What Is Narrative Writing? The 4 Basics You'll Want To Know

So you’ve found yourself wondering; what is Narrative writing? In it’s simplest form it is best described as storytelling.

Think of your favorite movie with that awesome voiceover actor speaking as the Narrator, that is the best definition of what narrative writing is.

The human mind has a natural inclination towards storytelling. We love nothing more than hearing about someone else’s experiences and listening to their take on things. This is because stories are memorable and have the ability to transport us to another place and time.

So how can narrative writing help you convey these thoughts and emotions?

Narrative writing can help us understand what it is like to be in someone else’s shoes, see the world through their eyes, and feel what they might have felt in a particular situation.

Narrative writing can help you better understand the human condition by giving voice to the thoughts, feelings, aspirations, fears, and desires of different characters within your work.

It delves into topics such as identity, relationships, societal pressures, love and loss, stressors, family dynamics, friendships – anything that has had an impact on you as a person or character in your story.

What is the Purpose of Narrative Writing?

Narrative writing focuses on telling a story to try and convey a particular message or feeling. It is often written in the first person, so you are telling a story from your perspective, as if you are the main character.

Good examples of narrative writing include short stories, poetry, creative non-fiction, travelogues, and personal essays.

Narrative writing is very flexible in terms of genre or topic, so long as it is written in the first person, has a beginning, middle and end, and has a message or lesson to convey.

Traits of Good Narrative Writing

– Logical sequencing: The writer should be able to follow the flow of the piece in a logical sequence of events. They should also be able to explain why certain things happen in a given situation and not others.

– Personality: The writer should be able to give a distinct personality to all the characters in the story. They should be able to show the reader why a character acts in a certain way, has specific beliefs, and has a particular outlook on life.

– Good use of figurative language: The writer should be able to use vivid language, metaphors, similes, and other figures of speech to create an imagery-rich narrative.

– Connections with the reader: The writer should be able to connect with the reader and make them feel connected to the story.

Why is Narrative Writing important?

– Helps understand human nature: Writing narrative content will help you understand the underlying desires and needs of human nature. It will help you observe human nature in action and enable you to write fictional narratives that are more real-world applicable.

– Helps improve your communication skills: Writing narrative content is a good way to improve your communication skills. It will enable you to hone your ability to write engagingly and tell a meaningful story that will engage the reader. It will also help you understand how to structure your narrative content better.

– Helps understand the world around you: Writing narrative content is a great way to explore the different aspects of the world around you. You can use it to express your feelings about a current event or to delve into a subject that interests you.

– Helps you work through your emotions: Writing narrative content is a great way to work through your emotions. You can use your writing to express your feelings, explore different ideas, and put your emotions into words.

– Can help deal with difficult situations: Writing narrative content is also a great way to help you deal with difficult situations in your life. You can use it to process your emotions, explore your thoughts, and put your feelings into words.

Tips for Writing Good Narrative Content

– Know your audience: First things first, you need to know who your audience is. This will help you know what your narrative content needs to convey and help you write it accordingly.

– Choose an interesting topic: You need to choose a topic that is interesting for your audience. If you don’t find your topic interesting, how can you expect anyone else to?

– Set a goal: You need to set a goal for your narrative content. What do you want to achieve with your writing? What do you want your readers to take away from it? What do you want them to think or feel after reading it?

– Outline your narrative content: You need to outline your narrative content before you start writing it. This will help you organize your thoughts and ideas, know where you are going with your content, and create a narrative that makes sense and is easy to understand.

– Revise your narrative content: Once you have written your narrative content, you need to revise it before publishing it. This will help you edit out any mistakes, make your writing clearer, and improve your narrative content.

– Have a consistent writing routine: You need to have a consistent writing routine so you can make writing narrative content a habit. This will help you increase your output and make writing a regular part of your routine.

Conclusion

Narrative writing is an important form of written communication that can help you convey your thoughts, feelings, and emotions, as well as inform others about different aspects of life that interest you.

It can also help you work through your emotions, understand the world around you, and understand the human condition better. If you’re looking to improve your writing, then narrative writing is a great way to do so.