It is much more interesting to actually recreate an incident for readers than to simply tell about it. Find a generalization which the story supports. This is the only way the writer's personal experience will take on meaning for readers. Remember that although the main component of a narrative is the story, details must be carefully selected to support, explain, and enhance the story. In writing your narrative essay, keep the following conventions in mind.
Narratives rely on concrete, sensory details to convey their point.
These details should create a unified, forceful effect, a dominant impression. More information on sensory details is available. This handout was written by Judith Kilborn for the Write Place, St. Cloud State University and may be copied for educational purposes only.