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50 Engaging Narrative Essay Topics for High Schoolers

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What’s Covered:

Narrative essays vs. analytical essays, how to pick the right narrative essay topic, elements of a strong narrative essay, engaging narrative essay topics for high schoolers, where to get your narrative essay edited for free.

Narrative essays are an extensive form of writing that gives readers the opportunity to follow along as a person goes through a journey or sets of experiences. Rather than providing analytic insight, narrative essays simply share a story and offer a first-person account. These essays may seem easy to write at first, but it takes a certain finesse to write a narrative essay that is interesting, cohesive, and well-researched. Whether you’re looking for a unique topic to write about, or just want some new inspiration, CollegeVine is here to help! These 50 narrative essay topics are engaging, unique and will have you writing in no time.

A narrative essay is a great way to express your personal experiences and opinions, but it is important to remember that this type of essay is different from an analytical paper. In a narrative essay, you do not need to provide background information or explain your thoughts and feelings; instead, you simply tell a story. It’s important to avoid too much telling in your writing; instead, use creative details and vivid imagery to make readers feel as if they are actually right there with you.

Where You Will Encounter Narrative Essays

This type of essay is typically encountered in high school, where students may be required to write personal statements to prepare for their Common App essay . Narrative essays are also commonly seen in AP Language and Composition. Therefore, it’s important you are aware of the style because you are bound to have a narrative essay assignment.  

Of course, before you start writing, it is important to pick the right essay topic. There are many factors involved in the process of picking the perfect narrative essay topic for your story.

You should always choose a topic that you are passionate about, since writing on something you care about will make the process much easier. Not only will it be more interesting to create your paper around something that truly interests you, but it will also allow you to fully express yourself in your essay. You also want to be sure that the topic has enough material to work with. If your chosen topic is too short, you will not have enough content to write a complete paper. For example, if you are writing about your experience getting lost at the mall, make sure that you have enough information to work with to craft an engaging narrative. 

The best topic for an engaging narrative essay is one that focuses on showing versus telling, has a clear structure, and provides a dialogue. These elements come together to form an engaging narrative essay. Regardless of what subject you pick, any topic may be turned into a fascinating, A+ worthy narrative using the tips below.

Show, Don’t Tell

To write a good narrative essay, it’s important to show, not tell. Instead of simply informing your audience, show them what you mean. For example, instead of saying “I was nervous,” you could say “My heart began to race and my stomach filled with butterflies.” Also make sure to use sensory details, such as sights, sounds and tastes, and include a personal reflection at the end of your narrative. 

Begin with a Strong Opening Line

A good narrative essay will begin with an attention-grabbing opening line. But make sure to avoid common clichés, such as “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” Instead, come up with something original and specific to you and your situation. For example: “My pre-calc teacher was obsessed with circles. I mean, he even used circular note cards.” Or, “It all started the day my mom brought home a guinea pig.”

Follows a Three-Act Structure

A strong narrative essay follows the same three-act structure as other essays. But in order to make it interesting, you’ll need to come up with a creative way to break things down into sections. For example, using the guinea pig example from above, you could write the following:

• Act 1 – Introduction: The day my mom brought home a guinea pig.
• Act 2 – Conflict: The day I had to say goodbye to my beloved pet.
• Act 3 – Conclusion: Looking back at how much I miss him now that he’s gone.

Conclude with Personal Reflection

To conclude your narrative essay, you’ll want to explain what this specific experience taught you or how you’ve changed. For example, upon realizing that her pre-calc teacher was obsessed with circles, the writer of the previous example begins to notice circular shapes everywhere. Another way to conclude your narrative essay is by touching on how this experience impacted you emotionally. For example, after losing his guinea pig, the writer explains how much he missed it.

Use Dialogue

Include a conversation in your essay to make it come alive. For example, instead of simply saying that you met a new friend, talk about how you introduced yourselves or what they were wearing when you met them.

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The following list of 50 narrative essay topics is divided into categories. This will make it easier to find a topic that fits your writing style.

1. What is a childhood song that still sticks with you today?

2. Your first day of Kindergarten

3. Talk about a time when you’re siblings looked up to you

4. Describe the best birthday party you’ve ever had

5. Talk about the best day you ever spent with a childhood friend

6. Explain your first childhood hobby

7. Describe your first halloween costume

8. A family vacation gone wrong

9. Your first family reunion

10. Describe a tradition that is unique to your family

11. Describe your family to a person who’s never met them before

12. What frustrates you most about your family

13. If you could only keep one memory of your family, what would it be and why?

14. Describe a time your family embarrassed you in public

15. The most beautiful place in the world

16. Your favorite season and why

17. If you were a part of nature, what element would you be? Why?

18. When you go outside, which of your senses are you most thankful to have?

19. Describe the first time you witnessed a tornado 

20. Write a poem about your favorite season

21. Describe yourself as one of the four seasons

22. Describe a time in which you felt connected with nature

23. Describe the first time you played an instrument and how you felt

24. What major event would be much worse if music was removed, and why?

25. If you could only listen to one song for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

26. What would a life without music look like?

27. If you could master one instrument, what would it be and why?

Relationships

28. What if you had never met your best friend?

29. Describe a time when you fixed a broken relationship

30. Talk about a movie that defined a relationship for you

31. Describe your first date

32. Describe the first time you made a friend

33. Describe your relationship with your parents

Self Reflection

34. Have you ever fooled someone? If so, describe what happened and how you felt about it

35. What is the worst thing you’ve done to someone else?

36. Write about the difference between how things seem and how they really are. 

37. Have you ever been embarrassed in some way? If so, describe the situation and how it affected you as well as those around you

38. Have you ever witnessed something really beautiful? Describe it

39. Is your glass half empty or half full?

Overcoming Adversity 

40. Have you ever been very afraid of something but tried your hardest to appear fearless? If so, describe that experience

41. When have you ever succeeded when you thought you might fail

42. What are your secret survival strategies?

43. Describe the last time you were stressed and why?

44. Describe a time when you were discriminated against

45. The most memorable class you’ve had and why

46. Your favorite study abroad memory

47. Describe your kindergarten classroom

48. Describe your first teacher

49. The first time you experienced detention

50. Your first field trip

Hopefully these topics will get you thinking about a personal experience that could make for a thoughtful and engaging narrative essay. Remember, a strong narrative essay must contain relatable details and a clear flow that keeps the reader entertained and engaged to read all the way to the end.

If you need some additional guidance on your narrative essay, use CollegeVine’s free peer review essay tool to get feedback for free!

Related CollegeVine Blog Posts

Narrative Essay Topics: TOP 200 Choices for Students

Imagine yourself facing a blank page, ready to fill it with your memories and imagination. What story will you tell today?

As students, you often have to write narratives that capture people's attention. But with so many stories to choose from, where do you start? How do you find the perfect topic that will grab our readers' interest and make them think?

Join our essay service experts as we explore 200 topics for college where stories are waiting to be told, and experiences are ready to be shared. From everyday events to unforgettable moments, each topic is a chance to connect with your readers and make them feel something.

Best Narrative Essay Topics: How to Choose the One That Resonates 

A narrative essay is a type of writing that tells a personal story, including characters, plot, setting, and the order of events. Its main goal is to connect with readers emotionally and share a specific message or insight through the retelling of a meaningful experience.

Students write narrative essays as part of their studies for several reasons. Firstly, it allows them to express themselves creatively by sharing their unique experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Secondly, it helps them develop important writing skills like organizing ideas and thoughts effectively.

Choosing good narrative essay ideas involves looking at personal experiences, interests, and the potential for engaging storytelling. Here's a simple guide to help you pick the right topic:

• Think about significant moments in your life that had a lasting impact, such as personal growth or overcoming challenges.
• Choose topics related to your hobbies, interests, or areas of expertise to make your story more engaging.
• Consider what your audience would be interested in and choose topics that resonate with them.
• Focus on a specific event or detail to make your narrative more focused and impactful.
• Look for universal themes like love or personal transformation that connect with readers on a deeper level.
• Brainstorm ideas and write freely to uncover compelling topics.
• Decide on storytelling techniques like flashbacks or foreshadowing and choose a topic that fits.
• Get feedback from friends, peers, or instructors to see if your topics are interesting and impactful.
• Choose topics that evoke strong emotions for a more compelling narrative.
• Select a topic that you personally connect with to make your story authentic.

Once you've chosen a topic, brainstorm ideas and create an outline for your essay. Follow your professor's instructions carefully and consider seeking help from our narrative essay writing service if needed.

Bring your stories to life with EssayPro. Select from a vast array of narrative essay topics and let our professionals help you weave your tales into captivating essays. Whether it's adventure, reflection, or imagination, we're here to assist.

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Ideas for Narrative Essay Topics

After exploring how students write narrative paragraphs, we've put together a list of narrative essay topics designed specifically for college and school students. This list covers a wide range of subjects, so pick one that speaks to you! If you want to see how to develop a topic into a written essay, check out our narrative essay example . 

Literacy Narrative Essay Topics for College Students

How about delving into captivating literacy narrative essay topics designed specifically for college-level writing? Exciting, isn't it?

• How did learning to read change my perspective on the world?
• What was my favorite childhood book and why?
• How did writing my first story impact my love for storytelling?
• What challenges did I face when learning a new language?
• How did keeping a journal help me improve my writing skills?
• How did my family influence my attitude toward reading?
• What role did literature play in shaping my identity?
• How did participating in a book club enhance my reading experience?
• How did technology affect my reading habits?
• What was the most memorable book I read in school?
• How did my favorite teacher inspire my passion for literature?
• What impact did reading diverse perspectives have on my worldview?
• How did overcoming a reading difficulty shape my relationship with books?
• What lessons did I learn from writing my first poem?
• How did storytelling traditions in my culture influence my literacy journey?

Personal Narrative Essay Topics on Relationships

Take a moment to reflect on your past experiences and craft compelling personal narratives with these essay ideas.

• How did my relationship with my best friend change over time?
• What lessons did I learn from my first romantic relationship?
• How did my relationship with my sibling influence who I am today?
• What challenges did I face in maintaining a long-distance friendship?
• How did a conflict with a family member teach me about communication?
• What role do my pets play in my life and relationships?
• How did volunteering together strengthen my bond with a friend?
• What impact did a mentor have on my personal growth?
• How did a betrayal affect my trust in relationships?
• What did I learn from a failed friendship?
• How did traveling with a friend deepen our connection?
• What role does forgiveness play in maintaining healthy relationships?
• How did my relationship with my parents evolve as I grew older?
• What lessons did I learn about teamwork from a group project?
• How did a disagreement with a colleague teach me about compromise?

Best Narrative Essay Topics on Education and Learning

Consider the beauty of sharing your personal experiences and emotions in a captivating manner through these ideas for personal narrative essays.

• How did a particular teacher inspire me to excel in school?
• What challenges did I face while adapting to online learning?
• How did participating in extracurricular activities shape my educational experience?
• What lessons did I learn from a memorable field trip?
• How did studying abroad broaden my perspective on education?
• What role does technology play in modern education?
• How did overcoming a learning obstacle impact my academic journey?
• What did I gain from tutoring a classmate in a challenging subject?
• How did a hands-on learning experience change my understanding of a topic?
• What impact did a mentor have on my educational and career aspirations?
• How did peer collaboration enhance my learning in a group project?
• What lessons did I learn from a failure or setback in school?
• How did my cultural background influence my approach to education?
• What role does self-directed learning play in my academic success?
• How did participating in a debate or public speaking event shape my communication skills?

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Personal Narrative Essay Ideas on Reflection on Life

Why not ignite your creativity with a range of narrative essay topics, from extraordinary moments to everyday experiences?

• How did confronting a fear change my view on courage and growth?
• How do family traditions shape my personal values and beliefs?
• What does success mean to me, and how has it evolved?
• Reflecting on friendships as a source of support in tough times.
• How have travel experiences expanded my global perspective?
• How do my hobbies and passions bring fulfillment to my life?
• Exploring the link between self-love and mental well-being.
• How can challenges lead to unexpected personal growth?
• Reflecting on the importance of setting and reaching personal goals.
• What pivotal moments mark my journey to self-acceptance?
• Investigating how forgiveness resolves personal conflicts.
• How do cultural expectations shape my idea of success?
• Reflecting on the significance of self-care for overall well-being.
• Exploring how technology influences my connections and worldview.
• What did I learn from facing a life-changing decision?

Ideas for a Narrative Essay on Culture and Society

Engaging your readers with narrative essays on culture and society is a great way to spark interest, offering captivating ideas for exploration.

• How has my cultural heritage shaped my identity?
• Reflecting on a tradition or ceremony that holds significance in my culture.
• Exploring the impact of globalization on local traditions and customs.
• How does language influence the way I perceive the world around me?
• Investigating the role of food in cultural identity and expression.
• Reflecting on a cultural celebration or festival that left a lasting impression.
• How does media portrayal affect societal perceptions of different cultures?
• Exploring the intersection of culture and religion in shaping values and beliefs.
• Reflecting on experiences of cultural assimilation or integration.
• How do stereotypes impact individuals within a cultural group?
• Investigating the role of art and literature in preserving cultural heritage.
• Reflecting on the challenges and benefits of multiculturalism in society.
• Exploring the significance of storytelling in passing down cultural traditions.
• How do cultural norms influence gender roles and expectations?
• Reflecting on the cultural exchange experiences that have broadened my perspective.

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Narrative Writing Topics on Hobbies and Interests

Wow your readers by turning your passions and hobbies into compelling narrative essay topics that will get them thinking.

• Describe a memorable adventure or experience related to your favorite hobby.
• Reflect on how your hobby has evolved over time and its significance in your life.
• Write about a moment when your hobby provided a sense of escape or relaxation.
• Explore the role of hobbies in promoting mental health and well-being.
• Share a story of how you discovered your passion for a particular hobby.
• Describe a challenge you faced while pursuing your hobby and how you overcame it.
• Reflect on the impact of your hobby on your relationships with others.
• Write about a hobby-related achievement or milestone that you are proud of.
• Explore how your hobby connects you to a community or group of like-minded individuals.
• Describe the process of learning a new hobby and the lessons you gained from it.
• Reflect on the role of hobbies in balancing work, leisure, and personal growth.
• Write about a hobby-related project or creation that you are passionate about.
• Explore the connection between your hobbies and your broader interests and values.
• Describe a favorite memory or experience involving your hobby.
• Reflect on how your hobbies have influenced your perspective on life and the world around you.

Narrative Essay Titles on Life-Changing Moments

Life is full of unexpected twists that can lead to life-changing moments. Take a look at these narrative essay titles for stories that have had a lasting impact on your life.

• How did meeting a lifelong friend change my life?
• What lessons did I learn from overcoming a major obstacle?
• How did traveling to a new country broaden my perspective?
• Reflecting on the day I discovered my passion.
• How did a health scare transform my lifestyle?
• What impact did volunteering in my community have on me?
• How did I find strength in a moment of loss?
• Reflecting on the decision that altered my path.
• How did a random act of kindness change my outlook?
• What lessons did I learn from a failed endeavor?
• How did confronting a fear empower me?
• Reflecting on the day I realized my potential.
• How did experiencing a natural disaster shape my priorities?
• What insights did I gain from a cultural exchange?
• How did a mentor's guidance impact my life trajectory?

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Good Narrative Topics on Travel and Adventure

Consider creating intriguing titles for your narrative essay ideas by exploring thrilling travel adventures.

• What was my most unforgettable travel experience?
• How did a solo journey change my perspective on life?
• Reflecting on an unexpected adventure in a foreign land.
• How did traveling on a budget lead to unexpected discoveries?
• What lessons did I learn from getting lost in a new city?
• How did a cultural immersion experience broaden my understanding of the world?
• Reflecting on the friendships formed during a travel adventure.
• What was the scariest moment I encountered while traveling?
• How did volunteering abroad impact my outlook on life?
• What cultural differences surprised me the most while traveling?
• Reflecting on the beauty of nature experienced during a hiking trip.
• How did traveling to a remote destination challenge my comfort zone?
• What was the most delicious food I tried while traveling?
• Reflecting on the kindness of strangers encountered during a journey.
• How did a travel mishap turn into a memorable experience?

Narrative Essay Topic Ideas on Career and Work Experience

College students can uncover captivating narrative essay ideas by exploring potential career paths or reminiscing about past job experiences.

• What was my first job, and what did I learn from it?
• Reflecting on a challenging project that taught me resilience.
• How did a career setback lead to unexpected opportunities?
• What lessons did I learn from transitioning to a new career?
• Reflecting on a mentor who influenced my career path.
• How did a workplace conflict teach me about communication?
• What was the most rewarding moment in my career so far?
• Reflecting on the importance of work-life balance in my career journey.
• How did networking help me advance in my career?
• What challenges did I face as a new graduate entering the workforce?
• Reflecting on the decision to pursue a passion versus stability in my career.
• How did a career change impact my sense of fulfillment?
• What skills did I develop through volunteer work that helped in my career?
• Reflecting on the role of mentors in my professional growth.
• How did a career milestone shape my future aspirations?

Interesting Narrative Essay Topics about Challenges and Obstacles

If you're not sure what to write about for your narrative essay, think back to the tough times you've had and how you managed to get through them.

• How did I overcome my fear of failure?
• Reflecting on a time when I felt like giving up but persevered.
• How did a personal setback lead to unexpected growth?
• What lessons did I learn from navigating a difficult relationship?
• Reflecting on a time when I had to step out of my comfort zone.
• How did I overcome a major health challenge?
• What strategies did I use to overcome procrastination?
• Reflecting on the resilience I developed after facing adversity.
• How did I navigate financial challenges and come out stronger?
• What did I learn from failing at something I was passionate about?
• Reflecting on the obstacles I faced while pursuing my dreams.
• How did I overcome imposter syndrome in my academic or professional life?
• What role did self-care play in helping me overcome challenges?
• Reflecting on a time when I had to stand up for myself in the face of adversity.
• How did I find motivation and inspiration during tough times?

Final Remarks

As we wrap up, our list of 200 narrative essay topics is here to fuel your creativity for your next writing project! Whether you're sharing a memorable event, reliving a childhood memory, or expressing a profound insight, crafting a narrative essay can be an uplifting experience that resonates deeply with readers.

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50 Exclusive Writing Prompts For High School Students

• February 23, 2024

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What is a writing prompt, types of writing prompts for high school students, 1. combating writer’s block, 2. skill development, 3. self-discovery and expression, frequently asked questions, we also recommend.

Writing is an essential skill for high school students, whether they are working on essays, creative writing pieces, or research papers. However, sometimes it can be difficult to come up with new and interesting topics to write about. This is where writing prompts come in handy. They can help you explore different themes, genres, and styles of writing, pushing you to think outside the box and expand your writing abilities.

In this article, we have compiled a list of 50 exclusive writing prompts specifically tailored for high school students. These prompts cover a wide range of subjects and genres, from personal narratives to persuasive essays to fictional stories.

Whether you’re looking to challenge yourself with a new writing style or simply want to explore different themes, these prompts are sure to inspire you and help you improve your writing skills.

A writing prompt serves as a cue to guide individuals toward a particular topic, task, or objective. It can take the form of text, a single word, or an image, prompting individuals to engage in writing about a specified topic in a specific manner. These prompts are often utilized in assessments or activities to encourage critical thinking and expression, providing students with a starting point for their writing endeavors.

There are various types of writing prompts suitable for high school students. Here are a few examples:

1. Narrative Prompts: This prompt encourages students to develop characters, setting, plot, and conflict within a story

• Example : You discover a mysterious note tucked inside an old book. What does it say and where does it lead you?

2. Descriptive Prompts: This prompt focuses on using sensory details to create a vivid image

• Example : Describe the feeling of sand slipping through your fingers as you watch the sunset on a beach.

SEE ALSO: 50 Creative Narrative Writing Prompts to Ignite Your Imagination

3. Expository Prompts:

• Example: Explain the process of photosynthesis to a young child. (This prompt requires students to break down complex information into clear and understandable language)

4. Persuasive or Argumentative Prompts: This prompt encourages students to research, develop a stance, and provide evidence to support their argument

• Example: Should social media platforms be held responsible for the spread of misinformation?

5. Reflective Prompts: This prompt encourages students to look inward, reflect on personal experiences, and articulate their growth

• Example: Describe a time you faced a difficult decision and how you overcame it.

6. Creative Prompts: This prompt allows for imaginative expression and experimentation with different forms of writing

• Example: Write a poem from the perspective of a tree witnessing the changing seasons.

7. Analytical Prompts: This prompt requires critical thinking and interpretation of literary elements

• Example: Analyze the symbolism used in Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” and its significance to the play’s themes.

What Are The Benefits of Writing Prompts?

Writing prompts offer a lot of benefits for high school students, from conquering writer’s block to honing their storytelling skills . Here are some key advantages:

Stuck staring at a blank page? Prompts act like magic sparks, igniting your imagination and providing a launchpad for creative ideas.

With diverse prompts covering different genres, themes, and styles, you’re bound to find something that piques your interest and unlocks your storytelling potential.

You can practice specific skills like descriptive writing, dialogue, or world-building through targeted exercises woven into prompts. To make the best of it, use prompts as springboards to explore emotions, values, and perspectives, weaving them into captivating narratives that reflect your unique voice.

READ ALSO: 10 Effective Writing Strategies to Enhance Your Writing Skills

You can use prompts for introspection and reflection, writing about experiences, feelings, and lessons learned, fostering personal growth. It also helps in unleashing your personal voice and perspective through your writing, showcasing your creativity and individuality.

Descriptive :

• Capture the chaotic energy of a school lunchroom at peak hour, using all five senses to immerse the reader in the experience.
• Describe a character’s most prized possession, revealing their personality and aspirations through its details and history.
• Paint a picture with words of a breathtaking natural landscape you’ve witnessed, conveying its raw beauty and emotional impact.
• Transport the reader to a bustling marketplace in a foreign country, highlighting the sights, sounds, and smells that paint a vivid cultural portrait.
• Imagine a world where emotions have colors and auras. Describe how a specific emotional state manifests visually and how it affects the surroundings.
• You wake up in a completely white room with no furniture or windows. Describe the disorienting atmosphere and how your senses adapt to the sensory deprivation.
• Detail the transformation of a familiar object as it ages, focusing on the subtle changes in its appearance and the emotions it evokes.
• Capture the quiet intimacy of a rainy evening spent indoors, emphasizing the comforting sights, sounds, and smells that create a peaceful atmosphere.
• Describe a character’s most treasured memory, using sensory details and evocative language to transport the reader back in time and experience it alongside them.
• Imagine you can taste memories. Describe the flavor and texture of a particularly significant memory, explaining what it reveals about your past and yourself.

Related Post: 50 Exclusive 2nd Grade Writing Prompts That are Printable for Free

Expository/Informative:

• Explain the history and cultural significance of a traditional dish from your family heritage, detailing its ingredients, preparation process, and meaning within your community.
• Create a step-by-step guide for a unique skill or hobby you possess, making it clear and accessible even for beginners.
• Research and explain the science behind a natural phenomenon that fascinates you, using clear language and engaging examples to captivate your reader.
• Write a detailed profile of a historical figure who inspires you, highlighting their achievements, struggles, and impact on the world.
• Compare and contrast two opposing ideologies or social movements, clearly explaining their core principles, similarities, and key differences.
• Explore the ethical implications of a recent technological advancement, presenting a balanced perspective on its potential benefits and drawbacks.
• Research and explain the cultural traditions and customs of a specific community, emphasizing their unique practices and their significance to its members.
• Create an informative guide to navigating a challenging experience, such as starting a new school, overcoming a fear, or making a major life decision.
• Research and explain the different learning styles and how they can be applied to improve academic performance.
• Investigate and describe the unique ecosystem of a local park or nature reserve, highlighting its biodiversity and the importance of conservation efforts.

Narrative :

• You discover a dusty journal in your attic filled with cryptic entries. As you decipher them, they lead you on a thrilling adventure to uncover a family secret.
• Imagine you can communicate with animals. Write a story about a unique friendship you develop with a local creature and the challenges and joys it brings.
• You wake up on a deserted island with no memory of how you got there. Craft a story about your struggle for survival and the mysteries you unravel along the way.
• Write a coming-of-age story about a character facing a pivotal decision that will shape their future. Explore their internal conflict, external pressures, and the ultimate choice they make.
• Imagine a world where dreams become reality. Write a story about the exciting possibilities and unexpected dangers that arise in this unique setting.
• You receive a mysterious letter inviting you to join a secret society. Describe your decision-making process and the thrilling adventures that await you if you accept.
• Rewrite a classic fairytale from the perspective of the villain, revealing their motivations and shedding light on their side of the story.
• Write a story about a time you faced a difficult situation and the unexpected heroes who emerged to help you overcome it.
• Craft a narrative set in a dystopian future where a specific aspect of life is drastically different from our world. Explore the challenges and consequences faced by its inhabitants.
• You find a magic lamp containing a mischievous genie who only grants ironic wishes. Write a humorous story about how you outsmart them and achieve your desired outcome.

READ ALSO: 50 Exclusive First Grade Writing Prompts that are Printable for Free

• Should social media platforms be held responsible for the spread of misinformation? Present your stance with supporting arguments and evidence.
• Is artificial intelligence a threat to humanity or a tool for progress? Analyze both sides of the debate and express your informed opinion.
• Are standardized tests an effective measure of student learning? Explain your view and suggest alternative methods for assessing academic achievement.
• Should school uniforms be mandatory in all public schools? Explore the potential benefits and drawbacks and justify your opinion.
• Should schools prioritize mental health education and resources for students? Offer your opinion and suggest specific recommendations.
• Is it ethical to use genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in agriculture? Analyze the arguments for and against and state your position.
• Should space exploration be a priority when there are so many problems on Earth? Defend your stance with well-reasoned arguments.
• Are video games a positive or negative influence on young people? Explain your viewpoint based on research and personal experience.
• Is social media more harmful than helpful for society? Explore both sides of the debate and express your informed opinion.

Persuasive :

• Write a persuasive essay convincing your school board to implement a new program or initiative you believe would benefit students.
• Craft a letter to the editor urging your community to take action on an important environmental issue.
• Develop a social media campaign aimed at raising awareness about a social injustice you care about.
• Write a speech persuading your classmates to participate in a specific school event or fundraiser.
• Create a blog post advocating for a cause you believe in, using compelling arguments and emotional appeals.
• Research and write a report on the history and future of a specific technology that interests you.
• Investigate and analyze the impact of a particular historical event on society and its lasting effects.
• Explore the scientific evidence behind a controversial topic and present your findings in an objective and balanced manner.
• Research and explain the cultural diversity of a specific region or country, highlighting its unique traditions and customs.
• Investigate the different career paths available in a field you’re interested in and present your findings to help others explore their options.
• Choose an ancient proverb or famous saying from another language and research its original meaning, historical context, and how it’s interpreted in today’s world.

These 50 writing prompts for high school students offer a diverse landscape of possibilities, inviting you to traverse genres, explore emotions, and delve into self-discovery. Remember, the journey is just as important as the destination. So, grab your pen, embrace the adventure, and see where your words take you. You might surprise yourself with the stories you tell and the worlds you create.

While answers can provide inspiration and ideas, it’s crucial to develop your own voice and perspective. Use them as starting points, not complete scripts.

You can find more writing prompts through online resources, books, writing workshops, teacher recommendations, and even everyday observations.

It depends! Some prompts might lead to short stories, while others inspire poems or journal entries. There’s no specific length requirement.

Absolutely! Prompts are meant to be springboards, not limitations. Adapt them to fit your style, interests, and desired outcome.

Share your work with trusted friends, teachers, or writing communities for feedback. Focus on improving your skills and expressing yourself authentically.

• storywritingacademy.com –  60 Creative Journal Prompts for Teenagers
• creativewritingedu.org –  What is a Prompt in Writing?
• 50 Exclusive 3rd Grade Writing Prompts that are Printable for Free
• 50 Exclusive 6th Grade Writing Prompts that are Printable for Free
• What is a Prompt in Writing? Choosing the Right Writing Prompt for Your Genre and Style
• 50 Exclusive 4th Grade Writing Prompts That Are Printable For Free

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student opinion

550 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing

Questions that invite students to tell stories, describe memories, make observations, imagine possibilities, and reflect on who they are and what they believe.

By The Learning Network

Update, Sept. 9, 2022: We published a new collection of 445 narrative and personal writing prompts.

We’ve been posting fresh writing prompts every school day for over a decade now, and every so often we create a themed collection like this one to help you find what you need all in one place.

This fall, in honor of our new narrative-writing unit and our first-ever Personal Narrative Essay Contest for teenagers, we’ve rounded up 550 evergreen questions on everything from family, friendships and growing up to gender, spirituality, money, school, sports, social media, travel, dating, food, health and more. (They’re also all available here as a PDF .)

We hope they’ll inspire you, whether you’re entering our related contest or just want to improve your writing skills. Like all our Student Opinion questions , each links to a related Times article, which is free to read if you access it from our site.

So dive in and pick the questions that most inspire you to tell an interesting story, describe a memorable event, observe the details in your world, imagine a possibility, or reflect on who you are and what you believe.

Overcoming Adversity

1. How Resilient Are You? 2. What Do You Do When You Encounter Obstacles to Success? 3. When Have You Failed? What Did You Learn From It? 4. Have You Ever Felt Like an Outsider? 5. What Are Your Secret Survival Strategies? 6. When Have You Reinvented Yourself? 7. How Often Do You Leave Your ‘Comfort Zone’? 8. When Was the Last Time You Did Something That Scared or Challenged You? 9. How Do You Handle Fear? 10. What Do You Gain From Pursuing Something You Do Really, Really Badly? 11. Do You Give Yourself Enough Credit for Your Own Successes? 12. How Often Do You Cry? 13. How Do You Cope With Grief? 14. How Have You Handled Being the ‘New Kid’? 15. How Do You Deal With Haters? 16. How Do You React When Provoked? 17. Does Stress Affect Your Ability to Make Good Decisions? 18. Are You Too Hard on Yourself? 19. How Do You Find Peace in Your Life? 20. Does Your Life Leave You Enough Time to Relax? 21. What Did You Once Hate but Now Like? 22. Do Adults Who Are ‘Only Trying to Help’ Sometimes Make Things Worse? 23. How Well Do You Take Criticism?

Your Personality

24. What Motivates You? 25. What Makes You Happy? 26. What Are You Good At? 27. How Do You Deal With Boredom? 28. Do You Like Being Alone? 29. How Full Is Your Glass? 30. Do You Have a Hard Time Making Decisions? 31. How Much Self-Control Do You Have? 32. Are You a Patient Person? 33. How Well Do Rewards and Incentives Work to Motivate You? 34. How Productive and Organized Are You? 35. Under What Conditions Do You Do Your Best Work? 36. How Do You Express Yourself Creatively? 37. Do You Hold Grudges? 38. How Good Are You at Judging Your Own Talents? 39. How Emotionally Intelligent Are You? 40. Do You Take More Risks When You Are Around Your Friends? 41. Are You a Procrastinator? 42. What Role Does Envy Play in Your Life? 43. How Much of a Daredevil Are You? 44. Are You a Perfectionist? 45. How Impulsive Are You? 46. Are You a Novelty-Seeker? 47. What Annoys You? 48. Do You Apologize Too Much? 49. What Animal Are You Most Like? 50. How Materialistic Are You? 51. How Easy — or Hard — Is It for You to Say No When You Want To? 52. Are You a Hoarder or a Minimalist? 53. Are You an Introvert or an Extrovert? 54. Are You Popular, Quirky or Conformist? 55. How Good Is Your Sense of Direction? 56. How Competitive Are You? 57. What Assumptions Do People Make About You? 58. Are You More of a Leader or a Follower?

59. What Are Your Hobbies? 60. What Are Your Passions? 61. What Would You Choose to Do If You Had Unlimited Free Time and No Restrictions? 62. Are There Activities You Used to Love That Are Now So Competitive They’re Not Fun Anymore? 63. What Activities Make You Feel Most Alive? 64. What Do You Collect? 65. What Work, Sport or Pastime Do You Like to Do at Night?

66. Do You Wish You Had a Different Morning Routine? 67. What Ordinary Moments Would You Include in a Video About Your Life? 68. What Are Your Best ‘Life Hacks’? 69. Do You Spend Enough Time With Other People? 70. How Do You Greet Your Friends and Family? 71. How Do You Remember What You Need to Remember? 72. What’s Your Sunday Routine? 73. How Often Do You Talk to Yourself? 74. When and For What Reasons Do You Seek Silence? 75. What Habits Do You Have, and Have You Ever Tried to Change Them? 76. What Small Things Have You Seen and Taken Note Of Today? 77. What Are the Sounds That Make Up the Background Noise in Your Life? 78. What Sounds Annoy You? 79. What Public Behavior Annoys You Most? 80. What Are Some Recent Moments of Happiness in Your Life? 81. What Are You Grateful For?

Role Models

82. What Heroic Acts Have You Performed or Witnessed? 83. What Are Some ‘Words of Wisdom’ That Guide Your Life? 84. Who Outside Your Family Has Made a Difference in Your Life? 85. What Does the World Need to Know About an Important Person in Your Life? 86. To Whom, or What, Would You Like to Write a Thank-You Note? 87. What Does Dr. King’s Legacy Mean to You? 88. What Six People, Living or Dead, Would You Invite to Dinner? 89. Who’s Your ‘Outsider Role Model’?

90. How Do You Define ‘Family’? 91. What Events Have Brought You Closer to Your Family? 92. What Have You and Your Family Accomplished Together? 93. What Is Your Relationship With Your Siblings Like? 94. Have You Ever Felt Pressured by Family or Others in Making an Important Decision About Your Future? 95. What Possessions Does Your Family Treasure? 96. What Hobbies Have Been Passed Down in Your Family? 97. What’s the Story Behind Your Name? 98. How Have You Paid Tribute to Loved Ones? 99. What Family Traditions Do You Want to Carry On When You Get Older? 100. Did Your Parents Have a Life Before They Had Kids? 101. How Much Do You Know About Your Family’s History? 102. Where Would You Visit To Find Out More About Your Family’s Past?

Parents & Parenting

103. How Close Are You to Your Parents? 104. How Are You and Your Parents Alike and Different? 105. How Much Freedom Have Your Parents Given You? 106. Do You Push Your Parents’ Buttons? 107. How Often Do You Fight With Your Parents? 108. Are Your Parents Addicted to Their Phones? 109. Is Your Family Stressed, Tired and Rushed? 110. How Do You Get What You Want From Your Parents? 111. Do You Ever Feel Embarrassed by Your Parents? 112. Do Your Parents Try Too Hard to Be Cool? 113. Do Your Parents Support Your Learning? 114. Do Your Parents Yell at You? 115. Do You Want Your Parents to Stop Asking You ‘How Was School?’ 116. How Much Do Your Parents Help With Your Homework? 117. How Has Your Family Helped or Hindered Your Transition to a New School? 118. Have Your Parents and Teachers Given You Room to Create? 119. Are You Conforming to or Rebelling Against Your Parents’ Wishes for You? 120. What Advice Do You Have for Teenagers and Their Parents? 121. Do Your Parents Spy on You?

Your Neighborhood

122. What’s Special About Your Hometown? 123. Who Are the ‘Characters’ That Make Your Town Interesting? 124. What Marketing Slogan Would You Use for Your Town or City? 125. After Home and School, Where Do You Find the Strongest Feeling of Community? 126. What Do the Types of Dogs in Your Neighborhood Say About Where You Live? 127. Who Is the ‘Mayor’ of Your School or Neighborhood? 128. How Much Does Your Neighborhood Define Who You Are? 129. What ‘Urban Legends’ Are There About Places in Your Area? 130. Do You Know Your Way Around Your City or Town? 131. How Well Do You Know Your Neighbors? 132. What Is Your Favorite Place? 133. What’s Your Favorite Neighborhood Joint? 134. What Is Your Favorite Street? 135. Do You Hang Out in the Park? 136. What Buildings Do You Love? What Buildings Do You Hate? 137. Have You Ever Interacted With the Police? 138. What Ideas Do You Have for Enhancing Your Community? 139. Where Do You Think You Will Live When You Are an Adult? 140. Would You Most Want to Live in a City, a Suburb or the Country?

141. What is Your Favorite Place in Your House? 142. Do You Wish You Had the Go-to House? 143. Do You Need to De-Clutter Your Life? 144. Do You Plan on Saving Any of Your Belongings for the Future? 145. Is Your Bedroom a Nightmare? 146. What Would You Grab in a Fire? 147. Do You Think You Might Like Communal Living When You’re an Adult? 148. Who Lived Long Ago Where You Live Now? 149. What Would Your Dream Home Be Like? 150. What City or Town Most Captures Your Imagination?

Childhood Memories

151. What Was Your Most Precious Childhood Possession? 152. What Objects Tell the Story of Your Life? 153. Have You Ever Given, or Received, a Perfect Gift? 154. What Were Your Favorite Picture Books When You Were Little? 155. What’s the Best Party You’ve Ever Been To? 156. What Places Do You Remember Fondly From Childhood? 157. What Food or Flavor Do You Remember Tasting for the First Time? 158. What Do You Wish You Could See, Hear, Read or Experience for the First Time All Over Again? 159. Have You Ever Felt Embarrassed by Things You Used to Like? 160. Do You Wish You Could Return to Moments From Your Past? 161. Was There a Toy You Wanted as a Child but Never Got? 162. What Childhood Rules Did You Break? 163. What Is the Most Memorable Thing You Have Ever Lost or Found? 164. What Is Your Earliest Memory? 165. What Nicknames Have You Ever Gotten or Given? 166. What Are Your Best Sleepover Memories? 167. What Old, Worn Out Thing Can You Just Not Part With? 168. What Is Your Most Prized Possession?

169. What Have You Learned in Your Teens? 170. What Rites of Passage Mark the Transition to Adulthood in Your Community? 171. What Letter of Inspiration Would You Write to Your Younger Self? 172. Do You Hate When Adults Ask You What You Want to Be When You Grow Up? 173. Do You Look Forward to Old Age? 174. What Can Older People Learn From Your Generation? 175. What Have You Learned From Older People? 176. What Advice Do You Have for Younger Students? 177. Do You Recognize Yourself in Descriptions of ‘Generation Z’? 178. Do Other People Care Too Much About Your Post-High School Plans? 179. Do You Have ‘Emerging Adult’ Skills? 180. What Do Older Generations Misunderstand About Teenagers Today? 181. What Have You Learned From a Younger Person — and What Have You Taught An Older Person? 182. What Legacy Do You Want to Leave Behind?

Morality & Ethics

183. What Ethical Dilemmas Have You Faced? 184. Have You Ever Taken a Stand That Isolated You From Your Peers? 185. Have You Ever Donated Your Time, Talents, Possessions or Money to Support Anyone in Need? 186. What Acts of Kindness Have You Witnessed or Participated In? 187. Have You Ever ‘Paid It Forward’? 188. How Would You Like to Help Our World? 189. What Would You Invent to Make the World a Better Place? 190. What Would You Risk Your Life For? 191. How Trustworthy Are You? 192. How Comfortable Are You With Lying? 193. When Do You Lie? 194. Have You Ever Lied to Your Parents or Done Something Behind Their Backs? 195. If You Drink or Use Drugs, Do Your Parents Know? 196. Have You Ever Taken Something You Weren’t Supposed To? 197. Do You Ever Eavesdrop? 198. Do You Know How to Say ‘I’m Sorry?’

Religion, Spirituality & Beliefs

199. What Is the Role of Religion or Spirituality in Your Life? 200. How Often Do You Start Conversations about Faith or Spirituality? 201. Do You Believe That Everything Happens for a Reason? 202. How Much Control Do You Think You Have Over Your Fate? 203. Can You Be Good Without God? 204. Can You Pass a Basic Religion Test? 205. What Can You Learn From Other Religions? 206. What Legends and Myths Do You Believe In? 207. Do You Believe in Astrology? 208. Do You Believe in Ghosts?

Gender, Race & Sexuality

209. Do You Feel Constricted by Gender Norms? 210. Do Parents Have Different Hopes and Standards for Their Sons Than for Their Daughters? 211. Have You Ever Been Told You Couldn’t Do Something Because of Your Gender? 212. Is There Too Much Pressure on Girls to Have ‘Perfect’ Bodies? 213. How Much Pressure Do Boys Face to Have the Perfect Body? 214. What Experiences Have You Had With Gender Bias in School? 215. What Does it Mean to Be ‘a Real Man’? 216. What Have You Learned From the Women in Your Life? 217. What Messages About Gender Have You Gotten From Music? 218. How Do You Feel About Being Told to Smile? 219. Have You Ever Tried to Hide Your Racial or Ethnic Identity? 220. Do You Ever Talk About Issues of Race and Class With Your Friends? 221. Have You Experienced Racism or Other Kinds of Discrimination in School? 222. What Has Your Sex Education Been Like?

Money & Social Class

223. What Are Your Attitudes Toward Money? 224. Are You a Saver or a Spender? 225. What Have Your Parents Taught You About Money? 226. Do You Expect Your Parents to Give You Money? 227. How Important a Role Has Money, Work or Social Class Played in Your Life? 228. Do You See Great Disparities of Wealth in Your Community? 229. Can Money Buy You Happiness? 230. What Are the Best Things in Life and Are They Free? 231. What Are Your Expectations About Earning, Saving and Spending Money? 232. How Much Financial Help Do You Expect From Your Parents in the Future? 233. What Choices Do You Make About Money Every Day?

234. Are You Distracted by Technology? 235. Are You Distracted by Your Phone? 236. Are You ‘Addicted’ to Texting? 237. Do Screens Get in the Way of the Rest of Your Life? 238. Do You Experience FOMO When You Unplug? 239. Could You Go a Year Without a Smartphone? 240. Is Your Phone Love Hurting Your Relationships? 241. How Much of Your Day is Voluntarily Spent Screen-Free? 242. To What Piece of Technology Would You Write a ‘Love Letter’?

The Internet

243. How Do You Know if What You Read Online Is True? 244. How Much Do You Trust Online Reviews? 245. What Has YouTube Taught You? 246. What Would You Teach the World in an Online Video? 247. Do You Worry About Your Digital Privacy? 248. Do You Listen to Podcasts? 249. Would You Share an Embarrassing Story Online? 250. Do You Leave Funny Comments Online? 251. What Are Your Experiences With Internet-Based Urban Legends? 252. How Do You Use Wikipedia? 253. Have You Ever Been Scammed? 254. Whom Would You Share Your Passwords With? 255. Do You Ever Seek Advice on the Internet? 256. What Are Your Favorite Viral Videos?

Social Media

257. What Role Does Instagram Play in Your Life? 258. Do You Have ‘Instagram Envy’? 259. Do the Adults in Your Life Follow You on Social Media? 260. Have You Ever Gone to a Place for the Primary Purpose of Taking Selfies? 261. Who Is Your Favorite Social Media Star? 262. How Much Do You Trust the Celebrities and Social Media Stars You Follow? 263. Are You the Same Person on Social Media as You Are in Real Life? 264. What Memorable Experiences Have You Had on Facebook? 265. Why Do You Share Photos? 266. How Do You Archive Your Life? 267. Have You Ever Posted, Emailed or Texted Something You Wish You Could Take Back? 268. Have You Ever Sent an Odd Message Because of Auto-Correct? 269. Would You Want Your Photo or Video to Go Viral? 270. Do You Worry Colleges or Employers Might Read Your Social Media Posts Someday? 271. What Advice Do You Have for Younger Kids About Navigating Social Media?

272. What Are Your Earliest Memories of Music? 273. Who in Your Life Introduces You to New Music? 274. How Much Is Your Taste in Music Based on What Your Friends Like? 275. What Role Does Hip-Hop Play in Your Life? 276. What’s Your Karaoke Song? 277. How Closely Do You Listen to Lyrics? 278. What Is Your Favorite Musical Instrument? 279. What Would You Name Your Band?

Movies, Television & Video Games

280. What Have You Learned About Life From Watching Movies? 281. What Is Your Favorite Sports Movie? 282. Do You Like Horror Movies? 283. What Are Your Favorite TV Shows? 284. What Role Does Television Play in Your Life and the Life of Your Family? 285. What Stereotypical Characters Make You Cringe? 286. Have You Fallen Into ‘Friends’ or Any Other Older Television Shows? 287. How Much Are You Influenced by Advertising? 288. Do You Play Violent Video Games? 289. Who Are Your Opponents in Online Gaming? 290. What Classic Video Games Do You Still Enjoy Playing? 291. Are You a Fortnite Addict? 292. Do You Gamify Your Life?

Books & Reading

293. Read Any Good Books Lately? 294. What Books Do You Think Every Teenager Should Read? 295. What Role Have Books Played in Your Life? 296. Has a Novel Ever Helped You Understand Yourself or Your World Better? 297. Has a Book, Movie, Television Show, Song or Video Game Ever Inspired You to Do Something New? 298. What Book Would You Add to the High School Curriculum? 299. What Have You Learned from Comics? 300. Do You Read or Write Poetry? 301. What Is the Scariest Story You Have Ever Heard?

302. What Purpose Does Writing Serve in Your Life? 303. Do You Keep a Diary or Journal? 304. Do You Want to Write a Book? 305. When Do You Write by Hand? 306. Do You Write in Cursive? 307. Do You Write in Your Books? 308. What ‘Mundane Moments’ From Your Life Might Make Great Essay Material? 309. What Is Your Most Memorable Writing Assignment? 310. Do You Ever Write About Challenges You Face in Life? 311. What’s Your Favorite Joke? 312. If You Had a Column in The New York Times, What Would You Write About? 313. What Would You Write in a Letter to the Editor?

314. What Has Arts Education Done For You? 315. What Work of Art Has Changed Your Life? 316. What Are the Most Memorable Works of Visual Art You Have Seen? 317. Who Is Your Favorite Visual Artist? What Is Your Favorite Work of Art? 318. Which Photograph Stays In Your Memory? 319. What Would You Like to Learn to Make by Hand? 320. Are You Intimidated by Classical Music and Art? 321. Do You Love to Dance? 322. Have You Ever Performed for an Audience or Shared Creative Work With Others? 323. Have You Ever Stumbled Upon a Cool Public Performance? 324. What Show Do You Wish Your School Would Stage?

Language & Speech

325. What’s Your Favorite Word? 326. What Words Do You Hate? 327. Do You Say ‘Kind of, Sort of’ More Than You Realize? 328. What Makes a Great Conversation? 329. How Often Do You Have ‘Deep Discussions’? 330. Do You Wish Your Conversations Were Less Small Talk and More ‘Big Talk’? 331. How Much Information Is ‘Too Much Information’? 332. How Good Are You at Coming Up With Witty Comebacks? 333. Do You Sometimes ‘Hide’ Behind Irony? 334. How Good Is Your Grammar? 335. Do You Speak a Second, or Third, Language? 336. What Does Your Body Language Communicate?

337. Do You Like School? 338. Are You Stressed About School? 339. Are High School Students Being Worked Too Hard? 340. Would You Want to Go to a School Like This One? 341. How Much Do You Speak Up in School? 342. What ‘Pop-Up’ Classes Do You Wish Your School Offered? 343. Is Your School a Safe Learning Space? 344. Would You Want to Be Home-Schooled? 345. What Can Other Schools Learn — and Copy — From Your School? 346. What Do You Hope to Get Out of High School? 347. What Are Your Thoughts on Riding the School Bus? 348. Do You Feel Your School and Teachers Welcome Both Conservative and Liberal Points of View? 349. Do You Want to Be ‘Promposed’ To? 350. How Big a Problem Is Bullying or Cyberbullying in Your School or Community? 351. Can Students at Your School Talk Openly About Their Mental Health Issues? 352. What Career or Technical Classes Do You Wish Your School Offered?

Learning & Studying

353. Do You Have Too Much Homework? 354. Do You Need a Homework Therapist? 355. What’s the Most Challenging Assignment You’ve Ever Had? 356. Are You Afraid of Math? 357. How Would You Do on a Civics Test? 358. What Was Your Favorite Field Trip? 359. What Are Your Best Tips for Studying? 360. What Kind of Time Management Skills Are You Learning from the Adults in Your Life? 361. What Would You Like to Have Memorized?

362. What Do You Wish Your Teachers Knew About You? 363. When Has a Teacher Inspired You? 364. What Teacher Would You Like to Thank? 365. Have You Ever Been Humiliated by a Teacher? How Did it Affect You? 366. Have Your Teachers or Textbooks Ever Gotten It Wrong? 367. Does Your Teacher’s Identity Affect Your Learning? 368. Has a Teacher Ever Changed Your Mind-Set? 369. Do You Have a Tutor?

370. What Personal Essay Topic Would You Assign to College Applicants? 371. How Prepared Are You For College? How Well Do You Think You’ll Do? 372. What Worries You Most About the College Admissions Process? 373. What Worries Do You Have About College? 374. What Role Has Community College Played in Your Life or the Life of Someone You Know? 375. What Qualities Would You Look For in a College Roommate? 376. Would You Want to Take a Gap Year After High School? 377. Do You Intend to Study Abroad While You Are in College? 378. Are You Worried About the Rising Cost of Attending College? 379. Do You Want Your Parents to Live Nearby When You Go to College? 380. What Specialty College Would You Create?

Work & Careers

381. What Do You Want to Be When You Grow Up? 382. Do You Have a Life Calling? 383. What’s Your Dream Job? 384. Would You Pursue a Career If You Knew You Likely Would Not Make Much Money? 385. What Jobs Are You Most Curious About? 386. Will You Follow in Your Parents’ Footsteps? 387. Would You Consider Moving Overseas for a Job? 388. Would You Want to Be a Teacher? 389. Would You Rather Work From Home or in an Office? 390. What ‘Back-to-the-Land’ Skills Do You Have, or Wish You Had? 391. What Skill Could You Teach in Two Minutes? 392. What Have You Made Yourself? 393. Do You Have an Idea for a Business or App? 394. How Did You Start Doing Something You Love? 395. Did You Ever Take a Break From Doing Something You Love? 396. Would You Quit if Your Values Did Not Match Your Employer’s? 397. Do Your Summer Plans Include Employment?

398. Do You Have Satisfying Friendships? 399. How Alike Are You and Your Friends? 400. Do You Have Any Unlikely Friendships? 401. Do You Like Your Friends? 402. Do You Have a Best Friend? 403. Have You Ever Been Left Out? 404. Do You Ever Feel Lonely? 405. How Often Do You Spend One-on-One Time With Your Closest Friends? 406. How Do You Feel About Introducing Friends from Different Parts of Your Life? 407. Do You Find It Easier to Make New Friends Online or In Person? 408. How Good a Friend Are You? 409. How Have You Helped a Friend in a Time of Need? 410. Is Competitiveness an Obstacle to Making or Keeping Friendships? 411. How Should You Handle the End of a Friendship?

412. Are You Allowed to Date? 413. Is Dating a Thing of the Past? 414. What Advice Would You Give to Somebody Who Just Started Dating? 415. How Do You Think Technology Affects Dating? 416. Have You Ever Been in Love? 417. How Much of a Romantic Are You? 418. Have You Ever Been Ghosted? 419. What’s the Best Way to Get Over a Breakup? 420. Would You Want to Be Proposed to on a Jumbotron? 421. If You Get Married Someday, Do You Think You Will Change Your Last Name?

Sports & Games

422. Why Do You Play Sports? 423. Have You Ever Learned Something From a Professional Athlete? 424. How Would You Change Your Favorite Sport? 425. Does Being a Fan Help Define Who You Are? 426. What Kinds of Games and Puzzles Do You Like? 427. What Are Your Favorite Board Games? 428. Are You a Good Driver?

429. Where Do You Want to Travel? 430. What Is Your Most Memorable Family Vacation? 431. How Would You Spend Your Ideal Family Vacation? 432. What Do You Think You Would Learn From Traveling to All 50 States? 433. What Would Your Fantasy Road Trip Be Like? 434. What Crazy Adventure Would You Want to Take? 435. What Local ‘Microadventures’ Would You Like to Go On? 436. How Has Travel Affected You? 437. What Kind of Tourist Are You? 438. What Are the Best Souvenirs You’ve Ever Collected While Traveling? 439. What Famous Landmarks Have You Visited? 440. What’s the Coolest Thing You’ve Ever Seen in Nature? 441. Would You Like to Live in Another Country? 442. If You Could Time-Travel, Where Would You Go?

Shopping, Looks & Fashion

443. What’s Your Favorite Store? 444. Could You Stop Shopping for an Entire Year? 445. Are You an Ethical Consumer? 446. Do Politics Ever Influence How or Where You Shop? 447. What Is Your All-Time Favorite Piece of Clothing? 448. Are You a Sneaker Head? 449. Do You Wear Clothes for the Logo? 450. Would You Like to Be a Fashion Model? 451. What’s Your Favorite T-Shirt? 452. What Does Your Hairstyle Say About You? 453. How Do You Feel About Your Body? 454. Have You Inherited Your Parents’ Attitudes Toward Their Looks? 455. What’s Your Favorite Room?

Exercise, Health & Sleep

456. What Rules Do You Have for Staying Healthy? 457. Do You Like to Exercise? 458. Do You Get Enough Exercise? 459. How Has Exercise Changed Your Health, Your Body or Your Life? 460. Do You Vape? 461. How Do You Get Your Nature Fix? 462. How Strong Is Your Sense of Smell? 463. What’s Your Favorite Mood Booster? 464. Do You Have Any Bad Health Habits? 465. Do You Learn Better After Moving Around? 466. How Often Do You Engage in ‘Fat Talk’? 467. Do You Pay Attention to Nutrition Labels on Food? 468. What Are Your ‘Food Rules’? 469. What Are Your Healthy Habits? 470. What Health Tips Have Worked for You? 471. What Are Your Sleep Habits? 472. Do You Get Enough Sleep?

Meals & Food

473. What Foods Bring Up Special Memories for You? 474. What Are the Most Memorable Meals You’ve Ever Had? 475. Are You Now, or Have You Ever Been, a Picky Eater? 476. What Foods Best Represent Your Hometown? 477. Have You Ever Experienced Food Insecurity? 478. What’s Your Favorite Holiday Food Memory? 479. What Convenience Foods Make You Happy? 480. How Do You Like Your Pizza? 481. What Are Your Favorite Junk Foods? 482. What’s Your Favorite Candy? 483. What’s Your Favorite Sandwich? 484. What Food Would You Like to Judge in a Taste-Off? 485. Do You Cook? 486. What Would You Most Like to Learn to Cook or Bake? 487. What Messages About Food and Eating Have You Learned From Your Family? 488. How Often Does Your Family Eat Together? 489. What Are Your Favorite Restaurants? 490. What Restaurant Would You Most Like to Review? 491. What Do You Eat During the School Day?

Holidays & Seasons

492. How Do You Celebrate Your Birthday? 493. How Much Scare Can You Handle in Your Halloween Entertainment? 494. Did You Take Part in Any Thanksgiving or Post-Holiday Traditions? 495. What Will You Talk About on Thanksgiving? 496. What Has Been Your Most Memorable Thanksgiving? 497. What Do You Look Forward to Most — and Least — During the Holiday Season? 498. What Are Your Tips for Enjoying the Holiday Season? 499. What Does Santa Claus Mean to You? 500. How Do You Fight the Winter Blues? 501. How Do You Feel About Valentine’s Day? 502. What Would Your Ideal Summer Camp Be Like? 503. What’s Your Favorite Summer Food? 504. Do You Choose Summer Activities to Look Good on Applications? 505. What’s the Most Memorable Thing That Happened to You This Summer?

Animals & Pets

506. What Are the Animals in Your Life? 507. What Have You Learned From Animals? 508. What’s Your Relationship Like With Your Pet? 509. What Are Your Thoughts on Cats? 510. Would You Want to Hang Out at a Cat Cafe? 511. How Do You Feel About the Spiders, Insects and Other Tiny Creatures in Your Home?

Environment

512. How Concerned Are You About Climate Change? 513. How Do You Try to Reduce Your Impact on the Environment? 514. Do You Ever Feel Guilty About What, or How Much, You Throw Away? 515. How Much Food Does Your Family Waste? 516. What Could You Live Without? 517. Would You Change Your Eating Habits to Reduce Your Carbon Footprint? 518. Could You Live ‘Plastic Free’?

History, Politics & Current Events

519. What Event in the Past Do You Wish You Could Have Witnessed? 520. What National or International Events That You Lived Through Do You Remember Best? 521. Is Your Online World Just a ‘Filter Bubble’ of People With the Same Opinions? 522. Do You Ever Get the ‘Bad News Blues’? 523. Have You Ever Changed Your Mind About a Hot-Button Issue? 524. What Do American Values Mean to You? 525. How Much Do You Know About the Rest of the World?

526. Would You Want to Live Forever? 527. Would You Want to Live a Life Without Ever Feeling Pain? 528. If You Had an Extra Billion Dollars, What Cause Would You Support With Your Philanthropy? 529. Are You Hopeful About the Future? 530. If the World Was Ending, What Would You Want to Say? 531. Would You Like to Be Famous? 532. Would You Like to Be Cryogenically Preserved (Frozen!) Upon Your Death? 533. Would You Like to Be a Farmer? 534. What Items Would You Place in a Time Capsule for Future Generations? 535. What Fantasy Invention Would You Want to Exist in Reality? 536. What Do You Want to Be Known for After Your Death? 537. Do You Like Your First Name? Would You Change It if You Could? 538. What Would You Do if You Won the Lottery? 539. What Era Do You Wish You Had Lived In? 540. Would You Want to Be a Child Prodigy? 541. What Kind of Robot Would You Want? 542. What Would You Outsource if You Could? 543. What Would You Like to Learn on Your Own? 544. What Would You Be Willing to Wait in a Really Long Line For? 545. Do You Want to Live to 100? 546. Given Unlimited Resources, What Scientific or Medical Problem Would You Investigate? 547. What Scientific Mysteries Do You Want Solved? 548. What Idea Do You Have That Is Ahead of Its Time? 549. How Would Your Life Be Different if You Had Better Listening Skills? 550. What Do You Want Your Obituary to Say?

Reading Worksheets, Spelling, Grammar, Comprehension, Lesson Plans

50 Narrative Essay Topics

They say a picture is worth a thousand words, but a narrative essay can also tell an exciting story and create vivid pictures in the reader’s mind! We’ve got 50 narrative essay topics designed to prompt students to craft memorable written narratives. These can be modified for students in elementary, middle and high school. Feel free to print the entire narrative essay topics list for plenty of inspiration for your next narrative essay assignment!

Narrative Essay Topics

• Your first day of school.
• Your most exciting day of school
• A field trip that your class took.
• Your favorite summer vacation.
• A trip that included something unexpected or surprising.
• A time that you experienced something spooky.
• A time that you experienced something truly frightening.
• A time that you learned something new that changed you in some way.
• The moment when you met someone who changed your life.
• The day that you got your first pet.
• A move from one place to another.
• Something funny that happened to you.
• Something funny that happened to one of your family members or friends.
• Something embarrassing that happened to you.
• Your favorite birthday party.
• A birthday that was disappointing.
• A big storm (rain, snow or even a tornado!).
• A time that the power went out.
• A summer day when the temperature got much higher than expected.
• A time when you went to an amusement park.
• A time when you got lost somewhere.
• A memorable experience with a favorite family member.
• A sad experience with someone about whom you care.
• Your most exciting moment playing sports.
• Your most exciting moment performing in a play, singing, playing music or dancing.
• An experience that left you feeling frustrated.
• An experience that was hard but ended up being worth it.
• A time that you experienced rejection.
• A weird encounter with a stranger.
• A random act of kindness.
• A time that you took a stand for someone or for an issue that you care about.
• A moment when you thought you might get hurt but didn’t.
• Breaking a bone (or otherwise suffering an injury).
• Your first time away from home for the night (or longer).
• A time when you experienced a historic event.
• Where you were when a major event happened. (Note: You don’t need to have been at the site of the event; this prompt is about where you were when you found out about the event and how you reacted.)
• A time when you rebelled against your parents or teacher.
• A dangerous experience.
• A misunderstanding between yourself and someone else.
• A difficult decision that you had to make.
• The end of a friendship or relationship.
• The beginning of a friendship or relationship.
• A time when you judged someone first and then realized that you were wrong about the person.
• A time when someone judged you first and then realized that he or she was wrong about you.
• A moment when you felt that you were starting to grow up.
• A time when you saw one or both of your parents in a different light.
• A time when you looked up to your older sibling.
• A time when your younger sibling looked up to you.
• A time when you were grateful to be an only child.
• An experience that you think has only ever happened to you!

Looking for more essay topics? Compare and Contrast Essay Topics Descriptive Essay Topics Cause and Effect Essay Topics Persuasive Essay and Speech Topics

The New York Times

The learning network | 500 prompts for narrative and personal writing.

500 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing

Updated, March 2, 2017 | We published an updated version of this list, “650 Prompts for Narrative and Personal Writing,” as well as a companion piece, “401 Prompts for Argumentative Writing.”

Every school day since 2009 we’ve asked students a question based on an article in The New York Times. Now, five years later, we’ve collected 500 of them that invite narrative and personal writing and pulled them all together in one place (available here as a PDF ).

The categorized list below touches on everything from sports to travel, education, gender roles, video games, fashion, family, pop culture, social media and more, and, like all our Student Opinion questions , each links to a related Times article and includes a series of follow-up questions. What’s more, all these questions are still open for comment by any student 13 or older.

So dive into this admittedly overwhelming list and pick the questions that most inspire you to tell an interesting story, describe a memorable event, observe the details in your world, imagine a possibility, or reflect on who you are and what you believe.

Childhood Memories

• What Was Your Most Precious Childhood Possession?
• What Were Your Favorite Childhood Shows and Characters?
• What Were Your Favorite Picture Books When You Were Little?
• What Things Did You Create When You Were a Child?
• What Places Do You Remember Fondly From Childhood?
• Have You Ever Felt Embarrassed by Things You Used to Like?
• Do You Wish You Could Return to Moments From Your Past?
• Was There a Toy You Wanted as a Child but Never Got?
• What Objects Tell the Story of Your Life?
• What Are Your Best Sleepover Memories?
• What’s the Best Gift You’ve Ever Given or Received?
• What’s the Most Memorable Thing You Ever Got in the Mail?
• What Nicknames Have You Ever Gotten or Given?

Coming of Age

• What Have You Learned in Your Teens?
• What Personal Achievements Make You Proud?
• What Are Some Recent Moments of Happiness in Your Life?
• What Are You Grateful For?
• What Rites of Passage Have You Participated In?
• What Advice Would You Give Younger Kids About Middle or High School?
• What Can Older People Learn From Your Generation?
• What Do Older Generations Misunderstand About Yours?

• Who Is Your Family?
• What Have You and Your Family Accomplished Together?
• What Events Have Brought You Closer to Your Family?
• What’s Your Role in Your Family?
• Have You Ever Changed a Family Member’s Mind?
• How Do You Define ‘Family’?
• What Are Your Family Stories of Sacrifice?
• What Possessions Does Your Family Treasure?
• What Hobbies Have Been Passed Down in Your Family?
• How Much Do You Know About Your Family’s History?
• Did Your Parents Have a Life Before They Had Kids?
• How Close Are You to Your Parents?
• How Are You and Your Parents Alike and Different?
• Do Your Parents Support Your Learning?
• What Have Your Parents Taught You About Money?
• Do You Expect Your Parents to Give You Money?
• How Permissive Are Your Parents?
• Do You Have Helicopter Parents?
• How Do Your Parents Teach You to Behave?
• How Do You Make Parenting Difficult for Your Parents?
• If You Drink or Use Drugs, Do Your Parents Know?
• Do You Talk About Report Cards With Your Parents?
• Would You Mind if Your Parents Blogged About You?
• How Well Do You Get Along With Your Siblings?
• How Well Do You Know Your Pet?
• What Role Do Pets Play in Your Family?
• What Is Your Racial and Ethnic Identity?
• Have You Ever Tried to Hide Your Racial or Ethnic Identity?
• How Do You Feel About Your Last Name?
• What’s the Story Behind Your Name?
• What Are Your Favorite Names?
• How Have You Paid Tribute to Loved Ones?

Community and Home

• Would You Most Want to Live in a City, a Suburb or the Country?
• How Much Does Your Neighborhood Define Who You Are?
• What’s Special About Your Hometown?
• What Would You Name Your Neighborhood?
• Who Is the ‘Mayor’ of Your School or Neighborhood?
• Who Are the ‘Characters’ That Make Your Town Interesting?
• What Would a TV Show About Your Town Spoof?
• What ‘Urban Legends’ Are There About Places in Your Area?
• What Local Problems Do You Think Your Mayor Should Try to Solve?
• Do You Know Your Way Around Your City or Town?
• Have You Ever Interacted With the Police?
• How Often Do You Interact With People of Another Race or Ethnicity?
• Who Would Be the Ideal Celebrity Neighbor?
• What Is Your Favorite Place?
• How Much Time Do You Spend in Nature?
• What Small Things Have You Seen and Taken Note Of Today?
• What Would Your Dream Home Be Like?
• What is Your Favorite Place in Your House?
• How Important Is Keeping a Clean House?
• Is Your Bedroom a Nightmare?
• Do You Plan on Saving Any of Your Belongings for the Future?
• With Your Home in Danger, What Would You Try to Save?
• What Would You Put in Your Emergency ‘Go-Bag’?
• Have You Ever Lost (or Found) Something Valuable?

Personality

• What Is Your Personal Credo?
• What Motivates You?
• What Makes You Happy?
• What Are You Good At?
• How Much Self-Control Do You Have?
• How Good Are You at Waiting for What You Really Want?
• What Role Does Procrastination Play in Your Life?
• When in Your Life Have You Been a Leader?
• How Well Do You Perform Under Pressure?
• How Well Do You Take Criticism?
• Are You Hard or Easy on Yourself?
• How Full Is Your Glass?
• Do You Have a Hard Time Making Decisions?
• How Good Are You at Time Management?
• How Productive and Organized Are You?
• How Would Your Life Be Different if You Had Better Listening Skills?
• How Competitive Are You?
• Do You Perform Better When You’re Competing or When You’re Collaborating?
• Do You Take More Risks When You Are Around Your Friends?
• Do You Unknowingly Submit to Peer Pressure?
• How Much of a Daredevil Are You?
• What Pranks, Jokes, Hoaxes or Tricks Have You Ever Fallen For or Perpetrated?
• How Do You React When Provoked?
• How Often Do You Cry?
• Do You Think You’re Brave?
• What Are You Afraid Of?
• What Are Your Fears and Phobias?
• What Are Your Personal Superstitions?
• Do You Like Being Alone?
• How Impulsive Are You?
• Are You a Novelty-Seeker?
• What Annoys You?
• Do You Apologize Too Much?
• Do You Have Good Manners?
• Are You a Saver or a Tosser?
• Are You More Introvert or Extrovert?
• Are You Popular, Quirky or Conformist?
• Are You a Nerd or a Geek?
• What Would Your Personal Mascot Be?
• What Assumptions Do People Make About You?

Overcoming Adversity

• What Challenges Have You Overcome?
• What Do You Do When You Encounter Obstacles to Success?
• What Are Your Secret Survival Strategies?
• How Do You Find Peace in Your Life?
• How Have You Handled Being the ‘New Kid’?
• Do You Ever Feel Overlooked and Underappreciated?
• How Stressed Are You?
• How Do You Relieve Stress?
• Does Stress Affect Your Ability to Make Good Decisions?
• What Challenges Have You Set for Yourself?
• How Often Do You Leave Your ‘Comfort Zone’?
• What Did You Once Hate but Now Like?
• Does Your Life Leave You Enough Time to Relax?
• Do You Set Rules for Yourself About How You Use Your Time?
• Is ‘Doing Nothing’ a Good Use of Your Time?
• What’s Cluttering Up Your Life?
• What Work Went Into Reaching Your Most Difficult Goals?
• When Have You Ever Failed at Something? What Happened as a Result?
• When Have You Ever Succeeded When You Thought You Might Fail?
• What Life Lessons Has Adversity Taught You?
• What’s the Most Challenging Assignment You’ve Ever Had?
• What Kind of Feedback Helps You Improve?
• Is Trying Too Hard to Be Happy Making You Sad?
• Do Adults Who Are ‘Only Trying to Help’ Sometimes Make Things Worse?
• What Are Five Everyday Problems That Bother You, and What Can You Do About Them?

Gender and Sexuality

• How Do Male and Female Roles Differ in Your Family?
• Do Parents Have Different Hopes and Standards for Their Sons Than for Their Daughters?
• Is There Too Much Pressure on Girls to Have ‘Perfect’ Bodies?
• How Much Pressure Do Boys Face to Have the Perfect Body?
• How Did You Learn About Sex?
• How Should Parents Address Internet Pornography?
• What Experiences Have You Had With Gender Bias in School?
• What Have Been Your Experiences With Catcalling or Other Kinds of Street Harassment?
• Do You Know Boys Who Regard Girls as ‘Prey’?
• Do You Consider Yourself a Feminist?

Morality and Religion

• How Do You Help?
• What Ethical Dilemmas Have You Faced?
• Would You Help an Injured Stranger?
• When Is the Last Time You Did Something Nice for a Stranger?
• Have You Ever ‘Paid It Forward’?
• How Much Do You Gossip?
• How Comfortable Are You With Lying?
• Have You Ever Taken Something You Weren’t Supposed To?
• What Could You Live Without?
• Do You Ever Feel Guilty About What, or How Much, You Throw Away?
• Do You Ever Eavesdrop?
• How Important Is Your Spiritual Life?
• Do You Believe That Everything Happens for a Reason?
• Can You Be Good Without God?
• Are You Less Religious Than Your Parents?
• Can You Pass a Basic Religion Test?
• What Can You Learn From Other Religions?

Role Models

• Who Is Your Role Model?
• Who Are Your Heroes?
• Who Inspires You?
• What’s the Best Advice You’ve Gotten?
• Who Outside Your Family Has Made a Difference in Your Life?
• If You Had Your Own Talk Show, Whom Would You Want to Interview?
• To Whom, or What, Would You Like to Write a Thank-You Note?
• What Leader Would You Invite to Speak at Your School?
• What Six People, Living or Dead, Would You Invite to Dinner?

Technology and Video Games

• Are You Distracted by Technology?
• Do You Always Have Your Phone or Tablet at Your Side?
• What Tech Tools Play the Biggest Role in Your Life?
• What New Technologies or Tech Toys Are You Most Excited About?
• To What Piece of Technology Would You Write a ‘Love Letter’?
• Does Your Digital Life Have Side Effects?
• Do Apps Help You or Just Waste Your Time?
• Do You Spend Too Much Time on Smart Phones Playing ‘Stupid Games’?
• When Do You Choose Making a Phone Call Over Sending a Text?
• Do You Know How to Code? Would You Like to Learn?
• Whom Would You Share Your Passwords With?
• What Are Your Favorite Video Games?
• What Have You Learned Playing Video Games?
• Do You Play Violent Video Games?
• When Should You Feel Guilty for Killing Zombies?
• Who Are Your Opponents in Online Gaming?
• Do You Like Watching Other People Play Video Games?

The Internet

• How Careful Are You Online?
• Do You Ever Seek Advice on the Internet?
• How Do You Know if What You Read Online Is True?
• How Much Do You Trust Online Reviews?
• How Do You Use Wikipedia?
• What Are Your Favorite Internet Spoofs?
• What Are Your Favorite Viral Videos?
• What Would You Teach the World in an Online Video?
• What Are Your Experiences With Internet-Based Urban Legends?
• What Story Does Your Personal Data Tell?
• Do You Worry About the Lack of Anonymity in the Digital Age?
• Do You Wish You Had More Privacy Online?
• California Notice
• Have You Ever Been Scammed?

Social Media

• How Do You Use Facebook?
• What Is Your Facebook Persona?
• What Memorable Experiences Have You Had on Facebook?
• Does Facebook Ever Make You Feel Bad?
• Would You Consider Deleting Your Facebook Account?
• Do You Have ‘Instagram Envy’?
• Do You Use Twitter?
• Why Do You Share Photos?
• How Do You Archive Your Life?
• Have You Ever Posted, Emailed or Texted Something You Wish You Could Take Back?
• Have You Ever Sent an Odd Message Because of Auto-Correct?
• Would You Want Your Photo or Video to Go Viral?
• Do You Worry Colleges or Employers Might Read Your Social Media Posts Someday?

• What Are You Listening To?
• Who in Your Life Introduces You to New Music?
• How Much Is Your Taste in Music Based on What Your Friends Like?
• What Music Inspires You?
• How Closely Do You Listen to Lyrics?
• Which Pop Music Stars Fascinate You?
• Who Is Your Favorite Pop Diva?
• What’s Your Karaoke Song?
• What Song/Artist Pairings Would You Like to Hear?

Movies, Theater and Television

• What Were the Best Movies You Saw in the Past Year?
• What Movies Do You Watch, or Reference, Over and Over?
• What Movies, Shows or Books Do You Wish Had Sequels, Spinoffs or New Episodes?
• Do You Like Horror Movies?
• Who Are Your Favorite Movie Stars?
• Would You Pay Extra for a 3-D Movie?
• What Is Your Favorite Comedy?
• What Are the Best Live Theatrical Performances You’ve Ever Seen?
• Have You Ever Stumbled Upon a Cool Public Performance?
• What Role Does Television Play in Your Life and the Life of Your Family?
• What Television Shows Have Mattered to You?
• Do Your Television Viewing Habits Include ‘Binge-Watching’?
• How Often Do You Watch a Television Show When It Originally Airs?
• What Old Television Shows Would You Bring Back?
• Why Do We Like Reality Shows So Much?
• What Ideas Do You Have for a Reality Show?
• What Are Your Favorite Commercials?
• How Much Are You Influenced by Advertising?

Reading, Writing and Fine Arts

• Read Any Good Books Lately?
• Do You Read for Pleasure?
• What Are Your Favorite Books and Authors?
• What Are the Best Things You’ve Read, Watched, Heard or Played This Year?
• What Are Your Favorite Young Adult Novels?
• What’s on Your Summer Reading List?
• What Memorable Poetry Have You Ever Read or Heard?
• What Are Your Favorite Cartoons?
• What Magazines Do You Read, and How Do You Read Them?
• Do You Enjoy Reading Tabloid Gossip?
• When Have You Seen Yourself and Your Life Reflected in a Book or Other Media?
• Do You Prefer Your Children’s Book Characters Obedient or Contrary?
• Do You Read E-Books?
• Would You Trade Your Paper Books for Digital Versions?
• To What Writer Would You Award a Prize?
• Why Do You Write?
• Do You Keep a Diary or Journal?
• Do You Have a Blog?
• Do You Want to Write a Book?
• When Do You Write by Hand?
• Do You Write in Cursive?
• Do You Write in Your Books?
• What ‘Mundane Moments’ From Your Life Might Make Great Essay Material?
• What’s the Coolest Thing You’ve Ever Seen in a Museum?
• What Are the Most Memorable Works of Visual Art You Have Seen?
• What Are Your Favorite Works of Art?

Language and Speech

• What Are Your Favorite and Least Favorite Words?
• What Words or Phrases Do You Think Are Overused?
• How Much Slang Do You Use? What Are Your Favorite (Printable) Words?
• How Much Do You Curse? Why?
• Why Do So Many People Say ‘Like’ and ‘Totally’ All the Time?
• Do You Sometimes ‘Hide’ Behind Irony?
• How Good Is Your Grammar?
• What New Emoticons Does the World Need?
• Are You Fluent in Vocal Fry, Creaky Voice or Uptalk?
• How Much Information Is ‘Too Much Information’?
• When Did You Last Have a Great Conversation?
• Do You Speak a Second, or Third, Language?
• When Do You Remember Learning a New Word?

School and Teachers

• Do You Like School?
• What Are You Really Learning at School?
• What Are You Looking Forward To, or Dreading, This School Year?
• Would You Want to Be Home-Schooled?
• Would You Like to Take a Class Online?
• Would You Rather Attend a Public or a Private High School?
• How Would You Grade Your School?
• What Can Other Schools Learn — and Copy — From Your School?
• Is Your School Day Too Short?
• What Do You Hope to Get Out of High School?
• Do You Have Too Much Homework?
• Does Your Homework Help You Learn?
• What Is Your Best Subject?
• What Memorable Experiences Have You Had in Learning Science or Math?
• Are You Afraid of Math?
• Do We Need a New Way to Teach Math?
• What Are the Best Ways to Learn About History?
• How Would You Do on a Civics Test?
• How Important Is Arts Education?
• What Is Your Most Memorable Writing Assignment?
• What Would You Like to Have Memorized?
• Does Your School Value Students’ Digital Skills?
• What Was Your Favorite Field Trip?
• Do You Participate in Class?
• What Are Your Best Tips for Studying?
• Do You Use Study Guides?
• Is Everything You’ve Been Taught About Study Habits Wrong?
• How Well Do You Think Standardized Tests Measure Your Abilities?
• Do You Have a Tutor?
• Are Your Grades Inflated?
• When Has a Teacher Inspired You?
• What Teacher Do You Appreciate?
• What Teacher Would You Like to Thank?
• What Do You Wish Your Teachers Knew About You?
• Do Your Test Scores Reflect How Good Your Teachers Are?
• Do Your Teachers Use Technology Well?

School Social Environment

• What Role Do School Clubs and Teams Play in Your Life?
• Who Has the Power in School Social Life?
• How Big a Problem Is Bullying or Cyberbullying in Your School or Community?
• Does Your School Seem Integrated?
• What’s the Racial Makeup of Your School?
• Do You Ever ‘Mix It Up’ and Socialize With Different People at School?
• Can Students at Your School Talk Openly About Their Mental Health Issues?
• Is Your School a ‘Party School’?
• How Common Is Drug Use in Your School?
• Do You Know People Who Cheat on High-Stakes Tests?
• How Does Your School Deal With Students Who Misbehave?
• How Much Does Your Life in School Intersect With Your Life Outside School?
• Would You Ever Go Through Hazing to Be Part of a Group?

Senior Year, College and Applications

• Where Do You Want to Go to College?
• What Are Your Sources for Information About Colleges and Universities?
• Is College Overrated?
• How Much Does the SAT or ACT Matter in Your Life?
• What Personal Essay Topic Would You Assign to College Applicants?
• What Qualities Would You Look For in a College Roommate?
• What Would You Do With a Gap Year?
• What Makes a Graduation Ceremony Memorable?
• How Do You Feel About Proms?

Work and Careers

• What Are Your Longtime Interests or Passions?
• Do You Have a Life Calling?
• What Do You Want to Do With Your Life?
• Do You Think You Will Have a Career That You Love?
• What Investment Are You Willing to Make to Get Your Dream Job?
• Would You Consider a Nontraditional Occupation?
• Would You Want to Be a Teacher?
• What Hidden Talents Might You Have?
• What Do You Hope to Be Doing the Year After You Graduate From College?
• Would You Rather Work From Home or in an Office?
• What Career or Technical Classes Do You Wish Your School Offered?
• What ‘Back-to-the-Land’ Skills Do You Have, or Wish You Had?
• What Have You Made Yourself?
• What Would You Create if You Had Funding?
• How Did You Start Doing Something You Love?
• Did You Ever Take a Break From Doing Something You Love?
• What Have You Done to Earn Money?
• Do You Have a Job?
• Would You Quit if Your Values Did Not Match Your Employer’s?
• What Are Your Attitudes Toward Money?
• Can Money Buy You Happiness?
• Where Do You See Yourself in 10 Years?
• What Do You Want to Be Doing When You’re 80?
• Do You Want to Live to 100?
• What Do You Want Your Obituary to Say?

Dating and Friendship

• Have You Ever Been in Love?
• What Are the Most Meaningful Relationships in Your Life?
• What Advice Would You Give to Somebody Who Just Started Dating?
• What Are the Basic ‘Rules’ for Handling Breakups?
• What Are Your Beliefs About Marriage?
• Are You Allowed to Date?
• Is Dating a Thing of the Past?
• Do You Have a Best Friend?
• How Do You Feel About Introducing Friends from Different Parts of Your Life?
• How Should You Handle the End of a Friendship?
• How Often Do You Have ‘Deep Discussions’?

Sports, Exercise and Games

• Do You Like to Exercise?
• How Has Exercise Changed Your Health, Your Body or Your Life?
• Why Do You Play Sports?
• What Is the Most Memorable Sporting Event You’ve Ever Watched or Played In?
• What’s the Most Impressive Sports Moment You’ve Seen?
• When Has a Sports Team Most Disappointed You?
• What Sports Teams Do You Root For?
• Does Being a Fan Help Define Who You Are?
• How Far Would You Go to Express Loyalty to Your Favorite Teams?
• What Fan Memorabilia Would You Pay Big Bucks For?
• What Rules Would You Like to See Changed in Your Favorite Sports?
• What Game Would You Like to Redesign?
• What Are Your Favorite Games?

• Where in the World Would You Travel if You Could?
• What Is Your Fantasy Vacation?
• What Would Your Fantasy Road Trip Be Like?
• What Crazy Adventure Would You Want to Take?
• How Has Travel Affected You?
• What Famous Landmarks Have You Visited?
• What’s the Coolest Thing You’ve Ever Seen in Nature?
• What Are the Best Souvenirs You’ve Ever Collected While Traveling?
• Would You Like to Live in Another Country?
• Would You Want to Be a Space Tourist?

Looks, Fashion and Health

• What Does Your Hairstyle Say About You?
• How Far Would You Go for Fashion?
• What Are the Hot Fashion Trends at Your School Right Now?
• Do You Have a Signature Clothing Item?
• Has Anyone Ever Said That You Look Like Someone Famous?
• Would You Ever Consider Getting a Tattoo?
• What Are Your Opinions on Cosmetic Surgery?
• Do Photoshopped Images Make You Feel Bad About Your Own Looks?
• What Are Your Sleep Habits?
• How Much of a Priority Do You Make Sleep?
• Do You Get Enough Sleep?
• What Health Tips Have Worked for You?

Shopping and Driving

• What’s Your Favorite Store? Why?
• To What Company Would You Write a Letter of Complaint or Admiration?
• To What Business Would You Like to Give Advice?
• How Would You Make Over Your Mall?
• Do You Shop at Locally Owned Businesses?
• What Are the Best Things You’ve Acquired Secondhand?
• How Important Is It to Have a Driver’s License?
• Are You a Good Driver?

Food and Eating

• What Are the Most Memorable Meals You’ve Ever Had?
• What’s Your Favorite Holiday Food Memory?
• What’s Your Comfort Food?
• What Are Your Favorite Junk Foods?
• What Food Would You Like to Judge in a Taste-Off?
• Do You Prefer Your Tacos ‘Authentic’ or ‘Appropriated’?
• Do You Pay Attention to Nutrition Labels on Food?
• How Concerned Are You About Where Your Food Comes From?
• Are Your Eating Habits Healthy?
• What Are Your ‘Food Rules’?
• Do You Eat Too Quickly?
• What Do You Eat During the School Day?
• Do You Eat Cafeteria Food?
• How Much Food Does Your Family Waste?
• What Messages About Food and Eating Have You Learned From Your Family?
• What’s Your Favorite Restaurant?
• What Restaurant Would You Most Like to Review?
• Do You Cook?
• What Would You Most Like to Learn to Cook or Bake?

Holidays, Seasons, Weather and Weekends

• How Can People Make the Most of Long Holiday Weekends?
• What’s Your Sunday Routine?
• What’s on Your Fall Fashion Shopping List?
• Will You Be Wearing a Halloween Costume This Year?
• Do You Like Scary Movies and Books?
• Do You Believe in Ghosts?
• What Are Your Thanksgiving Traditions?
• What Are Your Tips for Enjoying the Holiday Season?
• How Will You Spend the Holiday Break?
• Do You Make New Year’s Resolutions?
• How Do You Fight the Winter Blues?
• What Are Your Experiences With Severe Weather?
• How Do You Feel About Valentine’s Day?
• How Do You Celebrate Spring?
• What Would Your Fantasy Spring Break Be Like?
• How Careful Are You in the Sun?
• What Are You Looking Forward to This Summer?
• What Would Your Ideal Summer Camp Be Like?
• What Are Your Favorite Summer Hangouts?
• What’s Your Favorite Summer Food?
• What Is Your Favorite Summer Movie?
• Do You Have a Summer Job?
• Do You Choose Summer Activities to Look Good on Applications?
• What Are the Best Things You Did This Summer?
• How Do You Prepare to Go Back to School?

Beliefs, Politics and Current Events

• How Would You Like to Help Our World?
• What Cause Would Get You Into the Streets?
• What Would You Risk Your Life For?
• When Have You Spoken Out About Something You Felt Had to Change?
• What Would You Invent to Make the World a Better Place?
• How Do You Feel About Zoos?
• What Is Your Relationship With Guns?
• Do You Trust Your Government?
• Do You Know Your First Amendment Rights?
• Do You Worry About Terrorism?
• Do You Believe in Intelligent Alien Life?
• Given Unlimited Resources, What Scientific or Medical Problem Would You Investigate?
• What Would You Do if You Were President?
• Would You Vote This Year if You Could?
• Do You Consider Yourself a Republican, Democrat or Independent?
• What Event in the Past Do You Wish You Could Have Witnessed?
• What Are the Most Important Changes, in Your Life and in the World, in the Last Decade?
• What Do You Remember About Sept. 11, 2001?
• What News Stories Are You Following?
• How Do You Get Your News?
• Why Should We Care About Events in Other Parts of the World?
• What Questions Do You Have About How the World Works?
• What Big Questions Do You Have?

If Only…

• What Would You Do if You Won the Lottery?
• What Superpower Do You Wish You Had?
• What Era Do You Wish You Had Lived In?
• Would You Want to Be a Tween or Teen Star?
• Would You Want to Grow Up in the Public Eye?
• What Kind of Robot Would You Want?
• What Would You Outsource if You Could?
• What Would You Like to Learn on Your Own?
• What Would You Wait in Line For?

This resource may be used to address the academic standards listed below.

Common Core E.L.A. Anchor Standards

3   Write narratives to develop real or imagined experiences or events using effective technique, well-chosen details and well-structured event sequences.

Comments are no longer being accepted.

This is such a fabulous resource for inspiration! Thank you so much for putting this list together. I’ll refer to it often and share it with my readers on my poetry and writing blog.

These are great writing prompts. These remind me of the questions on StoryShelter.com. It’s nice to write there and have all your personal stories in one place where you can share them with friends or post anonymously. Anyone who does narrative or personal writing will find it really useful.

For example, this is how a bunch of people answered the question: “What would you do if you won the lottery?” https://www.storyshelter.com/question/what-if-i-won-the-lottery

Cool, right?

Wonderful list! The topics are thought-provoking and exciting to write. I can go writing on and on, on these topics.

How much do you know about your family history?

I know a little bit about my family history. My grandma talks about our religion sometimes, not every day. So I get to hear some facts about my religion. For example what we do on New Year’s or what happened when I wasn’t born yet. My family history is very interesting.

My mom she is Cambodian and my dad is Thai so I’m mixed Asian. Everybody say that I mostly look like my dad than my mom, and that’s interesting to me.

My dad side of the family, my great great grandma, grandpa and aunts and uncles. They are living in Thailand. I want to go to Thailand really bad. My mom side of the family, my great great grandpa, grandma and my grandma siblings. They are living in Cambodia. My grandma took some pictures in Asia. It looks so different than the United States of America.

So first off, my dad he was born in Thailand and my mom I think she was born in Cambodia. She said that she didn’t went to Cambodia so I really don’t know. So my family (parents, grandparents, aunts and uncle immigrated to the United States of America and became citizens. That time they lived in Stockton, California. I could of live there still. But my dad he went to school in New Hampshire and got a job here and the job over here paid a lot more money than California. So Then my mom side of the family came with my parents, and my dad side of the family stayed in California that was in the 1990s when they moved to New Hampshire. Then they separated, so now we don’t live together anymore.

Now my aunt lives in Massachusetts and my other aunt lives in Rhode Island. So when my parents lived in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, I wasn’t born yet. But I wish that we still lived in California. So we

My life is interesting to me. I have families in Cambodia and Thailand, and I haven’t met them yet. Also the things we do on New Year’s and other occasions. So that’s what I know about my family history.

Very interesting

OMG!! Where have you been all my life I am very excited about this!!

I wish I was more of a journaler. These are some fantastic prompts for writing personal stories. With 500 listed here, there’s no way you wouldn’t find an inspiring prompt.

I’m more of a fiction writer, and I’ve chosen to write prompts that help fiction writers expand their imagination.

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Narrative Essay Topics — Prompts & Ideas For All Grade Levels

N arrative essays can present a serious challenge for even the most seasoned of writers, but fear not, we’ve compiled some great narrative essay topics to inspire your next paper! Follow along as we explore prompts relating to life, school, and more. By the end, you’ll be prepared to tackle narrative essays from a variety of different angles.

Good Narrative Topics

What is a narrative essay.

Before we jump into our narrative essay topics, we have to first answer the question: what is a narrative essay ? A narrative essay is a prose-written story that’s focused on the commentary of a central theme.

Narrative essays are generally written in the first-person POV , and are usually about a topic that’s personal to the writer.

Everything in a narrative essay should take place in an established timeline, with a clear beginning, middle, and end. 

For more on narrative essays, check out this video on literacy narrative topics and structure:

Narrative Essay Topic Ideas  •  Narrative Essay Titles

In the world of literature, narrative essays are held to a rigorous structure. We’re not going to enforce that rigor here! So, follow along as we (hopefully) inspire you with a variety of narrative essay topics and argument essay ideas. 

Narrative Ideas

Narrative essay ideas for kids.

Narrative essay topics for kids usually focus on family, school, and friends.

Here are some easy narrative essay topics that work well for kids:

• Describe your most recent birthday party.
• Tell the story of your first day of school.
• Who is your best friend?
• Have you ever helped others?
• Describe your favorite animal(s)
• What is your dream for the future?

This next video from “Teaching Without Frills” explores narrative essay topics for kids in further detail. 

Narrative Essay Ideas  •  Titles of narrative essays

Sometimes it can help to visualize narrative essay topics with pictures, especially for younger kids. If you’re a teacher, consider using pictures to inspire your students!

Narrative essay ideas for teens

Middle school and high school students are often asked to write narrative essays too. But whereas narrative essay topics for elementary school students are usually structured around simple, positive topics, narrative essay topics for teens are generally more contemplative.

Here are some personal narrative essay topics that work well for teens:

• Describe a moment of loss.
• Describe a moment of serenity.
• Recount the story of a lost friend.
• Detail your greatest creation.
• Tell the story of your favorite teacher.
• How would you change the world?

Remember: not every person has the same circumstances as others. That's why they're called personal narrative essay topics.

It’s important to frame narrative essay topics for kids in a way that every kid can relate. For example: the prompt “a lost friend” could mean a friend who moved away or a dead pet. Make sure to word your prompts in such a way that participants can glean their own interpretation.

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Narrative Essay Ideas

Narrative essay ideas for young adults.

Young adults are sometimes asked to write narrative essays for school and or job applications. Narrative essay reviewers typically want to see writers demonstrate maturity and growth in their work. As such, their questions are generally structured around challenges and problem management.

Here are some narrative argument essay topics for young adults:

• Have you ever failed at your job?
• If you could change one thing from your past, what would it be?
• What is something you take pride in?
• Describe your childhood.
• How will you grow this year?
• What is the most important element of success?

Of course, the topics above are mostly focused on success and failure. Young adults can certainly respond to the other prompts too!

Narrative essay ideas for adults

Adults aren’t generally tasked with writing narrative essays unless they’re writers. But that doesn’t have to be the case! There are a lot of positives to writing narrative essays, whether you’re a literary professor or a wrestler looking to articulate your thoughts.

So, here are some things to write a narrative essay about for adults:

• What was your worst job?
• What (or who) was your first love?
• Who do you take care of?
• What is your most prized possession?
• If you could tell somebody who’s now gone from your life one thing, what would it be?
• Paint a picture of where you find peace.

Narrative essay titles  •  Easy narrative essay topics

In recent years, companies have been selling books with narrative essay prompts for adults (particularly elderly adults) to reflect on their lives.

Creative Writing Prompts & Exercises

Now that you're brainstorming good titles for personal narrative, time to learn about other forms of creating writing. A narrative essay is just one type of essay – there are dozens more! In our next article, we break down more creative writing prompts and exercises, including those suited to fantasy, romance, horror, and more. By the end, you’ll know a ton of different ways to approach your next story.

Up Next: Creative Writing Exercises →

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218 Narrative Essay Topics

When some high school students get a narrative essay for their homework, they believe they must air out their laundry, but that's rarely the case. Anyone can create a beautiful and captivating story that describes memorable events in fine detail.

Your narrative essay could also be about your role model. The first thing you must do to come up with a masterpiece is to take your time coming up with great narrative essay topics. You can find numerous ideas online but scroll on to find the best selection prepared by experts.

Before you rummage around old assignments for a topic idea, look at this list of interesting narrative essay topics. They will inspire you in unimaginable ways and get you on your way to writing that masterpiece. Without further ado, let's get to the best narrative essay topics for your assignment!

Narrative Essay Topic Ideas • Narrative Essay Titles

The greatest responsibility you have when writing narrative essays is to make sure you are impressionable. This means writing great narrative essay topics. Let's get those juices flowing with some ideas for the essay.

• The most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to you
• The most embarrassing experience in the Iraq war
• An experience that gave you business acumen
• Your most frightening experience as a child
• An experience that showed you the value of trust
• How you learnt to overcome fear
• An unpleasant experience that showed you an important life lesson
• A harrowing experience that taught you to appreciate life
• One memorable day with a family member
• A personal narrative concerning a success story

While some are pretty straightforward, others are a bit of a thinker. You have the liberty to experiment with these topics by conducting a bit of research. For example, you could come up with life lessons from a memorable trip with family members. Go try it out. We'll explore some more personalized essay topics in the next section.

Best Narrative Essay Topics: Funny, Personal, Literacy, and Fictional Ideas

Are you looking for material for your research paper? Researching an engaging story is crucial to engaging high school students and faculty with your writing. Read this part for timely answers to questions on the best topic ideas for funny, literacy, personal, and fictional ideas.

• My virgin flight to Asia
• Best memories of my high school
• My hopes upon completing college
• A memorable trip to Mexico
• A friend in disguise: sheep-in-wolf clothing
• An accident I was involved in
• The journey ahead: Living through end-stage capitalism
• A life-changing event that happened in high school
• An experience with cybercrime and its personal effects
• Experiencing unequal employment opportunities as a teenager
• My favorite meal: Barbequed meat with anything on top
• Experiencing psychological torture as a teenage American
• How I maintain an effective work-life balance
• The most important life lesson I got from school
• My realization of the existence of double-faced people
• The most memorable people in my life
• How I survived a shark attack
• How do I keep my personal and professional lives separate?
• My favorite teacher in grade school
• My experience with Covid-19: physical, social, and economic issues
• My most memorable punishment at home
• My proudest moment in life

Personal Narrative Essay Topics

Look at some of these personal narrative essay ideas that will hit home and spur up an idea or two about an experience you think would capture your audience.

• The reason why I love my family
• The toughest decision I ever made
• My favorite meditation spot: outdoors
• A complete day in the life of John Smith
• The best moment of my entire life
• The moment I will treasure in my life forever
• The best decision I have ever made
• How do I overcome my fears and turn them into strengths
• Why I don't particularly appreciate going to college
• My experience with racism as an international student
• My neighborhood's experience with the 2009 market crash

That last one was a bit of a stretch. But you get the idea. The possibilities are endless; all you have to think about is an experience in your life, and personal narrative essay topics are all around us. You just need a hot cup of coffee, a notebook, and a pen. Brainstorm ideas from different experiences in your life, and you'll find tons of them if you dig a bit deeper.

Well, it's not an exact science, but it is a pretty good way to open your mind to ideas and develop different topics for your essay. If you're stuck, some help might, well, help. You can buy narrative essays online . You'll get a well written research paper on time. Now, let's see some fictional narrative essay topics and ideas to see further how you can create your unique one.

Fictional Narrative Essay Ideas

Now this is where things start to get interesting. You can come up with any number of these. A story you heard from your best friend? Or a narrative essay topic on the most embarrassing moment you can place a human being. Go nuts with this one. Let's give you some insights into what you can consider writing on.

• Our worst "boys' trip" ever
• Stuck in the middle of nowhere without gas
• A terrible dream that morphed into reality
• How your best friend turned into your enemy
• How your friend was stuck in a foreign country
• An exciting story about your day at the horse tracks
• Personal stories from your grandpa
• How your favorite teacher helped with your first job interview
• A major turning point in your life
• A significant challenge facing your community
• Favorite childhood games that instilled adult character
• A weird encounter with a stranger on a train
• Dealing with a daunting task during the summer
• A Christmas present you'll never forget
• The first pet you owned
• A random act that changed your perspective on life
• The first person to start a community health center in your neighborhood

You could get a few tips from this list for your next fictional essay topics.

Good Narrative Essay Topics for College Students

Take a look at some narrative essay topic ideas that benefit university students.

• My best memory when in college
• My favorite unit in college
• The most memorable incident in my life
• My favorite professor in college
• A reminder to my older self
• My favorite author in business
• A letter to future me
• The best roommate I had in college
• My best research project to date
• The best team member I had for a research project
• The best party I attended in college
• A life-threatening escape during a summer trip
• The best food I had in college
• The best trip I had in college
• How one event changed everything in my school
• My final day in college

These are but a few of the many topics about college you could write a narrative essay on. Personal experiences are the best because you only have to rely on memory, but looking at it from an outsider's viewpoint helps relate to the reader. Now let's check out some narrative essay topics you can enjoy writing on as a high school student.

Narrative Essay Topics for High School Students

Use this guide as you come up with a narrative paper to generate essay ideas for your personal narrative topic. You are bound to come up with an interesting story if you immerse yourself in the experience. Here are some personal experiences to help you start writing narrative essay topics that'll guide you through high school.

• My first day in junior high
• A terrible experience with a movie character at my high school
• How modern school environments almost gave me mental health issues
• My favorite subject in high school
• Interesting topics we learnt about in my literature unit
• The most amazing farewell party
• The best welcome party in high school
• The best teacher in my high school
• The two buddies in my high school
• The best decision I made for college life in high school
• The worst mistake I made in middle school
• The best streets we visited in my high school days
• The best teammate I met in high school
• The most amazing thing I learnt in high school
• The final exam in my high school
• How my last day went at my high school

You can write tons of other topics on ideas, such as your best friend, or come up with narrative essay topics involving less personal narrative ideas that border more on fiction than reality. Let's now dive into some topics you could write about as a K-level student.

Narrative Essay Ideas for Kids

As is the case with university students, writing narrative essays takes practice and depends on the level a student is on. Here's how we'll cover each of the narrative essay topics for each grade level.

Level: Grade 1

Level: grade 2, level: grade 3, level: grade 4, level: grade 5, level: grade 6, level: grade 7, level: grade 8, level: grade 9, level: grade 10, level: grade 11, level: grade 12.

Take a look at some essay writing topics for grade 1 kids.

• A day at the beach
• After-school games
• An important person at school
• A day in the library
• Food I do not like at school
• A day at the park with my family
• Games we play at recess
• My neighbor's dog, Butch
• What makes plants grow
• How to make my favorite snack
• How to talk to new people
• The reason I like summer
• My favorite hobby for Saturdays
• How I spend my weekend
• How to ride a bike
• My favorite toy in the world
• A day in the summer heat
• The best vacation last summer
• A wonderful place to go
• The best treehouse in our yard
• A sport I'd like to continue playing
• A trip on the train
• Amazing facts about birds
• The most amazing pony at the fair
• A trip to the supermarket

• Activities resulting from outdoor fun
• What you can do when you're indoors
• Amazing facts about airplanes
• An important person in the government
• The tiger: an amazing animal
• The best after-school games
• A day at the public library
• Dancing to music at home
• Food I find odd and disgusting
• How to make my favorite dinner
• The best toy to own right now
• A cartoon character that I like
• A day in the Moroccan desert
• A great place to visit in the summer
• The best friend I never saw
• The wooden treehouse in my backyard
• The best place to visit in spring
• A song that I like
• A trip on an airship
• An important time in history
• A secret place I visit
• A trip on a monorail
• Why do I find spiders creepy?
• Creatures that live in the desert
• Why dumping plastic is bad for the environment
• Going fishing with my father
• Going to the dentist
• Why I want to be famous
• How to cure hiccups
• I don't understand why we pollute the environment
• What I use a computer to do
• My best childhood games
• A school trip to the zoo
• A toy I have kept for many years
• Is pollution reversible if we continue using coal?
• What a new student to my school needs to know
• The best dream I have ever had
• The best trip I have ever taken
• How I see myself five years from now
• The impact of sharing with friends
• What I would do if I were the principal for a day?
• A big accident on the road
• Can American farmers feed everyone?
• How would I define the word honesty?
• I am the president for the day. Here is what I would do
• How can I change bad behaviors?
• My favorite chores
• My participation in tree planting outside the school
• My bedroom, from the door to all four walls
• The craziest hairstyle I have ever had
• One thing I want to do after finishing the 8th grade
• A big problem in the energy sector is...
• A cool new store in our neighborhood
• Dear governor
• Discover nature in Singapore
• My favorite teacher in gym class
• My favorite band as a small child
• Pet peeves that my best friend has
• The worst meal I ever ate
• The worst shave I ever had
• The best picture day in my school
• A day I will never forget
• A friend I will always cherish
• A project I am working on
• A typical evening at my house
• How Abraham Lincoln changed history
• A great scientific breakthrough
• An invention that transformed how we communicate
• Causes of global warming in the world
• Coping with many brothers and sisters
• My Website on good etiquette
• How a motorbike works
• How a crankshaft works in an engine
• A trip to the NASA space station
• If I had superpowers, I would...
• Is pollution a necessary evil?
• My first encounter with a cyberbully
• My dream car since I was a child
• My dream house will have...
• I admit it: I enjoy professional basketball
• Overcoming health problems related to gymnastics
• What did Americans make in Detroit?
• What makes pollution a danger in Australia?
• Environmentally-friendly ways to mine for petroleum
• Is fracking bad for the environment?
• What animals can teach people
• Tools I will need for my future dream job
• What if there were no school sports?
• The best summer job in my existence
• We all make mistakes
• The hardest thing I have ever done
• A funny thing that happened in 7th grade
• Do not let obstacles keep you from your goal
• The influence of greed in corporate America
• Foods I love during a hot day
• A change that would help you get better grades
• The summer job that I regret most
• Putting my foot in my mouth at the fair
• The argument for alternative sources of energy
• Something our community really needs is...
• If it's a rule, it's right...right?

Coming Up With Good Topic Ideas

The thought of writing sends a chill down many students' spines. Academic papers can be intimidating, but you only need to eliminate writer's block and unleash your writing potential. To this end, you may not have a clue about what you are writing about. You will likely have no problems flowing with a topic with which you have information ready. Use different strategies to come up with narrative essay topics that address your issues. Find what works best for you and which learning style suits you best.

Here are some steps you can follow to develop your narrative essay topics.

• Understand your assignment
• Determine the assignment's purpose
• Use a provided list

1. Understand Your Assignment

You must understand the length of your narrative essay and what type is required for your assignment to score highly. You must also discern the research level needed to determine your research scope.

2. Determine the Assignment’s Purpose

Your assignment's purpose will help you determine the type of paper you are writing. For instance, writing an argumentative essay topic will differ from developing personal narrative essay topics. Learn to recognize terms like describe, contrast, analyze, compare, and synthesize to determine what your teacher wants.

3. Use a Provided List

Your instructor may provide you with a list. Occasionally, choose a topic from the given list that interests you. Your instructor will have checked the scope and breadth of the research and seen that such papers elicited great narrative essay topics in the past. When given a list, one good habit of writing narrative essay topics that appeal to your audience is to write the main argument and a thesis for the topics and compare them for scope and breadth.

Select a topic that comes naturally and where you have greater insight to develop a good narrative essay.

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Engaging Narrative Writing Prompts High School

Narrative essays are a form of writing that allows high school students to share personal experiences and tell captivating stories. Whether it’s for a personal statement, an AP Language and Composition assignment, or a college application, choosing the right narrative essay topic is crucial. In this article, we will provide a list of engaging narrative writing prompts specifically designed for high school students. These thought-provoking ideas will spark creativity and help improve their writing skills.

• Key Takeaways:
• Engaging narrative writing prompts are essential for high school students.
• Narrative essays focus on storytelling and personal experiences.
• Choosing the right topic is crucial for crafting a compelling narrative.
• Show, don’t tell, using descriptive language and sensory details.
• Using dialogue and personal reflection can enhance the narrative.

Understanding Narrative Essays vs. Analytical Essays

When it comes to writing essays, high school students must be aware of the differences between narrative essays and analytical essays. These two types of essays require different approaches and focus on distinct aspects of writing. A clear understanding of these differences is crucial for students to excel in their academic writing.

Narrative essays are all about telling a story and providing a first-person account of personal experiences. The emphasis is on engaging the reader through creative details, vivid imagery, and sensory descriptions. Students are encouraged to show, rather than tell, using descriptive language to bring their stories to life. Personal reflection and a well-structured narrative are essential elements of a strong narrative essay.

On the other hand, analytical essays require critical thinking and the presentation of logical arguments. These essays focus on analyzing and interpreting a topic or issue, often requiring students to conduct research and provide evidence to support their claims. Structure and organization play a significant role in analytical essays, with a clear thesis statement and well-developed paragraphs. Students must demonstrate their ability to analyze and evaluate information in an objective manner.

• Key Differences Between Narrative and Analytical Essays:
• Focus: Narrative essays focus on storytelling and personal experiences, while analytical essays focus on analysis and logical arguments.
• Writing Style: Narrative essays use descriptive language and vivid imagery, while analytical essays require a more objective and formal writing style.
• Structure: Narrative essays typically follow a three-act structure, while analytical essays follow a more traditional essay structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion.
• Purpose: The purpose of a narrative essay is to entertain and engage the reader, while an analytical essay aims to inform and persuade.

By understanding the differences between narrative essays and analytical essays, high school students can approach their writing assignments with clarity and confidence, ensuring they meet the specific requirements of each type of essay.

How to Choose the Right Narrative Essay Topic

Choosing the right narrative essay topic is crucial for high school students. The topic you select will determine the success of your essay, as it sets the foundation for the entire writing process. To help you choose the right narrative essay topic, here are some guidelines to consider:

• 1. Consider your interests and passions

Start by thinking about the things that genuinely interest you or the topics you are passionate about. Writing about something you care about will make the process more enjoyable and authentic. It could be a personal experience, a hobby, a social issue, or any other subject that resonates with you.

• 2. Reflect on your personal experiences

Your own life experiences can provide a wealth of material for a narrative essay. Reflect on moments that have had a significant impact on you, whether they are joyful, challenging, or transformative. These personal experiences can help you create a compelling narrative that resonates with your audience.

• 3. Brainstorm different ideas

Take some time to brainstorm different ideas and topics for your narrative essay. Write down any thoughts or memories that come to mind, even if they seem unrelated at first. This can help you uncover unique and unexpected storylines that will make your essay stand out.

By following these guidelines, you can choose a narrative essay topic that is meaningful to you and captivates your readers. Remember to select a topic that allows you to showcase your writing skills and create a compelling narrative that leaves a lasting impression.

Elements of a Strong Narrative Essay

When writing a narrative essay, there are several key elements that can help create a strong and engaging piece of writing. By paying attention to these elements, you can captivate your readers and make your narrative essay stand out.

• 1. Show, Don’t Tell

One of the most important elements of a strong narrative essay is the ability to show rather than tell. Instead of simply stating facts and events, use descriptive language and vivid imagery to create a sensory experience for your readers. This will allow them to fully immerse themselves in your narrative and make it more engaging.

• 2. Start with a Strong Opening

The opening line of your narrative essay is crucial in grabbing your readers’ attention and setting the tone for the rest of the story. Consider starting with a compelling anecdote, a thought-provoking question, or a vivid description that immediately draws your readers in and makes them want to continue reading.

• 3. Follow a Three-Act Structure

Structuring your narrative essay around a three-act structure can help create a cohesive and well-paced story. The three acts consist of the setup, the confrontation, and the resolution. In the setup, introduce the main characters, setting, and background information. In the confrontation, present the main conflict or challenge that the characters face. And in the resolution, provide a satisfying conclusion or resolution to the story.

• 4. Include Personal Reflection

At the end of your narrative essay, it’s important to include personal reflection to give your readers insight into the impact of your experiences. This allows you to provide a deeper understanding of the story and share any lessons or insights you’ve gained. Personal reflection adds depth and meaning to your narrative, making it more impactful for your readers.

By incorporating these elements into your narrative essay, you can create a strong and compelling piece of writing that will captivate your readers and leave a lasting impression.

Engaging Narrative Essay Topics for High Schoolers

When it comes to narrative essay writing, choosing the right topic is crucial for high school students. A well-selected topic not only sparks their interest but also provides ample material to create an engaging narrative. To help you in this process, here is a list of 50 narrative essay topics specifically designed for high school students.

• The most memorable birthday party you ever had
• A childhood incident that taught you an important life lesson
• A favorite family vacation and the adventures you experienced
• A special family tradition that holds meaning for you
• An unforgettable moment shared with your siblings
• A time when your parents surprised you with a thoughtful gesture
• An outdoor adventure that pushed you out of your comfort zone
• A beautiful place in nature that holds a special meaning for you
• An encounter with wildlife that left a lasting impression
• A concert or music festival that had a profound impact on you
• A song that represents a significant moment or emotion in your life
• Your experience learning to play a musical instrument
• Relationships:
• A friendship that has stood the test of time
• A mentor who has had a positive influence on your life
• A romantic relationship that taught you valuable lessons
• Self-Reflection:
• A personal accomplishment that made you proud
• A challenge you overcame and the lessons you learned
• A moment of self-discovery that changed your perspective
• Overcoming Adversity:
• A time when you faced a fear and came out stronger
• An experience that taught you resilience and perseverance
• A setback that turned into a valuable learning opportunity
• School Experiences:
• A teacher who inspired you and made a lasting impact
• An extracurricular activity that helped you discover a passion
• A memorable class project that challenged your creativity

These narrative essay topics cover a wide range of categories and themes, providing you with plenty of options to explore. Remember to choose a topic that resonates with you personally and allows you to showcase your unique voice and perspective. With the right topic in hand, you’ll be well on your way to writing an engaging and captivating narrative essay.

Using Writing Prompts to Spark Creativity

Writing prompts are a valuable tool for high school students to overcome writer’s block and ignite their creativity. They serve as a starting point, providing a specific idea or topic to kickstart the writing process. Using writing prompts can help students explore different perspectives, genres, and writing styles. Whether they are working on personal narratives, poetry, or fiction, writing prompts can serve as catalysts for imaginative and engaging stories.

• How to Use Writing Prompts Effectively

When using writing prompts, it’s important to approach them with an open mind and embrace the opportunity for self-expression. Here are some tips on how to use writing prompts effectively:

• Read the prompt carefully and understand the underlying theme or idea.
• Allow yourself to brainstorm and explore various angles or interpretations of the prompt.
• Use the prompt as a guide, but don’t be afraid to deviate from it and follow your creative instincts.
• Experiment with different writing styles, tones, and perspectives to make your writing unique.
• Set a timer and challenge yourself to write continuously for a specific amount of time to build momentum.
• Revise and edit your work to refine your ideas and improve the overall quality of your writing.
• Examples of Writing Prompts

Writing prompts can come in various forms, such as words, phrases, images, or questions. Here are a few examples of writing prompts that can inspire high school students in their creative writing endeavors:

• Write a letter to your future self, describing the person you aspire to be.
• Imagine you are stranded on a desert island. Describe your daily routine and how you survive.
• Write a poem about a vivid childhood memory that holds a special place in your heart.
• Write a short story about a hidden treasure that is discovered in an unexpected location.
• Describe a person you admire and explain why they inspire you.
• Write a persuasive essay arguing for or against a controversial topic of your choice.

By using writing prompts effectively, high school students can unlock their creativity, explore new ideas, and improve their writing skills. The process of responding to prompts allows students to think critically, develop their unique voice, and express their thoughts and emotions through the written word.

Creative Writing Prompts High School Students Will Love

Engaging high school students in creative writing can be a challenging task. To help inspire their creativity and encourage them to explore their writing skills, here is a comprehensive list of creative writing prompts specifically tailored for high school students.

• Storytelling Prompts:
• Create a story about a character who discovers they have a unique superpower.
• Write a story about a mysterious object that grants wishes, but with unexpected consequences.
• Imagine a world where time travel is possible. Write a story about a character who travels back in time to change a significant event.
• Write a story about a group of friends who embark on an adventure to find a hidden treasure.
• Poetry Prompts:
• Write a poem about a favorite childhood memory.
• Compose a poem that captures the beauty of nature during a specific season.
• Write a poem about a personal struggle or overcoming a difficult challenge.
• Create a poem inspired by a piece of artwork or a photograph that resonates with you.
• Suspenseful Narrative Prompts:
• Write a suspenseful story about a character who receives anonymous threatening messages.
• Create a story about a character who wakes up one day and realizes they have lost all their memories.
• Write a suspenseful story about a character who stumbles upon a hidden secret in their family’s attic.
• Create a story about a character who starts receiving visions of future events, but they are unsure if they can change their fate.
• Dialogue-Driven Prompts:
• Write a conversation between two characters who have opposing views on a controversial topic.
• Create a dialogue between two best friends who find themselves in a heated argument.
• Write a conversation between a mentor and a mentee, discussing life lessons and personal growth.
• Create a dialogue between two strangers who meet on a train and discover they have a shared connection.
• “What If” Prompts:
• Imagine a world where animals can talk. Write a story about a day in the life of a talking animal.
• Create a story about a character who wakes up one day with the ability to fly.
• Write a story about a world where technology has advanced to the point where humans can upload their consciousness into computer programs.
• Create a story about a character who discovers a portal to a parallel universe.
• Funny Prompts:
• Write a humorous story about a character who always seems to find themselves in embarrassing situations.
• Create a funny poem about a memorable family vacation gone wrong.
• Write a dialogue between two quirky characters who are trying to solve a ridiculous problem.
• Create a story about a mischievous talking animal who causes chaos in its owner’s life.

These creative writing prompts are designed to spark the imagination of high school students and provide them with a wide range of ideas to explore. Whether they choose to write a story, compose a poem, or engage in dialogue-driven writing, these prompts will inspire them to unleash their creativity and develop their writing skills.

Using Journal Prompts for High School Creative Writing

Journal prompts can be a valuable tool for high school students looking to engage in creative writing on a regular basis. By providing a starting point or a specific topic to explore, journal prompts can help inspire creativity, promote self-reflection, and improve writing skills. Here are some creative writing journal prompts specifically tailored for high school students:

• 1. Moments of Pride

Think about a time when you felt a deep sense of accomplishment or pride. Describe the experience in detail, including what led up to it, how it made you feel, and why it was significant to you.

• 2. Confronting Fears

Write about a time when you faced a fear or overcame a challenge. How did you feel before, during, and after? What did you learn from the experience and how did it shape you as a person?

• 3. Moments of Clarity

Reflect on a moment when everything seemed to fall into place and make sense. What was the situation and what led to this moment of clarity? How did it impact your perspective or understanding of yourself and the world around you?

• 4. Special Places

Describe a place that holds special meaning to you. It could be a childhood home, a favorite vacation spot, or a peaceful outdoor sanctuary. What makes this place significant to you and how does it make you feel when you are there?

• 5. Impactful People

Think about someone who has had a significant impact on your life. Describe this person and the ways in which they have influenced you. Why are they important to you and what lessons have you learned from them?

• 6. Moments of Beauty

Write about a moment when you witnessed something truly beautiful. It could be a natural phenomenon, a work of art, or a simple act of kindness. Describe the experience in detail and explain why it had such a profound impact on you.

Explore your dreams and aspirations. What are your biggest dreams for the future? Describe them and explain why they are important to you. Reflect on the steps you are taking or plan to take to turn these dreams into reality.

• 8. Memorable Experiences with Friends

Think about a memorable experience you had with friends. Describe the event, the people involved, and why it stands out in your memory. Reflect on the impact of friendship and the importance of these relationships in your life.

These journal prompts are designed to inspire high school students to explore their thoughts, feelings, and experiences through creative writing. By engaging with these prompts regularly, students can develop their writing skills, enhance their self-expression, and unlock their imaginative potential.

Non-Fiction Writing Prompts for High School Students

Developing strong non-fiction writing skills is crucial for high school students as it allows them to effectively communicate their thoughts and experiences. To help high school students explore the world of non-fiction writing, we have compiled a list of engaging non-fiction writing prompts that will inspire them to share significant events, personal perspectives, and impactful moments from their lives. These prompts will encourage students to delve into topics such as inspirational people, current issues, challenges they have overcome, and social issues they care about. By engaging with these prompts, high school students can develop their storytelling abilities and enrich their writing.

• 1. Write about a significant event in your life:
• Reflect on a moment that shaped your character and explain its impact.
• Write about a time when you faced a major challenge and how you overcame it.
• Share an experience that taught you an important life lesson.
• 2. Discuss a person who has had a significant influence on your life:
• Write about someone who has inspired you to become a better person.
• Describe the qualities and values that make this person remarkable.
• Explain how this person’s actions or words have impacted your life.
• 3. Explore a social issue you are passionate about:
• Discuss a social issue that you believe needs more attention and awareness.
• Examine the root causes of the issue and propose possible solutions.
• Share personal experiences or encounters that have fueled your passion for this issue.

These non-fiction writing prompts are designed to empower high school students to express their unique perspectives and experiences. By engaging with these prompts, students can develop their writing skills and gain confidence in sharing their stories with others. Remember to approach each prompt with honesty, clarity, and a reflection of your personal journey. Happy writing!

Adventurous Short Story Prompts for High School Students

If you’re a high school student looking to embark on an exciting writing adventure, these adventurous short story prompts are perfect for you. Get ready to unleash your creativity and take your readers on thrilling journeys filled with suspense, danger, and excitement. Whether you prefer tales of solo hikes through the wilderness, treasure hunts in exotic locations, or scuba diving adventures in underwater worlds, these prompts will inspire you to craft captivating narratives that will keep your readers on the edge of their seats.

• 1. Solo Hike

Imagine yourself on a solo hike in a remote and unfamiliar forest. As you navigate through winding trails and dense foliage, you stumble upon a hidden cave. Curiosity gets the better of you, and you decide to explore the mysterious depths. What do you discover inside? Is it a hidden treasure, a forgotten civilization, or something more sinister? Craft a suspenseful and thrilling story that captures the challenges, dangers, and unexpected twists that await you on this daring adventure.

• 2. Treasure Hunt

You receive a mysterious map that leads to a long-lost treasure. Determined to uncover its secrets, you assemble a team of adventurers and set off on a treasure hunt that takes you across treacherous terrains, ancient ruins, and hidden chambers. Along the way, you encounter dangerous obstacles, rival treasure hunters, and cryptic clues. Will you be able to outsmart your competitors and claim the treasure for yourself? Write a thrilling short story that keeps readers guessing until the very end.

• 3. Scuba Diving Expedition

You sign up for a scuba diving expedition to an unexplored underwater world. As you descend into the depths of the ocean, you come across a sunken shipwreck with a mysterious cargo. As you investigate the wreckage, you uncover a shocking secret that could change the course of history. Can you overcome the challenges of the deep sea and protect the secret from falling into the wrong hands? Dive into the depths of your imagination and create a captivating narrative that plunges readers into the heart of the underwater adventure.

These adventurous short story prompts will push your storytelling skills to new heights and ignite your imagination. Whether you choose to embark on a solo hike, join a treasure hunt, or dive into the depths of the ocean, these prompts will provide you with the inspiration you need to craft thrilling and captivating narratives that will transport readers to extraordinary worlds of adventure.

Science Fiction Short Story Prompts for High School Students

Science fiction offers high school students a fascinating platform to explore imaginative and futuristic ideas. With these science fiction short story prompts, you can unleash your creativity and embark on thrilling adventures through time and space. From battling aliens to saving the world from catastrophic events, these prompts will inspire you to craft captivating science fiction narratives.

• 1. Time Travel:

Imagine being able to travel through time. Write a story about a high school student who discovers a mysterious time-traveling device and uses it to change the course of history.

• 2. Alien Encounters:

Create a story centered around a high school student who makes contact with extraterrestrial beings. Will they form an alliance with the aliens or face a dangerous interstellar conflict?

• 3. Dystopian Future:

Explore a future where society has collapsed, and chaos reigns. Write a story about a high school student who navigates through a dystopian world, fighting for survival and searching for hope.

• 4. Technological Advancements:

Imagine a world where advanced technology has transformed everyday life. Write a story about a high school student who stumbles upon a groundbreaking invention that has both extraordinary benefits and unforeseen consequences.

• 5. Earth vs. Asteroids:

Create a gripping narrative where a high school student takes on the mission to save the world from an impending asteroid impact. Will they succeed in diverting the catastrophic collision?

With these science fiction short story prompts, you have the power to create captivating narratives that transport readers to extraordinary realms. Let your imagination soar, explore the unknown, and craft thrilling tales that will leave your audience on the edge of their seats.

• Scary Short Story Prompts for High School Students

Scary stories have a way of captivating readers and keeping them on the edge of their seats. If you’re a high school student looking to explore the chilling and suspenseful world of scary storytelling, we’ve got you covered. Here are some scary short story prompts that will send shivers down your readers’ spines and ignite your imagination:

• The Haunted House: Write a story about a group of friends who decide to spend the night in a notoriously haunted house. As the night progresses, they begin to experience strange and terrifying events.
• The Mysterious Doll: Tell a tale about a creepy doll that seems to have a life of its own. Explore the doll’s origins and the eerie incidents that occur when it’s around.
• The Ghostly Encounter: Write a story about a character who has a chilling encounter with a ghost. Explore the ghost’s backstory and the impact it has on the protagonist’s life.
• The Cursed Object: Create a narrative around a cursed object that brings misfortune and terror to anyone who possesses it. Explore the consequences of the object’s curse and the attempts to break free from its grip.

These scary short story prompts will allow you to delve into the realm of horror and create suspenseful and spine-tingling narratives. Let your imagination run wild and captivate your readers with tales that will leave them with a lingering sense of fear.

In conclusion, the use of engaging narrative writing prompts is crucial for high school students to develop their writing skills and unleash their creativity. The provided prompts cover a wide range of topics and genres, offering students the opportunity to explore different storytelling techniques and styles. By utilizing these prompts, high school students can overcome writer’s block, find inspiration, and enhance their narrative writing abilities.

Whether they choose to write personal narratives, poetry, suspenseful stories, or non-fiction essays, these prompts serve as a catalyst for sparking imagination and resulting in the creation of compelling and captivating narratives. The prompts are designed to generate thoughtful and reflective content, enabling students to express their ideas and experiences in a meaningful manner.

By utilizing the strategies and tips provided throughout this article, high school students can transform their narrative writing into a powerful and engaging form of communication. Through the selection of the right narrative essay topics and the incorporation of key elements, such as showing instead of telling, using descriptive language, incorporating personal reflection, and employing dialogue, students can craft narratives that captivate readers and convey their unique perspectives.

In summary, narrative writing prompts are a valuable tool for high school students to improve their writing skills and cultivate their creativity. The prompts provided in this article aim to inspire and guide students as they embark on their narrative writing journey, enabling them to create narratives that are impactful and compelling.

• Source Links
• https://www.weareteachers.com/personal-narrative-ideas/
• https://blog.collegevine.com/narrative-essay-topics-for-high-schoolers
• https://www.immerse.education/study-tips/creative-writing/prompts-for-high-school-students/

Narrative Writing Prompts to Assign Your Students: 10 Writing Prompts for Narrative Essays

While I am a huge advocate of assigning writing to students at the beginning of the school year , middle school ELA and high school English teachers can assign narrative writing at any point in the year. In this blog post, I’m going to share 10 narrative writing prompts with you!

Teaching students about narrative writing and assigning a narrative writing project helps students work on their creativity, while also focusing on important literary elements. I explain to my students that just like the short stories that we read and analyze in class, they also need to create a setting that enhances the lot. Just like the short stories we read and analyze in class, they also need to fully develop the protagonist and antagonist.

Once students see this connection, they become stronger readers and writers. To help with this concept, my narrative writing teaching unit helps walk students step-by-step throughout the process.

Here are 10 narrative writing prompts to consider using in your classroom.

Personal narrative prompts.

When I choose one of these personal narrative writing prompts, since I teach high school, I also explain to my students that they most likely will be able to use some of what they’ve written for a college admissions essay or scholarship essay.

• Write about a time when you worked hard toward accomplishing a goal. Tell the story about the goal, why you set the goal, the steps you took to accomplish the goal, and how you felt once it was accomplished.
• Write about the accomplishment you are most proud of. In your narrative, explain your accomplishment, describe why you are most proud of it, and tell the story surrounding it.
• Write about a time when you experienced hardship or failure. In your narrative, elaborate on the hardship. Explain the events and your feelings surrounding the hardship or failure, and how you have grown from the experience.
• Write about your best childhood memory. In your narrative, tell the story of that memory.
• Write about an event from your past that has shaped the person who you are today. In your narrative, tell the story surrounding that event and explain its significance on who you are today.

Fictional Narrative Prompts

• The day started out like any other. However, as soon as I woke up, I quickly realized…
• Two characters explore an area in a field. During their explorations, they find a secret passage, a sort of tunnel to a new dimension. The characters step into the tunnel and are immediately transported to…
• Choose your favorite fictional character from any fairy tale or superhero story and write an alternate story for that character.
• The clock was tickly so slowly. It seemed as if time was moving backward and now forwards…
• Cautiously, she/he/they opened the door and stepped inside. There was no going back now…

Teach Narrative Writing in Your Secondary ELA Classroom

Engage your students in this exciting and comprehensive narrative writing unit!  This standards-based narrative writing unit includes materials for both a personal narrative and a fictional narrative and includes everything you need to teach narrative writing to your middle and high school students, including both the print and digital files!

Walk your students step-by-step through the writing process with the materials in this unit. From brainstorming and organizing to peer editing, this narrative writing unit has it all!

Here is what fellow teachers say about this narrative writing unit!

“This was an excellent resource for narrative writing in my special education class. My students use the Amplify ELA curriculum, but struggle with writing. Our first unit was in writing narratives, so I chose this resource to help break down the parts of their story by focusing on characters, settings, conflict, and planning out the plot separately. The result was more well thought out responses to their prompt. The slideshow for instruction was also well made and easy to read. Thank you!”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Extremely satisfied

“ I used this as part my short story writing unit with my grade eights. It was an excellent way to set up their stories. I wanted to make sure my students really know all parts of their story before sitting down to writing their first draft. This resource really helped them get to know all aspects of their story.”

“ Teaching narrative writing is definitely NOT my strength! However, this resource made it so much easier!! Piecing together our stories by plot elements was so effective in getting my students on the path to creating some awesome stories! I will never teach narrative any other way! This is it!”

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• Knowledge Base
• How to write a narrative essay | Example & tips

How to Write a Narrative Essay | Example & Tips

Published on July 24, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

A narrative essay tells a story. In most cases, this is a story about a personal experience you had. This type of essay , along with the descriptive essay , allows you to get personal and creative, unlike most academic writing .

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Table of contents

What is a narrative essay for, choosing a topic, interactive example of a narrative essay, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about narrative essays.

When assigned a narrative essay, you might find yourself wondering: Why does my teacher want to hear this story? Topics for narrative essays can range from the important to the trivial. Usually the point is not so much the story itself, but the way you tell it.

A narrative essay is a way of testing your ability to tell a story in a clear and interesting way. You’re expected to think about where your story begins and ends, and how to convey it with eye-catching language and a satisfying pace.

These skills are quite different from those needed for formal academic writing. For instance, in a narrative essay the use of the first person (“I”) is encouraged, as is the use of figurative language, dialogue, and suspense.

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Narrative essay assignments vary widely in the amount of direction you’re given about your topic. You may be assigned quite a specific topic or choice of topics to work with.

• Write a story about your first day of school.
• Write a story about your favorite holiday destination.

You may also be given prompts that leave you a much wider choice of topic.

• Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself.
• Write about an achievement you are proud of. What did you accomplish, and how?

In these cases, you might have to think harder to decide what story you want to tell. The best kind of story for a narrative essay is one you can use to talk about a particular theme or lesson, or that takes a surprising turn somewhere along the way.

For example, a trip where everything went according to plan makes for a less interesting story than one where something unexpected happened that you then had to respond to. Choose an experience that might surprise the reader or teach them something.

Narrative essays in college applications

When applying for college , you might be asked to write a narrative essay that expresses something about your personal qualities.

For example, this application prompt from Common App requires you to respond with a narrative essay.

In this context, choose a story that is not only interesting but also expresses the qualities the prompt is looking for—here, resilience and the ability to learn from failure—and frame the story in a way that emphasizes these qualities.

An example of a short narrative essay, responding to the prompt “Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself,” is shown below.

Hover over different parts of the text to see how the structure works.

Since elementary school, I have always favored subjects like science and math over the humanities. My instinct was always to think of these subjects as more solid and serious than classes like English. If there was no right answer, I thought, why bother? But recently I had an experience that taught me my academic interests are more flexible than I had thought: I took my first philosophy class.

Before I entered the classroom, I was skeptical. I waited outside with the other students and wondered what exactly philosophy would involve—I really had no idea. I imagined something pretty abstract: long, stilted conversations pondering the meaning of life. But what I got was something quite different.

A young man in jeans, Mr. Jones—“but you can call me Rob”—was far from the white-haired, buttoned-up old man I had half-expected. And rather than pulling us into pedantic arguments about obscure philosophical points, Rob engaged us on our level. To talk free will, we looked at our own choices. To talk ethics, we looked at dilemmas we had faced ourselves. By the end of class, I’d discovered that questions with no right answer can turn out to be the most interesting ones.

The experience has taught me to look at things a little more “philosophically”—and not just because it was a philosophy class! I learned that if I let go of my preconceptions, I can actually get a lot out of subjects I was previously dismissive of. The class taught me—in more ways than one—to look at things with an open mind.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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If you’re not given much guidance on what your narrative essay should be about, consider the context and scope of the assignment. What kind of story is relevant, interesting, and possible to tell within the word count?

The best kind of story for a narrative essay is one you can use to reflect on a particular theme or lesson, or that takes a surprising turn somewhere along the way.

Don’t worry too much if your topic seems unoriginal. The point of a narrative essay is how you tell the story and the point you make with it, not the subject of the story itself.

Narrative essays are usually assigned as writing exercises at high school or in university composition classes. They may also form part of a university application.

When you are prompted to tell a story about your own life or experiences, a narrative essay is usually the right response.

The key difference is that a narrative essay is designed to tell a complete story, while a descriptive essay is meant to convey an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.

Narrative and descriptive essays both allow you to write more personally and creatively than other kinds of essays , and similar writing skills can apply to both.

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The best narrative writing prompts

Writing about yourself can be tricky. Where do you start in your personal narrative? How do you express yourself? What should you write about when it's that personal? Enter narrative writing prompts. These prompts can give you some starting ideas for a story, fuel your memory, and bring your experience to life.

The best part is that you can start narrative writing from any angle: in the mood to write about food today? Go for it. What if you have a lot of thoughts about a particular movie or book you just experienced? Please write it down, starting now! Whether you're a teacher in school guiding students through the art of the personal narrative or a writer simply trying to piece together an essay, these narrative writing prompts are for you.

If you're looking to cut to the chase, here's a top ten list of our favorite narrative writing prompts:

• "The apple doesn't fall far from the tree!" You've heard this all your life, and you're starting to hate it.
• Write a story about a mistake that results in wonderful consequences.
• Write a story about someone forced out of their home.
• Write a story about someone returning to their craft after a long hiatus.
• Write a story about someone who defies social conventions.
• Write about somebody who knows they’re probably going to fail at something, but does it anyway.
• Write about someone grappling with a specific insecurity.
• Write about someone making a seemingly inconsequential decision that turns out to have enormous consequences.
• Your house is on fire and you're able to save one photograph. What would it be?
• Tell a story through a shopping list.

If you’re interested in becoming a personal narrative author, check out our free resources on the topic:

How to Write a Memoir (blog post) — Wondering how to turn your narrative short story into a full-blown memoir that you can publish? This comprehensive guide has you covered with a step-by-step article on how outline, research, market, and write a memoir. Take a deep dive into the booming market for memoirs and learn what goes into such a book proposal today!

The Non-Sexy Business of Writing Non-Fiction (free course) — Many people have an idea for a nonfiction book they want to write. But very few of them actually become published authors — simply because it’s much harder to write a book than it sounds. In this ten-day course, publishing coach Azul Terronez will help you become one of those select few writers who finish their nonfiction books by walking you through the common writing mistakes to avoid, what to ask yourself before getting started, and how to get through the writing process.

Ready to start writing? Check out Reedsy’s weekly short story contest for the chance of winning $250! You can also check out our list of writing contests or our directory of literary magazines for more opportunities to submit your story.

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65 Engaging Personal Narrative Ideas for Kids and Teens

Tell a story to engage the reader.

Personal narrative essays are all about telling stories. Engage your reader with lots of descriptive language, and ensure you have a beginning, middle, and end. ( Get more tips about teaching narrative writing here. ) Try these personal narrative ideas to inspire kids and teens to tell meaningful stories from their own lives, no matter what they’ve experienced.

“Describe a Time When You …” Personal Narrative Ideas

Firsts and bests personal narrative ideas, general personal narrative essay ideas, college essay personal narrative ideas.

These personal narrative ideas urge students to dig into their past experiences and share them with their audience. Be sure to share the details, including what took place and how it made you feel, and anything you learned from the experience.

Describe a time when you:

• Were scared
• Overcame a big challenge
• Learned an important life lesson
• Had to make a difficult decision

• Were proud of a friend or family member
• Did something you didn’t want to and ended up liking it
• Met a celebrity or someone you really admire
• Tried something new
• Made a mistake and had to apologize and/or fix the mistake
• Were in danger
• Helped someone in need
• Had a dream come true
• Felt inspired
• Had a really terrible day

• Were a leader
• Made someone else laugh
• Did something you later regretted
• Set a goal and achieved it

These essay topics explore the times you did something for the first time ever, or when you were the best version of yourself.

• Write about meeting your best friend for the first time and how your relationship developed.

• Tell about learning to ride a bike or drive a car.
• Tell about your proudest moment.
• What is your happiest memory?
• What is your earliest memory?
• Explain what it’s like to move to a new town or start a new school.
• What’s the best (or worst!) vacation you’ve ever taken?
• Tell the story of the time you got your first pet.
• Describe your favorite field trip of all time.
• Tell the story of your first day of kindergarten.
• What’s the best meal you’ve ever eaten?
• Describe the best party or celebration you’ve ever attended.
• Tell about the first time someone ever paid you for work (first job, chores for a neighbor, babysitting, etc.) and how it made you feel.

• Describe the first time you spent a night away from home without your family.
• What’s the best gift you’ve ever been given?

Here are more personal narrative topics to inspire young writers.

• Describe a performance or sporting event you took part in.
• Explain the process of cooking and eating your favorite meal.
• Write about a time when you or someone you know displayed courage.
• Share the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to you.
• Describe a time when you or someone you know experienced prejudice or oppression.

• Explain a family tradition, how it developed, and its importance today.
• What is your favorite holiday? How does your family celebrate it?
• Describe your morning routine from the time you wake up until the moment the school bell rings to start the day.
• Share what you do on a typical non-school day.
• Tell about a time when you were injured. How did it happen?
• Describe an argument you and a friend had and how you resolved it.
• Tell about what you think your life will be like when you’re 25 years old.
• Explore a time when you felt you were treated unfairly.
• What makes your family different from everyone else’s family?
• If you could relive any day in your life, what would it be? Would you want it to be the same or different?

These personal narrative essay topics all come from real 2022–2023 college applications. ( See more college essay prompts here. )

• Discuss a time when reflection or introspection led to clarity or understanding of an issue that is important to you.
• Share an example of how you have used your own critical-thinking skills on a specific subject, project, idea, or interest.

• Using your personal, academic, or volunteer/work experiences, describe the topics or issues that you care about and why they are important to you.
• Reflect on a personal experience where you intentionally expanded your cultural awareness.
• When was the last time you questioned something you had thought to be true?
• Reflect on a time when you or someone you observed had to make a choice about whether to act with integrity and honesty.
• Describe an example of your leadership experience in which you have positively influenced others, helped resolve disputes, or contributed to group efforts over time.
• Describe a time when you were challenged by a perspective that differed from your own. How did you respond?
• Elaborate on an activity or experience you have had that made an impact on a community that is important to you.

• Describe any meaningful travel experiences you’ve had.
• Choose one of the communities to which you belong, and describe that community and your place within it.
• What is the greatest compliment you have ever been given? Why was it meaningful to you?
• What has been your best academic experience in the last two years, and what made it so good?
• Describe a time when you’ve felt empowered or represented by an educator.
• Describe how you have taken advantage of a significant educational opportunity or worked to overcome an educational barrier you have faced.

What are your favorite personal narrative ideas? Come share on the WeAreTeachers HELPLINE group on Facebook.

Plus, check out the big list of essay topics for high school (100+ ideas) ., you might also like.

15 Inspiring Personal Narrative Examples for Writers

Reveal a part of yourself in your essay. Continue Reading

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Narrative Essays: Examples And Topic Ideas For Students

Writing a narrative essay is a great way to share your life with others. Here, we’ll explore topics that will set you up to write a great narrative essay.

If you’re searching for a list of personal narrative essay topics, you’re likely writing a middle school, high school, or college essay. A personal narrative describes your life experience, usually from the first-person point of view.

There are many different approaches to take to writing a narrative essay. Good narrative essay topics are engaging and can be either serious or silly. A personal narrative is not an argument essay or a persuasive essay; rather, it tells a story from your point of view.

Narrative essay writers are constantly on the lookout for things that happen in their lives that teach a lesson, make a point, or tell a funny story. When brainstorming for the best topic for your narrative essay, think about something that happened in your life that you love sharing with others, and work to translate your story into written prose that will hook your readers.

Here, we’ll explore some of the best narrative essay topic examples and ideas, helping you get your writing started right.

For help with your essays, check out our round-up of the best essay checkers

Narrative Essay Examples

1. the power of potstickers by lauren brown, 2. everyone should have a best friend 30 years older than them by lucy holden, 3. all it takes is a small act of kindness by maddie huiras, 4. a reflection on working in labor & delivery by dr. amos grunebaum, md, 5. pressures of being a first generation american-born citizen by helen bezikyan, narrative essay topic ideas, 1. your first day of high school, 2. how you met your best friend, 3. your best birthday party, 4. your favorite (or most difficult) childhood memory, 5. your most embarrassing moment, 6. how you made a difficult decision, 7. an act of kindness, 8. a tribute to your first pet.

Although I find the exact measurements of recipes comforting, I do my best to add a pinch of this and a dash of that in my meals every so often. It’s how I get to go outside my comfort zone every day. And I see in myself a newfound wisdom: it’s ok to go off the beaten path, you can experiment, compromise can lead to something new and beautiful. My mother’s cooking taught me that and I expect to bring that with me wherever I may go.

In this food-based tribute to her mother’s ingenuity, Brown discusses important family memories while sharing lessons from her mother that she now carries through everyday life. The combination of rich descriptive language with an explanation of how the experience of cooking with her mother shaped her life draws the reader in, helping them to feel like they’re in the kitchen with Brown and her mother.

In short, we adopted each other as confidants and met regularly to discuss life in general. He was more supportive than anyone else I met during the whole three years and stepped out of his remit to give me tailored advice that definitely helped me to get a job in journalism. It was clear from the start that he cared more about what was right for me than what was right for the university league tables, perhaps because he actually knew me. When I told him I was worried that the long days I was doing in the student newspaper office would take a toll on my degree, he told me I could get a first if I wanted one, but thought the student paper stuff would help my career much more. 

It can be hard to find a friend who knows you better than yourself, and Holden discusses that phenomenon in their essay on friendship. She discusses how her friend affected her life during their time together and how he affected her after being separated by distance. In this narrative essay, the author works to describe the feelings she experienced through the ups and downs of their friendship, writing about universal truths that all humans experience in relationships. 

Throughout his life, he had gotten used to dealing with Dyskeratosis congenita, and as life went on, he eventually developed cancer; but even while battling cancer, my dad showed kindness. In fact, on the night before he passed away, even though he knew he wouldn’t be with us for much longer, he tried his best to focus on the positive stuff. 

In this essay, Huiras reflects on the life and death of her father and celebrates his commitment to kindness to others throughout his life. While Huiras narrates the events that led to her father’s death, she also describes how his actions and character significantly affect her life, helping her grow into the woman she wants to be.

Labor & Delivery is getting tears in your eyes when you watch a couple you’ve connected with welcome their baby into the world. Even though you’ve just met and will likely never see each other again, there’s something special about sharing that experience that makes you feel like you’ve known each other forever. Labor & Delivery is a place full of opposites. A woman grieving a devastating loss can be in the room next door to a family celebrating a new addition and 14-year-old mother can be in the room next door to a 45-year-old mother. Regardless of the circumstances, each family that walks through the L&D doors will be forever changed.

In this essay on life behind the doors of the delivery room, Dr. Grunebaum shares what it’s like to both celebrate and grieve with families and how difficult it can be to manage both the chaos and joy that comes with the birth process. If you choose to write an essay about a process so personal as birth, leave out any details that could identify the people involved, as Grunebaum does in this essay. 

The struggles that come with having immigrant parents may include constant seeking of approval, always having to be responsible, as well as immigrant parents discussing the future that they may have already planned for their child. More often than not, immigrant parents constantly remind their child, or children that they expect big and great things from them in the future, which is part of why they came to this country.

In this essay, Bezikyan discusses the unique pressures of being a first-generation American-born citizen. In addition to offering her perspective, she also offers the opinions of others in similar circumstances. This helps to support her opinion and help others see the shared experience of people born to immigrant parents.

Whether you’re a college or high school student, you likely remember your first day of high school—stepping away from middle school and becoming a young adult. The first day of high school is rife with emotion, and describing your experience can provide your reader with an interesting perspective on how you deal with transition and change.

When describing the big day, use details. Explain how you felt as you walked toward the door, how you felt when you struggled to find your classes, and what it was like opening your new locker for the first time. As you write, you may find it helpful to avoid technical details (like the minute-to-minute scheduling of your classes) and instead focus on unique or tough moments or how accomplished you felt by the end of the day.

Your best friend has been there for you through thick and thin, and writing about how the two of you met can be a fun narrative essay topic, no matter your age or writing level.

As you tell the story of how you met your best friend, describe how your connection grew over time. Perhaps you were thick as thieves right away, or you needed some time to realize that you’d met a lifelong friend. For some inspiration, reach out to your best friend and ask them what they remember from the day you met—it can be fun and fresh to get their perspective on how your first meeting went.

Birthdays are a time to celebrate, and writing about a particularly excellent birthday can be a great topic for your narrative essay. When discussing your best birthday party, include all details, including who you invited, what you ate, and how you celebrated with family and friends.

You may also want to talk about why that particular birthday was so meaningful to you. If it was a landmark birthday (like your sweet 16) or a special event (like your last birthday party at home before you left for college), be sure to mention this, so your reader understands why this event was so significant in your life.

There’s no way around it: traumatic things happen in childhood, and wonderful things happen. Writing about childhood memories can be relatable and provide an instant connection with your readers.

When choosing a favorite childhood memory to write about, think back to memorable times in your life because they’re connected with strong emotions. Perhaps you want to write about when your baby sibling came home from the hospital or your first baseball game.

If you choose to write about a difficult childhood memory, the process for choosing a topic is still the same. Think back to a childhood memory that evokes strong emotion. While writing about a negative childhood memory can be an excellent way to write a compelling personal essay, it can also bring up challenging thoughts and may feel traumatic.

Have a particular time that made you red in the face? Writing about an embarrassing moment is relatable and can provide a humorous topic for your narrative essay.

When writing about your embarrassing moment, it can be helpful if you’re willing to laugh at yourself and find the humor in the situation you went through. Be sure to describe what happened from start to finish, painting a clear picture of the moment for your readers. Describe your emotions as the embarrassing moment occurred, and talk about what happened after the moment was over.

Wrestling with a difficult decision can feel impossible at the moment, and reflecting on the experience of making a difficult decision to your readers can make for an excellent narrative essay topic.

When you’re talking about a difficult decision in your narrative essay, give plenty of background information so that the reader fully understands why you’re wrestling with a tough choice. Don’t give away your decision at the start of the essay; rather, take the reader through your thought process as you had to decide what to do.

Sharing an act of kindness you did with someone else—or a random act of kindness that someone did for you—can provide a warm, fuzzy topic for your narrative essay. When writing about an act of kindness, focus on how the act made you feel, whether you were the giver or the receiver of the act.

Much like writing about meeting your best friend for the first time, it can be helpful to talk about your state of mind before and after the act of kindness occurred. Perhaps you were going through a tough time, and the act of kindness helped to boost your mood. Explaining the emotions that came with the act of kindness and the facts of the situation can help your reader feel connected to your story.

Whether you have a dog, a cat, or something more exotic, many readers will be able to connect with the love that a kid has for their first pet. When writing a narrative essay about your first pet, please explain how you felt the first time you laid eyes on them. This may mean describing when they were first presented to you as a kitten or a puppy or the first time you saw your older rescue pet.

Talk about the qualities you loved most about your pet, whether that was their ability to comfort you after a bad day or how they were never too old or tired to go outside and play frisbee. Focus both on the descriptive qualities of your pet that allow your reader to imagine what they looked like and the emotional qualities that keep your first pet near and dear to your heart to this day.

If you have a pet currently, you can mention them in your narrative essay about your first pet, talking about their qualities that remind you of your first pet. While it can tug at your heartstrings to describe the memory of your first pet, writing about the love you have for an animal is nearly universally relatable, and your readers will love hearing about your fond memories of your furry friend.

Tip: If writing an essay sounds like a lot of work, simplify it. Write a simple 5 paragraph essay instead.

If you’re still stuck, check out our available resources for  essay writing topics .

Bryan Collins is the owner of Become a Writer Today. He's an author from Ireland who helps writers build authority and earn a living from their creative work. He's also a former Forbes columnist and his work has appeared in publications like Lifehacker and Fast Company.

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164 Narrative Essay Topics for School & College Students

A narrative essay tells a story about a series of events. At the core of this kind of essay can be a personal experience or a fictional plot. Any story can be a basis for a narrative essay!

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Narratives can look similar to descriptions. Still, they are different. A descriptive essay aims to explain the details of a specific moment. Narrative writing focuses on a sequence of events to tell a complete story.

In this article, we have prepared a list of narrative essay topics for high school, college, and university students. The topic ideas are divided by spheres. In the collection below, you’ll find the ideas based on personal experience as well as fictional narrative essay topics. Make use of resources offered by our custom writing experts to write any paper!

• 🔝 Top 10 Topics
• 📖 Fictional Topics
• 🧑✍️ Personal Narrative
• ✈️ Traveling
• 🧒 Elementary

✏️ Middle School

🧑‍🏫 high school.

• 👫 Relationships
• 🧸 Childhood
• 💡 Writing Guide and Tips

🔝 Top 10 Narrative Essay Topics: High School

• Your childhood role model
• How you overcame hardship
• The best news you have ever heard
• The time you experienced culture shock
• A story of how you mistreated someone
• The most memorable encounter you’ve had
• An unexpected event that changed your life
• The most embarrassing conversation you’ve had
• When you realized you were wrong in an argument
• A person who changed your opinion on something

📖 Fictional Narrative Essay Topics

The art of writing fiction is all about narrating a story. In a fictional narrative, you are free to create a tale that doesn’t relate to real life. Take a look at the fictional narrative essay topics below:

• Write a narrative where a girl discovers her superpower.
• A story about a land that has 25 hours in a day.
• Describe your version of the future .
• Fiction narrative where a person discovers big city life.
• Come up with an apocalyptic story.
• A group of scientists discovering a new world inside the Earth.

• Write about a hamster that prevented a house robbery .
• A person who saves the country from mass-produced poisoned food .
• A group of high school students helping to improve their city.
• A new civilization in a far away galaxy.
• Write about a grandfather who was secretly a spy.
• A narrative about a person waking up from the surgery with a different identity .
• Create a story about a mysterious musical instrument .
• A college student who won the presidential election .
• Compose a story about a painting that looks different in every new house.
• An anonymous person sends lots of money to the poor.
• Come up with a fictional narrative about a family with unusual tendencies.
• A movie star who lives out their roles in real life.
• Passengers of an airplane encounter a UFO .
• A narrative where a farmer grows strange plants.
• Write about an orphan who finds out about their inheritance .
• Story of siblings who resolve a long-lasting argument.

🧑✍️ Personal Narrative Essay Topics

A personal narrative is devoted to the author’s own experience. Therefore, feel free to write in first person. Include your thoughts and emotions. Do your best to describe the details of your narrative. This will help the reader to relive the story with you. Here is the list of excellent topic ideas for your essay:

• Memories of your first sports coach .
• A story of how you dyed your hair.
• Write about something you did against your parents’ will.
• Recall a day when you got in a fight with your best friend .
• What was the most exciting adventure in your life?
• An unfortunate situation that had a good ending.
• Write about the time when you had to train hard for a competition.
• Describe the turning point of your life.
• An experience when you had to overcome your fear.
• Write about the circumstances that brought you and your parents closer.
• Describe a memorable conversation with someone.

• An imaginary world you’ve created as a child.
• Who gave you the most valuable lesson in your life?
• One time when you regretted doing something.
• A particularly embarrassing situation you went through.
• Your memories of seeing something very beautiful .
• A moment that made you proud of yourself.
• Recall a time when you taught a child to do something.
• What was the most memorable news report you saw in your life?
• Describe a day when you stood up for someone.
• Write about the best birthday party you’ve ever had.
• Share your experience of being lost.

📚 Literacy Narrative Essay Topics

Literacy narrative revolves around reflecting on feelings connected to reading and writing. For this type of essay, think of yourself as a reader and a writer. You can describe any reading experience, whether it is a book, email, or social media post.

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• The most touching piece of writing you’ve ever read.
• Write about a book that impacted you the most.
• A news article that changed your view on life.
• What book character do you most identify with?
• Talk about a piece of fiction that captured your imagination.
• What was your favorite novel growing up?
• The scariest story you’ve ever read.
• Recall your emotions after reading a heartfelt social media post.
• What is the most boring book you’ve read?
• Describe a book that you would reread over and over again.

• Your experience of reading a story to a child.
• Have you ever read something that taught you a lesson?
• Do you see yourself becoming a professional writer?
• Recall the day when you had to complete your first writing assignment.
• How does sharing thoughts on social media make you feel?
• If you were to write a book, who would be the main character?
• Talk about the most personal thing you’ve ever written.
• Describe your experience of composing a poem.
• Why can someone have difficulty with writing ?
• Recall what it was like to read for the first time.
• What does journaling mean to you?
• Have you ever been proud of something you wrote?

✈️ Narrative Essay Topics about Traveling

In this section, you get to engage your creativity! A narrative essay about traveling is supposed to show the reader what it’s like to explore the world. Present a story taking place in a real or imaginary location:

• Your first time traveling to another country.
• Friends taking a trip to the Great Canyon.
• Write a narrative about traveling to your dream location.
• Describe a trip to the Taj Mahal.
• A day-long road trip.
• Share your experience of visiting a historical site.
• Come up with a story about getting around the airport .
• What to do if you are lost in a foreign country?
• A day in the life of a flight attendant .
• Write about eating unusual foods from around the world.
• Describe talking to a local in a foreign language .
• A narrative about going on a seven-day cruise .
• Tell the reader about the most breathtaking view you’ve ever seen.
• Write a story about riding a train.
• A short narrative about an out-of-state road trip .

• Traveling to see your family on holidays.
• Come up with a narrative about hitchhiking across America.
• What is it like to travel in the air balloon?
• How to prepare for a trip around the world.
• What to do if your luggage got lost in a foreign country.
• Describe packing a suitcase for a long trip.
• A story about a person missing their plane.

🏫 Narrative Essay Topics about School

This section is for all grades! Writing a narrative essay about school gives you a chance to share your personal experience as a student. You can write about precious memories, challenges, or influential people in your school career. Pick one of the narrative essay topics about school from this list:

🧒 Elementary School

• Write a story with your favorite teacher as the main character.
• Describe your first day at school.
• A fun memory with your best friend.
• What is your favorite thing to do during a break?
• Tell your reader about something interesting you learned in class recently.
• A day when you had to leave school early.
• Recall your favorite celebration with classmates.
• Write about your favorite school subject.
• A story about your most unusual day at school.
• How did you bond with your classmates?
• Come up with narrative about a memorable event at the cafeteria .
• The last day of school before the summer break .
• One time when you forgot to bring something to the class.
• Describe how you worked on a science project.
• The most challenging class you took in middle school.
• A story of how you pranked a friend.
• Have you ever won a school competition?
• The day when you’ve decided on your future profession.
• Write about the teacher who impacted you the most.
• A story of a serious conversation you had about your grades .
• The day when you got in trouble with the principal .
• Reflect on a class you will never forget.

👫 Narrative Essay Topics about Relationships

Narrative essay about relationships focuses on presenting a story about connections between people. You can write about your family, friends, or loved ones. Make sure to pick a statement that you will expand on in your story. Use the following list of narrative writing topics to come up with your narrative about relationships.

• A conflict between generations .
• What is it like to be in love ?
• Write about how hatred can destroy relationships.
• Describe an example of loyalty.
• A story about maintaining friendship via social media .
• Come up with a narrative where people with opposite personalities are getting along.
• Tell the reader about somebody being generous.
• Write about a couple being honest with each other.
• A story where classmates treat each other with respect.
• Describe a family that maintains loving relationship no matter what.
• A story where you help somebody who used to be your enemy .
• How friendliness can brighten up a person’s day.
• Talk about the pain of ending a relationship .

• Children learning from their parents about empathy .
• A narrative about food connecting people.
• Come up with a story about unfulfilled expectations.
• The importance of authentic conversations in a friendship.
• What relational patterns do you see in your family?
• Manifestations of real love in everyday life.
• A story when someone makes a sacrifice for the sake of others.
• Describe a situation where parents are bonding with their child.
• Talk about the most meaningful relationship in your life.

🧸 Childhood Narrative Essay Topics

Childhood narrative essays are about sharing memories from the time when you were little. You can write about playing with friends or a day when you fell off the bike. Or, ask your family members to recall some episodes from your childhood.

• A story of how you received your nickname.
• Write about playing with your favorite toys.
• What is the most memorable place you went to when you were little?
• What kind of friends did you have when you were little?
• Did you ever break anything?
• Recall your earliest childhood memories.
• What was the first valuable lesson you’ve learned as a kid?
• Share your favorite childhood sports memory.
• A story of your first triumph.
• What did you enjoy doing when you were little?

• A moment from your childhood that your parents often recall.
• Which talents did you have when you were a child?
• What was it like to grow up with your siblings?
• Write a narrative about your favorite pet.
• The most memorable childhood moment with your family.
• Were there any challenges you had to overcome as a kid?
• What was your favorite children’s book ?
• Did you ever get lost when you were little?
• An exciting sleepover you had with friends.
• Write a story about how you and your friends went on an adventure.
• A family holiday that you will remember forever.
• What was your favorite food in your early years?

💡 Narrative Essay Writing Guide and Tips

As you already know, writing a narrative essay is very similar to telling a story. Here are a few tips to remember for narrative writing:

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• Tip 1: Use your memories. Take time to write down everything you can recall about the event. You can use it as a basis for your paper.
• Tip 2: Be clear. Stick to the main idea of the essay. It’s better not to add characters or details that are not relevant to the story you’re telling.
• Tip 3: Choose words carefully. In an essay words to are like paint on a canvas. The use of vivid language can help you create a story worth reading.

Now, pay attention to this step-by-step guide. It will help you outline an on-point narrative essay:

• Introduction. In the opening paragraph, determine the main idea of the paper. Make a clear thesis that reflects the purpose of your narrative. To help yourself with this part, you can try a narrative essay thesis generator .

In this essay, I want to share my happiest childhood memory of playing with my older brother.

• The body. Since you are writing the narrative essay as a story, make sure to tell the story well. Think through the plot with conflict, climax, and a powerful conclusion. Take your time to introduce the setting and the characters. All this will make your paper entertaining and easy to read.
• Conclusion. Bring your narrative to a logical end. Expanding on the thesis statement will help you write a great conclusion.

Playing with my older brother taught me the true meaning of family, and I’m very grateful for it.

We hope this article helped you figure out how to write a narrative essay!

You may be also interested in:

• How to Write a Narrative Essay: Easy Guide and Useful Tips
• How to Start an Autobiography about Yourself: Full Guide + Autobiography Examples
• How to Write a Creative Essay: Tips, Topics and Techniques
• Breaking Down the Types of Essays: a Complete Guide for Success

🔍 References

• Narrative Essays: Purdue University
• Nailing the Craft of Narrative Writing: WeAreTeachers
• Narrative and Reflection Writing Samples: Western Technical College
• Drafting a Narrative: Walden University
• Scholarly Personal Narrative: University of Vermont
• The Power of Personal Narratives in the Classroom: University of Washington
• Fiction Writing Basics: Purdue University
• How to Write a Literacy Narrative: Pen and the Pad
• Literacy Narratives: UNC Charlotte
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Sat / act prep online guides and tips, 3 great narrative essay examples + tips for writing.

General Education

A narrative essay is one of the most intimidating assignments you can be handed at any level of your education. Where you've previously written argumentative essays that make a point or analytic essays that dissect meaning, a narrative essay asks you to write what is effectively a story .

But unlike a simple work of creative fiction, your narrative essay must have a clear and concrete motif —a recurring theme or idea that you’ll explore throughout. Narrative essays are less rigid, more creative in expression, and therefore pretty different from most other essays you’ll be writing.

But not to fear—in this article, we’ll be covering what a narrative essay is, how to write a good one, and also analyzing some personal narrative essay examples to show you what a great one looks like.

What Is a Narrative Essay?

At first glance, a narrative essay might sound like you’re just writing a story. Like the stories you're used to reading, a narrative essay is generally (but not always) chronological, following a clear throughline from beginning to end. Even if the story jumps around in time, all the details will come back to one specific theme, demonstrated through your choice in motifs.

Unlike many creative stories, however, your narrative essay should be based in fact. That doesn’t mean that every detail needs to be pure and untainted by imagination, but rather that you shouldn’t wholly invent the events of your narrative essay. There’s nothing wrong with inventing a person’s words if you can’t remember them exactly, but you shouldn’t say they said something they weren’t even close to saying.

Another big difference between narrative essays and creative fiction—as well as other kinds of essays—is that narrative essays are based on motifs. A motif is a dominant idea or theme, one that you establish before writing the essay. As you’re crafting the narrative, it’ll feed back into your motif to create a comprehensive picture of whatever that motif is.

For example, say you want to write a narrative essay about how your first day in high school helped you establish your identity. You might discuss events like trying to figure out where to sit in the cafeteria, having to describe yourself in five words as an icebreaker in your math class, or being unsure what to do during your lunch break because it’s no longer acceptable to go outside and play during lunch. All of those ideas feed back into the central motif of establishing your identity.

The important thing to remember is that while a narrative essay is typically told chronologically and intended to read like a story, it is not purely for entertainment value. A narrative essay delivers its theme by deliberately weaving the motifs through the events, scenes, and details. While a narrative essay may be entertaining, its primary purpose is to tell a complete story based on a central meaning.

Unlike other essay forms, it is totally okay—even expected—to use first-person narration in narrative essays. If you’re writing a story about yourself, it’s natural to refer to yourself within the essay. It’s also okay to use other perspectives, such as third- or even second-person, but that should only be done if it better serves your motif. Generally speaking, your narrative essay should be in first-person perspective.

Though your motif choices may feel at times like you’re making a point the way you would in an argumentative essay, a narrative essay’s goal is to tell a story, not convince the reader of anything. Your reader should be able to tell what your motif is from reading, but you don’t have to change their mind about anything. If they don’t understand the point you are making, you should consider strengthening the delivery of the events and descriptions that support your motif.

Narrative essays also share some features with analytical essays, in which you derive meaning from a book, film, or other media. But narrative essays work differently—you’re not trying to draw meaning from an existing text, but rather using an event you’ve experienced to convey meaning. In an analytical essay, you examine narrative, whereas in a narrative essay you create narrative.

The structure of a narrative essay is also a bit different than other essays. You’ll generally be getting your point across chronologically as opposed to grouping together specific arguments in paragraphs or sections. To return to the example of an essay discussing your first day of high school and how it impacted the shaping of your identity, it would be weird to put the events out of order, even if not knowing what to do after lunch feels like a stronger idea than choosing where to sit. Instead of organizing to deliver your information based on maximum impact, you’ll be telling your story as it happened, using concrete details to reinforce your theme.

3 Great Narrative Essay Examples

One of the best ways to learn how to write a narrative essay is to look at a great narrative essay sample. Let’s take a look at some truly stellar narrative essay examples and dive into what exactly makes them work so well.

A Ticket to the Fair by David Foster Wallace

Today is Press Day at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield, and I’m supposed to be at the fairgrounds by 9:00 A.M. to get my credentials. I imagine credentials to be a small white card in the band of a fedora. I’ve never been considered press before. My real interest in credentials is getting into rides and shows for free. I’m fresh in from the East Coast, for an East Coast magazine. Why exactly they’re interested in the Illinois State Fair remains unclear to me. I suspect that every so often editors at East Coast magazines slap their foreheads and remember that about 90 percent of the United States lies between the coasts, and figure they’ll engage somebody to do pith-helmeted anthropological reporting on something rural and heartlandish. I think they asked me to do this because I grew up here, just a couple hours’ drive from downstate Springfield. I never did go to the state fair, though—I pretty much topped out at the county fair level. Actually, I haven’t been back to Illinois for a long time, and I can’t say I’ve missed it.

Throughout this essay, David Foster Wallace recounts his experience as press at the Illinois State Fair. But it’s clear from this opening that he’s not just reporting on the events exactly as they happened—though that’s also true— but rather making a point about how the East Coast, where he lives and works, thinks about the Midwest.

In his opening paragraph, Wallace states that outright: “Why exactly they’re interested in the Illinois State Fair remains unclear to me. I suspect that every so often editors at East Coast magazines slap their foreheads and remember that about 90 percent of the United States lies between the coasts, and figure they’ll engage somebody to do pith-helmeted anthropological reporting on something rural and heartlandish.”

Not every motif needs to be stated this clearly , but in an essay as long as Wallace’s, particularly since the audience for such a piece may feel similarly and forget that such a large portion of the country exists, it’s important to make that point clear.

But Wallace doesn’t just rest on introducing his motif and telling the events exactly as they occurred from there. It’s clear that he selects events that remind us of that idea of East Coast cynicism , such as when he realizes that the Help Me Grow tent is standing on top of fake grass that is killing the real grass beneath, when he realizes the hypocrisy of craving a corn dog when faced with a real, suffering pig, when he’s upset for his friend even though he’s not the one being sexually harassed, and when he witnesses another East Coast person doing something he wouldn’t dare to do.

Wallace is literally telling the audience exactly what happened, complete with dates and timestamps for when each event occurred. But he’s also choosing those events with a purpose—he doesn’t focus on details that don’t serve his motif. That’s why he discusses the experiences of people, how the smells are unappealing to him, and how all the people he meets, in cowboy hats, overalls, or “black spandex that looks like cheesecake leotards,” feel almost alien to him.

All of these details feed back into the throughline of East Coast thinking that Wallace introduces in the first paragraph. He also refers back to it in the essay’s final paragraph, stating:

At last, an overarching theory blooms inside my head: megalopolitan East Coasters’ summer treats and breaks and literally ‘getaways,’ flights-from—from crowds, noise, heat, dirt, the stress of too many sensory choices….The East Coast existential treat is escape from confines and stimuli—quiet, rustic vistas that hold still, turn inward, turn away. Not so in the rural Midwest. Here you’re pretty much away all the time….Something in a Midwesterner sort of actuates , deep down, at a public event….The real spectacle that draws us here is us.

Throughout this journey, Wallace has tried to demonstrate how the East Coast thinks about the Midwest, ultimately concluding that they are captivated by the Midwest’s less stimuli-filled life, but that the real reason they are interested in events like the Illinois State Fair is that they are, in some ways, a means of looking at the East Coast in a new, estranging way.

The reason this works so well is that Wallace has carefully chosen his examples, outlined his motif and themes in the first paragraph, and eventually circled back to the original motif with a clearer understanding of his original point.

When outlining your own narrative essay, try to do the same. Start with a theme, build upon it with examples, and return to it in the end with an even deeper understanding of the original issue. You don’t need this much space to explore a theme, either—as we’ll see in the next example, a strong narrative essay can also be very short.

Death of a Moth by Virginia Woolf

After a time, tired by his dancing apparently, he settled on the window ledge in the sun, and, the queer spectacle being at an end, I forgot about him. Then, looking up, my eye was caught by him. He was trying to resume his dancing, but seemed either so stiff or so awkward that he could only flutter to the bottom of the window-pane; and when he tried to fly across it he failed. Being intent on other matters I watched these futile attempts for a time without thinking, unconsciously waiting for him to resume his flight, as one waits for a machine, that has stopped momentarily, to start again without considering the reason of its failure. After perhaps a seventh attempt he slipped from the wooden ledge and fell, fluttering his wings, on to his back on the window sill. The helplessness of his attitude roused me. It flashed upon me that he was in difficulties; he could no longer raise himself; his legs struggled vainly. But, as I stretched out a pencil, meaning to help him to right himself, it came over me that the failure and awkwardness were the approach of death. I laid the pencil down again.

In this essay, Virginia Woolf explains her encounter with a dying moth. On surface level, this essay is just a recounting of an afternoon in which she watched a moth die—it’s even established in the title. But there’s more to it than that. Though Woolf does not begin her essay with as clear a motif as Wallace, it’s not hard to pick out the evidence she uses to support her point, which is that the experience of this moth is also the human experience.

In the title, Woolf tells us this essay is about death. But in the first paragraph, she seems to mostly be discussing life—the moth is “content with life,” people are working in the fields, and birds are flying. However, she mentions that it is mid-September and that the fields were being plowed. It’s autumn and it’s time for the harvest; the time of year in which many things die.

In this short essay, she chronicles the experience of watching a moth seemingly embody life, then die. Though this essay is literally about a moth, it’s also about a whole lot more than that. After all, moths aren’t the only things that die—Woolf is also reflecting on her own mortality, as well as the mortality of everything around her.

At its core, the essay discusses the push and pull of life and death, not in a way that’s necessarily sad, but in a way that is accepting of both. Woolf begins by setting up the transitional fall season, often associated with things coming to an end, and raises the ideas of pleasure, vitality, and pity.

At one point, Woolf tries to help the dying moth, but reconsiders, as it would interfere with the natural order of the world. The moth’s death is part of the natural order of the world, just like fall, just like her own eventual death.

All these themes are set up in the beginning and explored throughout the essay’s narrative. Though Woolf doesn’t directly state her theme, she reinforces it by choosing a small, isolated event—watching a moth die—and illustrating her point through details.

With this essay, we can see that you don’t need a big, weird, exciting event to discuss an important meaning. Woolf is able to explore complicated ideas in a short essay by being deliberate about what details she includes, just as you can be in your own essays.

Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin

On the twenty-ninth of July, in 1943, my father died. On the same day, a few hours later, his last child was born. Over a month before this, while all our energies were concentrated in waiting for these events, there had been, in Detroit, one of the bloodiest race riots of the century. A few hours after my father’s funeral, while he lay in state in the undertaker’s chapel, a race riot broke out in Harlem. On the morning of the third of August, we drove my father to the graveyard through a wilderness of smashed plate glass.

Like Woolf, Baldwin does not lay out his themes in concrete terms—unlike Wallace, there’s no clear sentence that explains what he’ll be talking about. However, you can see the motifs quite clearly: death, fatherhood, struggle, and race.

Throughout the narrative essay, Baldwin discusses the circumstances of his father’s death, including his complicated relationship with his father. By introducing those motifs in the first paragraph, the reader understands that everything discussed in the essay will come back to those core ideas. When Baldwin talks about his experience with a white teacher taking an interest in him and his father’s resistance to that, he is also talking about race and his father’s death. When he talks about his father’s death, he is also talking about his views on race. When he talks about his encounters with segregation and racism, he is talking, in part, about his father.

Because his father was a hard, uncompromising man, Baldwin struggles to reconcile the knowledge that his father was right about many things with his desire to not let that hardness consume him, as well.

Baldwin doesn’t explicitly state any of this, but his writing so often touches on the same motifs that it becomes clear he wants us to think about all these ideas in conversation with one another.

At the end of the essay, Baldwin makes it more clear:

This fight begins, however, in the heart and it had now been laid to my charge to keep my own heart free of hatred and despair. This intimation made my heart heavy and, now that my father was irrecoverable, I wished that he had been beside me so that I could have searched his face for the answers which only the future would give me now.

Here, Baldwin ties together the themes and motifs into one clear statement: that he must continue to fight and recognize injustice, especially racial injustice, just as his father did. But unlike his father, he must do it beginning with himself—he must not let himself be closed off to the world as his father was. And yet, he still wishes he had his father for guidance, even as he establishes that he hopes to be a different man than his father.

In this essay, Baldwin loads the front of the essay with his motifs, and, through his narrative, weaves them together into a theme. In the end, he comes to a conclusion that connects all of those things together and leaves the reader with a lasting impression of completion—though the elements may have been initially disparate, in the end everything makes sense.

You can replicate this tactic of introducing seemingly unattached ideas and weaving them together in your own essays. By introducing those motifs, developing them throughout, and bringing them together in the end, you can demonstrate to your reader how all of them are related. However, it’s especially important to be sure that your motifs and clear and consistent throughout your essay so that the conclusion feels earned and consistent—if not, readers may feel mislead.

5 Key Tips for Writing Narrative Essays

Narrative essays can be a lot of fun to write since they’re so heavily based on creativity. But that can also feel intimidating—sometimes it’s easier to have strict guidelines than to have to make it all up yourself. Here are a few tips to keep your narrative essay feeling strong and fresh.

Develop Strong Motifs

Motifs are the foundation of a narrative essay . What are you trying to say? How can you say that using specific symbols or events? Those are your motifs.

In the same way that an argumentative essay’s body should support its thesis, the body of your narrative essay should include motifs that support your theme.

Try to avoid cliches, as these will feel tired to your readers. Instead of roses to symbolize love, try succulents. Instead of the ocean representing some vast, unknowable truth, try the depths of your brother’s bedroom. Keep your language and motifs fresh and your essay will be even stronger!

Use First-Person Perspective

In many essays, you’re expected to remove yourself so that your points stand on their own. Not so in a narrative essay—in this case, you want to make use of your own perspective.

Sometimes a different perspective can make your point even stronger. If you want someone to identify with your point of view, it may be tempting to choose a second-person perspective. However, be sure you really understand the function of second-person; it’s very easy to put a reader off if the narration isn’t expertly deployed.

If you want a little bit of distance, third-person perspective may be okay. But be careful—too much distance and your reader may feel like the narrative lacks truth.

That’s why first-person perspective is the standard. It keeps you, the writer, close to the narrative, reminding the reader that it really happened. And because you really know what happened and how, you’re free to inject your own opinion into the story without it detracting from your point, as it would in a different type of essay.

Stick to the Truth

Your essay should be true. However, this is a creative essay, and it’s okay to embellish a little. Rarely in life do we experience anything with a clear, concrete meaning the way somebody in a book might. If you flub the details a little, it’s okay—just don’t make them up entirely.

Also, nobody expects you to perfectly recall details that may have happened years ago. You may have to reconstruct dialog from your memory and your imagination. That’s okay, again, as long as you aren’t making it up entirely and assigning made-up statements to somebody.

Dialog is a powerful tool. A good conversation can add flavor and interest to a story, as we saw demonstrated in David Foster Wallace’s essay. As previously mentioned, it’s okay to flub it a little, especially because you’re likely writing about an experience you had without knowing that you’d be writing about it later.

However, don’t rely too much on it. Your narrative essay shouldn’t be told through people explaining things to one another; the motif comes through in the details. Dialog can be one of those details, but it shouldn’t be the only one.

Use Sensory Descriptions

Because a narrative essay is a story, you can use sensory details to make your writing more interesting. If you’re describing a particular experience, you can go into detail about things like taste, smell, and hearing in a way that you probably wouldn’t do in any other essay style.

These details can tie into your overall motifs and further your point. Woolf describes in great detail what she sees while watching the moth, giving us the sense that we, too, are watching the moth. In Wallace’s essay, he discusses the sights, sounds, and smells of the Illinois State Fair to help emphasize his point about its strangeness. And in Baldwin’s essay, he describes shattered glass as a “wilderness,” and uses the feelings of his body to describe his mental state.

All these descriptions anchor us not only in the story, but in the motifs and themes as well. One of the tools of a writer is making the reader feel as you felt, and sensory details help you achieve that.

What’s Next?

Looking to brush up on your essay-writing capabilities before the ACT? This guide to ACT English will walk you through some of the best strategies and practice questions to get you prepared!

Part of practicing for the ACT is ensuring your word choice and diction are on point. Check out this guide to some of the most common errors on the ACT English section to be sure that you're not making these common mistakes!

A solid understanding of English principles will help you make an effective point in a narrative essay, and you can get that understanding through taking a rigorous assortment of high school English classes !

Melissa Brinks graduated from the University of Washington in 2014 with a Bachelor's in English with a creative writing emphasis. She has spent several years tutoring K-12 students in many subjects, including in SAT prep, to help them prepare for their college education.

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