Down and Dirty Tips: Narrative and Descriptive Essays: Narrative Organization

Step 3: Organize the Body Paragraphs

Organizing the body paragraphs of a narrative essay is pretty straightforward. Narrative essays use chronological organization. Follow the timeline of events and start a new paragraph when:

• The story goes in a new direction
• There's a scene change
• A dialogue occurs back-and-forth between speakers: make a new paragraph each time someone different speaks.

Dialogue Example:

     With shaking hands, Carlos handed me the destroyed book. He said, “I really don’t mind getting you another one.”
     I said, “That’s not the point. It belonged to my mother.”
     He looked down at his shoes and said, “I am truly sorry. What can I do? I didn’t even know it was in my backpack.”
     I swallowed hard and wiped away a tear, “Nothing.”

Step 4: Fill Up the Essay with Details and Vivid Language

• What you saw
• What you smelled
• What you tasted
• What you touched
• What you heard

• What you and others said and did
  

Avoid too much feelings and thoughts:

• Rather than say, "I was scared," describe your actions instead. For example, "My stomach dropped and I chewed through my fingernails."