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Narrative essay outline toolkit
| Action Item | Notes | Example |
|---|---|---|
Step I | The first step in creating an outline for a narrative essay is to identify the topic you will be writing on, this would involve clearly stating what the essay is going to be about. This would provide your reader with an idea of what to expect in the essay. | If you are writing an essay on your self-growth through an adventure, your topic can be “My Trek through the Amazon Rainforest” |
Step II | Once you've identified your topic, the subsequent step involves clarifying the purpose of your essay. The goal of the narrative essay is to use established storytelling techniques, like theme, conflict, and irony, in a uniquely personal way, and provide an insight into who you are and your characteristics. | If your objective is to narrate and tell a story, you can state, “The aim of the essay is to provide an insight into my trip to Amazon, and how it transformed my perspective on nature and life” |
Step III | This section of your outline is dedicated to crafting the central argument, known as the thesis statement, for your essay. The thesis statement for a narrative essay should include the lesson or moral of your story. | Continuing the example, your thesis statement for the topic could be, “My trek through the Amazon Rainforest was a transformative experience that reshaped my perspective on nature and life.” |
Step IV | Now, it's time to chart the course for your essay by outlining the key components. Narrative text structure uses a story structure that includes story elements such as setting, characters, conflict, plot (rising action, climax, falling action), resolution, and learnings. | The main points for your essay could be
|
Step V | After introducing the main points of your essay, the next step involves in-depth elaboration on each of these points, substantiated by relevant examples. In this section, you will explicitly outline the main points to be discussed and specify the examples that will reinforce your arguments. | In your main point “Preparing for the Trek”, sub-points you can include can be
|
Step VI | Academic essays will require you to cite all information presented, along with the need to attribute examples, quotes, and data that support your arguments. Within this context, you should clearly outline the sources from which you will be citing information | You can cite examples of other people who had such experiences. Also, you support your learning by relating it to a research paper on self-growth and development |
Step VII | A hook serves the purpose of capturing the reader's attention and piquing their curiosity. A personal story or anecdote can be considered a good hook for a narrative essay, as it engages with your reader on a personal level. | You can start the introduction with an anecdote to create a hook like “The dense, vibrant Amazon Rainforest was calling my name, promising an adventure of a lifetime”. Then you can continue to explain the journey as a whole by highlighting your decision to embark on the journey, and the feels of the adventure itself. |
Step VIII | After you have stated your key points, it's time to conclude your essay. In narrative essays, you summarize the main ideas by briefly restating the events or insights from the essay. Or create a reflection by giving in-depth considerations on what has been learned or observed | In the conclusion, you will Reiterate the thesis statement, emphasizing the transformative nature of your Amazon adventure, and then summarize key points you made in the essay. |
Step IX | Transition words play a crucial role in ensuring the seamless flow of your writing, facilitating smooth transitions between sentences, paragraphs, and topics. Timeline transitions are usually used in a narrative essay, that are able to convey a series of events in a certain order. | In your narrative essay, you can use words like “meanwhile”, and “subsequently”, etc. to transition from a concept, idea, or sentence to another |
Step X | With your outline now complete, take a moment to revisit it, ensuring it maintains logical coherence and comprehensiveness. Make any necessary revisions as you review. | Finally, during the review, you will need to ensure that each point flows logically and you have included all the necessary information and didn’t add any extra points. |
Once you are done with these steps, this is what your structure will look like
Introduction
- The dense, vibrant Amazon Rainforest was calling my name, promising an adventure of a lifetime
- Describe the allure of the Amazon and your decision to embark on this journey
Thesis
My trek through the Amazon Rainforest was a transformative experience that reshaped my perspective on nature and life.
Preparing for the Trek
- Share your initial excitement and anticipation, and discuss the preparations, including research, vaccinations, and physical training.
- Describe the moment of departure and the first steps into the rainforest.
Immersion in the Amazon's Natural Beauty
- Paint a vivid picture of the rainforest's lush beauty and diverse flora and fauna
- Reflect on how the rainforest's biodiversity impacted your perspective
Transformation and Personal Growth
- Reflect on how the journey changed you, both physically and emotionally
- Share how the trek through the Amazon reshaped your perspective on life and its priorities
Conclusion
- Reiterate the thesis statement, emphasizing the transformative nature of your Amazon adventure
- Conclude with a reflection on the lasting impact of this life-altering journey and how it continues to shape your life
This is what your outline will look like
Firstly, the essay will elaborate on my initial excitement and preparations for the trek. After that, the essay will move on to my experience of the Amazon forest by highlighting its diverse flora and fauna, and how that impacted my perspective. Lastly, the essay will highlight my personal growth by emphasizing changes both emotionally and physically.
How to write an outline for an informative essay
1. Identify the topic
The initial step in crafting an outline for a narrative essay is to pinpoint the central theme around which your story will revolve. Essentially, you need to define what your essay will be about, offering readers a clear glimpse into the narrative's core.
If you are writing an essay on your self-growth through an adventure, your topic can be “My Trek through the Amazon Rainforest”
2. Define the objective
Once you've established your topic, the subsequent step involves clarifying the purpose of your narrative essay. The objective here is to meld conventional storytelling techniques, like theme, conflict, and irony, into a uniquely personal narrative that offers readers insight into your character and experiences.
If your objective is to narrate and tell a story, you can state, “The aim of the essay is to provide an insight into my trip to Amazon, and how it transformed my perspective on nature and life”
3. Craft the thesis
This section of your outline is dedicated to fashioning the central argument, or thesis statement, for your narrative essay. In a narrative essay, the thesis statement should summarize the ultimate lesson or moral of your story.
Continuing the example, your thesis statement for the topic could be, “My trek through the Amazon Rainforest was a transformative experience that reshaped my perspective on nature and life.”
4. Main points
Now, it's time to chart the course for your essay by outlining the key components. Narrative text structure encompasses story elements such as setting, characters, conflict, plot (including rising action, climax, falling action), resolution, and the lessons learned.
Preparing for the Trek
- Immersion in the Amazon's Natural Beauty
- Transformation and Personal Growth
5. Sub-points
After introducing the main points of your narrative essay, the next step involves delving into each of these points, substantiated by relevant examples. In this section, you will explicitly outline the sub-points to be discussed and specify the examples that will reinforce your arguments.
Preparing for the Trek
- Share your initial excitement and anticipation, and discuss the preparations, including research, vaccinations, and physical training.
- Describe the moment of departure and the first steps into the rainforest.
Immersion in the Amazon's Natural Beauty
- Paint a vivid picture of the rainforest's lush beauty and diverse flora and fauna
- Reflect on how the rainforest's biodiversity impacted your perspective
Transformation and Personal Growth
- Reflect on how the journey changed you, both physically and emotionally
- Share how the trek through the Amazon reshaped your perspective on life and its priorities.
All will be explained with examples and backed with statistical data.
6. Evidence and citations
While narrative essays are personal in nature, it's essential to cite information, examples, quotes, and data that support your arguments. This adds credibility to your narrative and connects it to a broader context.
You can cite examples of other people who had such experiences. Also, you support your learning by relating it to a research paper on self-growth and development
7. Introduction and hook
A hook and introduction serves the purpose of capturing the reader's attention and drawing them into your narrative. A personal story or anecdote can be a powerful hook for a narrative essay, as it engages readers on a personal level.
You can start the introduction with an anecdote to create a hook like “The dense, vibrant Amazon Rainforest was calling my name, promising an adventure of a lifetime”. Then you can continue to explain the journey as a whole by highlighting your decision to embark on the journey, and the feels of the adventure itself.
8. Conclusion
After you've presented your key points, it's time to conclude your narrative essay. In this section, you'll summarize the main ideas by briefly revisiting the events or insights from your journey. You can also reflect deeply on what you've learned or observed.
In the conclusion, you will Reiterate the thesis statement, emphasizing the transformative nature of your Amazon adventure, and then summarize key points you made in the essay.
9. Transitions
Transition words play a crucial role in ensuring the seamless flow of your writing, facilitating smooth transitions between sentences, paragraphs, and topics. Timeline transitions are usually used in a narrative essay, that are able to convey a series of events in a certain order.
In your narrative essay, you can use words like “meanwhile”, and “subsequently”, etc. to transition from a concept, idea, or sentence to another.
10. Refine and review
With your outline now complete, take a moment to revisit it, ensuring it maintains logical coherence and comprehensiveness. Make any necessary revisions as you review, ensuring that each point flows logically, and that you've included all the necessary information without introducing extraneous details.
Finally, during the review, you will need to ensure that each point flows logically and you have included all the necessary information and didn’t add any extra points.
