Essay Ideas

Narrative essay ideas for young adults.

Young adults are sometimes asked to write narrative essays for school and or job applications. Narrative essay reviewers typically want to see writers demonstrate maturity and growth in their work. As such, their questions are generally structured around challenges and problem management.

Here are some narrative argument essay topics for young adults:

Have you ever failed at your job?
If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be?
What is something you take pride in?
Describe your childhood.
How will you grow this year?
What is the most important element of success?

Of course, the topics above are mostly focused on success and failure. Young adults can certainly respond to the other prompts too!

Narrative essay ideas for adults

Adults aren’t generally tasked with writing narrative essays unless they’re writers. But that doesn’t have to be the case! There are a lot of positives to writing narrative essays, whether you’re a literary professor or a wrestler looking to articulate your thoughts.

So, here are some things to write a narrative essay about for adults:

What was your worst job?
What (or who) was your first love?
Who do you take care of?
What is your most prized possession?
If you could tell somebody who’s now gone from your life one thing, what would it be?
Paint a picture of where you find peace.

Narrative essay titles • Easy narrative essay topics

In recent years, companies have been selling books with narrative essay prompts for adults (particularly elderly adults) to reflect on their lives.

Creative Writing Prompts & Exercises

Now that you're brainstorming good titles for personal narrative, time to learn about other forms of creating writing. A narrative essay is just one type of essay – there are dozens more! In our next article, we break down more creative writing prompts and exercises, including those suited to fantasy, romance, horror, and more. By the end, you’ll know a ton of different ways to approach your next story.

Up Next: Creative Writing Exercises →

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100+ Narrative Essay Topics for your Next Assignment

Writing a narrative essay should be fun and easy in theory. Just tell your readers a story, often about yourself. Who knows you better than you? You should ace this!

Unfortunately, narrative writing can be very difficult for some. When a teacher leaves the topic choice wide open, it’s tough to even know what to write about. What anecdote from your life is worth sharing? What story is compelling enough to fill an entire essay?

The first step in writing a narrative essay is coming up with a list of potential topics to write about. From there, you should focus on the ideas you believe you can spend an entire essay and tell a compelling story on.

Narrative writing will show up for the rest of your life. You’ll need to tell life stories in college essays, in grad school applications, in wedding speeches, and more. So learning how to write a narrative essay is a skill that will stick with you forever.

But where do you begin?

You can always check out essay examples to get you started, but this will only get you so far.

At the end of the day, you still need to come up with a story of your own. This is often the toughest part.

To help you get things kicked off, we’ve put together this list of more than a hundred topic ideas that could easily be turned into narrative essays. Take a look and see what stands out to you!

Choosing a Topic

Narrative essays fall into several categories. Your first task is to narrow down your choices by choosing which category you want to explore.

Each of these categories offers a stepping off point from which you can share a personal experience. If you have no idea where to begin, reflecting on these main categories is a great place to start. You can pick and choose what you feel comfortable sharing with your readers. This list is not exclusive—there are other areas of your life you can explore. These are just some of the biggies.

As you explore categories, think about which one would be the best fit for your assignment. Which category do you have the strongest ideas for? Which types of stories do you tell the best?

These categories include:

Childhood Tales

Educational background, travel and adventure, friends and relationships, experiences and defining moments, my favorite things, ethics and values.

Once you’ve selected a category, it’s time to see which topic piques your interest and might intrigue your audience as well. These topics are all a natural fit for a story arc , which is a central part of a narrative essay.

Writing about your childhood can be a great choice for a narrative essay. We are growing and learning during this delicate and often awkward time. Sharing these moments can be funny, endearing, and emotional. Most people can relate to childhood events because we have all survived it somehow!

A childhood experience that defined who I am today
A childhood experience that made me grow up quickly
My best/worst childhood memory
My favorite childhood things (games, activities, stories, fairy tales, TV shows, etc.)
What I remember most about my childhood
How I used to celebrate holidays/birthdays
My best/worst holiday/birthday memory
What I used to believe was true
The oldest memory I have
The most valuable possession from my childhood
What I would tell my younger self
What my friends were like when I was younger

Your educational experience offers a wealth of ideas for an essay . How you’ve learned and have been inspired can help others be inspired too. Although we were all educated in one way or another, your educational experience is uniquely your own to share.

First day of school/junior high/high school/college
First/most memorable school event
My favorite/worst school years
My favorite/worst teachers
My favorite/worst school subjects
What recess was like for me
My experiences in the school cafeteria
How I succeeded/failed in certain classes
Life as a student (elementary, junior high, high school, college)
The best/worst assignment I ever completed for a class
Why I chose my college
First novel I read for school
First speech I had to give

People love to read about adventures. Sharing your travel stories transports your reader to a different place. And we get to see it through your eyes and unique perspective. Writing about travel experiences can allow your passion for diving into the world shine through.

My first time traveling alone
My first time traveling out of the country
The place I travel where I feel most at home
My favorite/worst travel experience
The time I spent living in a hostel/RV
The time I spent backpacking around a country
Traveling with friends/family/significant other
Best/worst family vacation
Most memorable travel experience ever
Places I want to visit
Why I travel
Why I cruise/climb mountains/camp/fly/drive
Trying to speak another language
How I prefer to travel
How I pack to travel

The good, the bad, and the ugly. We all have family stories that range from jubilantly happy and hilarious to sad and more serious. Writing about family can show your reader about who you are and where you come from.

Family traditions that you enjoy/dislike
What your parents/siblings are like
What your family members (mom, dad, grandparents, siblings, etc.) have taught you
What being the oldest/youngest/middle/only child was like
Family members who made the most impact on your life
Most memorable day with a family member
How a pet changed my family’s life/my life

Friends, enemies, and loved ones come in and out of our lives for a reason. And they provide great material for writing. If relationships exist to teach you something, what have you learned? Writing about those you’ve connected with demonstrates how others have influenced your life.

My most important relationship
How I work on my relationships
What I value in my relationships
My first love/relationship/breakup
Losing/Gaining a close friend
How my friendships have changed/evolved
The person I’m afraid of losing the most
How technology has affected my relationships
The worst argument I’ve had with someone
What happened when I was rejected

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times... sharing your best times and sharing your worst times can make great stories. These highs and lows can be emotional, funny, and thought-provoking.

The event that most defines who I am today
The best/worst day of my life
The most embarrassing/frightening moment of my life
A moment that taught me something
A moment where I succeeded/failed
A time when I was hurt (physically or emotionally)
A time when I gave up hope
An experience when I had to overcome challenges (fear, intimidation, rejection, etc.)
My greatest accomplishment
The time I learned to accept/love/be okay with myself
The most difficult time in my life
The toughest thing I’ve ever done
My first time surviving something alone

Explaining to others what you love and why can really paint a picture of who you are and what you value. It’s important to note that simply sharing a favorite isn’t a very deep topic. However, you can take this topic deeper by expressing how this favorite has impressed you, inspired you, and affected your life.

My favorite author/poet/playwright
My favorite movie/book/song/play/character
My favorite actor/actress/director
My favorite singer/musician
My role model
What I like to do to relax
My favorite activities/games/sports
How I handle stress and tough times
Why I dance/sing/write/journal/play sports/bake

Where you stand on deep issues tells a lot about you. Taking a stance and explaining your opinion on tough topics reveals some insight into your ethical reasoning.

The most difficult decision I have made
How I treat people/strangers
A time I faced a moral/ethical dilemma
A decision I regret
A lie I have told
When I rebelled against someone in authority
My most important life rule
The principle I always live by

Situational prompts allow you to step out of your past and picture a different future. If digging into your past experiences seems scary and intimidating, then look to your future. What you imagine can be insightful about your life and where you see yourself heading.

If I had a million dollars...
If I were famous...
If I could change history...
If I had no fear...
If I could change one thing about myself...
If I had one extra hour a day...
If I could see the future...
If I could change the world...
If I could have one do-over in life...

Writing a narrative essay can seem daunting at first. Sharing a bit of yourself with the world is a scary thing sometimes. Choosing the right topic, however, can make the process much smoother and easier.

Writing a narrative essay can be intimidating, but choosing the right topic can make the process much easier for you.

Browsing through topic ideas can inspire you to pick a topic you feel you can tell a story about and that can take up a full essay. Once you have a quality story to tell, the rest of the pieces will fall into place.

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Narrative Essay Guide

Narrative Essay Topics

Last updated on: Dec 21, 2023

Narrative Essay Topics - Best Topic Ideas for Your Essay

By: Nathan D.

10 min read

Reviewed By: Rylee W.

Published on: May 19, 2020

A narrative essay is similar to storytelling. Writing a narrative essay means that the writer is narrating a story. It can be related to a person, place, personal experience, or event in your life.

Narrative essays tell the story of your life. When you write a narrative essay, you are telling someone about an important experience or event. A good narrative essay should have some kind of personal connection with the reader.

Also, the best narrative essay topics are ones that you can write about with passion. If you're not able to find the right topic for your narrative essay, try looking into some of the topics given in the blog.

Like any other essay, you need to choose an essay topic before starting with narrative essay writing. It may seem easy, but finding good narrative essay topics can be hard.

Therefore, you need to know how to find and choose a topic for your narrative essay.

On this Page

Narrative Essay Topics for Students

Now you know how to choose essay topics for a great narrative essay. The next step is to research and find a good topic idea on your own. However, if you are still struggling, we have given some great narrative essay ideas to choose from.

Personal Narrative Essay Topics for Middle School Students

3 Reasons Why disappointment is good
What love means to you
How to write a speech about a person you admire
An unpleasant childhood experience
Discuss loyal friends in your life
Imagine living on another planet. How would it be?
A memory from your vacations
Talk about your school and what makes you love it.
An experience that put you in danger
Share the experience of your first trip abroad.

Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 7

A day when you got lost
How did your father propose to your mom?
What do you want to be and why?
Describe your hero
Imagine you were invisible. Describe what you would do
Talk about the person you are most afraid to lose.
A misunderstanding with another person
An interesting episode from your school days
How you lost your best friend

Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 8

One of your most amazing childhood shows and characters
Describe the things in life that you are grateful for
As a child, what is your role in the family?
If you are a teacher, what would you do when your students feel bored?
What things make you feel angry and why?
What is your favorite commercial on TV?
What friendship means to you
An exciting experience that put you in danger
A funny story that made you feel embarrassed
A quick trip to your childhood
A sneak peeks into learning a new skill.

Narrative Essay Topics for High School Students

My favorite weather story.
If I were president.
If I had a million dollars.
This made me laugh.
The end of my first relationship
The day I lost a loved one.
When you experienced rejection.
My greatest accomplishment.
I would like to invent this.
A story of you playing in the rain.

Narrative Essay Topics for College Students

Interesting books for students to read this summer
First day at college
Poems you’ve read this year
Do you have a diary or journal?
Reasons you should start your own blog.
How often do you use Facebook?
Your favorite pop star
Favorite childhood games
Who is your role model?
A teacher you will never forget.

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Narrative Argument Essay Topics

Should nuclear weapons be outlawed?
Is animal testing necessary?
Pressure on teenagers to go to college
Does religion cause war?
Should abortion be illegal?
Is it okay for parents to monitor teens’ Internet use?
Humans are the main cause of natural disasters.
Social media is the reason behind conflicts between family members.
Share a memorable moment of your childhood in a scholarship essay.
When you fought with your brother while playing a video game

Morality Narrative Essay Topics

Does modern society lack the moral values of the past?
What is your opinion about racial discrimination?
What are the key moral values in your life?
What is your personal view regarding morality?
Have you inherited your moral values?
Do you think your ancestors had different moral values?
How do you understand other people's moral values? Is it difficult for you to accept them or not?
What was the best morality lesson for you?
Lack of morality is the root cause of social destruction. Discuss.
How can we promote moral lessons in schools?

Relationship Narrative Essay Topics

How do you know if there are no sparks in your relationship anymore?
Does arguing with your parents affect your social life?
When do you know you have met “the one”?
Does being a feminist influence your relationships?
Is marrying old-fashioned?
Does forgiveness matter in a relationship?
How do you eradicate misunderstandings and arguments from your relationships?
Reasons for the distance between parents and children.
Both partners need to work together to make a relationship successful. Discuss.
Traditional Vs. Modern Household System. Which is better and why?

Childhood Narrative Essay Topics

What was your first day of school like for you?
What was your favorite school activity as a child?
Who was your favorite teacher? And Why?
What was the most mischievous event of your childhood?
How did you manage the bullies of your school?
Who was your role model when you were a child?
Do you think teachers should be friendly? If yes, then why?
Have you ever pranked anyone? What was the result?
Did you like any particular subject when in school?
Do childhood friends influence us? How?

Work Narrative Essay Topics

How to engage employees in the work environment?
How to reduce stress at the workplace?
How do you manage strict deadlines?
What kind of experience do you have while hiring an online employee?
What to do when you think your work-life is falling apart?
How to avoid harassment in the workplace?
Promoting equality in the workplace.
Men and women employees should be treated equally; discuss.
Having a plant wall in the workplace is healthy.
Companies should give healthy lunch options at subsidized prices. Discuss.

Traveling Narrative Essay Topics

Do you need a large budget for traveling?
Is it safe to travel the world on your own?
Is travel photography a difficult art to master?
Should you quit your job if you want to travel?
Can too much traveling be boring?
What to do when you travel to the city of your dreams?
What can you learn from traveling to non-tourist areas?
Is it possible to explore a location without knowing that place's language?
How does traveling affect your worldview?
How can you travel on a low budget?

Cultural Narrative Essay Topics

What is called pop culture?
How does the media influence our beliefs?
What is a cultural norm?
What does it mean to be Native American in the twenty-first century?
What can a person learn from personal discovery?
Why are food traditions still important to some people?
Why do people take health for granted
Tell us about your unique family tradition.
A tradition that surprised you

Experience Narrative Essay Topics

Discuss the most embarrassing moment of your life.
Which is the scariest incidence of your life?
Real-life values that you learned from an experience.
The experience that taught you the value of family and friends.
How did you learn to control your fear?
The most helpful experience of your life.
How did you learn to appreciate the value of life?
When did you feel the happiest?
A memorable family picnic.
The experience of the first job.

Interesting Narrative Essay Topics

Describe the most amazing movie that you ever watched.
Describe the most touching song that you heard last time.
The superpower that you want to have and why?
Any book characters that you relate with?
The movie that you want to direct and why?
Do you have any hidden talent? When did you discover it?
Which is your favorite TV character?
Any TV stars who you would like to meet in real life?
Are you a sports fanatic? Describe your favorite sport.
Who is your favorite tennis player, and why?

General Narrative Essay Topics

Write about the scariest moment in your life. How did a scary moment teach you to be brave?
Challenges are important for improvement. Discuss.
Describe your visit to a flea market. Did you get anything valuable there?
Do you believe that you should treat others as you would like to be treated? Describe any relevant experience.
Siblings help develop our personalities. Describe how you contribute to your personal development.
Watching someone you love suffering is hard. Describe your experience when you felt this pain.
Kindness keeps this world warm. Discuss the statement with relevant examples and personal life experiences.
Imperfection is a blessing. Discuss a lesson learned through mistakes.
Self-criticism is hard but useful. Write about your experience when you rectified your flaw.
Being right does not mean being easy. Write about the event in your life when you had difficulty because you were right.

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How to Choose a Good Narrative Essay Topic?

Choosing a good topic for your high school or college narrative writing involves a set of steps. By following them, you will find relevant narrative topics that you could use in your essay.

The steps include:

1. Brainstorming

Brainstorming is important. Make a list of essay ideas and research them. See what information you can find about them and choose the essay topic that you are confident about.

2. Planning

Planning before writing is a rule of thumb. Research the stories, ideas and decide which ones you will add to your narrative essay. Decide the number of paragraphs and the ideas for them. Make points and refer to them when writing the essay.

3. Proving the Main Point

Every essay has the main point; what is yours? When you write a narrative essay, you share your experience and try to persuade the reader to share it. They may have a different viewpoint. But, through your essay, you tell an interesting story and convince them to agree with your point of view.

4. Storytelling

A good narrative essay is all about storytelling. This could be through the character’s voice or the writer’s voice. Feel free to choose any voice but be consistent. Do not shift from the first person to third-person narration and vice versa.

5. Essay Structure

No great narrative essay is without a proper structure. An essay structure includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. The usual number of paragraphs in the main body is three, but you can increase it if needed.

Choose the best topic from the list given above and start writing your narrative essay. You can use these topics for narrative speech as well. These narrative essay writing topics will make a great essay for any academic level.

Still wondering how you would write a great narrative essay?

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50 Engaging Narrative Essay Topics for High Schoolers

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What’s Covered:

Narrative essays vs. analytical essays, how to pick the right narrative essay topic, elements of a strong narrative essay, engaging narrative essay topics for high schoolers, where to get your narrative essay edited for free.

Narrative essays are an extensive form of writing that gives readers the opportunity to follow along as a person goes through a journey or sets of experiences. Rather than providing analytic insight, narrative essays simply share a story and offer a first-person account. These essays may seem easy to write at first, but it takes a certain finesse to write a narrative essay that is interesting, cohesive, and well-researched. Whether you’re looking for a unique topic to write about, or just want some new inspiration, CollegeVine is here to help! These 50 narrative essay topics are engaging, unique and will have you writing in no time.

A narrative essay is a great way to express your personal experiences and opinions, but it is important to remember that this type of essay is different from an analytical paper. In a narrative essay, you do not need to provide background information or explain your thoughts and feelings; instead, you simply tell a story. It’s important to avoid too much telling in your writing; instead, use creative details and vivid imagery to make readers feel as if they are actually right there with you.

Where You Will Encounter Narrative Essays

This type of essay is typically encountered in high school, where students may be required to write personal statements to prepare for their Common App essay . Narrative essays are also commonly seen in AP Language and Composition. Therefore, it’s important you are aware of the style because you are bound to have a narrative essay assignment.

Of course, before you start writing, it is important to pick the right essay topic. There are many factors involved in the process of picking the perfect narrative essay topic for your story.

You should always choose a topic that you are passionate about, since writing on something you care about will make the process much easier. Not only will it be more interesting to create your paper around something that truly interests you, but it will also allow you to fully express yourself in your essay. You also want to be sure that the topic has enough material to work with. If your chosen topic is too short, you will not have enough content to write a complete paper. For example, if you are writing about your experience getting lost at the mall, make sure that you have enough information to work with to craft an engaging narrative.

The best topic for an engaging narrative essay is one that focuses on showing versus telling, has a clear structure, and provides a dialogue. These elements come together to form an engaging narrative essay. Regardless of what subject you pick, any topic may be turned into a fascinating, A+ worthy narrative using the tips below.

Show, Don’t Tell

To write a good narrative essay, it’s important to show, not tell. Instead of simply informing your audience, show them what you mean. For example, instead of saying “I was nervous,” you could say “My heart began to race and my stomach filled with butterflies.” Also make sure to use sensory details, such as sights, sounds and tastes, and include a personal reflection at the end of your narrative.

Begin with a Strong Opening Line

A good narrative essay will begin with an attention-grabbing opening line. But make sure to avoid common clichés, such as “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Instead, come up with something original and specific to you and your situation. For example: “My pre-calc teacher was obsessed with circles. I mean, he even used circular note cards.” Or, “It all started the day my mom brought home a guinea pig.”

Follows a Three-Act Structure

A strong narrative essay follows the same three-act structure as other essays. But in order to make it interesting, you’ll need to come up with a creative way to break things down into sections. For example, using the guinea pig example from above, you could write the following:

Act 1 – Introduction: The day my mom brought home a guinea pig.
Act 2 – Conflict: The day I had to say goodbye to my beloved pet.
Act 3 – Conclusion: Looking back at how much I miss him now that he’s gone.

Conclude with Personal Reflection

To conclude your narrative essay, you’ll want to explain what this specific experience taught you or how you’ve changed. For example, upon realizing that her pre-calc teacher was obsessed with circles, the writer of the previous example begins to notice circular shapes everywhere. Another way to conclude your narrative essay is by touching on how this experience impacted you emotionally. For example, after losing his guinea pig, the writer explains how much he missed it.

Use Dialogue

Include a conversation in your essay to make it come alive. For example, instead of simply saying that you met a new friend, talk about how you introduced yourselves or what they were wearing when you met them.

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The following list of 50 narrative essay topics is divided into categories. This will make it easier to find a topic that fits your writing style.

1. What is a childhood song that still sticks with you today?

2. Your first day of Kindergarten

3. Talk about a time when you’re siblings looked up to you

4. Describe the best birthday party you’ve ever had

5. Talk about the best day you ever spent with a childhood friend

6. Explain your first childhood hobby

7. Describe your first halloween costume

8. A family vacation gone wrong

9. Your first family reunion

10. Describe a tradition that is unique to your family

11. Describe your family to a person who’s never met them before

12. What frustrates you most about your family

13. If you could only keep one memory of your family, what would it be and why?

14. Describe a time your family embarrassed you in public

15. The most beautiful place in the world

16. Your favorite season and why

17. If you were a part of nature, what element would you be? Why?

18. When you go outside, which of your senses are you most thankful to have?

19. Describe the first time you witnessed a tornado

20. Write a poem about your favorite season

21. Describe yourself as one of the four seasons

22. Describe a time in which you felt connected with nature

23. Describe the first time you played an instrument and how you felt

24. What major event would be much worse if music was removed, and why?

25. If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

26. What would a life without music look like?

27. If you could master one instrument, what would it be and why?

Relationships

28. What if you had never met your best friend?

29. Describe a time when you fixed a broken relationship

30. Talk about a movie that defined a relationship for you

31. Describe your first date

32. Describe the first time you made a friend

33. Describe your relationship with your parents

Self Reflection

34. Have you ever fooled someone? If so, describe what happened and how you felt about it

35. What is the worst thing you’ve done to someone else?

36. Write about the difference between how things seem and how they really are.

37. Have you ever been embarrassed in some way? If so, describe the situation and how it affected you as well as those around you

38. Have you ever witnessed something really beautiful? Describe it

39. Is your glass half empty or half full?

Overcoming Adversity

40. Have you ever been very afraid of something but tried your hardest to appear fearless? If so, describe that experience

41. When have you ever succeeded when you thought you might fail

42. What are your secret survival strategies?

43. Describe the last time you were stressed and why?

44. Describe a time when you were discriminated against

45. The most memorable class you’ve had and why

46. Your favorite study abroad memory

47. Describe your kindergarten classroom

48. Describe your first teacher

49. The first time you experienced detention

50. Your first field trip

Hopefully these topics will get you thinking about a personal experience that could make for a thoughtful and engaging narrative essay. Remember, a strong narrative essay must contain relatable details and a clear flow that keeps the reader entertained and engaged to read all the way to the end.

If you need some additional guidance on your narrative essay, use CollegeVine’s free peer review essay tool to get feedback for free!

Narrative Essays: Examples And Topic Ideas For Students

Writing a narrative essay is a great way to share your life with others. Here, we’ll explore topics that will set you up to write a great narrative essay.

If you’re searching for a list of personal narrative essay topics, you’re likely writing a middle school, high school, or college essay. A personal narrative describes your life experience, usually from the first-person point of view.

There are many different approaches to take to writing a narrative essay. Good narrative essay topics are engaging and can be either serious or silly. A personal narrative is not an argument essay or a persuasive essay; rather, it tells a story from your point of view.

Narrative essay writers are constantly on the lookout for things that happen in their lives that teach a lesson, make a point, or tell a funny story. When brainstorming for the best topic for your narrative essay, think about something that happened in your life that you love sharing with others, and work to translate your story into written prose that will hook your readers.

Here, we’ll explore some of the best narrative essay topic examples and ideas, helping you get your writing started right.

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers

Narrative Essay Examples

1. the power of potstickers by lauren brown, 2. everyone should have a best friend 30 years older than them by lucy holden, 3. all it takes is a small act of kindness by maddie huiras, 4. a reflection on working in labor & delivery by dr. amos grunebaum, md, 5. pressures of being a first generation american-born citizen by helen bezikyan, narrative essay topic ideas, 1. your first day of high school, 2. how you met your best friend, 3. your best birthday party, 4. your favorite (or most difficult) childhood memory, 5. your most embarrassing moment, 6. how you made a difficult decision, 7. an act of kindness, 8. a tribute to your first pet.

Although I find the exact measurements of recipes comforting, I do my best to add a pinch of this and a dash of that in my meals every so often. It’s how I get to go outside my comfort zone every day. And I see in myself a newfound wisdom: it’s ok to go off the beaten path, you can experiment, compromise can lead to something new and beautiful. My mother’s cooking taught me that and I expect to bring that with me wherever I may go.

In this food-based tribute to her mother’s ingenuity, Brown discusses important family memories while sharing lessons from her mother that she now carries through everyday life. The combination of rich descriptive language with an explanation of how the experience of cooking with her mother shaped her life draws the reader in, helping them to feel like they’re in the kitchen with Brown and her mother.

In short, we adopted each other as confidants and met regularly to discuss life in general. He was more supportive than anyone else I met during the whole three years and stepped out of his remit to give me tailored advice that definitely helped me to get a job in journalism. It was clear from the start that he cared more about what was right for me than what was right for the university league tables, perhaps because he actually knew me. When I told him I was worried that the long days I was doing in the student newspaper office would take a toll on my degree, he told me I could get a first if I wanted one, but thought the student paper stuff would help my career much more.

It can be hard to find a friend who knows you better than yourself, and Holden discusses that phenomenon in their essay on friendship. She discusses how her friend affected her life during their time together and how he affected her after being separated by distance. In this narrative essay, the author works to describe the feelings she experienced through the ups and downs of their friendship, writing about universal truths that all humans experience in relationships.

Throughout his life, he had gotten used to dealing with Dyskeratosis congenita, and as life went on, he eventually developed cancer; but even while battling cancer, my dad showed kindness. In fact, on the night before he passed away, even though he knew he wouldn’t be with us for much longer, he tried his best to focus on the positive stuff.

In this essay, Huiras reflects on the life and death of her father and celebrates his commitment to kindness to others throughout his life. While Huiras narrates the events that led to her father’s death, she also describes how his actions and character significantly affect her life, helping her grow into the woman she wants to be.

Labor & Delivery is getting tears in your eyes when you watch a couple you’ve connected with welcome their baby into the world. Even though you’ve just met and will likely never see each other again, there’s something special about sharing that experience that makes you feel like you’ve known each other forever. Labor & Delivery is a place full of opposites. A woman grieving a devastating loss can be in the room next door to a family celebrating a new addition and 14-year-old mother can be in the room next door to a 45-year-old mother. Regardless of the circumstances, each family that walks through the L&D doors will be forever changed.

In this essay on life behind the doors of the delivery room, Dr. Grunebaum shares what it’s like to both celebrate and grieve with families and how difficult it can be to manage both the chaos and joy that comes with the birth process. If you choose to write an essay about a process so personal as birth, leave out any details that could identify the people involved, as Grunebaum does in this essay.

The struggles that come with having immigrant parents may include constant seeking of approval, always having to be responsible, as well as immigrant parents discussing the future that they may have already planned for their child. More often than not, immigrant parents constantly remind their child, or children that they expect big and great things from them in the future, which is part of why they came to this country.

In this essay, Bezikyan discusses the unique pressures of being a first-generation American-born citizen. In addition to offering her perspective, she also offers the opinions of others in similar circumstances. This helps to support her opinion and help others see the shared experience of people born to immigrant parents.

Narrative Essay Topics: Your first day of high school

Whether you’re a college or high school student, you likely remember your first day of high school—stepping away from middle school and becoming a young adult. The first day of high school is rife with emotion, and describing your experience can provide your reader with an interesting perspective on how you deal with transition and change.

When describing the big day, use details. Explain how you felt as you walked toward the door, how you felt when you struggled to find your classes, and what it was like opening your new locker for the first time. As you write, you may find it helpful to avoid technical details (like the minute-to-minute scheduling of your classes) and instead focus on unique or tough moments or how accomplished you felt by the end of the day.

Your best friend has been there for you through thick and thin, and writing about how the two of you met can be a fun narrative essay topic, no matter your age or writing level.

As you tell the story of how you met your best friend, describe how your connection grew over time. Perhaps you were thick as thieves right away, or you needed some time to realize that you’d met a lifelong friend. For some inspiration, reach out to your best friend and ask them what they remember from the day you met—it can be fun and fresh to get their perspective on how your first meeting went.

Birthdays are a time to celebrate, and writing about a particularly excellent birthday can be a great topic for your narrative essay. When discussing your best birthday party, include all details, including who you invited, what you ate, and how you celebrated with family and friends.

You may also want to talk about why that particular birthday was so meaningful to you. If it was a landmark birthday (like your sweet 16) or a special event (like your last birthday party at home before you left for college), be sure to mention this, so your reader understands why this event was so significant in your life.

There’s no way around it: traumatic things happen in childhood, and wonderful things happen. Writing about childhood memories can be relatable and provide an instant connection with your readers.

When choosing a favorite childhood memory to write about, think back to memorable times in your life because they’re connected with strong emotions. Perhaps you want to write about when your baby sibling came home from the hospital or your first baseball game.

If you choose to write about a difficult childhood memory, the process for choosing a topic is still the same. Think back to a childhood memory that evokes strong emotion. While writing about a negative childhood memory can be an excellent way to write a compelling personal essay, it can also bring up challenging thoughts and may feel traumatic.

Have a particular time that made you red in the face? Writing about an embarrassing moment is relatable and can provide a humorous topic for your narrative essay.

When writing about your embarrassing moment, it can be helpful if you’re willing to laugh at yourself and find the humor in the situation you went through. Be sure to describe what happened from start to finish, painting a clear picture of the moment for your readers. Describe your emotions as the embarrassing moment occurred, and talk about what happened after the moment was over.

Wrestling with a difficult decision can feel impossible at the moment, and reflecting on the experience of making a difficult decision to your readers can make for an excellent narrative essay topic.

When you’re talking about a difficult decision in your narrative essay, give plenty of background information so that the reader fully understands why you’re wrestling with a tough choice. Don’t give away your decision at the start of the essay; rather, take the reader through your thought process as you had to decide what to do.

Sharing an act of kindness you did with someone else—or a random act of kindness that someone did for you—can provide a warm, fuzzy topic for your narrative essay. When writing about an act of kindness, focus on how the act made you feel, whether you were the giver or the receiver of the act.

Much like writing about meeting your best friend for the first time, it can be helpful to talk about your state of mind before and after the act of kindness occurred. Perhaps you were going through a tough time, and the act of kindness helped to boost your mood. Explaining the emotions that came with the act of kindness and the facts of the situation can help your reader feel connected to your story.

Narrative Essay Topics: A Tribute To Your First Pet

Whether you have a dog, a cat, or something more exotic, many readers will be able to connect with the love that a kid has for their first pet. When writing a narrative essay about your first pet, please explain how you felt the first time you laid eyes on them. This may mean describing when they were first presented to you as a kitten or a puppy or the first time you saw your older rescue pet.

Talk about the qualities you loved most about your pet, whether that was their ability to comfort you after a bad day or how they were never too old or tired to go outside and play frisbee. Focus both on the descriptive qualities of your pet that allow your reader to imagine what they looked like and the emotional qualities that keep your first pet near and dear to your heart to this day.

If you have a pet currently, you can mention them in your narrative essay about your first pet, talking about their qualities that remind you of your first pet. While it can tug at your heartstrings to describe the memory of your first pet, writing about the love you have for an animal is nearly universally relatable, and your readers will love hearing about your fond memories of your furry friend.

Tip: If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

If you’re still stuck, check out our available resources for essay writing topics .

Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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100 Greatest Narrative Essay Topics

January 5, 2024 by Richard Leave a Comment

Welcome to our 100 Greatest Narrative Essay topics of all time list. These topics are written about over and over again by students and writers all over the world, and they are made new every time someone tells their story. Sharing personal stories can be a powerful way to connect with others. Whether it’s a humorous anecdote or an impactful life event, narrative essays give readers a glimpse into someone else’s world while reminding them of our shared humanity.

So, if you are having a hard time coming up with a topic to write about, try these 100. We seek to provide inspiration for your personal narrative essay. It compiles a list of 100 narrative essay topics ranging from lighthearted tales about childhood memories to profound life-changing events. With so many options, readers are sure to find an experience in their own lives that they can transform into an engaging first-person story.

Some of these narrative essay ideas evoke positive emotions – like achieving a major accomplishment, traveling somewhere new, or meeting someone influential. Other prompts allow reflection on challenging experiences – like encountering failure, coping with loss or illness, or facing down fears. The list also includes topics perfect for humor pieces – because the best personal narratives often share smiles and laughter too.

Readers can take a look at the list and see which topic speaks to them. Then they can start drafting their own unique story. Because each person’s tale offers its own dose of wisdom, inspiration, and connection. The stories readers craft based on these ideas will surely impact others.

Here are 100 potential narrative essay topics:

A time I overcame a fear
The day I met my best friend
A family vacation that went wrong
The experience of learning to ride a bike
Attending my first concert
My most difficult class in school so far
My proudest accomplishment
A time I failed at something
My experience learning a new language
Meeting someone famous
My experience as a camp counselor
My favorite family holiday tradition
The first time I traveled alone
A challenging hike I went on
Moving to a new place
Getting my first pet
Being bullied as a child
My first day of high school
My experience playing on a sports team
The day I got my driver’s license
Something funny my parent or sibling did
Working an unpleasant job as a teenager
Volunteering in my community
The day I became an older sibling
A parenting lesson my parents taught me
Attending my first homecoming dance
My favorite birthday celebration
A cooking disaster story
My experience getting stitches or breaking a bone
A mentor who impacted my life
My most memorable act of kindness from a stranger
The adoption of my pet
My experience being homeschooled
Starting a new hobby as an adult
My fondest childhood memory
My first heartbreak
My experience with online school
My journey recovering from an injury
Being a working student
Writing my first poem or short story
My scariest nightmare
Making a move to live on my own
Coping with my parents’ divorce
My adventure backpacking overseas
My most memorable day playing childhood games
The time I performed on stage
A cherished family tradition
My proudest moment as a parent
Meeting my grandparents for the first time
My experience being an older sibling
My fondest memory of a family pet
My most memorable birthday
My most humbling moment
My first experience with snow
A difficult goodbye
My favorite place to spend time as a child
Winning an award
My favorite holiday gathering
Studying abroad in college
Moving to a new city after graduation
My experience voting for the first time
A favorite item from my childhood
My experience overcoming sickness or surgery
My favorite family vacation
A memorable weekend road trip
My first paying job
My experience on the first day of a new school
Celebrating a cultural holiday
How I learned to overcome a bad habit
Staying up all night with friends
Attending prom
My experience being home alone
Getting elected as a group leader
Preparing for a major storm
Learning a lesson about honesty
The day I rescued an animal
My first impression of a famous landmark
My most memorable celebrity encounter
My experience with online dating
My first car buying experience
Deciding my college major
Changing career paths
My experience with unrequited love
Meeting an idol or someone I admire
My experience dealing with loss
My biggest regret
My proudest problem solving moment
My favorite concert experience
My experience with an act of heroism
My first time trying an extreme sport
How I overcame my biggest fear
My experience with an ethical dilemma
My most spiritual experience
My most terrifying moment
A major turning point in my life
My best day ever
My worst day ever
My experience immigrating to a new country
My experience parenting multiples (twins, triplets etc)
My funniest travel mishap

As evident, there is no shortage of engaging topics for personal narrative essays. The experiences humans accumulate throughout their lives – whether they make one laugh, cry, or change who one is – are what connects people at one’s core. Hopefully this list has provided some inspiration. Now one can take a chosen story and make it shine by adding rich details, thoughtful reflection, a meaningful central message, and a unique voice. After all, the magic manifests through the telling, and every individual has a one-of-a-kind tale only they can share. So embrace the memories and truths to craft an essay that resonates. Who knows which lives one’s words might touch or perspectives they may broaden? When more narratives are exchanged, perhaps we will begin to see that while specific adventures may differ, at heart most seek similar things – joy, purpose, wisdom, catharsis. And by reading others’ stories, people expand their wells of compassion. So take up the pen and start composing the next great personal narrative. Those words cannot wait to be read!

About Richard

Richard Everywriter (pen name) has worked for literary magazines and literary websites for the last 25 years. He holds degrees in Writing, Journalism, Technology and Education. Richard has headed many writing workshops and courses, and he has taught writing and literature for the last 20 years.

In writing and publishing he has worked with independent, small, medium and large publishers for years connecting publishers to authors. He has also worked as a journalist and editor in both magazine, newspaper and trade publications as well as in the medical publishing industry. Follow him on Twitter, and check out our Submissions page .

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Everybody gets afraid sometimes. If there were no fear, there would be no opportunity for bravery. Write about the scariest moment in your life.
Some people avoid challenges. Others see them as opportunities to grow. Write about a time when you overcame a great challenge.
One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Write about a time when you discovered something valuable that others had discarded or ignored.
The golden rule states that you should treat others as you’d like to be treated. It’d be nice if everyone followed this rule, but its been broken more than once. Write about a time when you felt disrespected. How did you handle it and what did you learn?
Everybody has a special talent. Write about the time when you discovered one of your talents.
It’s no fun to be in pain, but it can be worse to watch someone you love suffer. Write about a time when one of your loved ones was hurt.
The world can be a cold place, but a little bit of kindness can make it a lot warmer. Write about a time when you made the world a better place for someone by being kind.
It’s a good thing that nobody’s perfect. Some of life’s greatest lessons are learned on accident. Write about a time when you learned an important lesson by making a mistake.
It can be hard to see ourselves for who we really are at times. Write about a time when someone else taught you something about yourself.
Doing the right thing isn’t always easy. Write about a time when you got in trouble or made someone angry by doing what you thought was right.
You don’t have to learn everything the hard way. Write about a time when you avoided trouble by taking someone’s advice.
You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. Write about a time when you were underestimated or when you underestimated someone else.
Practice makes perfect. Write about a time when you got better at doing something by practicing.
Can’t we all just get along? Write about a time when you got into a disagreement with someone. How did you resolve it?
There’s a time for work and a time for play, but it’s a lot more fun to play. Write about a time when you put off doing something important to have fun. How did it work out for you in the end and what did you learn?
You never know until you try. Write about a time when you learned something about yourself by trying something new.
Hard work doesn’t always payoff. Write about a time when you worked hard on something but felt like your efforts weren’t appreciated.
You can’t trust everyone. Write about a time when someone betrayed your trust. How did you react? Did you ever forgive them?
You can’t make everybody happy. Write about a time when you made a decision that disappointed or hurt someone.
Nobody said that life would be fair. Write about a time when you witnessed someone taking advantage of a weaker person. How did it make you feel?
Sometimes two people just click. Write about a time when you formed a genuine connection with someone.
So much in life is about the choices that you make. Write about a time when you had to choose between two things that were important to you.
It’s the people we love that can hurt us the most. Write about a time when you had to confront a loved one over their decisions.
Accomplishments mean so much more when work for them. Write about a time when you worked hard to earn something. How did it make you feel to meet your goal?
Even the best of friends have the occasional argument. Write about a time when you got into a dispute with a friend. How did the situation get resolved?
Appearances are important. Sometimes your appearance can work for you. Other times it can work against. Write about a time when someone treated you differently because of your appearance. You can share a negative or positive experience.
You can’t always get what you want and sometimes that’s for the best. Write about a time when you were denied something that you wanted and it worked out alright in the end.
Once in a while everything just goes your way. Write about a time when you felt on top of the world.
Sometimes people drift apart. Other times they are torn apart. Write about a time when you were separated from someone with whom you were close.
It’s been said that every gray cloud has a silver lining. The hard part is looking for it. Write about a time when you made the best of a bad situation.
Faith is believing in something that you cannot prove. Write about a time when you had faith in someone or something that others doubted.
There’s a time to be creative and there’s a time to follow directions. Write about a time when you benefitted from following directions.
Some people are just looking for a reason to not like you. Write about a time when you got on someone’s bad side just by being yourself.
No matter how badly someone messes up, they always have the potential to redeem themselves. Write about a time when you or someone you know made a mistake and found redemption.
It’s good to play it safe, but sometimes you have to take chances. Write about a time when you took a risk. Did it work out for you?
Most people agree that honesty is a virtue, but sometimes being too honest can get you into hot water. Write about a time when you got in trouble or on someone’s bad side just by telling the truth.
Nothing sours an accomplishment like jealousy. Write about a time when you or someone you know was affected by the jealousy of another.
The older that you get, the more responsponsibilities you gain. It can be too much at times. Write about a time when you felt overwhelmed by your responsibilities. How did you handle it?
Part of growing up is facing your fears. Write about a time when you did something that you were afraid to do.
It’s hard to think about anything else when danger is approaching. Write about a time when you felt unsafe.
You wouldn’t be where you are today without the countless sacrifices of others. Once in a while you have to give back too. Write about a time when you gave up something that was important to you to help somebody else.
It’s been said that forgiveness is divine. Write about a time when you forgave someone for hurting or disappointing you.
Our first impressions aren’t always accurate. Write about a time when your first impression of someone or something proved to be wrong.
Everybody makes mistakes, even teachers. Write about a time when you were affected by one of your teachers’ mistakes.
With so many awesome things to learn and do in the world, nobody should ever be bored. Write about a time when you turned a boring day into an exciting one.
People change. That’s a part of life. Write about a time when you or someone you know changed in an important way.
When opportunity knocks, it’s up to you to answer the door. Write about a time when you took advantage of an interesting or exciting opportunity.
A kind word can go a long way. Write about a time when someone affected you by saying something nice or encouraging.
The world needs heroes and anyone can be one. Write about a time when you did something heroic. It doesn’t have to be as dramatic as saving someone’s life. It can be as simple as helping someone out when they needed it.
Your reputation is important. People will treat you differently based on how you are reputed to be. Write about a time when you did something that affected your reputation for better or worse.
Anger can blind. Write about a time when anger caused you to behave in a way that you later regretted.
Authority is when someone has the power to make decisions for you. Write about a time when you wanted to challenge someone’s authority. What were they doing to cause you to feel this way? How did you handle the situation?
Everybody has had someone awkward moments in life. Write about a time when you felt embarrassed. How did you deal with your embarrassment?
The process of growing up is a slow one. It takes your whole childhood. But some events cause us to grow quicker than others. Write about an experience that caused you to grow up quickly.
You can’t give everyone everything that they want. That would leave nothing for you. You have to set limits. Write about a time when someone wanted more from you than you had to give.
Your conscience is that little voice in your head that tells you when you are doing something wrong. Write about a time when your conscience stopped you from doing something.
Friendship can be found in unexpected places. Write about a time when you became friends or partners with an unlikely person.
It’s important to be persistent, but you have to know when to let go too. Write about a time when you quit pursuing something or let go of a dream.
Anyone can talk. Followsing through is the hard part. Write about a time when you proved yourself with your actions.
We are all tempted to do things that we shouldn’t at times. It takes integrity to do the right thing against your baser desires. Write about a time when you resisted the temptation to do something wrong.
Tact is the ability to phrase criticism in a sensitive way. It’s hard to be tactful all of the time. Write about a time when you blurted out something that you immediately regretted saying.
It’d be nice if there were a sure fire way to tell if someone were lying, but there isn’t. Write about a time when someone deceived you. How did you find out that they were lying to you? What did you do?
You can’t win all of the time. Some of life’s greatest lessons are learned in defeat. Write about a time when you lost or failed at something and learned a lesson.
You can predict the future, but you’re not alway going to get it right. Write about a time when you were surprised by the outcome of an event.
William Shakespeare said that “Parting is such sweet sorrow.” Write about a time when you had to say goodbye to someone or something that was important to you. How did you get over the loss?
Money can’t buy everything. Write about a time when you gained something valuable that can’t be bought or sold. Some examples might include a special skill, an important understanding, or a good relationship with someone.
Presentation is everything. Write about a time when you or someone else made a strong impression based on manners. It can be a good impression or a bad one.
A little bit of gratitude goes a long way. Write about a time when you felt unappreciated.
Bad habits are hard to kick. Write about a time when you gave up something that was bad for you.
A hypocrite is a person who tells you not to do something that he or she does. Write about a time when a person acted hypocritically toward you. You may want to write about a teacher, parent, or friend.
Not knowing your limits can be dangerous. Write about a time when you or someone you know took things too far.
Laws were put in place for a reason. Still, not everyone follows them. Write about an experience that you shared with someone who broke a law.
Sometimes we make decisions without fully considering the consequences. Write about a decision that you made which you later regretted.
The only constant is change. People can change in ways that we find disappointing. Write about a time when someone you know turned out to be different than you thought they were.
You never know what you’re capable of until you try. Write about a time when you succeed at something despite your doubts.
Technology is supposed to solve our problems, but sometimes it just complicates them. Write about a time when technology made your life more difficult.
The person you are today might not be the one you are tomorrow. People always have the potential to change, to improve. Write about an experience that changed you for the better.
Our actions can have far reaching consequences that can be difficult to predict. Write about a time when you unintentionally hurt someone as a result of your actions. Did you make it up to them?
Misunderstandings are the source of many conflicts. Write about a time when you solved a problem by talking about it.
It can be hard to fit in when you feel awkward. Write about a time when you felt out of place. How did you adapt to the situation?
Staying cool and calm helps you perform better, but this isn’t always easy. Some situations push you to the edge. Write about at time when you lost your patience.
Sometimes the greatest conflicts come from within. Write about a time when you were challenged by an inner conflict. How did you resolve the problem?
The world can be an overwhelming place. Write about a time when you just wanted to get away from everything.
The best laid schemes of mice and men often go awry. Write about a time when things did not work out the way that you planned.
Not everyone is a good leader, and even good leaders can make bad decisions. Write about a time when you disagreed with someone who was in charge of you.
Sometimes we think that we need help when all we really need to do is to put forth a decent effort. Write about a time when you learned to rely on yourself.
Your national identity is complicated. Sometimes we are proud to be citizens of our country. Other times things are done in our country’s name that we dislike. Write about a time when you were either proud or ashamed of your nationality.
You can’t always get what you want, but that doesn’t mean that you should stop trying. Write about a time when you fought for what you wanted and got your way.
The world would be a better place if everyone treated each other with love and respect, but people don’t always act like that. The world can be unfair. Write about a time when you witnessed or were the victim of an injustice.
Opinions can make or break you. Write about a time when someone misjudged you.
Boys and girls are treated differently at times. It’s not fair, but it happens. Write about a time when you were treated differently because of your gender. It can be in a way that benefited you or worked against you.
It’s been said that no good deed goes unpunished. Write about a time when you were trying to help someone and it backfired.
Sometimes its best to keep your mouth shut. Write about a time when you got in trouble for sharing your opinion.
The sense of smell is closely tied to memory. Think about scents that you have linked to experiences in your mind. Write about a time when an aroma became part of your memory.
People are social by nature. Being alone can be torturesome. Write about a time when you felt lonely or abandoned.
You can’t run from your past. It will always find a way to catch up with you. Write about a time when something from your past came back to haunt you.
Many people are resistant to change, even when it is good for them. Write about a time when you grew to appreciate something that you once resisted.
Sometimes it’s better to be lucky than talented. Write about a time when you benefitted just by being in the right place at the right time.
Everybody has perfect vision when they look into the past. Write about a time when you learned something a bit too late to help.
It’s been said that the thrill is in the chase. Write about a time when you worked hard to get something, only to find out that you didn’t really want it after all.
It’s a lot easier to go with the flow, but sometimes our hearts won’t let us. Write about a time when you supported an unpopular position because of your feelings or ideals.

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Home — Blog — Topic Ideas — 150+ Great Narrative Essay Topics and Ideas

150+ Great Narrative Essay Topics and Ideas

Often during the education process in school or university , we are asked to write an essay. Let’s talk about essays, in particular narrative ones. In a narrative essay, the author tells a story from real life. In this form of essay, the presentation of events in chronological order will not be enough. The authors’ thesis should interest the reader and make the story as vivid as possible so that the reader wants to become a part of the events described and can easily "transfer" to the story . More often such an essay is written in the 1st person in the present or past tense.

There are also other types of essays, such as:

Description essays. In such an essay, we describe an object.
Definition essays. Here we have one goal - to reveal this or that concept.
Illustration essays. Your goal is to prove a statement.
Argument essays. Here we give examples of persuasive facts that support your assertion.

Now let's look at the most popular narrative essay topics that we can board you with.

How to Know What Topic You Need?

If you were given a list of essay topics at schools or colleges , it would be logical if you choose a topic that is closer to you, on which you are not averse to reflecting.

If there is no list of topics, and you have only indicated the direction in which you should choose a problem for the essay, you will have to formulate the topic for narrative writing yourself.

Here are some tips on how to choose a topic for your essay:

Before defining a narrative essay topic, it is worth finding the author's position. This is the moral instruction of the author, which can be written directly or encrypted in the words or thoughts of the hero-narrator. To find it, one should single out the topic and all the micro-themes in the text, and then formulate moralizing within their framework, that is, the author's position.
From the author's position, it is worth asking a special question, that is, a question that requires a general answer, and not a short "yes" or "no". This question will be a problem.
It is necessary to find two examples in the text that illustrate the transition from the question to the author's position, that is, to help answer the question posed. This will prove that such a problem is indeed raised by the author.

Narrative Essay Topic Ideas

Now, let’s take a closer look at topics for narrative essay examples you can choose.

Personal Narrative Essay Topics

Personal narrative essay examples and ideas are needed when you describe something that you experienced in your life.

How To Be a Defensive Driver.
A Personal Narrative about Fear Of Heights.
My Fear of Failure.
The Narrative about Losing My Dad.
A Day I Lost My Best Friend.
Narrative on Precious Time.
What I Did This Summer.
Personal Narrative: I Am a Perfectionist.
Why Softball Is Important in My Life.
Narrative on Vocation.
My First Rock Concert.
How I Learned to Accept Myself the Way I am.
I Helped a Person in Need.
My Last Day at School.
The Character I Associate Myself with.

Cultural Narrative Essay Topics

Cultural topics for narratives allow you to highlight the topic of culture and at the same time present the story in an interesting way for the reader.

Narrative about Mexican Culture.
What traditions are unique in your family?
Which tradition surprised you the most?
How does the media influence our perception of culture?
How does culture define a person's personality?
What culture do you identify with?
What is your favorite holiday?
How does your family celebrate Christmas?
The Impact of Narrative in English Language and Culture.
What holiday has the most sacred meaning for you?
What traditions does your family observe on the Easter holidays?
Which of the cultural events you attended did you remember the most?
What foreign tradition do you like the most?
Holiday traditions in your family.
Which festival do you like the most?

Narrative Argument Essay Topics

This type of narrative topics for an essay implies that you need to write about something that has had a big impact on you.

Conflict case from your life.
What disagreements did you have together with your friend?
The case when someone deceived you.
Has there been a choice in your life that you regret?
Have you been in conflict with other people?
A situation where you have to make a difficult decision between right and wrong.
Have you been caught doing something bad?
Have you ever had to win friends following the rules?
Have you ever blamed another person for what you did?
Have you helped someone for personal gain?
Have you ever played pranks on your friends?
What experience can you call the most difficult but important in life?
Have you ever been in a car accident?
Have you ever been humiliated?
Have you ever helped a friend solve his problem?

Interesting Narrative Essay Topics

Have you had to make a difficult decision in life?
Have you ever flooded a neighbor's house?
Has there ever been a person in your life who has changed it drastically?
Would you like to relive any of those days again?
Have you ever failed an exam?
What was the scariest moment in your life?
Have you ever been really sick?
Have you ever saved another person's life?
Have you ever worked up the courage to visit a haunted house?
Have you ever won a prize?
What was your first job in life?
Have you ever participated in educational student exchange programs ?
What do you do when you are all alone?
What was your first meeting with the police?
Have you ever been to the emergency room?

Personal Experience Narrative Essay Topics

Here you can describe people or events that influenced you in one way or another.

How have you met a special person in your life?
The person you enjoy the most.
The best place in the neighborhood.
The place you'd like to live your whole life.
A productive art, you enjoy.
What is your first job search ?
Your biggest disappointment.
Do you remember your first birthday?
Narrative on Earthquake: An Earth-Shattering Experience.
Have you ever encountered a wild animal?
Tell about the first time you got home alone.
How did you cook food for the first time?
Tell how you helped someone.
How did you overcome your fear?
Narrative about Video Games.

Relationship Narrative Essay Topics

Relationship narrative stories ideas help to describe our relationship and how our experience has influenced certain events in life.

Have you ever fallen in love?
What advice would you give to a couple who are just starting their relationship?
How would you define family?
If you have a best friend, how did you meet?
Do you think that your parents are more sensitive than others?
What is your attitude towards marriage?
Have you ever experienced gender bias?
How do you remember deceased family members?
What do you know about the origins of your family?
Narrative about Friendship.
How did you meet your best friend?
What can make you end a romantic relationship?
Is the community in your area important?
Do you think hatred can destroy a relationship?
Have you ever experienced intergenerational conflict?
What does honesty mean in a relationship?

Childhood Memories

In this type of essay, you need to describe the events and memories of childhood.

What was my first pet?
What are my first memories?
Whom did I look up to as a child?
How did I first go to the hospital?
My first meeting with my uncle/aunt.
The Impact of a Funeral.
My first terrible incident.
What are my childhood fears?
What was the happiest day of my childhood?
My first time at the stadium.

Growing Up in High School

Here you need to recall the most vivid impressions from high school.

What lessons were my favorites?
Who was my favorite teacher?
What role in the school theater did I remember the most?
How I lost a sports match.
Topics forbidden to me.
How did I feel when I failed the exam?
How did I feel when I passed the exam with excellent marks?
Is commuting to school a routine for me?
My best adventure in school.
What kind of extracurricular activities do I enjoy the most?

Moral & Ethical Dilemmas

In this type of essay, you have to describe the ideas of the complexity of moral choice.

What is your attitude towards pro-life movement: argumentative essay on abortion ?
How can we influence the fight against racism?
How should a work ethic deal with sexism?
Do you think euthanasia should be legal?
Why can't war be ethical?
What moral issues does workplace automation cause?
The Missing Climate Change Narrative Analysis.
Is it ethical to have a lot of money?
If drugs were legal, would their use be ethical?
Is it possible to justify eating meat in the modern world?

College Student Life

Try to describe events and memories from your student's life.

Narrative about Reading.
My last day with my schoolmates.
My favorite course.
Meeting my better half.
The story of my split-up.
My brightest high school moment.
How I met my old friend.
My favorite professor.
Narrative on a Trip: The Wonders of Rome.
The most symbolic episode from my college life.
The day I moved.
Narrative on a Road Trip to Remember.
My first impressions of the college campus.
How I met my roommate.
My first friends at college.

Narrative Essay Topics for Different Grades

Let’s look at the narrative speech topics for different grades.

Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 5

My first bicycle ride.
My dad is my hero.
A day with my grandmother.
My first day at school.
My best friend.
My favorite teacher.
A school trip to the zoo.
My grandpa’s hands.
The most exciting day of school.
The best summer vacation.

Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 6

A memorable teacher.
My first trip abroad.
A sad story from my childhood.
My favorite vacation with my family.
A fight with my best friend.
My best birthday party.
How we celebrate our parents’ wedding anniversary.
My first day at a new school.
Last Christmas was an interesting story.
How I lost my sister.

Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 7

Something that scared me the most.
The best day of my life.
Helping a stranger.
How I met my best friend.
My brother’s wedding.
How I got my first pet.
Once I called the dean's office.
Conflict with my father.
Unique family tradition.

Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 8

School trip to the museum.
My best day at school.
The most exciting day of summer vacation.
Worst day at school.
The day I got my first pet.
The hour we spent looking at our baby's album.
My first attempt at cooking.
My first Japanese pastry.
My first foreign friend.

Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 9

A visit to the countryside.
How I lost my faith in humanity.
A car accident.
My friend had an accident.
A trip I will never forget.
The most enjoyable Christmas.
A bad experience that completely changed my behavior.
How I used to spend my summer vacations.
My experience with a tornado.
I got lost in the streets of venus.

Narrative Essay Topics for O Levels

A special moment when I got my first bike.
A disappointing birthday party.
The most embarrassing thing that happened to me.
A disastrous date.
The moment of success.
Growing up in New York.
A sporting experience.
A random act of kindness.
The first six months of COVID-19.
The end of my relationship.

Narrative Essay Topics for High School Students

Personal narrative ideas in high school include the classic moments that are stereotypical of the secondary school experience.

Special homecoming court moment.
A friendship that started long before high school.
Prom dress shopping and your self-esteem.
Anticipation for graduation.
An award or scholarship you received.
Participating in a school musical.
Coming to America: A Narrative of a Journey of Hope.
Your first love.
A moment you stood up for what you believed in.
How your relationship with your parents changed for the better.

Narrative Essay Topics for Middle School

Middle school is a great time of self-discovery that’s filled with firsts and memorable moments. Use these milestones as the topic for your narrative essay.

Making an unlikely friend.
How bad relationships help you become a better person.
The first time you opened your locker.
The teacher that makes you feel smart.
Moving from elementary school to middle school.
A social media post that inspired you.
A news story about a kid/teen that was uplifting.
A comment from a teacher that made you feel good.
A comment from someone you’re not friends with that made you feel good.
Being yourself.

Narrative Essay Topics for College Students

College is another time in your life that’s wrought with self-discovery and seeing the world as it truly is.

Frederick Douglass Narrative.
Frame Narrative in Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein.
Narrative on The Definition of Bravery in Beowulf.
A Critical Examination of Social Commentary and Narrative Execution.
Examples of community on campus.
A test experience that boosts your self-esteem.
The moment you realized you were going into the right field.
What does a college degree mean to you?
College is a microcosm of the world.
The feeling of independence.

Conclusion

Teachers and students are very fond of narrative essay topics, as they are flexible enough that everyone can find a topic that is close to them. If you can’t decide on a topic yourself, then the list that we presented in our material will help you. We sincerely wish you good luck and inspiration for writing the best essay. And the topics we have suggested will help you with this!

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Reading Worksheets, Spelling, Grammar, Comprehension, Lesson Plans

50 Narrative Essay Topics

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but a narrative essay can also tell an exciting story and create vivid pictures in the reader’s mind! We’ve got 50 narrative essay topics designed to prompt students to craft memorable written narratives. These can be modified for students in elementary, middle and high school. Feel free to print the entire narrative essay topics list for plenty of inspiration for your next narrative essay assignment!

Narrative Essay Topics

Your first day of school.
Your most exciting day of school
A field trip that your class took.
Your favorite summer vacation.
A trip that included something unexpected or surprising.
A time that you experienced something spooky.
A time that you experienced something truly frightening.
A time that you learned something new that changed you in some way.
The moment when you met someone who changed your life.
The day that you got your first pet.
A move from one place to another.
Something funny that happened to you.
Something funny that happened to one of your family members or friends.
Something embarrassing that happened to you.
Your favorite birthday party.
A birthday that was disappointing.
A big storm (rain, snow or even a tornado!).
A time that the power went out.
A summer day when the temperature got much higher than expected.
A time when you went to an amusement park.
A time when you got lost somewhere.
A memorable experience with a favorite family member.
A sad experience with someone about whom you care.
Your most exciting moment playing sports.
Your most exciting moment performing in a play, singing, playing music or dancing.
An experience that left you feeling frustrated.
An experience that was hard but ended up being worth it.
A time that you experienced rejection.
A weird encounter with a stranger.
A random act of kindness.
A time that you took a stand for someone or for an issue that you care about.
A moment when you thought you might get hurt but didn’t.
Breaking a bone (or otherwise suffering an injury).
Your first time away from home for the night (or longer).
A time when you experienced a historic event.
Where you were when a major event happened. (Note: You don’t need to have been at the site of the event; this prompt is about where you were when you found out about the event and how you reacted.)
A time when you rebelled against your parents or teacher.
A dangerous experience.
A misunderstanding between yourself and someone else.
A difficult decision that you had to make.
The end of a friendship or relationship.
The beginning of a friendship or relationship.
A time when you judged someone first and then realized that you were wrong about the person.
A time when someone judged you first and then realized that he or she was wrong about you.
A moment when you felt that you were starting to grow up.
A time when you saw one or both of your parents in a different light.
A time when you looked up to your older sibling.
A time when your younger sibling looked up to you.
A time when you were grateful to be an only child.
An experience that you think has only ever happened to you!

Looking for more essay topics? Compare and Contrast Essay Topics Descriptive Essay Topics Cause and Effect Essay Topics Persuasive Essay and Speech Topics

The Ultimate Narrative Essay Guide for Beginners

A narrative essay tells a story in chronological order, with an introduction that introduces the characters and sets the scene. Then a series of events leads to a climax or turning point, and finally a resolution or reflection on the experience.

Speaking of which, are you in sixes and sevens about narrative essays? Don’t worry this ultimate expert guide will wipe out all your doubts. So let’s get started.

Table of Contents

Everything You Need to Know About Narrative Essay

What is a narrative essay.

When you go through a narrative essay definition, you would know that a narrative essay purpose is to tell a story. It’s all about sharing an experience or event and is different from other types of essays because it’s more focused on how the event made you feel or what you learned from it, rather than just presenting facts or an argument. Let’s explore more details on this interesting write-up and get to know how to write a narrative essay.

Elements of a Narrative Essay

Here’s a breakdown of the key elements of a narrative essay:

A narrative essay has a beginning, middle, and end. It builds up tension and excitement and then wraps things up in a neat package.

Real people, including the writer, often feature in personal narratives. Details of the characters and their thoughts, feelings, and actions can help readers to relate to the tale.

It’s really important to know when and where something happened so we can get a good idea of the context. Going into detail about what it looks like helps the reader to really feel like they’re part of the story.

Conflict or Challenge

A story in a narrative essay usually involves some kind of conflict or challenge that moves the plot along. It could be something inside the character, like a personal battle, or something from outside, like an issue they have to face in the world.

Theme or Message

A narrative essay isn’t just about recounting an event – it’s about showing the impact it had on you and what you took away from it. It’s an opportunity to share your thoughts and feelings about the experience, and how it changed your outlook.

Emotional Impact

The author is trying to make the story they’re telling relatable, engaging, and memorable by using language and storytelling to evoke feelings in whoever’s reading it.

Narrative essays let writers have a blast telling stories about their own lives. It’s an opportunity to share insights and impart wisdom, or just have some fun with the reader. Descriptive language, sensory details, dialogue, and a great narrative voice are all essentials for making the story come alive.

The Purpose of a Narrative Essay

A narrative essay is more than just a story – it’s a way to share a meaningful, engaging, and relatable experience with the reader. Includes:

Sharing Personal Experience

Narrative essays are a great way for writers to share their personal experiences, feelings, thoughts, and reflections. It’s an opportunity to connect with readers and make them feel something.

Entertainment and Engagement

The essay attempts to keep the reader interested by using descriptive language, storytelling elements, and a powerful voice. It attempts to pull them in and make them feel involved by creating suspense, mystery, or an emotional connection.

Conveying a Message or Insight

Narrative essays are more than just a story – they aim to teach you something. They usually have a moral lesson, a new understanding, or a realization about life that the author gained from the experience.

Building Empathy and Understanding

By telling their stories, people can give others insight into different perspectives, feelings, and situations. Sharing these tales can create compassion in the reader and help broaden their knowledge of different life experiences.

Inspiration and Motivation

Stories about personal struggles, successes, and transformations can be really encouraging to people who are going through similar situations. It can provide them with hope and guidance, and let them know that they’re not alone.

Reflecting on Life’s Significance

These essays usually make you think about the importance of certain moments in life or the impact of certain experiences. They make you look deep within yourself and ponder on the things you learned or how you changed because of those events.

Demonstrating Writing Skills

Coming up with a gripping narrative essay takes serious writing chops, like vivid descriptions, powerful language, timing, and organization. It’s an opportunity for writers to show off their story-telling abilities.

Preserving Personal History

Sometimes narrative essays are used to record experiences and special moments that have an emotional resonance. They can be used to preserve individual memories or for future generations to look back on.

Cultural and Societal Exploration

Personal stories can look at cultural or social aspects, giving us an insight into customs, opinions, or social interactions seen through someone’s own experience.

Format of a Narrative Essay

Narrative essays are quite flexible in terms of format, which allows the writer to tell a story in a creative and compelling way. Here’s a quick breakdown of the narrative essay format, along with some examples:

Introduction

Set the scene and introduce the story.

Engage the reader and establish the tone of the narrative.

Hook: Start with a captivating opening line to grab the reader’s attention. For instance:

Example: “The scorching sun beat down on us as we trekked through the desert, our water supply dwindling.”

Background Information: Provide necessary context or background without giving away the entire story.

Example: “It was the summer of 2015 when I embarked on a life-changing journey to…”

Thesis Statement or Narrative Purpose

Present the main idea or the central message of the essay.

Offer a glimpse of what the reader can expect from the narrative.

Thesis Statement: This isn’t as rigid as in other essays but can be a sentence summarizing the essence of the story.

Example: “Little did I know, that seemingly ordinary hike would teach me invaluable lessons about resilience and friendship.”

Body Paragraphs

Present the sequence of events in chronological order.

Develop characters, setting, conflict, and resolution.

Story Progression : Describe events in the order they occurred, focusing on details that evoke emotions and create vivid imagery.

Example : Detail the trek through the desert, the challenges faced, interactions with fellow hikers, and the pivotal moments.

Character Development : Introduce characters and their roles in the story. Show their emotions, thoughts, and actions.

Example : Describe how each character reacted to the dwindling water supply and supported each other through adversity.

Dialogue and Interactions : Use dialogue to bring the story to life and reveal character personalities.

Example : “Sarah handed me her last bottle of water, saying, ‘We’re in this together.'”

Reach the peak of the story, the moment of highest tension or significance.

Turning Point: Highlight the most crucial moment or realization in the narrative.

Example: “As the sun dipped below the horizon and hope seemed lost, a distant sound caught our attention—the rescue team’s helicopters.”

Provide closure to the story.

Reflect on the significance of the experience and its impact.

Reflection : Summarize the key lessons learned or insights gained from the experience.

Example : “That hike taught me the true meaning of resilience and the invaluable support of friendship in challenging times.”

Closing Thought : End with a memorable line that reinforces the narrative’s message or leaves a lasting impression.

Example : “As we boarded the helicopters, I knew this adventure would forever be etched in my heart.”

Example Summary:

Imagine a narrative about surviving a challenging hike through the desert, emphasizing the bonds formed and lessons learned. The narrative essay structure might look like starting with an engaging scene, narrating the hardships faced, showcasing the characters’ resilience, and culminating in a powerful realization about friendship and endurance.

Different Types of Narrative Essays

There are a bunch of different types of narrative essays – each one focuses on different elements of storytelling and has its own purpose. Here’s a breakdown of the narrative essay types and what they mean.

Personal Narrative

Description : Tells a personal story or experience from the writer’s life.

Purpose: Reflects on personal growth, lessons learned, or significant moments.

Example of Narrative Essay Types:

Topic : “The Day I Conquered My Fear of Public Speaking”

Focus: Details the experience, emotions, and eventual triumph over a fear of public speaking during a pivotal event.

Descriptive Narrative

Description : Emphasizes vivid details and sensory imagery.

Purpose : Creates a sensory experience, painting a vivid picture for the reader.

Topic : “A Walk Through the Enchanted Forest”

Focus : Paints a detailed picture of the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings experienced during a walk through a mystical forest.

Autobiographical Narrative

Description: Chronicles significant events or moments from the writer’s life.

Purpose: Provides insights into the writer’s life, experiences, and growth.

Topic: “Lessons from My Childhood: How My Grandmother Shaped Who I Am”

Focus: Explores pivotal moments and lessons learned from interactions with a significant family member.

Experiential Narrative

Description: Relays experiences beyond the writer’s personal life.

Purpose: Shares experiences, travels, or events from a broader perspective.

Topic: “Volunteering in a Remote Village: A Journey of Empathy”

Focus: Chronicles the writer’s volunteering experience, highlighting interactions with a community and personal growth.

Literary Narrative

Description: Incorporates literary elements like symbolism, allegory, or thematic explorations.

Purpose: Uses storytelling for deeper explorations of themes or concepts.

Topic: “The Symbolism of the Red Door: A Journey Through Change”

Focus: Uses a red door as a symbol, exploring its significance in the narrator’s life and the theme of transition.

Historical Narrative

Description: Recounts historical events or periods through a personal lens.

Purpose: Presents history through personal experiences or perspectives.

Topic: “A Grandfather’s Tales: Living Through the Great Depression”

Focus: Shares personal stories from a family member who lived through a historical era, offering insights into that period.

Digital or Multimedia Narrative

Description: Incorporates multimedia elements like images, videos, or audio to tell a story.

Purpose: Explores storytelling through various digital platforms or formats.

Topic: “A Travel Diary: Exploring Europe Through Vlogs”

Focus: Combines video clips, photos, and personal narration to document a travel experience.

How to Choose a Topic for Your Narrative Essay?

Selecting a compelling topic for your narrative essay is crucial as it sets the stage for your storytelling. Choosing a boring topic is one of the narrative essay mistakes to avoid . Here’s a detailed guide on how to choose the right topic:

Reflect on Personal Experiences

Significant Moments:

Moments that had a profound impact on your life or shaped your perspective.

Example: A moment of triumph, overcoming a fear, a life-changing decision, or an unforgettable experience.

Emotional Resonance:

Events that evoke strong emotions or feelings.

Example: Joy, fear, sadness, excitement, or moments of realization.

Lessons Learned:

Experiences that taught you valuable lessons or brought about personal growth.

Example: Challenges that led to personal development, shifts in mindset, or newfound insights.

Explore Unique Perspectives

Uncommon Experiences:

Unique or unconventional experiences that might captivate the reader’s interest.

Example: Unusual travels, interactions with different cultures, or uncommon hobbies.

Different Points of View:

Stories from others’ perspectives that impacted you deeply.

Example: A family member’s story, a friend’s experience, or a historical event from a personal lens.

Focus on Specific Themes or Concepts

Themes or Concepts of Interest:

Themes or ideas you want to explore through storytelling.

Example: Friendship, resilience, identity, cultural diversity, or personal transformation.

Symbolism or Metaphor:

Using symbols or metaphors as the core of your narrative.

Example: Exploring the symbolism of an object or a place in relation to a broader theme.

Consider Your Audience and Purpose

Relevance to Your Audience:

Topics that resonate with your audience’s interests or experiences.

Example: Choose a relatable theme or experience that your readers might connect with emotionally.

Impact or Message:

What message or insight do you want to convey through your story?

Example: Choose a topic that aligns with the message or lesson you aim to impart to your readers.

Brainstorm and Evaluate Ideas

Free Writing or Mind Mapping:

Process: Write down all potential ideas without filtering. Mind maps or free-writing exercises can help generate diverse ideas.

Evaluate Feasibility:

The depth of the story, the availability of vivid details, and your personal connection to the topic.

Imagine you’re considering topics for a narrative essay. You reflect on your experiences and decide to explore the topic of “Overcoming Stage Fright: How a School Play Changed My Perspective.” This topic resonates because it involves a significant challenge you faced and the personal growth it brought about.

Narrative Essay Topics

50 easy narrative essay topics.

Learning to Ride a Bike
My First Day of School
A Surprise Birthday Party
The Day I Got Lost
Visiting a Haunted House
An Encounter with a Wild Animal
My Favorite Childhood Toy
The Best Vacation I Ever Had
An Unforgettable Family Gathering
Conquering a Fear of Heights
A Special Gift I Received
Moving to a New City
The Most Memorable Meal
Getting Caught in a Rainstorm
An Act of Kindness I Witnessed
The First Time I Cooked a Meal
My Experience with a New Hobby
The Day I Met My Best Friend
A Hike in the Mountains
Learning a New Language
An Embarrassing Moment
Dealing with a Bully
My First Job Interview
A Sporting Event I Attended
The Scariest Dream I Had
Helping a Stranger
The Joy of Achieving a Goal
A Road Trip Adventure
Overcoming a Personal Challenge
The Significance of a Family Tradition
An Unusual Pet I Owned
A Misunderstanding with a Friend
Exploring an Abandoned Building
My Favorite Book and Why
The Impact of a Role Model
A Cultural Celebration I Participated In
A Valuable Lesson from a Teacher
A Trip to the Zoo
An Unplanned Adventure
Volunteering Experience
A Moment of Forgiveness
A Decision I Regretted
A Special Talent I Have
The Importance of Family Traditions
The Thrill of Performing on Stage
A Moment of Sudden Inspiration
The Meaning of Home
Learning to Play a Musical Instrument
A Childhood Memory at the Park
Witnessing a Beautiful Sunset

Narrative Essay Topics for College Students

Discovering a New Passion
Overcoming Academic Challenges
Navigating Cultural Differences
Embracing Independence: Moving Away from Home
Exploring Career Aspirations
Coping with Stress in College
The Impact of a Mentor in My Life
Balancing Work and Studies
Facing a Fear of Public Speaking
Exploring a Semester Abroad
The Evolution of My Study Habits
Volunteering Experience That Changed My Perspective
The Role of Technology in Education
Finding Balance: Social Life vs. Academics
Learning a New Skill Outside the Classroom
Reflecting on Freshman Year Challenges
The Joys and Struggles of Group Projects
My Experience with Internship or Work Placement
Challenges of Time Management in College
Redefining Success Beyond Grades
The Influence of Literature on My Thinking
The Impact of Social Media on College Life
Overcoming Procrastination
Lessons from a Leadership Role
Exploring Diversity on Campus
Exploring Passion for Environmental Conservation
An Eye-Opening Course That Changed My Perspective
Living with Roommates: Challenges and Lessons
The Significance of Extracurricular Activities
The Influence of a Professor on My Academic Journey
Discussing Mental Health in College
The Evolution of My Career Goals
Confronting Personal Biases Through Education
The Experience of Attending a Conference or Symposium
Challenges Faced by Non-Native English Speakers in College
The Impact of Traveling During Breaks
Exploring Identity: Cultural or Personal
The Impact of Music or Art on My Life
Addressing Diversity in the Classroom
Exploring Entrepreneurial Ambitions
My Experience with Research Projects
Overcoming Impostor Syndrome in College
The Importance of Networking in College
Finding Resilience During Tough Times
The Impact of Global Issues on Local Perspectives
The Influence of Family Expectations on Education
Lessons from a Part-Time Job
Exploring the College Sports Culture
The Role of Technology in Modern Education
The Journey of Self-Discovery Through Education

Narrative Essay Comparison

Narrative essay vs. descriptive essay.

Here’s our first narrative essay comparison! While both narrative and descriptive essays focus on vividly portraying a subject or an event, they differ in their primary objectives and approaches. Now, let’s delve into the nuances of comparison on narrative essays.

Narrative Essay:

Storytelling: Focuses on narrating a personal experience or event.

Chronological Order: Follows a structured timeline of events to tell a story.

Message or Lesson: Often includes a central message, moral, or lesson learned from the experience.

Engagement: Aims to captivate the reader through a compelling storyline and character development.

First-Person Perspective: Typically narrated from the writer’s point of view, using “I” and expressing personal emotions and thoughts.

Plot Development: Emphasizes a plot with a beginning, middle, climax, and resolution.

Character Development: Focuses on describing characters, their interactions, emotions, and growth.

Conflict or Challenge: Usually involves a central conflict or challenge that drives the narrative forward.

Dialogue: Incorporates conversations to bring characters and their interactions to life.

Reflection: Concludes with reflection or insight gained from the experience.

Descriptive Essay:

Vivid Description: Aims to vividly depict a person, place, object, or event.

Imagery and Details: Focuses on sensory details to create a vivid image in the reader’s mind.

Emotion through Description: Uses descriptive language to evoke emotions and engage the reader’s senses.

Painting a Picture: Creates a sensory-rich description allowing the reader to visualize the subject.

Imagery and Sensory Details: Focuses on providing rich sensory descriptions, using vivid language and adjectives.

Point of Focus: Concentrates on describing a specific subject or scene in detail.

Spatial Organization: Often employs spatial organization to describe from one area or aspect to another.

Objective Observations: Typically avoids the use of personal opinions or emotions; instead, the focus remains on providing a detailed and objective description.

Comparison:

Focus: Narrative essays emphasize storytelling, while descriptive essays focus on vividly describing a subject or scene.

Perspective: Narrative essays are often written from a first-person perspective, while descriptive essays may use a more objective viewpoint.

Purpose: Narrative essays aim to convey a message or lesson through a story, while descriptive essays aim to paint a detailed picture for the reader without necessarily conveying a specific message.

Narrative Essay vs. Argumentative Essay

The narrative essay and the argumentative essay serve distinct purposes and employ different approaches:

Engagement and Emotion: Aims to captivate the reader through a compelling story.

Reflective: Often includes reflection on the significance of the experience or lessons learned.

First-Person Perspective: Typically narrated from the writer’s point of view, sharing personal emotions and thoughts.

Plot Development: Emphasizes a storyline with a beginning, middle, climax, and resolution.

Message or Lesson: Conveys a central message, moral, or insight derived from the experience.

Argumentative Essay:

Persuasion and Argumentation: Aims to persuade the reader to adopt the writer’s viewpoint on a specific topic.

Logical Reasoning: Presents evidence, facts, and reasoning to support a particular argument or stance.

Debate and Counterarguments: Acknowledge opposing views and counter them with evidence and reasoning.

Thesis Statement: Includes a clear thesis statement that outlines the writer’s position on the topic.

Thesis and Evidence: Starts with a strong thesis statement and supports it with factual evidence, statistics, expert opinions, or logical reasoning.

Counterarguments: Addresses opposing viewpoints and provides rebuttals with evidence.

Logical Structure: Follows a logical structure with an introduction, body paragraphs presenting arguments and evidence, and a conclusion reaffirming the thesis.

Formal Language: Uses formal language and avoids personal anecdotes or emotional appeals.

Objective: Argumentative essays focus on presenting a logical argument supported by evidence, while narrative essays prioritize storytelling and personal reflection.

Purpose: Argumentative essays aim to persuade and convince the reader of a particular viewpoint, while narrative essays aim to engage, entertain, and share personal experiences.

Structure: Narrative essays follow a storytelling structure with character development and plot, while argumentative essays follow a more formal, structured approach with logical arguments and evidence.

In essence, while both essays involve writing and presenting information, the narrative essay focuses on sharing a personal experience, whereas the argumentative essay aims to persuade the audience by presenting a well-supported argument.

Narrative Essay vs. Personal Essay

While there can be an overlap between narrative and personal essays, they have distinctive characteristics:

Storytelling: Emphasizes recounting a specific experience or event in a structured narrative form.

Engagement through Story: Aims to engage the reader through a compelling story with characters, plot, and a central theme or message.

Reflective: Often includes reflection on the significance of the experience and the lessons learned.

First-Person Perspective: Typically narrated from the writer’s viewpoint, expressing personal emotions and thoughts.

Plot Development: Focuses on developing a storyline with a clear beginning, middle, climax, and resolution.

Character Development: Includes descriptions of characters, their interactions, emotions, and growth.

Central Message: Conveys a central message, moral, or insight derived from the experience.

Personal Essay:

Exploration of Ideas or Themes: Explores personal ideas, opinions, or reflections on a particular topic or subject.

Expression of Thoughts and Opinions: Expresses the writer’s thoughts, feelings, and perspectives on a specific subject matter.

Reflection and Introspection: Often involves self-reflection and introspection on personal experiences, beliefs, or values.

Varied Structure and Content: Can encompass various forms, including memoirs, personal anecdotes, or reflections on life experiences.

Flexibility in Structure: Allows for diverse structures and forms based on the writer’s intent, which could be narrative-like or more reflective.

Theme-Centric Writing: Focuses on exploring a central theme or idea, with personal anecdotes or experiences supporting and illustrating the theme.

Expressive Language: Utilizes descriptive and expressive language to convey personal perspectives, emotions, and opinions.

Focus: Narrative essays primarily focus on storytelling through a structured narrative, while personal essays encompass a broader range of personal expression, which can include storytelling but isn’t limited to it.

Structure: Narrative essays have a more structured plot development with characters and a clear sequence of events, while personal essays might adopt various structures, focusing more on personal reflection, ideas, or themes.

Intent: While both involve personal experiences, narrative essays emphasize telling a story with a message or lesson learned, while personal essays aim to explore personal thoughts, feelings, or opinions on a broader range of topics or themes.

5 Easy Steps for Writing a Narrative Essay

A narrative essay is more than just telling a story. It’s also meant to engage the reader, get them thinking, and leave a lasting impact. Whether it’s to amuse, motivate, teach, or reflect, these essays are a great way to communicate with your audience. This interesting narrative essay guide was all about letting you understand the narrative essay, its importance, and how can you write one.

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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 3 great narrative essay examples + tips for writing.

General Education

A narrative essay is one of the most intimidating assignments you can be handed at any level of your education. Where you've previously written argumentative essays that make a point or analytic essays that dissect meaning, a narrative essay asks you to write what is effectively a story .

But unlike a simple work of creative fiction, your narrative essay must have a clear and concrete motif —a recurring theme or idea that you’ll explore throughout. Narrative essays are less rigid, more creative in expression, and therefore pretty different from most other essays you’ll be writing.

But not to fear—in this article, we’ll be covering what a narrative essay is, how to write a good one, and also analyzing some personal narrative essay examples to show you what a great one looks like.

What Is a Narrative Essay?

At first glance, a narrative essay might sound like you’re just writing a story. Like the stories you're used to reading, a narrative essay is generally (but not always) chronological, following a clear throughline from beginning to end. Even if the story jumps around in time, all the details will come back to one specific theme, demonstrated through your choice in motifs.

Unlike many creative stories, however, your narrative essay should be based in fact. That doesn’t mean that every detail needs to be pure and untainted by imagination, but rather that you shouldn’t wholly invent the events of your narrative essay. There’s nothing wrong with inventing a person’s words if you can’t remember them exactly, but you shouldn’t say they said something they weren’t even close to saying.

Another big difference between narrative essays and creative fiction—as well as other kinds of essays—is that narrative essays are based on motifs. A motif is a dominant idea or theme, one that you establish before writing the essay. As you’re crafting the narrative, it’ll feed back into your motif to create a comprehensive picture of whatever that motif is.

For example, say you want to write a narrative essay about how your first day in high school helped you establish your identity. You might discuss events like trying to figure out where to sit in the cafeteria, having to describe yourself in five words as an icebreaker in your math class, or being unsure what to do during your lunch break because it’s no longer acceptable to go outside and play during lunch. All of those ideas feed back into the central motif of establishing your identity.

The important thing to remember is that while a narrative essay is typically told chronologically and intended to read like a story, it is not purely for entertainment value. A narrative essay delivers its theme by deliberately weaving the motifs through the events, scenes, and details. While a narrative essay may be entertaining, its primary purpose is to tell a complete story based on a central meaning.

Unlike other essay forms, it is totally okay—even expected—to use first-person narration in narrative essays. If you’re writing a story about yourself, it’s natural to refer to yourself within the essay. It’s also okay to use other perspectives, such as third- or even second-person, but that should only be done if it better serves your motif. Generally speaking, your narrative essay should be in first-person perspective.

Though your motif choices may feel at times like you’re making a point the way you would in an argumentative essay, a narrative essay’s goal is to tell a story, not convince the reader of anything. Your reader should be able to tell what your motif is from reading, but you don’t have to change their mind about anything. If they don’t understand the point you are making, you should consider strengthening the delivery of the events and descriptions that support your motif.

Narrative essays also share some features with analytical essays, in which you derive meaning from a book, film, or other media. But narrative essays work differently—you’re not trying to draw meaning from an existing text, but rather using an event you’ve experienced to convey meaning. In an analytical essay, you examine narrative, whereas in a narrative essay you create narrative.

The structure of a narrative essay is also a bit different than other essays. You’ll generally be getting your point across chronologically as opposed to grouping together specific arguments in paragraphs or sections. To return to the example of an essay discussing your first day of high school and how it impacted the shaping of your identity, it would be weird to put the events out of order, even if not knowing what to do after lunch feels like a stronger idea than choosing where to sit. Instead of organizing to deliver your information based on maximum impact, you’ll be telling your story as it happened, using concrete details to reinforce your theme.

3 Great Narrative Essay Examples

One of the best ways to learn how to write a narrative essay is to look at a great narrative essay sample. Let’s take a look at some truly stellar narrative essay examples and dive into what exactly makes them work so well.

A Ticket to the Fair by David Foster Wallace

Today is Press Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, and I’m supposed to be at the fairgrounds by 9:00 A.M. to get my credentials. I imagine credentials to be a small white card in the band of a fedora. I’ve never been considered press before. My real interest in credentials is getting into rides and shows for free. I’m fresh in from the East Coast, for an East Coast magazine. Why exactly they’re interested in the Illinois State Fair remains unclear to me. I suspect that every so often editors at East Coast magazines slap their foreheads and remember that about 90 percent of the United States lies between the coasts, and figure they’ll engage somebody to do pith-helmeted anthropological reporting on something rural and heartlandish. I think they asked me to do this because I grew up here, just a couple hours’ drive from downstate Springfield. I never did go to the state fair, though—I pretty much topped out at the county fair level. Actually, I haven’t been back to Illinois for a long time, and I can’t say I’ve missed it.

Throughout this essay, David Foster Wallace recounts his experience as press at the Illinois State Fair. But it’s clear from this opening that he’s not just reporting on the events exactly as they happened—though that’s also true— but rather making a point about how the East Coast, where he lives and works, thinks about the Midwest.

In his opening paragraph, Wallace states that outright: “Why exactly they’re interested in the Illinois State Fair remains unclear to me. I suspect that every so often editors at East Coast magazines slap their foreheads and remember that about 90 percent of the United States lies between the coasts, and figure they’ll engage somebody to do pith-helmeted anthropological reporting on something rural and heartlandish.”

Not every motif needs to be stated this clearly , but in an essay as long as Wallace’s, particularly since the audience for such a piece may feel similarly and forget that such a large portion of the country exists, it’s important to make that point clear.

But Wallace doesn’t just rest on introducing his motif and telling the events exactly as they occurred from there. It’s clear that he selects events that remind us of that idea of East Coast cynicism , such as when he realizes that the Help Me Grow tent is standing on top of fake grass that is killing the real grass beneath, when he realizes the hypocrisy of craving a corn dog when faced with a real, suffering pig, when he’s upset for his friend even though he’s not the one being sexually harassed, and when he witnesses another East Coast person doing something he wouldn’t dare to do.

Wallace is literally telling the audience exactly what happened, complete with dates and timestamps for when each event occurred. But he’s also choosing those events with a purpose—he doesn’t focus on details that don’t serve his motif. That’s why he discusses the experiences of people, how the smells are unappealing to him, and how all the people he meets, in cowboy hats, overalls, or “black spandex that looks like cheesecake leotards,” feel almost alien to him.

All of these details feed back into the throughline of East Coast thinking that Wallace introduces in the first paragraph. He also refers back to it in the essay’s final paragraph, stating:

At last, an overarching theory blooms inside my head: megalopolitan East Coasters’ summer treats and breaks and literally ‘getaways,’ flights-from—from crowds, noise, heat, dirt, the stress of too many sensory choices….The East Coast existential treat is escape from confines and stimuli—quiet, rustic vistas that hold still, turn inward, turn away. Not so in the rural Midwest. Here you’re pretty much away all the time….Something in a Midwesterner sort of actuates , deep down, at a public event….The real spectacle that draws us here is us.

Throughout this journey, Wallace has tried to demonstrate how the East Coast thinks about the Midwest, ultimately concluding that they are captivated by the Midwest’s less stimuli-filled life, but that the real reason they are interested in events like the Illinois State Fair is that they are, in some ways, a means of looking at the East Coast in a new, estranging way.

The reason this works so well is that Wallace has carefully chosen his examples, outlined his motif and themes in the first paragraph, and eventually circled back to the original motif with a clearer understanding of his original point.

When outlining your own narrative essay, try to do the same. Start with a theme, build upon it with examples, and return to it in the end with an even deeper understanding of the original issue. You don’t need this much space to explore a theme, either—as we’ll see in the next example, a strong narrative essay can also be very short.

Death of a Moth by Virginia Woolf

After a time, tired by his dancing apparently, he settled on the window ledge in the sun, and, the queer spectacle being at an end, I forgot about him. Then, looking up, my eye was caught by him. He was trying to resume his dancing, but seemed either so stiff or so awkward that he could only flutter to the bottom of the window-pane; and when he tried to fly across it he failed. Being intent on other matters I watched these futile attempts for a time without thinking, unconsciously waiting for him to resume his flight, as one waits for a machine, that has stopped momentarily, to start again without considering the reason of its failure. After perhaps a seventh attempt he slipped from the wooden ledge and fell, fluttering his wings, on to his back on the window sill. The helplessness of his attitude roused me. It flashed upon me that he was in difficulties; he could no longer raise himself; his legs struggled vainly. But, as I stretched out a pencil, meaning to help him to right himself, it came over me that the failure and awkwardness were the approach of death. I laid the pencil down again.

In this essay, Virginia Woolf explains her encounter with a dying moth. On surface level, this essay is just a recounting of an afternoon in which she watched a moth die—it’s even established in the title. But there’s more to it than that. Though Woolf does not begin her essay with as clear a motif as Wallace, it’s not hard to pick out the evidence she uses to support her point, which is that the experience of this moth is also the human experience.

In the title, Woolf tells us this essay is about death. But in the first paragraph, she seems to mostly be discussing life—the moth is “content with life,” people are working in the fields, and birds are flying. However, she mentions that it is mid-September and that the fields were being plowed. It’s autumn and it’s time for the harvest; the time of year in which many things die.

In this short essay, she chronicles the experience of watching a moth seemingly embody life, then die. Though this essay is literally about a moth, it’s also about a whole lot more than that. After all, moths aren’t the only things that die—Woolf is also reflecting on her own mortality, as well as the mortality of everything around her.

At its core, the essay discusses the push and pull of life and death, not in a way that’s necessarily sad, but in a way that is accepting of both. Woolf begins by setting up the transitional fall season, often associated with things coming to an end, and raises the ideas of pleasure, vitality, and pity.

At one point, Woolf tries to help the dying moth, but reconsiders, as it would interfere with the natural order of the world. The moth’s death is part of the natural order of the world, just like fall, just like her own eventual death.

All these themes are set up in the beginning and explored throughout the essay’s narrative. Though Woolf doesn’t directly state her theme, she reinforces it by choosing a small, isolated event—watching a moth die—and illustrating her point through details.

With this essay, we can see that you don’t need a big, weird, exciting event to discuss an important meaning. Woolf is able to explore complicated ideas in a short essay by being deliberate about what details she includes, just as you can be in your own essays.

Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin

On the twenty-ninth of July, in 1943, my father died. On the same day, a few hours later, his last child was born. Over a month before this, while all our energies were concentrated in waiting for these events, there had been, in Detroit, one of the bloodiest race riots of the century. A few hours after my father’s funeral, while he lay in state in the undertaker’s chapel, a race riot broke out in Harlem. On the morning of the third of August, we drove my father to the graveyard through a wilderness of smashed plate glass.

Like Woolf, Baldwin does not lay out his themes in concrete terms—unlike Wallace, there’s no clear sentence that explains what he’ll be talking about. However, you can see the motifs quite clearly: death, fatherhood, struggle, and race.

Throughout the narrative essay, Baldwin discusses the circumstances of his father’s death, including his complicated relationship with his father. By introducing those motifs in the first paragraph, the reader understands that everything discussed in the essay will come back to those core ideas. When Baldwin talks about his experience with a white teacher taking an interest in him and his father’s resistance to that, he is also talking about race and his father’s death. When he talks about his father’s death, he is also talking about his views on race. When he talks about his encounters with segregation and racism, he is talking, in part, about his father.

Because his father was a hard, uncompromising man, Baldwin struggles to reconcile the knowledge that his father was right about many things with his desire to not let that hardness consume him, as well.

Baldwin doesn’t explicitly state any of this, but his writing so often touches on the same motifs that it becomes clear he wants us to think about all these ideas in conversation with one another.

At the end of the essay, Baldwin makes it more clear:

This fight begins, however, in the heart and it had now been laid to my charge to keep my own heart free of hatred and despair. This intimation made my heart heavy and, now that my father was irrecoverable, I wished that he had been beside me so that I could have searched his face for the answers which only the future would give me now.

Here, Baldwin ties together the themes and motifs into one clear statement: that he must continue to fight and recognize injustice, especially racial injustice, just as his father did. But unlike his father, he must do it beginning with himself—he must not let himself be closed off to the world as his father was. And yet, he still wishes he had his father for guidance, even as he establishes that he hopes to be a different man than his father.

In this essay, Baldwin loads the front of the essay with his motifs, and, through his narrative, weaves them together into a theme. In the end, he comes to a conclusion that connects all of those things together and leaves the reader with a lasting impression of completion—though the elements may have been initially disparate, in the end everything makes sense.

You can replicate this tactic of introducing seemingly unattached ideas and weaving them together in your own essays. By introducing those motifs, developing them throughout, and bringing them together in the end, you can demonstrate to your reader how all of them are related. However, it’s especially important to be sure that your motifs and clear and consistent throughout your essay so that the conclusion feels earned and consistent—if not, readers may feel mislead.

5 Key Tips for Writing Narrative Essays

Narrative essays can be a lot of fun to write since they’re so heavily based on creativity. But that can also feel intimidating—sometimes it’s easier to have strict guidelines than to have to make it all up yourself. Here are a few tips to keep your narrative essay feeling strong and fresh.

Develop Strong Motifs

Motifs are the foundation of a narrative essay . What are you trying to say? How can you say that using specific symbols or events? Those are your motifs.

In the same way that an argumentative essay’s body should support its thesis, the body of your narrative essay should include motifs that support your theme.

Try to avoid cliches, as these will feel tired to your readers. Instead of roses to symbolize love, try succulents. Instead of the ocean representing some vast, unknowable truth, try the depths of your brother’s bedroom. Keep your language and motifs fresh and your essay will be even stronger!

Use First-Person Perspective

In many essays, you’re expected to remove yourself so that your points stand on their own. Not so in a narrative essay—in this case, you want to make use of your own perspective.

Sometimes a different perspective can make your point even stronger. If you want someone to identify with your point of view, it may be tempting to choose a second-person perspective. However, be sure you really understand the function of second-person; it’s very easy to put a reader off if the narration isn’t expertly deployed.

If you want a little bit of distance, third-person perspective may be okay. But be careful—too much distance and your reader may feel like the narrative lacks truth.

That’s why first-person perspective is the standard. It keeps you, the writer, close to the narrative, reminding the reader that it really happened. And because you really know what happened and how, you’re free to inject your own opinion into the story without it detracting from your point, as it would in a different type of essay.

Stick to the Truth

Your essay should be true. However, this is a creative essay, and it’s okay to embellish a little. Rarely in life do we experience anything with a clear, concrete meaning the way somebody in a book might. If you flub the details a little, it’s okay—just don’t make them up entirely.

Also, nobody expects you to perfectly recall details that may have happened years ago. You may have to reconstruct dialog from your memory and your imagination. That’s okay, again, as long as you aren’t making it up entirely and assigning made-up statements to somebody.

Dialog is a powerful tool. A good conversation can add flavor and interest to a story, as we saw demonstrated in David Foster Wallace’s essay. As previously mentioned, it’s okay to flub it a little, especially because you’re likely writing about an experience you had without knowing that you’d be writing about it later.

However, don’t rely too much on it. Your narrative essay shouldn’t be told through people explaining things to one another; the motif comes through in the details. Dialog can be one of those details, but it shouldn’t be the only one.

Use Sensory Descriptions

Because a narrative essay is a story, you can use sensory details to make your writing more interesting. If you’re describing a particular experience, you can go into detail about things like taste, smell, and hearing in a way that you probably wouldn’t do in any other essay style.

These details can tie into your overall motifs and further your point. Woolf describes in great detail what she sees while watching the moth, giving us the sense that we, too, are watching the moth. In Wallace’s essay, he discusses the sights, sounds, and smells of the Illinois State Fair to help emphasize his point about its strangeness. And in Baldwin’s essay, he describes shattered glass as a “wilderness,” and uses the feelings of his body to describe his mental state.

All these descriptions anchor us not only in the story, but in the motifs and themes as well. One of the tools of a writer is making the reader feel as you felt, and sensory details help you achieve that.

What’s Next?

Looking to brush up on your essay-writing capabilities before the ACT? This guide to ACT English will walk you through some of the best strategies and practice questions to get you prepared!

Part of practicing for the ACT is ensuring your word choice and diction are on point. Check out this guide to some of the most common errors on the ACT English section to be sure that you're not making these common mistakes!

A solid understanding of English principles will help you make an effective point in a narrative essay, and you can get that understanding through taking a rigorous assortment of high school English classes !

Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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What I’ve Learned From My Students’ College Essays

The genre is often maligned for being formulaic and melodramatic, but it’s more important than you think.

An illustration of a high school student with blue hair, dreaming of what to write in their college essay.

By Nell Freudenberger

Most high school seniors approach the college essay with dread. Either their upbringing hasn’t supplied them with several hundred words of adversity, or worse, they’re afraid that packaging the genuine trauma they’ve experienced is the only way to secure their future. The college counselor at the Brooklyn high school where I’m a writing tutor advises against trauma porn. “Keep it brief , ” she says, “and show how you rose above it.”

I started volunteering in New York City schools in my 20s, before I had kids of my own. At the time, I liked hanging out with teenagers, whom I sometimes had more interesting conversations with than I did my peers. Often I worked with students who spoke English as a second language or who used slang in their writing, and at first I was hung up on grammar. Should I correct any deviation from “standard English” to appeal to some Wizard of Oz behind the curtains of a college admissions office? Or should I encourage students to write the way they speak, in pursuit of an authentic voice, that most elusive of literary qualities?

In fact, I was missing the point. One of many lessons the students have taught me is to let the story dictate the voice of the essay. A few years ago, I worked with a boy who claimed to have nothing to write about. His life had been ordinary, he said; nothing had happened to him. I asked if he wanted to try writing about a family member, his favorite school subject, a summer job? He glanced at his phone, his posture and expression suggesting that he’d rather be anywhere but in front of a computer with me. “Hobbies?” I suggested, without much hope. He gave me a shy glance. “I like to box,” he said.

I’ve had this experience with reluctant writers again and again — when a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously. Of course the primary goal of a college essay is to help its author get an education that leads to a career. Changes in testing policies and financial aid have made applying to college more confusing than ever, but essays have remained basically the same. I would argue that they’re much more than an onerous task or rote exercise, and that unlike standardized tests they are infinitely variable and sometimes beautiful. College essays also provide an opportunity to learn precision, clarity and the process of working toward the truth through multiple revisions.

When a topic clicks with a student, an essay can unfurl spontaneously.

Even if writing doesn’t end up being fundamental to their future professions, students learn to choose language carefully and to be suspicious of the first words that come to mind. Especially now, as college students shoulder so much of the country’s ethical responsibility for war with their protest movement, essay writing teaches prospective students an increasingly urgent lesson: that choosing their own words over ready-made phrases is the only reliable way to ensure they’re thinking for themselves.

Teenagers are ideal writers for several reasons. They’re usually free of preconceptions about writing, and they tend not to use self-consciously ‘‘literary’’ language. They’re allergic to hypocrisy and are generally unfiltered: They overshare, ask personal questions and call you out for microaggressions as well as less egregious (but still mortifying) verbal errors, such as referring to weed as ‘‘pot.’’ Most important, they have yet to put down their best stories in a finished form.

I can imagine an essay taking a risk and distinguishing itself formally — a poem or a one-act play — but most kids use a more straightforward model: a hook followed by a narrative built around “small moments” that lead to a concluding lesson or aspiration for the future. I never get tired of working with students on these essays because each one is different, and the short, rigid form sometimes makes an emotional story even more powerful. Before I read Javier Zamora’s wrenching “Solito,” I worked with a student who had been transported by a coyote into the U.S. and was reunited with his mother in the parking lot of a big-box store. I don’t remember whether this essay focused on specific skills or coping mechanisms that he gained from his ordeal. I remember only the bliss of the parent-and-child reunion in that uninspiring setting. If I were making a case to an admissions officer, I would suggest that simply being able to convey that experience demonstrates the kind of resilience that any college should admire.

The essays that have stayed with me over the years don’t follow a pattern. There are some narratives on very predictable topics — living up to the expectations of immigrant parents, or suffering from depression in 2020 — that are moving because of the attention with which the student describes the experience. One girl determined to become an engineer while watching her father build furniture from scraps after work; a boy, grieving for his mother during lockdown, began taking pictures of the sky.

If, as Lorrie Moore said, “a short story is a love affair; a novel is a marriage,” what is a college essay? Every once in a while I sit down next to a student and start reading, and I have to suppress my excitement, because there on the Google Doc in front of me is a real writer’s voice. One of the first students I ever worked with wrote about falling in love with another girl in dance class, the absolute magic of watching her move and the terror in the conflict between her feelings and the instruction of her religious middle school. She made me think that college essays are less like love than limerence: one-sided, obsessive, idiosyncratic but profound, the first draft of the most personal story their writers will ever tell.

Nell Freudenberger’s novel “The Limits” was published by Knopf last month. She volunteers through the PEN America Writers in the Schools program.

Academic Essay Writing Made Simple: 4 types and tips

The pen is mightier than the sword, they say, and nowhere is this more evident than in academia. From the quick scribbles of eager students to the inquisitive thoughts of renowned scholars, academic essays depict the power of the written word. These well-crafted writings propel ideas forward and expand the existing boundaries of human intellect.

What is an Academic Essay

An academic essay is a nonfictional piece of writing that analyzes and evaluates an argument around a specific topic or research question. It serves as a medium to share the author’s views and is also used by institutions to assess the critical thinking, research skills, and writing abilities of a students and researchers.

Importance of Academic Essays

4 main types of academic essays.

While academic essays may vary in length, style, and purpose, they generally fall into four main categories. Despite their differences, these essay types share a common goal: to convey information, insights, and perspectives effectively.

1. Expository Essay

2. Descriptive Essay

3. Narrative Essay

4. Argumentative Essay

Expository and persuasive essays mainly deal with facts to explain ideas clearly. Narrative and descriptive essays are informal and have a creative edge. Despite their differences, these essay types share a common goal ― to convey information, insights, and perspectives effectively.

Expository Essays: Illuminating ideas

An expository essay is a type of academic writing that explains, illustrates, or clarifies a particular subject or idea. Its primary purpose is to inform the reader by presenting a comprehensive and objective analysis of a topic.

By breaking down complex topics into digestible pieces and providing relevant examples and explanations, expository essays allow writers to share their knowledge.

What are the Key Features of an Expository Essay

Provides factual information without bias

Presents multiple viewpoints while maintaining objectivity

Uses direct and concise language to ensure clarity for the reader

Composed of a logical structure with an introduction, body paragraphs and a conclusion

When is an expository essay written.

1. For academic assignments to evaluate the understanding of research skills.

2. As instructional content to provide step-by-step guidance for tasks or problem-solving.

3. In journalism for objective reporting in news or investigative pieces.

4. As a form of communication in the professional field to convey factual information in business or healthcare.

How to Write an Expository Essay

Expository essays are typically structured in a logical and organized manner.

1. Topic Selection and Research

Choose a topic that can be explored objectively
Gather relevant facts and information from credible sources
Develop a clear thesis statement

2. Outline and Structure

Create an outline with an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion
Introduce the topic and state the thesis in the introduction
Dedicate each body paragraph to a specific point supporting the thesis
Use transitions to maintain a logical flow

3. Objective and Informative Writing

Maintain an impartial and informative tone
Avoid personal opinions or biases
Support points with factual evidence, examples, and explanations

4. Conclusion

Summarize the key points
Reinforce the significance of the thesis

Descriptive Essays: Painting with words

Descriptive essays transport readers into vivid scenes, allowing them to experience the world through the writer ‘s lens. These essays use rich sensory details, metaphors, and figurative language to create a vivid and immersive experience . Its primary purpose is to engage readers’ senses and imagination.

It allows writers to demonstrate their ability to observe and describe subjects with precision and creativity.

What are the Key Features of Descriptive Essay

Employs figurative language and imagery to paint a vivid picture for the reader

Demonstrates creativity and expressiveness in narration

Includes close attention to detail, engaging the reader’s senses

Engages the reader’s imagination and emotions through immersive storytelling using analogies, metaphors, similes, etc.

When is a descriptive essay written.

1. Personal narratives or memoirs that describe significant events, people, or places.

2. Travel writing to capture the essence of a destination or experience.

3. Character sketches in fiction writing to introduce and describe characters.

4. Poetry or literary analyses to explore the use of descriptive language and imagery.

How to Write a Descriptive Essay

The descriptive essay lacks a defined structural requirement but typically includes: an introduction introducing the subject, a thorough description, and a concluding summary with insightful reflection.

1. Subject Selection and Observation

Choose a subject (person, place, object, or experience) to describe
Gather sensory details and observations

2. Engaging Introduction

Set the scene and provide the context
Use of descriptive language and figurative techniques

3. Descriptive Body Paragraphs

Focus on specific aspects or details of the subject
Engage the reader ’s senses with vivid imagery and descriptions
Maintain a consistent tone and viewpoint

4. Impactful Conclusion

Provide a final impression or insight
Leave a lasting impact on the reader

Narrative Essays: Storytelling in Action

Narrative essays are personal accounts that tell a story, often drawing from the writer’s own experiences or observations. These essays rely on a well-structured plot, character development, and vivid descriptions to engage readers and convey a deeper meaning or lesson.

What are the Key features of Narrative Essays

Written from a first-person perspective and hence subjective

Based on real personal experiences

Uses an informal and expressive tone

Presents events and characters in sequential order

When is a narrative essay written.

It is commonly assigned in high school and college writing courses to assess a student’s ability to convey a meaningful message or lesson through a personal narrative. They are written in situations where a personal experience or story needs to be recounted, such as:

1. Reflective essays on significant life events or personal growth.

2. Autobiographical writing to share one’s life story or experiences.

3. Creative writing exercises to practice narrative techniques and character development.

4. College application essays to showcase personal qualities and experiences.

How to Write a Narrative Essay

Narrative essays typically follow a chronological structure, with an introduction that sets the scene, a body that develops the plot and characters, and a conclusion that provides a sense of resolution or lesson learned.

1. Experience Selection and Reflection

Choose a significant personal experience or event
Reflect on the impact and deeper meaning

2. Immersive Introduction

Introduce characters and establish the tone and point of view

3. Plotline and Character Development

Advance the plot and character development through body paragraphs
Incorporate dialog , conflict, and resolution
Maintain a logical and chronological flow

4. Insightful Conclusion

Reflect on lessons learned or insights gained
Leave the reader with a lasting impression

Argumentative Essays: Persuasion and Critical Thinking

Argumentative essays are the quintessential form of academic writing in which writers present a clear thesis and support it with well-researched evidence and logical reasoning. These essays require a deep understanding of the topic, critical analysis of multiple perspectives, and the ability to construct a compelling argument.

What are the Key Features of an Argumentative Essay?

Logical and well-structured arguments

Credible and relevant evidence from reputable sources

Consideration and refutation of counterarguments

Critical analysis and evaluation of the issue

When is an argumentative essay written.

Argumentative essays are written to present a clear argument or stance on a particular issue or topic. In academic settings they are used to develop critical thinking, research, and persuasive writing skills. However, argumentative essays can also be written in various other contexts, such as:

1. Opinion pieces or editorials in newspapers, magazines, or online publications.

2. Policy proposals or position papers in government, nonprofit, or advocacy settings.

3. Persuasive speeches or debates in academic, professional, or competitive environments.

4. Marketing or advertising materials to promote a product, service, or idea.

How to write an Argumentative Essay

Argumentative essays begin with an introduction that states the thesis and provides context. The body paragraphs develop the argument with evidence, address counterarguments, and use logical reasoning. The conclusion restates the main argument and makes a final persuasive appeal.

Choose a debatable and controversial issue
Conduct thorough research and gather evidence and counterarguments

2. Thesis and Introduction

Craft a clear and concise thesis statement
Provide background information and establish importance

3. Structured Body Paragraphs

Focus each paragraph on a specific aspect of the argument
Support with logical reasoning, factual evidence, and refutation

4. Persuasive Techniques

Adopt a formal and objective tone
Use persuasive techniques (rhetorical questions, analogies, appeals)

5. Impactful Conclusion

Summarize the main points
Leave the reader with a strong final impression and call to action

To learn more about argumentative essay, check out this article .

5 Quick Tips for Researchers to Improve Academic Essay Writing Skills

Use clear and concise language to convey ideas effectively without unnecessary words

Use well-researched, credible sources to substantiate your arguments with data, expert opinions, and scholarly references

Ensure a coherent structure with effective transitions, clear topic sentences, and a logical flow to enhance readability

To elevate your academic essay, consider submitting your draft to a community-based platform like Open Platform for editorial review

Review your work multiple times for clarity, coherence, and adherence to academic guidelines to ensure a polished final product

By mastering the art of academic essay writing, researchers and scholars can effectively communicate their ideas, contribute to the advancement of knowledge, and engage in meaningful scholarly discourse.

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QuestBridge supports high-achieving students from low-income backgrounds on their path to a top college. This is your chance to dream big.

We’re here to connect Scholars and Alumni to the people and opportunities you need to reach your full potential.

Our partnerships bridge the gap between the nation’s brightest minds and the opportunities they deserve.

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How to Write a College Essay

Let QuestBridge help you with college essay writing tips. We cover what to write about, how to get feedback, and more!

The low-income lens in college essays

Students from low-income backgrounds may not realize that they have a unique perspective to present to admissions officers. If your identity has been shaped by financial difficulties and other obstacles, consider writing about these challenges in your college essays so that admissions officers understand the full context of your successes and academic accomplishments.

Bring us into your world. We want to know you. We want to know your truth.

Student challenges and extenuating circumstances

You may describe specific challenges that you have risen above in your college essays, such as:

You hold significant responsibilities in your household, such as providing care for an ill family member, babysitting siblings, or preparing family meals.
You have a part-time job to pay for school activities or household expenses.
You live with people other than your immediate family or have been in foster care.
You experienced homelessness or other temporary housing situations.
A parent has passed away or is not present in your life.
You commute a long distance to attend school.
Your family or community is not supportive of your educational goals.
You faced obstacles because English is not your first language.

Proper tone for college essays

If you choose to write about challenges in your life, be careful to avoid using overly critical or negative language when writing a college essay. This is a good opportunity to emphasize your emotional maturity and how challenges in your life have helped you grow as a person. You may compromise that impression if your tone is resentful or excessively dramatic.

College essay topic choice

Giving admissions officers a window into difficult experiences can present your story in your college application, but there are other topics that can also make for a strong essay (e.g. a favorite book, a community service project). Whichever angle you select to tell your story, highlight the most important things that have shaped and continue to shape your identity.

The writing process: brainstorm, outline, and draft

Writing a college essay can seem daunting at first, but it doesn’t have to be. Watch our webinar, Write a College Essay that Stands Out , and download our worksheet as a template and foundation to help you craft a strong college essay. This college essay format may help you write your essay in a manner that goes beyond just a chronological explanation of your life or an expansion of your resume.

Essay feedback and revisions

Ask teachers, mentors, family, or friends for feedback on your essay. Reach out well in advance of any deadlines, and give them at least two weeks to provide feedback. Ask them in person if you can, but if you cannot, send them an email. If they agree to take a look, you can send them a message with your essay. Download a sample message below.

After receiving feedback, revise! You should plan on going through a few drafts. Here are some things to keep in mind:

You do not have to incorporate all feedback. Accept what you think is most helpful.
Edits and revisions should not remove your voice or completely alter your writing style.
Pay attention to spelling, grammar, punctuation, and even formatting.
It may help to read your essay out loud to catch mistakes you might otherwise skim over.
Read your college essay from an admissions officer’s perspective.
For more college essay writing tips, continue reading the FAQs below.

Detailed FAQs about college admissions essays

Mechanics, structure, and content are vital parts of a successful essay. Our Detailed College Essays FAQs page covers each category in detail to give your essay a strong start and finish. Learn about how to write a college essay, how long a college essay should be, and more.

VP Harris will debate this summer. Here's a peek into her past debate highlights

Vice President Harris has accepted a debate invitation to be hosted on CBS on July 23 or Aug. 13, according to the Biden campaign.

Currently, VP Harris is the only cemented debater as the GOP frontrunner Donald Trump has not announced his VP pick, although he is expected to attend the Republican National Convention in July.

Let's debate: Biden and Trump agree to two televised debates, bucking commission

This won't be her first time taking on the big stage, so here's a look back at two of Harris' most notable debate moments.

Harris took on Mike Pence in 2020 vice presidential debate

While an overall respectful debate, Harris and Pence , in the only vice-presidential debate in 2020 moderated by USA Today's Susan Page, covered controversial ground like the COVID pandemic, Amy Coney Barrett's addition to the Supreme Court of the United States, police reform and George Floyd .

Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide

Harris attacked the Trump administration's approach to combatting the COVID pandemic and claimed the administration "knew what was happening, and they didn't tell you" about the "nature of this pandemic."

After the debate, Harris' favorability numbers improved, according to a FiveThirtyEight and Ipsos analysis. Harris and Biden would later win the ticket to the White House.

'There was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools'

On a 2019 stage crowded with 10 Democratic presidential primary candidates debating in Florida, Harris took the spotlight for her remarks. First, taking charge of a busy debate by saying "America does not want to witness a food fight they want to know how we're going to put food on their table."

Most notably, she made headlines for her fiery message toward Vice President Joe Biden's comments on school bussing, saying his stance personally hurt her.

"There was a little girl in California who was part of the second class to integrate her public schools, and she was bussed to school every day," Harris said during the debate aired on NBC. "And that little girl was me."

Despite Harris dropping out in December, Biden selected her as his running mate, and she would later become the first Black and South Asian American woman VP in the US.

The Roman Republic: a Tapestry of Governance

This essay about the Roman Republic explores its intricate governance structure, characterized by a delicate balance of power between aristocratic elites and the plebeian masses. It highlights the evolution of key institutions such as the Consuls, Senate, and assemblies, showcasing how they shaped Roman society and politics. Additionally, the essay examines the challenges faced by the Republic, including social unrest and the rise of ambitious leaders, culminating in its transition to imperial rule under Augustus. Through its exploration of this pivotal period in history, the essay offers insights into the complexities of ancient governance and its enduring legacy.

How it works

The annals of history are adorned with the tales of ancient civilizations, but few are as captivating as the narrative of the Roman Republic. A saga of intrigue, power struggles, and societal evolution, the Roman Republic stands as a testament to the ingenuity and complexity of human governance. Delving into its labyrinthine corridors reveals not just a political system, but a rich tapestry woven with threads of ambition, conflict, and resilience.

At the heart of the Roman Republic lies its genesis, a tumultuous period marked by the overthrow of monarchy and the birth of a new era.

The ousting of Tarquin the Proud, the last monarch of Rome, heralded the dawn of a republican experiment aimed at diffusing power among the ruling elite. The aristocracy, wary of the perils of autocracy, endeavored to erect a system that would safeguard against the rise of despots. Thus, the Roman Republic emerged, a fusion of aristocratic privilege and democratic ideals.

Central to the fabric of the Roman Republic was its intricate system of governance, a mosaic of institutions designed to balance competing interests and aspirations. The Consuls, elected annually, stood as the dual pillars of executive authority, entrusted with the helm of state affairs and the command of legions. Their partnership, a delicate dance of cooperation and contention, epitomized the Republic’s ethos of collegiality and balance of power.

Yet, the Consuls were not solitary figures in the Roman political landscape; they were but one brushstroke in a larger tableau of governance. The Senate, an august body of elders drawn from the patrician class, wielded considerable influence in shaping policy and adjudicating matters of state. Its deliberations, steeped in tradition and wisdom, echoed through the hallowed halls of power, guiding the course of the Republic with a steady hand.

But beneath the veneer of aristocratic order lay the restless murmurs of the plebeian masses, whose aspirations and grievances simmered beneath the surface. The Struggle of the Orders, a protracted saga of social upheaval and reform, bore witness to the perennial tug-of-war between patrician privilege and plebeian rights. The creation of the Tribune of the Plebs, a champion of the common folk endowed with the power of veto, served as a bulwark against the encroachments of entrenched elites.

At the nexus of Roman society were the assemblies, forums of democratic expression where citizens exercised their civic rights and duties. The Centuriate Assembly, an assembly of soldiers organized by wealth and military prowess, held sway over matters of war and peace, while the Tribal Assembly, a more egalitarian body representing the interests of the plebeians, shaped domestic policy and legislation. Through these assemblies, the voice of the people resonated in the corridors of power, shaping the destiny of the Republic.

Yet, for all its grandeur and complexity, the Roman Republic was not immune to the ravages of ambition and discord. The late Republic bore witness to the rise of charismatic leaders whose lust for power threatened to unravel the very fabric of the state. Figures such as Julius Caesar, Pompey the Great, and Crassus, propelled by military conquest and political acumen, ascended to unprecedented heights, challenging the traditional moorings of republican governance.

The denouement of the Roman Republic, a tale of intrigue and betrayal, culminated in the ascension of Augustus and the birth of the Roman Empire. The transition from republic to empire marked the denouement of an era, but it also heralded the dawn of a new epoch in Roman history. The legacy of the Republic, though obscured by the sands of time, endures as a beacon of inspiration and inquiry, inviting us to unravel its mysteries and glean lessons for the present age.

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The Roman Republic: A Tapestry of Governance. (2024, May 21). Retrieved from https://papersowl.com/examples/the-roman-republic-a-tapestry-of-governance/

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200 Best Topic Ideas for Narrative Essay
Focus on a specific event or detail to make your narrative more focused and impactful. Look for universal themes like love or personal transformation that connect with readers on a deeper level. Brainstorm ideas and write freely to uncover compelling topics. Decide on storytelling techniques like flashbacks or foreshadowing and choose a topic ...
150 Best Topic Ideas For Narrative Essay
4 Topics for essays on themes: 4.1 Personal Narrative Essay Topics. 4.2 Personal Experience Narrative Essay Topics. 4.3 Narrative Essay Topics About Childhood. 4.4 Relationship Narrative Essay Topics. 4.5 Personal Narrative Essay About Friendship. 4.6 Cultural Narrative Essay Topics.
100 Narrative Essay Topics
The list of 100 narrative essay topics that we've compiled is a versatile and expansive set designed to inspire students at various educational levels. The topics range from lighter, more relatable experiences like your "first job interview" or "a memorable birthday party," to deeper, more introspective themes such as "an experience ...
100+ Interesting Narrative Essay Topics For Your Next Paper
Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 5. My First Day at a New School. The Time I Learned to Ride a Bike. A Visit to a Haunted House. The Day I Met a Real-Life Superhero. My Most Memorable Family Vacation. A Surprising Encounter with an Animal. The Mystery of the Missing Homework. The Best Birthday Party I Ever Had.
150 Narrative Essay Topics
Cultural narrative essay topics. Some of the most mind-expanding experiences happen when looking at and understanding a different culture or by analyzing your own culture from an outsider's perspective. Cultural narrative essay topics are particularly useful when applying to colleges or applying for grants or scholarships for exchange programs.
Narrative Essay Topics
N arrative essays can present a serious challenge for even the most seasoned of writers, but fear not, we've compiled some great narrative essay topics to inspire your next paper! Follow along as we explore prompts relating to life, school, and more. By the end, you'll be prepared to tackle narrative essays from a variety of different angles.
100+ Narrative Essay Topics for your Next Assignment
These topics are all a natural fit for a story arc, which is a central part of a narrative essay. Childhood Tales. Writing about your childhood can be a great choice for a narrative essay. We are growing and learning during this delicate and often awkward time. Sharing these moments can be funny, endearing, and emotional.
100+ Best Narrative Essay Topics for 2024 and Onwards
A good narrative essay should have some kind of personal connection with the reader. Also, the best narrative essay topics are ones that you can write about with passion. If you're not able to find the right topic for your narrative essay, try looking into some of the topics given in the blog. Read on.
100+ Inspiring Narrative Essay Topics
A great narrative essay topic is both personal and widely relatable. Check out these narrative essay topics to see which resonates with your story. ... Your parents supporting you and giving you some independence; Your first cell phone; A family vacation; A special photo of friends; Your bedroom as a safe haven; Something that always calms you ...
How to Write a Narrative Essay
When applying for college, you might be asked to write a narrative essay that expresses something about your personal qualities. For example, this application prompt from Common App requires you to respond with a narrative essay. College application prompt. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback, or failure.
50 Engaging Narrative Essay Topics for High Schoolers
A good narrative essay will begin with an attention-grabbing opening line. But make sure to avoid common clichés, such as "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.". Instead, come up with something original and specific to you and your situation. For example: "My pre-calc teacher was obsessed with circles.
Narrative Essays: Examples And Topic Ideas For Students
7. An Act Of Kindness. Sharing an act of kindness you did with someone else—or a random act of kindness that someone did for you—can provide a warm, fuzzy topic for your narrative essay. When writing about an act of kindness, focus on how the act made you feel, whether you were the giver or the receiver of the act.
100 Greatest Narrative Essay Topics
Here are 100 potential narrative essay topics: A time I overcame a fear. The day I met my best friend. A family vacation that went wrong. The experience of learning to ride a bike. Attending my first concert. My most difficult class in school so far. My proudest accomplishment. A time I failed at something.
Narrative Essay Topics and Story Ideas
Here is a list of 101 narrative essay topics, prompts, and short story ideas to give students the practice that they need to become better writers: Everybody gets afraid sometimes. If there were no fear, there would be no opportunity for bravery. Write about the scariest moment in your life. Some people avoid challenges.
Narrative Essay Topics That Help You Create a Masterpiece
Here are some tips on how to choose a topic for your essay: Before defining a narrative essay topic, it is worth finding the author's position. This is the moral instruction of the author, which can be written directly or encrypted in the words or thoughts of the hero-narrator. To find it, one should single out the topic and all the micro ...
20 Narrative Essay Topics to Tell a Riveting Story
Narrative Essay Topics: Personal Growth. 11. Liar, Liar. Tell about the first time you truly experienced dishonesty. Not a little white lie, but something that made you forever question your trust in others. (See this essay about why you should never let people you don't know ride your bike.) 12.
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Here is a PDF of all 650 prompts, and we also have a related lesson plan, From 'Lives' to 'Modern Love': Writing Personal Essays With Help From The New York Times.. Below, a list that ...
Narrative Essay
Now that you understand the narrative essay definition, it's time to look at some common topics you may have to write on. Topics for a narrative essay. Narrative essay topics can range from a personal narrative and specific essay topics to loose open-ended prompts. Let's better understand this with the help of a few good narrative essay topics.
50 Narrative Essay Topics
We've got 50 narrative essay topics designed to prompt students to craft memorable written narratives. These can be modified for students in elementary, middle and high school. ... A time that you learned something new that changed you in some way. The moment when you met someone who changed your life. The day that you got your first pet.
A Complete Narrative Essay Guide
A story in a narrative essay usually involves some kind of conflict or challenge that moves the plot along. It could be something inside the character, like a personal battle, or something from outside, like an issue they have to face in the world. ... Narrative Essay Topics for College Students. Discovering a New Passion; Overcoming Academic ...
3 Great Narrative Essay Examples + Tips for Writing
A narrative essay delivers its theme by deliberately weaving the motifs through the events, scenes, and details. While a narrative essay may be entertaining, its primary purpose is to tell a complete story based on a central meaning. Unlike other essay forms, it is totally okay—even expected—to use first-person narration in narrative essays.
150 Narrative Essay Topics To Impress Teacher in 2024
Traveling Narrative essay topics: A Journey Through Ancient Cities: Exploring History and Culture. Backpacking Adventures: Lessons Learned from Life on the Road. Navigating the World's Majestic Mountains and Rugged Terrains. Island Hopping: Experiencing the Beauty of Oceans and Beaches.
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How to Write a College Essay
Ask teachers, mentors, family, or friends for feedback on your essay. Reach out well in advance of any deadlines, and give them at least two weeks to provide feedback. Ask them in person if you can, but if you cannot, send them an email. If they agree to take a look, you can send them a message with your essay. Download a sample message below.
The Roman Republic: a Tapestry of Governance and Power Dynamics
Essay Example: The annals of history are adorned with the tales of ancient civilizations, but few are as captivating as the narrative of the Roman Republic. A saga of intrigue, power struggles, and societal evolution, the Roman Republic stands as a testament to the ingenuity and complexity of
Kamala Harris accepts debate invite. Recap notable debate moments
0:00. 3:03. Vice President Harris has accepted a debate invitation to be hosted on CBS on July 23 or Aug. 13, according to the Biden campaign. Currently, VP Harris is the only cemented debater as ...
The Roman Republic: a Tapestry of Governance
Essay Example: The annals of history are adorned with the tales of ancient civilizations, but few are as captivating as the narrative of the Roman Republic. A saga of intrigue, power struggles, and societal evolution, the Roman Republic stands as a testament to the ingenuity and complexity of

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