What is narrative writing? This lesson will define narrative, identify characteristics of narrative writing, and provide narrative writing examples.
Updated: 11/21/2023
Narrative Writing | Definition, Types & Structure
Table of Contents
- What is a Narrative?
- Narrative Synonyms
- Narrative Origin
- Narrative Writing Examples
- Types of Narrative Writing:
- Features of Narrative Writing
- Gaining Mastery in Narrative Writing
- Lesson Summary
Frequently Asked Questions
What is an example of a narrative?
There are many well-known examples of narratives. They include novels, short stories, comics, musicals, and plays. Anything that really has a story could be considered a narrative.
What is the definition of narrative writing?
Narrative writing is writing that tells a story. It is a way of connecting a series of events in order to tell a good story.
How do you write a narrative story?
A narrative story requires a plot, characters, setting, conflict, structure, theme, and point of view. Use a graphic organizer to roughly draft an exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution. Once that is done, come up with a good hook to begin the story and get the reader interested.
Table of Contents
- What is a Narrative?
- Narrative Synonyms
- Narrative Origin
- Narrative Writing Examples
- Types of Narrative Writing:
- Features of Narrative Writing
- Gaining Mastery in Narrative Writing
- Lesson Summary
Narratives show patterns and relate them to one another or to specific ideas or themes. The narrative definition includes spoken or written accounts of connected events. Narrative writing is a type of writing that is told in great detail and focuses solely on the practice of telling stories. Its purpose is to tell readers "the whole story". Unlike textbooks and many non-fiction books, which provide us with information, narrative writing, such as novels and short stories, gives us characters, plots, settings, and conflict.
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Narratives can be called other recognizable names, such as:
- Accounts
- Stories
- Fairytales
- Tales
- Reports
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Narratives or storytelling has been around forever and is one of the oldest methods by which people learned to communicate. From cave dwellers, who used pigment to paint on walls to tell stories, to the Egyptians, who carved their stories into walls using hieroglyphics, there have always been stories to tell. The first actual written narratives were in 700 BC and were the "Epic of Gilgamesh" and "The Iliad" by Homer. One of the most famous accounts of oral storytelling that became written stories were the tales written by the Greek slave Aesop. His famous fairytales are loved and read by children all over the world.
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Because stories were recorded orally or in writing throughout history, they had the ability to be shared with others through time and space. Through these stories, people were able to learn about cultures, traditions, and historical practices as well as time periods and the people who lived in that time period. Without oral and written narratives, parts of history would have disappeared, and there would be limited knowledge about people's ancestors.
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Narrative writing includes both fictional (stories that are not true) and non-fictional writing (stories that are true like biographies and autobiographies). Narrative writing examples include:
- Novels: Novels are lengthy pieces of writing divided into chapters or sections and having well-developed characters and plots. Examples include "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins and "Lord of the Flies" by William Golding.
- Short stories: Short stories are similar to novels but are much shorter. Examples include "The Lottery" by Shirley Jackson and "The Gift of the Magi" by O.Henry.
- Comics: Comics are basically short stories that have graphics and photos to assist with the storytelling. They include modern anime comics as well as more traditional ones that focus on superheroes.
- Plays and musicals: These types of narratives are written as dialogue. They are often broken up into acts and take place in front of a live audience. Examples include Shakespearan plays and musicals like "Hamilton" and "Cats".
- Narrative poetry: These refer to poems that tell a story like epic poems that detail heroic feats and adventures. Examples include "The Odyssey" by Homer and "Paradise Lost" by John Milton.
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There are many different types of narrative writing including:
- Descriptive narratives
- Viewpoint narratives
- Historical narratives
- Linear narratives
- Non-linear narratives
Descriptive Narratives
Descriptive narratives are narratives that create detailed settings and provide insight into the mood and tone of that setting. The key to this narrative is creating a detailed picture for the reader so that they can visualize the place and the characters who live there. Word usage is very important and should be as descriptive as possible.
Viewpoint Narrative
In a viewpoint narrative, the story is presented to the reader via the eyes of the narrator. Readers are given a detailed understanding of the feelings, beliefs, and values of the character or characters whose viewpoint is being represented in the story. For example, in Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre, Jane is the title character and the narrator who tells her own story from her own perspective.
Historical Narrative
A historical narrative details a historical event in order from start to finish. It will describe what caused an event and the effects it had on the people involved. It will also concentrate on a particular time period and try to detail that period with as much accuracy as possible. Examples include "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer and "1776" by David McCullough.
Linear Narrative
In a linear narrative, events are told in the order they happened. The author may detail someone's life from start to finish and show how events in their life helped them become the person they became. For example, Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl details her life via a diary from before the Nazi invasion till her death at their hands. She talks about her everyday life and how that affects her. The reader gets first-hand insight into her hopes for the future and eventually her sorrow at what life has become for her and her family.
Non-Linear Narrative
In a non-linear narrative, things are told out of chronological or logical order. The story basically jumps and back and forth. It can include things like flashbacks, flashforwards, dream sequences, or foreshadowing. One great example of this type of narrative is The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. In this novel, multiple flashbacks and flash-forwards are used to detail the characters' lives.
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There are several common narrative features. They include:
- Plot
- Characters
- Setting
- Conflict
- Structure
- Theme
- Point of view
Plot
The plot refers to the events that take place in the story. It is basically a sequence of events where every event affects the next one and it ties things together.
Characters
Any good narrative will provide detailed descriptions of the characters through their physical descriptions, actions, thoughts, and speech. The reader should also be able to identify the main protagonist (the lead character of the story) and the antagonist (the primary opponent of the antagonist and what stops them from achieving their goals).
Setting
Setting refers to the place and time of the narrative. It allows the reader to get a view of the backdrop of the story and also helps set the mood.
Conflict
Every good story has an element of conflict, which is basically a struggle between opposing forces. Conflict can be internal or external. Internal conflict is when the character struggles with their own beliefs or desires. They basically struggle with themselves. External conflict is when a character struggles with someone or something beyond their control.
Structure
Structure is the general order of the narrative. Generally, there is a set order as follows:
- Exposition: This is the introduction and is where characters are introduced, the setting is described, the mood is set, and the primary conflict is introduced.
- Rising action: The conflict will start to build leading to suspense and increased interest in the story.
- Climax: This is the turning point in the story, the point at which the conflict will reach its highest point. The reader will want to know what happens next.
- Falling action: In this stage, the conflict is resolved and the author tries to tie up all the loose ends.
- Resolution: This is the ending of the story and will include what happened after everything was resolved. It should close the story nicely.
Theme
Any good author will want to write a story for more than just entertainment purposes. Good narratives will make you think, reflect, and even provide insight into life. Good themes make writing memorable and the impact will extend well beyond the ending of a story.
Point of View
Authors will use different points of view depending on what message they are trying to convey in the story and what they want the reader to know. The story could be told by the main character, by someone who knows the main character, or from the perspective of someone who sees all the characters but is not an actual character.
- In the first-person point of view, one of the characters is telling the story. This gives us great insight into that character but it can be limited because everything is from their perspective.
- The second person point of view is where the author uses the word "you" and tries to draw the reader into the action and make them feel part of the story.
- In the third-person point of view, the author is external to the story and uses the words "he" and she". The author can know everything about all the characters or they may know only things about certain characters.
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Writing a good story takes time and practice. There are, however, ways to help writers master this style of writing including:
- Thinking of good stories that appeal not only to the writer but to the reader as well. Good storylines are important.
- Writing should always be structured and well-organized. Use a graphic organizer and briefly detail the exposition, conflict, rising action, conflict, and resolution. Having a good outline will make the actual writing process more coherent.
- When the writer starts to write, they should devise a good 'hook' to get the reader interested right from the very start. A good hook will get them wanting to read more.
- Read other narrative writing to see how the experts do it and learn from them.
- Be prepared to write a draft and then revise that draft to make it the best it can be.
- Good writers are not afraid of criticism and allow others to give them feedback so they can learn.
Writing Prompts
The hardest part of writing is knowing where to begin. Sometimes, writers need help identifying topics or things to write about. The following are some prompts that may assist writers as they think of topics:
- What is a goal that you have achieved and how did you reach that goal?
- Think about a time you experienced hardship and failure. Write about the experience and how it affected your life.
- Think of a friend you lost contact with over the years. Write about that friend, what you think happened to them and what their life is like now.
- Write a story or poem about getting older.
- What scares you? Write a ghost story about this fear and its impact.
- Think about your school experiences and funny things that happened. Write a story about one of these memorable events.
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A narrative is another way of saying "story". Narrative writing is a type of writing that focuses solely on the practice of telling stories. Some narrative writing examples include:
- Novels
- Short stories
- Plays
- Comics
The main types of narrative writing are:
- Descriptive narrative: a story in which detailed settings and insight into the mood and tone of the setting are provided
- Viewpoint narrative: a story that is told from the viewpoint of the narrator
- Historical narrative: a story that details a historical event from start to finish
- Linear narrative: a story in which events are told in the order in which they happened
- Non-linear narrative: a story in which things are told out of chronological or logical order
A good narrative will include a:
- Plot: the events that take place in the story
- Characters: detailed descriptions of the main people in the story
- Setting: the location of the narrative
- Conflict: the struggle that occurs in the story
- Structure: general order of the story
- Theme: the main point of the story
- Point of view: the perspective from which the story is told and can include first-person (uses the word "I" and one of the characters tells the story), second-person(uses the word "you" and tries to actively involve the reader), and third-person (uses the word"he" or "she" and the author is external to the story).
Writing a good narrative will take time and practice. Graphic organizers can help with organization and writing prompts can help provide good topic ideas.
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Video Transcript
What is Narrative Writing?
What is the difference between 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' and a newspaper article on bear attack statistics? Both are about human interaction with bears, but the difference is the first is a made-up story about a girl meeting some bears, while the second is reporting on facts about bears. A story has many obvious differences from a statistical report. 'Goldilocks' is an example of narrative writing, which is any kind of writing that tells a story.
Narrative Writing as Fiction
Usually, narrative writing is categorized as fiction, which is based on imaginative events or stories that did not actually happen. The other category of writing is known as nonfiction, which would be writing that is based on real facts. This usually consists of newspapers, essays, reports, and other informative writing. However, some nonfiction can in fact tell a story, which would classify it as narrative writing. In the case of nonfiction, the story must be a true story with real people and events. Autobiographies and biographies are examples of nonfiction that is narrative writing, as they tell the real story of a person's life.
Characteristics of Narrative Writing
There are many specific traits every piece of narrative writing should have. All stories must have characters, also known as the people or subjects of the story. Usually there are also specific types of characters needed in order to create a developed story. For example, each story will often have a protagonist, which is the hero or heroine. This is the central character of the story. Often, there is also an antagonist, which is a character who opposes the protagonist. Overall, each story needs characters to push forward or react to the events in the plot.
In addition to characters, every story must have a plot, or events that occur. Think of your favorite book. What if none of the events in that book happened? Take away the plot, and the characters would just be sitting around doing nothing. Would it still be your favorite book? Of course not, it would be the most boring read ever! Every story needs a plot or events that give the characters something to react to. Usually, the plot consists of five components: the exposition, rising action, climax, falling action, and resolution.
One of the most important components of a story is the conflict. A conflict is any struggle between opposing forces. Imagine a story where there were no problems. The characters simply lived their happy lives with no troubles and nothing difficult to deal with. Would that story interest you? Probably not. Conflict is very important to creating interest in stories.
Usually, the main conflict is between the protagonist and the antagonist, but that is not always the case. The struggles can exist between society, within a character, or even with acts of nature. There are two basic types of conflict: internal and external. Internal conflicts are the struggles that occur within a character, and external conflicts are the struggles outside of a character. These can occur between two characters, between characters and society, or between characters and natural events.
The setting is another component of narrative writing. The setting is the time and location in which the story takes place. These facts set the scene for the story and can determine what kind of conflict occurs. For example, if a story is set in the 1800s, can the protagonist have a conflict that involves losing his cell phone? Unless the story is about time travel, the answer is no. The setting can also be important to plot twists if the reader makes assumptions about the time or place that turn out to be false. Overall, the setting has an important impact on every story.
One last component of narrative writing is point of view. Point of view is the perspective in which the story is told. The two main points of view are first-person and third-person. If a story is told in first-person point of view, the narrator, or person who is telling the story, is a character in the story. In this case, the narrator is telling his personal thoughts and opinions within the story, using the personal pronouns me, my, and I.
In third-person point of view, the narrator is outside of the story. In this case, the narrator tells the story as if the characters don't know he is there watching the events take place. Imagine you are announcing a baseball game. You are not inside the game, so you tell it as if you are watching from the outside. That is third-person point of view. Every story must have a point of view, since there needs to be someone telling the story.
Types and Examples of Narrative Writing
There are many types of narrative writing. Basically, any written work that tells a story can be labeled as narrative writing. Here are examples of some of the most common types:
- Novels are usually more lengthy and can be divided into chapters or sections: for example, the Harry Potter series and Pride and Prejudice.
- Short stories are similar to novels, but much shorter in length: for example, 'The Legend of Sleepy Hollow' and 'The Tell-Tale Heart.'
- Comics are short stories broken up into episodes with graphics or pictures. Examples include 'Superman,' 'Spider-Man,' or any comic from a newspaper or magazine.
- Plays and Musicals are written as dialogue and usually broken up into acts and designed to be performed in front of an audience: for example, Romeo and Juliet or any other Shakespeare play. Modern examples include Wicked or The Lion King.
- Narrative poetry is any poem that tells a story. Epic poems are long narrative poems detailing adventure and heroic quests. Examples include Paradise Lost, The Divine Comedy, and The Odyssey.
Lesson Summary
Narrative writing must tell a story. Fiction is writing that is imagined and not based on real events. Nonfiction is based on real events and could be narrative writing. Characteristics of narrative writing include characters, plot, conflict, setting, and point of view. Types of narrative writing include novels, short stories, comics, plays, musicals, and narrative poetry.
Things to Remember About Narrative Writing
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- Narrative writing tells a story
- Narrative writing can be fiction or non-fiction
- Narrative writing must have characters, a plot, conflict, setting, and a point of view
- Narrative writing comes in many forms
Learning Outcomes
By the end of this lesson, you should feel confident in completing the following tasks:
- Describe narrative writing
- List the characteristics of narrative writing
- Recite some examples of narrative writing
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Narrative Writing | Definition, Types & Structure
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