200 Best Narrative Essay Topics and Ideas
Imagine being put in a time capsule with an artificial intelligence chauffeur who asks you, 'Which one of your memories would you like to access?'.
This scenario is rather accurate for a narrative essay. Your storyline, voice, and writing style distinguish this type of writing from others. The best option to satisfy your professor's demands and the criteria outlined in the grading scale is to acquire prompt academic assistance from the EssayPro's term paper writing service . Continue reading to find out how to write a narrative essay like a true professional and have a look at our narrative essay examples below!
Narrative Essay Definition and Types of Essay
Before we continue, let's briefly discuss what is a narrative paper. A narrative essay definition is a form of academic assignment that uses a tale about the author's personal experience to make a point. It's not enough to merely tell an amusing tale. Narrative essays rely on settings, character growth, dialogue, conflicts & resolutions, and turning points.
The other purpose of such writing is to stress reasons for sharing the episode and the significance of the experience provided. The narrative essay structure is less rigidly organized than the persuasive essay.
Speaking of which, a narrative essay format follows a typical layout. Everything in these papers needs to maintain a predetermined chronology and have a distinct beginning, middle, and end.
How to Choose Narrative Essay Topics?
In order to hone your writing skills, first you need to learn how to start a narrative essay. It begins with selecting a decent topic for your piece. Here are some tips for making a right choice with your narrative essay topics.
1. Keep in mind that narratives tell stories
The theme you choose should make it possible for the audience to connect to your personal experience, skills, and the valuable life lessons.
2. Pick useful ideas to discuss
If you have a passion for something, select issues that you have struggled with. This is a unique chance to avoid writing about things that make you yawn.
3. Be ready – don’t miss the planning stage
Your paper has to prove a particular point, so be sure to check how much information you need to collect on different topics.
4. Keep experimenting throughout
Experiment by, for instance, mixing various episodes from your life with different topics. Think of the subject that will guarantee the best emotional experience for your readers.
5. Recall the essay’s structure
An academic paper always requires a golden formula in terms of its structure. For the list of ideas you may choose from, consider whether it is possible to develop relevant, logical sections according to the intro-body-conclusion organization. As the body section of your paper will require at least three paragraphs, decide whether or not you will be able to come up with at least three claims (topic sentences) to support your thesis statement.
Our college admission essay writing service has compiled a whole list of narrative essay topics with descriptions to help you. Scroll down to find some excellent narrative essay topics for college students.
Experience Is a Teacher
Write down any experiences that come to mind using a pen and paper. Your encounter could start negatively but be pleasant, or vice versa. The fascinating aspect of a bad event is how you handled it and, ideally, prevailed. Give your reader a sense of place so they may experience this moment of transformation with you and feel a part of your tale. Consider the following literacy narrative essay examples:
- Fear is a genuine and understandable feeling. Explain the time when you managed to overcome your biggest worry.
- Heroism requires bravery—or, in certain circumstances, foolishness. Tell about a time when you showed courage.
- Everybody makes errors because nobody is flawless. Discuss a mistake and the lessons you've learned from it.
- Getting outside of your comfort zone is usually a good idea when life becomes too monotonous. Tell stories about a moment when you tried something new.
- Students learn responsibility through their first jobs and enjoy adult life. Write about your very first job.
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Narrative essay topic ideas.
Personal Narrative Essay Topics
A personal narrative essay is about your personal experience. It needs to have an emotional effect on the reader. In order to do so, the picture you are creating (with words) has to be vivid and appeal to the reader’s emotions. Using a lot of details is a great way to achieve this goal. Some personal narrative topics include:
- A teacher you will never forget
- An experience that put you in danger
- A funny story that happened to you
- A story from your childhood
- Your first trip abroad
- An episode from your school life
- A story of losing a friend
- A story of learning a new skill (like playing a musical instrument or surfing)
- An embarrassing story that happened to you
- A story of you participating in an extracurricular activity, such as playing football or doing gymnastics
- An experience attending a concert or sporting event
- A story of you helping people in need
- A time when you discovered a secret
- Talk about a family member who you are bonded to the most
- Talk about a class you have taken that was inspirational
- A moment when you felt alone and scared
- A story when you got lost
- The time when you saved someone
- The first time you cooked a meal by yourself
40 Best Narrative Essay Topics
Narrative essays aim for the reader to see exactly what the writer has been through. Since you cannot show your readers a picture, you need to create one with words. Make sure you pick something that you remember well—as providing all of the details for the reader is essential.
- Your favorite vacation with your family
- A trip you will never forget
- A time you made friends in an unusual circumstance
- Your first day at a new school
- Talk about something that scared you a lot
- Your most enjoyable Christmas
- The best birthday party you’ve ever had
- A life lesson you have learned
- A time someone you did not expect helped you
- Talk about the best day of your life
- A tragic event in your life
- The story of how you got your first pet
- Your best friend and how you met
- A story of how you lost something
- Talk about helping someone in need
- A story of how you dealt with a natural disaster
- A time you were called to the dean’s office
- A story of you going to a summer camp
- Your first time riding a bicycle
- A moment when you felt depressed
- A time when you had a serious argument with someone
- A story of someone treating you unfairly
- Your first time skiing
- Helping a stranger
- A time when you faced racial prejudice
- A time you misjudged someone and felt ashamed
- The most memorable day at the beach
- The best present you have ever received
- A story of you getting injured
- Your first time driving
- Ending a relationship
- Starting a relationship
- Your first plane trip and the experience of flying
- Meeting a stranger
- A story from a trip
- A time you were punished
- A time when you discovered the truth about someone
- Learning a life lesson
- Getting in a car accident
- Your favorite time hiking
Cultural Narrative Essay Topics
Cultural narrative essays allow you to show an aspect of culture to the reader yet make it informative and entertaining. Culture is a very vast and complicated system, therefore avoid touching upon several aspects at one time in the same story. Cultural narratives are great discussion starters as people get to ask questions about culture and explain what kind of prejudice they might have towards a culture or certain aspects of that culture. Here are some examples of cultural narrative essays:
- Unique family traditions
- A tradition that surprised you
- Your favorite holiday and how you celebrate it in your culture
- Why knowing your culture is important
- A time when you felt embarrassed because you did not know a certain aspect of a group of people’s culture
- How culture changes upon circumstances
- The influence of media on culture
- Food traditions in your family
- How culture defines a person
- Your cultural identity
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Narrative Argument Essay Topics
A narrative argument essay examines something that has intrigued you or has had a big impact on your life—through the form of a story. It also needs to include a point that has come from your narrative that is persuasive or argumentative. Your story acts as your argument and an example with which you persuade the reader.
- A time you had a disagreement with a friend
- A story of you having a conflict
- A time you had to deal with bullying
- Someone committing suicide
- The day you graduated from high school
- A time someone got caught cheating
- A time in which your doctor perceived to be, or was, negligent
- A car accident you were in
- A time when you were humiliated
- An act of charity you undertook
- A problem you helped a friend with
- A time someone got beat up at the school
Interesting Narrative Essay Topics
- Looking for a topic with a twist? Look no further. Here are some unusual and great topics for your narrative essay
- A tough decision you had to make
- A person that changed your life forever
- A time when you flooded your neighbor’s apartment
- A day that you wish to relive
- A time when you failed a class
- The scariest moment of your life
- A time you got very sick
- The time you saved someone’s life
- The time you ventured into a haunted house
- The time you won a prize
- Your first job
- The time you got a flat tire
- The things you do in your alone time
- The first time you were in the emergency room
- Your first encounter with the police
Childhood Memories
Take a trip down memory lane to your sincere and younger years and find a crazy story to share. If you have a setting, an idea, but no story, you can always make one up. Make it convincing, and people will think that your life is fascinating! Write about a childhood experience that showed the importance of teamwork.
- Remember when parties didn’t need alcohol to be fun? Recall the craziest party from your childhood.
- Write about your first experience of physical or emotional pain. How did you overcome it?
- Kids often have role models who are like superheroes in their eyes (from Hollywood actors to rock band players). Who was your role model and why?
- Write about a dream you remember from your childhood.
Growing Up in High School
Everyone is nostalgic for their school years in one way or another. It is a time of knowledge, development, and growth—or skipping classes and looking for trouble. Find something exciting from your high school experience and turn it into a narrative essay.
- The school was mostly dull, but some classes didn’t feel that way. Focus on a school subject that you cared about.
- Depict an experience of humiliation, whether it was yours or someone else's. How did people react and what did you learn?
- Hobbies (football, guitar, gaming, traveling) are what you looked forward to when you completed your homework. What was your after-school hobby?
- Describe your best friend from high school and how you’ve both changed since growing up.
- Write about your greatest school achievement.
Relationships start with family. As a person grows, their relationship with their family extends to their friendships, romantic interests, business relationships, and far beyond. Explore the vices and virtues of the people you’ve met.
- People change; some stay together, and some fall apart. Write about an old friend you’ve lost touch with and why it happened.
- A few words can change a person’s perception of things. Write about a conversation you’ve had that changed your life.
- Discuss a productive business relationship where you’ve achieved something great while working with your partner.
- Dads can be the voice of reason and moral discipline. Talk about the way your father has influenced you.
- As people grow and move around, they change their circles of friends. Have you had this experience? Talk about what it feels like to meet an entirely new group of people while sharing experiences, making friends, and building relationships.
Moral & Ethical Dilemmas
Laws keep the world in order. Or do they? Students from all over the world discuss plenty of challenging moral questions. The time comes when a person has to choose – do the legal thing or do the right thing—according to their set of ethical standards. These points make morality an infinite pool of inspiration for writing.
- Talk about the time you’ve done something illegal, but you feel that it was the right thing to do.
- Talk about your observation of a cowardly act. Explain why you think it was cowardly and share what you would have done instead.
- Teachers, parents, police, and government – examine the morals they preach and whether or not they can be wrong sometimes. Provide details for your act of rebellion against ‘the man in charge.’
- Talk about a time you had to do something that undermined your morality.
- From a moral perspective, how do you think your government should deal with homeless people?
Hobbies & Interests
Hobbies are the things that people enjoy doing most of all. Hobbies can end up sparking lifetime interests or involvement in one’s community. Most people end up being happier when their hobbies can be incorporated into their jobs. Additionally, people attract each other based on the things they do and the places they go. Ask yourself “What do I enjoy doing?” Or “Why do I like this particular type of music?”
- Discuss the time you’ve abandoned your responsibilities to do something in favor of your hobby.
- Write about your talent and how you have developed it.
- Would you turn your hobby into a class taught in schools?
- Tell us how your hobby or obsession managed to get you a job.
- Hobbies are often looked over by parents. They want their kids to do well in school. How do you think parents should act towards kids who care more about their hobbies than getting good grades?
Moments of Inspiration
Ever had that moment that inspired you to do great things? As students, we often get inspired by the most straightforward observations. Whatever your source of inspiration – whether it is a field trip, a beautiful view, a film with a moving story, or a classic book like ‘Catcher in the Rye’ – you can always turn it into a fascinating piece of writing.
- Have you ever seen a movie that inspired you to go out and do great things?
- Have you ever been inspired by a book character to behave a certain way? How do you empathize with this character?
- The most successful people have failed millions of times to reach success. Tell us about a successful person that inspires you to keep trying.
- Write about a time when something seemingly insignificant greatly inspired you (examples: a close person, a heroic deed, an event, etc.)
- Have you ever felt like you could do better? Remember the time you saw someone do something, and it inspired you to do it better than them.
College Student Life
Going to college means getting catapulted into a new world enriched with new impressions – new circles of people, a new system of education, student living conditions, and much more. All of the craziest stories happen in college; whether you’re there to party or use textbooks for pillows, there's plenty of narrative essay topics for college, and about college, that you can write about.
- Tell us about the time it felt very unlikely that you would pass an exam, but you passed anyway—and how you prepared for it.
- College professors are open to discussions and reinterpretations. Describe the time you felt like your professor was wrong.
- Describe a lecture that has inspired you to get out there and do great things.
- After a harsh transition from high school, there is always a moment when a student snaps and suddenly realizes that they’re in college. Tell us about the moment that kick-started your college life.
- College can refer to partying, studying, or fulfilling your dream – which one do you feel most fits your interpretation of it?
‘Imagine If’ Scenarios
Narrative essays usually require students to write about their lives. What are the exceptions? Frequently, narratives get dramatized in favor of telling a great story, over blatantly stating facts. ‘Imagine If…” scenarios can be massively dramatized versions of reality, making them one of the most popular sub-genres in essay writing. Enter the realm of free-flowing imagination and see where it takes you:
- If you had your reality show, what would it be like?
- If you could travel back in time, where would you go and why? Would you change the past?
- If you had a superpower, which one would you choose and why? Would you use it for personal gain or to help people?
- What if you were a movie director with an unlimited budget? Tell us about the movie you’d make!
- If you were a best-selling musician and you had just come off of your most successful album ever, what would you do next?
Places You Have Been
You should not necessarily discuss only places from your memories; it is also possible to describe locations that you would like to visit and provide reasons for doing so. Some ideas may include:
- Tales from history: the impression of a visit to the National Museum of U.S. History
- The first time in your life you took a trip abroad. Describe your thoughts about that flight
- The very first time you traveled to Paris—as compared to your last visit to the ‘City of Love’
- Tasting your favorite dish in a cozy restaurant by the sea
- Going to see one of your favorite rock bands in one of the best venues
Most Preferred Activities
This one is similar to your “hobbies”, yet slightly different. It is better to focus on what you do well and share some useful recommendations instead of fake memories. Describing something you have a passion for always adds a dynamic perspective.
- If you were a scriptwriter for “Game of Thrones,” what would you change about the plot of season three?
- If there is a book that changed your opinion on a specific topic, would you recommend it to others, and why?
- Do you see any resemblance between your favorite Marvel and DC heroes?
- If you were the head of a mobile app development company, which sort of game would you release first?
- Is there a music composition that always cheers you up in any situation?
Author’s Strong Sides or Expertise
If you believe you are an expert in a particular field, offer the reader some tips and tricks on how to succeed in the same area. Recall personal experiences and factors that have helped you. It may look like recommendations, but do not forget you are writing a narrative essay – involve more creativity and descriptions.
- The reasons people can cry on my shoulder and get cheered up immediately
- Several reasons that make me the top specialists when it comes to social media marketing
- The art of telling lies: how my creativity once saved the day
- Features that make me the best football player on my team
- A paper for those who seek advice in cooking Japanese dishes
Good Narrative Essay Topics Without a Category
All of the previous narrative essay topics are tied to a particular genre or theme. Still, there are plenty of good narrative essay topics you can pick from that are quite random, yet fun to write about. Check out some additional topics for narrative essay assignments that we have thought up:
- The first car you ever bought
- Something that really ‘grinds your gears’
- The worst day ever
- Your guide to dancing at parties
- The moment you realized that Google saves all of your data
- Your guide to relieving stress
- Your guide to reading books, listening to music, and watching movies
- Things to do while waiting in line
- If you had a billion dollars for one day
- A dream that came true—by accident or through hard work
Fun Narrative Essay Topics for High School Students
This section is a pleasant bonus for our young readers! A good sense of humor is an excellent ace up your sleeve in writing. You may be able to turn a serious situation into something fun and relaxing by involving a relevant joke or anecdote. The rest of your essay will then feel more alive and exciting. These ideas will help you get inspired:
- A bad experience with girls or boys
- The time you almost died doing something stupid
- The time when your fun and naive high school persona got trapped in a harsh real-world situation
- The most significant experience in your digital life
- The moment when math saved your life
- If you starred in ‘My Sweet Sixteen’
- If you starred in ‘Sixteen and Pregnant’
- The most random way you’ve made a friend
- The moment you realized that partying is destructive and decided to stop
- Your first experience with alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs. What would you tell a person who has never tried either?
Narrative Paper Topics about Personality
Each of us has their own personality. It is possible to express yourself in any light by choosing to write a narrative paper about your strengths, weaknesses, characteristics, mood, etc. We have analyzed some of the best topics for you.
- How patient can you be when you have to wait for something that matters to you?
- How much self-control do you have?
- Have you been a leader at least once in your life?
- How would your life be different if you had lost your parents early in life?
- Do you have a competitive spirit when it comes to playing various sports?
- Do you take more risks when your best friends are around you?
- List and discuss your personal superstitions
- Talk about all of the pranks, jokes, anecdotes, and hoaxes you have fallen for
- Discuss assumptions that people usually make about you
- How much of a daredevil are you?
Gender & Sexuality
Any topic related to gender is a sensitive one. Essay writers should be careful not to tread on corn. A paper about sex and gender should be objective and written in a neutral tone. Here we are with some issues that you may find interesting to discuss:
- Are there any boys in your company that regard women as “prey”?
- Is there too much pressure on women to have ideal bodies?
- The difference between male and female roles based on your family and parents
- Effective preventive measures to deal with online adult content
- The best way to learn about sex in school
- The basic principles and purposes of the feminist movement
- Is it acceptable to have gender and sexual education at school?
- Why so many parents possess different hopes for their sons than they do for their daughters
- The way sexuality is presented in the “Game of Thrones” book series
- Did you have any negative experiences with gender bias in school?
After finding a topic that suits your mood, do some brainstorming. Write all of the possible scenarios on a piece of paper and organize them into a unique narrative essay outline. Follow the instructors of your professor. Most of your questions have probably been answered there. Our essay service has compiled some writing tips to help you manage your essay without any hassle.
Narrative Essay Examples
You may also be interested in the article about the case study format . We recommend reading it to broaden your horizons.
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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
- 1st Grade Spelling
- 2nd Grade Spelling
- 3rd Grade Spelling
- 4th Grade Spelling
- 5th Grade Spelling
- High School Spelling
- Spelling Patterns
- Spelling Rules
- Reading Comprehension
- Cause and Effect
- Character Descriptions
- Character Traits
- Context Clues
- Drawing Conclusions
- Fact and Opinion
- Figurative Language
- Making Inferences
- Point of View
- Story Elements
- Text Features Posters
- Parts of Speech
- Parts of a Sentence
- Punctuation
- Sentence Structure
- Dictionary Skills
- Dolch Sight Words
- Proverbs and Adages
- Shades of Meaning
- Synonyms Antonyms
- Editing and Proofing
- Handwriting
- Cursive Alphabet
- Lined Paper
- Sentence Patterns
- Topic Sentences
- Transition Words
- Essay Introductions
- Writing Conclusions
- Writing Prompts
100+ Narrative Essay Topics and Ideas You Can Write About
Narrative essay topics are commonly used across all education levels. Fictional or realistic, they can take on the form of many genres, as long as there is a coherent story told in the first person.
Whether you’re in elementary school, high school, or college, narrative essay tasks will always keep popping up throughout your academic journey as they’re one of the best ways for students to practice their writing and storytelling skills.
If you still haven’t mastered the craft of writing a flawless narrative essay or don’t have enough time to dedicate to this task, essay writing help might come in handy.
However, if your teacher gave you the freedom to write about whatever you like, you’re probably struggling with finding the ideal topic for your paper. If that’s the case, you’re in the right place.
How to Choose a Topic for a Narrative Essay
Choosing a topic for your narrative essay isn’t an easy task. A lot goes into finding the perfect topic, and you should think about several topics before making the decision. As the topic you go with can determine the quality of your essay and the grade you receive, you should carefully consider your options.
Although narrative essay topics don’t sound too remarkable or inspiring by themselves, it’s up to the writer to make a good story out of a generic title. The best way is to go with something relatable, such as a childhood memory or something you’re passionate and knowledgeable about.
Once you find a topic you’re happy with, pay attention to the style and word choice throughout your essay. Since how you tell the story is much more important than the story itself, an inspiring topic can help you achieve desired quality results much more easily.
After you complete your essay, don’t forget to run the text through an online plagiarism checker . It’ll catch any plagiarized content if you used some sources for inspiration and ensure you end up with a fully unique essay.
Narrative Essay Topic Ideas
A teacher giving you complete freedom to write about anything you like has both its pros and cons. While it allows all students to write something they’re passionate about, it also leaves many struggling with choosing a single topic from all the different options.
If that’s something you’re currently experiencing, don’t worry – here you’ll find everything you have been looking for. Choose from 100+ good narrative essay topics for your upcoming writing project and create the most inspiring piece of narrative writing yet.
Personal Narrative Essay Topics
Among the ultimate favorites among students are personal narrative topics. These topics are typically based on some personal experience. Even if you don’t feel comfortable writing a personal essay, your work can still be personal if you decide to include some points of view or experiences you drew upon.
Because most students can easily relate to personal essays, they offer some of the best results. Here are 15 topics if you decide to write a personal narrative essay:
- The first concert I went to
- A scary experience that put me in real danger
- My first trip abroad
- How I lost my best friend
- What getting lost as a child taught me about people
- The best moment of my life
- How I spent the whole day taking in the sites of the big city
- The time I helped someone in need
- An embarrassing story that helped me grow
- Moving from one place to another as a child
- The most challenging decision I ever had to make
- Why discovering a big family secret changed me completely
- My favorite story from my childhood
- The family member I bonded with the most
- The most inspirational class of my life
Narrative Essay Topics for High School Students
Most narrative topics created for high school students are closely connected to personal narrative essay ideas. The reason for this is that many students struggle with sharing their experiences, problems, and emotions during their high school education, as they often feel alone and misunderstood by the people they’re surrounded with.
Although one essay can’t make these issues go away, it’s certainly helpful to share them with someone, even in written form. Narrative essays for high schoolers are one of the best ways to motivate students to say something more about their private life and confide in their teachers.
Here are 15 examples of excellent narrative essay topics that all high school students will enjoy writing about:
- What do students usually feel by being caught cheating on a test
- How I felt after failing a class
- A bad experience with an ex-boyfriend/girlfriend
- My first experience with alcohol, cigarettes, or drugs and how I felt afterward
- The most memorable experience in my digital life
- A typical evening after school and a not so typical acquaintance
- The craziest thing that happened at a party
- Why I’m nervous about prom night
- The time when math saved your life
- My version of a perfect day if the school got canceled
- The time I got into big trouble
- The most shocking incident that happened at school
- My emotions when I win and lose a sports match
- The struggles of balancing schoolwork and social life
- How bad weather affects my motivation to go to school
Narrative Argument Essay Topics
The good thing about narrative essays is that they can implement just about any story or situation. Therefore, it’s also possible to combine narrative storytelling with argumentative writing. As a result, you can simultaneously tell a story and share your point of view on a given topic. Intertwining your thoughts and executing such a complex task isn’t simple, but it’s certainly rewarding.
For those interested in sharing their opinion or side of a story while writing their narrative essay, narrative argument essay topics are a perfect choice. Here are our top 10 topic ideas:
- The biggest conflict I participated in and did it worth it
- My experience with bullying
- The time I was in a car accident
- The time I felt extremely humiliated
- My most valuable life experiences so far
- Is it right to eavesdrop?
- The choice I regret making
- Learning about the right and the wrong
- Doing a good thing even if it’s against the rules
- How serious can taking and shifting the blame be?
Interesting Narrative Essay Topics
If you made it up to this point and still haven’t found a topic that caught your eye, it’s probably because you still haven’t stumbled upon a narrative topic that’s interesting enough. If you’re looking for an exciting topic for a narrative essay you’ll enjoy researching and writing about, make sure to check out the following 15 topic suggestions:
- The most impactful person in my life
- A day I wish to go back to
- My first encounter with the authorities
- The toughest decision I ever had to make
- Returning home after being abroad for an extended period
- The first time I won a prize
- My first experience in the emergency room
- How I saved someone’s life
- The first time traveling by myself
- The experiences from my first job
- The struggles of the first day at a new school
- Cooking my first meal by myself
- Things I like to do when I’m home alone
- The time I got my first flat tire
- The most memorable incident on a holiday
Cultural Narrative Essay Topics
As many places around the world are considered multicultural, people of all ages have many questions related to culture. Some people tend to forget about their cultural traditions, while others take great pride in maintaining them.
Whatever the case may be for you, one thing is certain – cultural narrative essay ideas are favorite among many students.
Whether they’d like to use this opportunity to recollect their most memorable cultural experiences or tackle some of the questions about culture that have been bothering them, here’s our pick of the top 10 cultural narrative essay suggestions:
- The unique traditions of my family
- My cultural identity and why it’s important
- A tradition that never stops surprising me
- How can a culture define a person?
- My most meaningful holiday
- Working during a holiday
- Spending a holiday by myself
- Attending a foreign cultural event
- Celebrating holidays with friends instead of family
- How cultures and traditions change through time
40 Best Narrative Essay Topics
Finally, you’ll certainly find a great topic among these 40 best narrative essay topic ideas. The suggestions used in this part of the post cover various topics, so they’re best for students who don’t have a predetermined category and are free to write about whatever topic they choose.
Even if you don’t find a topic that suits you here, going through and reading these titles will surely inspire you and help you come up with the ideal title for your upcoming writing project. Check them out:
- How being treated unfairly helped me build resilience
- Confronting my fears after years of letting them control me
- The first time seeing snow in person
- The time I was called to the dean’s office
- My favorite day at the beach
- How I met my best friend
- The time I helped a stranger
- How I lost something valuable
- The tragic event that changed my life forever
- A life lesson I’ll never forget
- My experience facing racial prejudice
- Experiencing a natural disaster and its consequences
- My first time riding a bicycle
- My first time sitting behind the steering wheel
- The worst punishment I received
- The story behind getting my pet
- My favorite vacation I’ve been on
- A trip I’ll always remember and cherish
- My most random way of making a friend
- The best birthday party I’ve had
- The best day of my life so far
- The time I misjudged someone
- Receiving the help I didn’t know I needed
- My story of helping someone in need
- My first plane ride
- Entering a new relationship
- Ending a relationship
- My worst injury
- The present I’ll never throw away
- My most enjoyable family holiday
- My experience going to a summer camp for the first time
- The most serious argument between my best friend and me
- The moment I felt depression overwhelm me
- How I cope with my anxiety
- Life lessons I learned from getting in an accident
- The time I got very sick
- The time I ignored something bad happening
- Being at the wrong place at the wrong time
- The scariest Halloween of my life
- Maintaining a long-distance friendship
Narrative essay topics are flexible and can take many forms, which is why they’re so loved by teachers and students equally. If you’re struggling with finding the ideal topic for your essay, these 100+ ideas will surely help you out.
We can also assist you in writing your essays and give you detailed feedback on your writing. Now, you can also buy college essays . It’s an excellent alternative for students who want to ensure they get top-quality essays and submit them before the deadline.
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Ideas, Inspiration, and Giveaways for Teachers
We Are Teachers
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) ..
Jill Staake is a Contributing Editor with WeAreTeachers. She has a degree in Secondary English Education and has taught in middle and high school classrooms. She's also done training and curriculum design for a financial institution and been a science museum educator. She currently lives in Tampa, Florida where she often works on her back porch while taking frequent breaks for bird-watching and gardening.
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Narrative Essay
Narrative Essay Topics
Best Narrative Essay Topics 2023 for Students
19 min read
Published on: Jun 19, 2018
Last updated on: Feb 27, 2023
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They say a picture is worth a thousand words…!
A narrative essay serves the same purpose. It provides a vivid description of an amazing story that paints a picture in the reader’s mind.
The first thing you need for writing a narrative essay is a topic or essay prompt. Here are some interesting narrative essay topic ideas you can choose for your next assignment.
Narrative Essay Definition and Types of Essay
The goal of a narrative paper is to engage the reader with your personal experience while making an interesting point. A good story relies on settings, character growth, and dialogue.
The narrative essay takes the reader on an emotional rollercoaster ride with each twist and turns that promises something new.
Moreover, there are four types of narrative essays.
- Description
- Narrative
Still struggling to craft a narrative essay? This video will show you how to do it!
Amazing Narrative Essay Topics
A narrative essay is a story written in a way that creates a picture in the reader’s mind. It is a creative piece of writing that requires good imagination.
As the narrative essay presents an amazing and exciting story, so the narrative essay topic should also be unique and exciting.
Here are some great narrative essay topics that you can choose to write your story.
Narrative Essay Topics for Middle School
- A misunderstanding between my parents
- My sister’s birthday bash
- When I realized I’m not a kid anymore
- When I decided to do a part-time job
- Why I never liked my maths teacher
- The toughest decision I had to make
- If I could become a leader for a day
- How a natural disaster affected our country
- Solving a dilemma
- A difficult decision that I had to make
Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 5
- My first bicycle ride
- My dad is my hero
- A day with my grandmother
- My first day at school
- My best friend
- My favorite teacher
- A school trip to the zoo
- My grandpa’s hands
- The most exciting day of school
- The best summer vacation
Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 6
- A memorable teacher
- My first trip abroad
- A sad story from my childhood
- My favorite vacation with my family
- A fight with my best friend
- My best birthday party
- How we celebrate our parents’ wedding anniversary
- My first day at a new school
- The last Christmas
- How I lost my sister
Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 7
- Something that scared me the most
- The best day of my life
- Helping a stranger
- How I met my best friend
- My brother’s wedding
- How I got my first pet
- Once I called to the dean's office
- Conflict with my father
- Unique family tradition
Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 8
- A school trip to the museum
- My best day at school
- The most exciting day of summer vacations
- The most horrible day at school
- The day I got my first pet
- An hour we spent looking at our childhood album
- My first attempt at cooking
- My first Japanese pastry
- My first foreign friend
Narrative Essay Topics for Grade 9
- A visit to the countryside
- How I lost my faith in humanity
- A car accident
- My friend had an accident
- A trip I will never forget
- The most enjoyable Christmas
- A bad experience that completely changed my behavior
- How I used to spent my summer vacations
- My experience of a tornado
- I got lost in the streets of venus.
Narrative Essay Topics for O Levels
- A special moment when I got my first bike
- A disappointing birthday party
- The most embarrassing thing that happened to me.
- A disastrous date
- The moment of success
- Growing up in new york
- A sporting experience
- A random act of kindness
- The first six months of COVID-19
- The end of my relationship
Narrative Essay Topics For High School Students
- A time when you had to overcome a challenge
- A time when you failed at something
- A time when you had to make a difficult decision
- The first time you ever did something new
- A time when you were proud of yourself
- A time when someone disappointed you
- A time when you had to stand up for yourself or someone else
- A time when you made a mistake
- A time when you helped someone
- A time when you learned something new
Narrative Essay Topics For Usat Test
- A time when you faced a significant challenge
- A time when you had to overcome adversity
- A person who has had a significant influence on your life
- A moment that changed your life
- An experience that taught you a valuable lesson
- A time when you had to deal with failure
- A time when you helped someone in need
- An experience that made you appreciate life more
- What you hope to achieve in the future
Narrative Essay Topics for College Students
- The most embarrassing moment of my life
- A moment that completely changed my life
- How I learned to play the guitar
- The most frightening experience I ever had
- The moment I met my special one
- The day I got married
- A day at the amusement park
- When the cherry blossom
- What if I had a time machine
- The eleventh-hour
Narrative Essay Topics for University Students
- The time you won a prize
- Getting lost in the city
- A person who saved your day
- Describe an example of loyalty.
- My sister’s graduation ceremony
- Your last friendship
- Your favorite season and why
- A frustrating situation
- What is your favorite trip?
- Unique family traditions
Narrative Essay Topics About Technology
- The impact of technology on education
- The impact of technology on our social lives
- A day without gadgets.
- How I learned to become tech savvy
- The impact of technology on our health
- The impact of technology on the world
- The impact of technology on our future
- The pros and cons of technology
- Is technology making us stupid?
- What would life be like without technology?
Narrative Essay Topics On Covid-19
- The day I found out about the pandemic
- How my life has changed since the outbreak
- The people I have lost to the virus
- How your business was impacted by the pandemic
- The way the pandemic brought out the best in some people
- The way the pandemic brought out the worst in some people
- The things I am grateful for despite the pandemic
- How the pandemic taught you not to loose Hope
- What the pandemic taught you about love
- A visit to the hospital during the pandemic’s 1st wave
Narrative Essay Topics About Family
- The day my sibling and I stopped being close
- The time I was left home alone and had to fend for myself
- The day I had to take care of my younger siblings
- The day my parent’s divorced
- The time I got lost and my family had to come find me
- That one family vacation we took that was a disaster
- The time I embarrassed myself in front of my family
- Saying the final goodbye to a family member
- A happy memory I have with my family
Narrative Essay Topics On Love
- The moment you realized you were in love
- The first time you said "I love you"
- A time when love was not enough
- The hardest part about being in love
- Why love is worth the risk
- What has love taught you
- How has love changed you
- The different forms of love you experienced
- The day I understood the difference between true love and infatuation
- The meaning of love in the 21st century
Narrative Essay Topics About Yourself
- A time when you overcame a fear
- How I learned to love myself for who I am
- The day that marked the turning point in my life
- How I found the strength to face my demons
- The moment I realized that I was capable of anything
- How I overcame the odds and achieved my dreams
- Why it's important to never give up on yourself
- The power of self-belief and determination
- How staying positive can change your life
- Why it's okay to be different and unique
- Why it's important to follow your heart
Easy Narrative Essay Topics
- A weird encounter with a stranger
- A time when people helped each other in crises
- The year when the whole world suffered from a pandemic
- When the lights go off
- A cup of coffee
- My mom was right
- My first ramp walk
- How coronavirus changed people's life
Good Narrative Essay Topics
- The day I decided I will never cry again
- Breakfast diaries: Eggs and sausages
- It was the hardest decision of my life
- What if I become a superhero
- A day when nothing extraordinary happened
- My worst quarrel with parents
- This breakup cost me a year of life
- Why I’ll never go back to my school again
- The friend zone, none of you would handle
- The superpowers I would like to have
Personal Narrative Essay Topics
- The movie character I associate myself with
- They will never call me a coward again
- My most memorable birthday bash
- How I lied to my parents about my cancer
- The novel that touched me the most
- If I were a magician, I’d be…
- The place I would love to visit again and again
- Why I dropped out of high school
- What if I were born in a different country
- I am an ordinary girl, after all.
Related: Personal Narrative Essay - Topics & Writing Tips
Interesting Narrative Essay Topics
- How traveling to the countryside can change your worldview
- Essential things to take with you to the mountains
- The moment I decided not to go to university
- How artificial intelligence helps people?
- Fear on my mind
- Sorry, wrong number
- Cracks in the pavement
- Pants on fire
- How my father taught me to drive
- Searching for fresh air
Funny Narrative Essay Topics
- The time I got lost in the mall
- The time I accidentally set my house on fire
- The time I was chased by a wild animal
- The time I got stuck in an elevator
- The time I won the lottery
- The time I met a celebrity
- The time I was stranded on a deserted island
- The time I was pranked
- The first time I drove a car
- The time I had to give a speech in front of a large audience
Literacy Narrative Essay Topics
- A time when I was grateful to be an only child
- How I feel when my younger siblings look up to me
- When my parents got separated
- That day when I started to feel like I’m growing up
- don't know why, but people treat me differently
- A time when I misjudged someone and felt ashamed
- A weird encounter with my cousin
- A move from one place to another
- A night, truly frightening
- Something funny happened to my boss
Descriptive Narrative Essay Topics
- Describe the moment you learn your biggest lesson.
- Things I do to relieve stress
- Two different versions of the same event
- How can one make the world a better place?
- The house of my dreams
- The best fishing spot
- Special homecoming court moment
- My dad is the most interesting person
- Your first promotion at a job
- Conflict with siblings
Cultural Narrative Essay Topics
- Food traditions in your family
- The most meaningful holiday for you
- What is called pop culture?
- Social-cultural causes of crime
- Why do some people age faster than others?
- Cultural differences in East Asian countries
- Indigenous languages of Mexico
- What made sitcoms popular?
- Middle eastern musical culture
- The ritual culture in the ancestors’ lives
Narrative Essay Topics With Conflict
- The day I challenged my parent’s decision
- My fight with a bully in school
- When I almost gave up
- Facing danger to save someone else
- How I stood up for myself
- The moment that taught me life lessons
- Confronting my biggest fear and winning
- The time I changed someone's mind about something
- The day I realized that I was wrong
- My journey of self discovery
Narrative Essay Topics About Childhood
- Describe your favorite hideaway.
- Your best childhood friend.
- Why is childhood the best period of life?
- Childhood memories and their influence on me
- Early childhood swimming education and methods
- Your favorite childhood games.
- What I would tell my younger self
- My first birthday
- My first bicycle
Narrative Essay Topics About Personality
- List and discuss your personal superstitions
- The most important principle in life
- Stages of personality development
- Expressing your personality through fashion
- A movie character that best relates your personality to
- Personal professional development for the workplace
- How is your life different from your parent's life?
- How patient can you be?
- Your strong personality
- My personality is my dad’s copy
Narrative Argument Essay Topics
- Describe a tough decision that you had to make.
- Your first high-school dance
- An act of charity you undertook
- Is it okay to eat dessert before dinner?
- A moral choice that you regret
- A shocking incident during a holiday
- The time I got into big trouble
- Is public prayer okay in schools?
- Your first family trip
- A car accident you were in
Relationship Narrative Essay Topics
- Healthy marriage and family relationships
- Starting a relationship
- Who is your family?
- Your first confession
- Social relationships in childhood
- The movie that defines your relationship
- The role of the relationship between friends
- What is your first crush?
- Impact of divorce
- Relationship between Allah and humans
Narrative Essay Topics About Friendship
- Why is friendship a wonderful thing?
- Childhood friendship
- A true friendship
- Honesty and patience in friendship
- Can great friends be found online?
- Tell how your best friend helped you through a difficult time in your life.
- Do your friends know everything about you?
- Value of friendship
- Making a friend on the internet
- Technology's role in close friendship
40 best Narrative essay topics for college students
Writing a narrative essay for college students requires a great deal of creativity and imagination. Narrative essays can be about real life events, experiences, or imaginative reflections on the past and future events.
Here are some of the best topics for narrative writing that will help you to captivate your audience:
- The most challenging experience in my life
- A moment that changed my outlook on life
- My most embarrassing moment in school
- An experience that made me feel like a hero
- How I became an adult overnight
- Narrating the story of overcoming adversity
- The day my passion for art was sparked
- Learning to play a musical instrument
- The day I got lost in the woods
- How I met my best friend
- Narrating an experience of living with disabilities
- A life-changing journey to another country
- My first job interview and what I learned from it
- Narrating the story of starting a business
- How I conquered my fear of public speaking
- An incident that taught me how to stand up for myself
- A humorous family reunion tale
- When I was wrongfully accused of something
- The story of me rafting down a river
- Narrating a story of my first love
- The day I realised the importance of education
- When I was mistaken for someone else
- How I learned to be a responsible citizen
- The day I took care of a sick relative
- How I coped with the loss of a loved one
- Narrating an experience of volunteering for a cause
- How I overcame stage fright and gave the performance of a lifetime
- An event that made me realise how fortunate I am
- How I became an advocate for social justice
- Narrating the story of an act of kindness I did
- The day I decided to pursue my dream
- How I found the courage to stand up for what I believe in
- A time when I had to be brave
- When I faced a difficult decision
- The day everything went wrong
- Narrating the story of a near-death experience
- An experience that taught me the importance of family
- A time when I had to be courageous
- When I helped someone in need
- The day I decided to pursue my dreams
These are just a few narrative essay topics that you can explore when writing your own narrative essay.
You can write about anything; all you have to take care of is your story should be interesting and engaging. Good narrative essays are usually about your personal experience. If your topic choice revolves around your real-life experience, it will create a fantastic essay.
Coming Up With Good Topic Ideas
Coming up with good narrative essay topic ideas needs you to think or reflect deeply about your life events. You’ll need to include details about an event or experience that had a significant impact on your life. Therefore, it’s important to pick a topic that could help you focus on a particular moment or on a period of time that was particularly memorable.
Alternatively, you could tell the story of how you changed as a result of an event or experience. Whatever topic you choose, make sure to give your readers a clear picture of what happened and why it mattered to you.
How To Choose A Narrative Essay Topic
While you choose a topic for a narrative essay, you need to be very careful. As you have to tell a story, you must select a topic that is eye-catching and interesting. Unlike a research paper, narrative essays are more personal, so make sure you’re thinking on different lines
Here is how you can choose an exciting topic for your narrative essay:
- Choose a topic:
- Which you are passionately ambitious about
- What interest you the most
- Which you feel the most connected with
- About something which has meaning to you
- Childhood experience
- School days
- Summer vacations
- Student years
- Happy moments
- Sad moments
- Personal hobbies
- Different events in your life
- Think About Personal Experiences
Narrative essays should be based on real-life experiences and events in your life. Brainstorm potential topics and reflect on moments or events that have made a lasting impression in your life.
- Choose An Exciting Moment
Narrative essays should captivate the reader with an interesting story. Pick a topic that involves adventure, excitement, or humor to engage your audience from the start.
- Consider Your Audience
Narrative essays should be tailored to suit the interests of the specific readership. Think about what kind of narrative would appeal to your target audience and select a topic accordingly.
- Pick an inspiring theme
Narrative essays can also revolve around themes such as courage, resilience, and self-discovery or a childhood experience. Picking an inspiring theme can help you craft a powerful story that resonates with your readers.
- Brainstorm And Take Notes
Narrative essays require careful planning. Take time to brainstorm ideas along with structuring your narrative essay outline. After that write down the key points that you want to cover in your story.
These steps can help you select a great narrative essay topic and craft an engaging story that captivates your readers.
Tips for Writing Narrative Essays
Once you have selected a topic for your narrative essay, it is time to start writing. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you write your story:
- Start with a strong hook: The opening paragraph of your narrative essay should be attention-grabbing . It should set the tone for the rest of the story.
- Use descriptive language: Narrative essays are all about creating vivid images in the mind of the reader. Incorporate descriptive words and phrases to draw your readers into the story and help them visualise the action taking place.
- Show, don't tell: Narrative essays should focus on showing rather than telling. Narrate your story using vivid details and active verbs to create a picture of the events unfolding.
- Use dialogue: Narrative essays should include conversations between characters to make the scenes come alive for readers. Make sure you accurately quote your sources and attribute every line of dialogue appropriately.
- End with a resolution: Narrative essays should have a clear conclusion that wraps up the story in an interesting way. Narrate how the events unfold and how it all resolves itself to create closure for your readers.
In conclusion, you can write about anything. All you have to take care of is your story should be interesting and engaging. Good narrative essays are usually about your personal experience. If your topic choice revolves around your real-life experience, it will create a fantastic essay.
Before you start writing, make sure you read some narrative essay samples. These Narrative essay examples will help you learn how to organize your thoughts and structure your story. You can get customized essays on the 40 best narrative essay topics that are sure to help you out
Get an Expert Essay Writer
Do you need help writing a narrative essay?
Our narrative essay writers are here to help you with all of your narrative essay writing needs. MyPerfectwords.com is a professional essay writing service that provides top-notch essays for high school and college students. Our narrative essay writing service are experts at choosing a good topic and crafting a perfect narrative essay in no time.
Feel free to contact us anytime, as we are available 24/7. Hire our essay writer and get a non-plagiarized essay within a short deadline.
Frequently Asked Questions
How are narrative essay topics different from other essay types.
Narrative essay topics are usually based on personal experiences, so they are more emotional and creative than other types of essays. Also, they are often more open-ended, so you have more freedom to choose what to write about.
Where can I find good narrative essay topics?
There are a few ways to find good topics for your narrative essay. You can look through books or magazines for ideas, or search online for inspiration. You can also brainstorm with friends or family members to come up with ideas.
What do I write a narrative essay about?
You can write a narrative essay about anything, but it is usually based on personal experience. Try to recall interesting incidents from your life to develop a narrative about.
Caleb S. (Literature, Marketing)
Caleb S. has been providing writing services for over five years and has a Masters degree from Oxford University. He is an expert in his craft and takes great pride in helping students achieve their academic goals. Caleb is a dedicated professional who always puts his clients first.
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100+ Inspiring Narrative Essay Topics
- DESCRIPTION Teenager writing narrative essay
- SOURCE SDI Productions / E+ / Getty
You can find great narrative essay topics by exploring major events in your own life that were inspiring or by reading uplifting narrative essay examples . Use these narrative essay topics to start your paper or inspire an original topic.
Encouraging Personal Narrative Essay Topics
Writing a personal narrative starts with a good personal narrative topic. Remember, this type of essay should be about a personal experience that inspired you or might inspire others.
- Overcoming a disability
- A health scare that changed your life
- A time when you helped someone
- Someone who changed your life and doesn’t know it
- A time your opinion was changed
- Something you dreamed of as a child that came to fruition
- Overcoming a publicly embarrassing moment
- How social media helped you
- How you dealt with a state of emergency
- A time when you realized someone looked up to you
- A random act of kindness that moved you
- Your part in a pay it forward chain
- One moment that made you a better person
- Checking something off your bucket list
- An accomplishment you never believed was possible
- A lesson you learned from nature
- A book that changed your outlook on life
- A song lyric that uplifts you
- A moment of spontaneity that brought great joy
- Someone who helped you set a goal
- The moment you realized you were beautiful
- Something a child said to you that put life in perspective
- A news story that made you take action
- Following your instincts
- An employer that really supports employees
- A job that changed your opinion about something
- A moment that taught you the value of money
- A movie that mirrors your life
- How VR changed your perspective of the world
Refreshing Narrative Essay Topics for Middle School
Middle school is a great time of self-discovery that’s filled with firsts and memorable moments. Use these milestones as the topic for your narrative essay.
- Making an unlikely friend
- How bad relationships help you become a better person
- The first time you opened your locker
- The teacher that makes you feel smart
- Moving from elementary school to middle school
- A social media post that inspired you
- A news story about a kid/teen that was uplifting
- A comment from a teacher that made you feel good
- A comment from someone you’re not friends with that made you feel good
- Being yourself
- A class you look forward to
- Your parents supporting you and giving you some independence
- Your first cell phone
- A family vacation
- A special photo of friends
- Your bedroom as a safe haven
- Something that always calms you down
- A class presentation that went well
- Something that makes you special or unique
- A time when you didn’t let peer pressure get to you
- A time when you lost a friend, then got them back
- The village that helped raise you
- How you make a difference in the world
- What your pet has taught you about love
Moving Narrative Essay Topics for High School
High school narrative essay topics include the classic moments that are stereotypical of the secondary school experience.
- Special homecoming court moment
- A friendship that started long before high school
- Prom dress shopping and your self-esteem
- Anticipation for graduation
- An award or scholarship you received
- Participating in a school musical
- A class or club trip
- Your first love
- A moment you stood up for what you believed in
- How your relationship with your parents changed for the better
- Showing school pride
- Something you thought would be hard, but turned out to be easy
- Taking a stand against social norms
- Expressing your personality through fashion
- A YA novel that captures your feelings exactly
- Removing a toxic person from your life
- Your most inspiring social media post
- Songs that get you pumped up
- A celebrity who impacted your life in a good way
- Overcoming a sports injury
- The power of true teamwork
- An optimistic moment
- A time you felt totally prepared for something scary
- Something you built on your own
- A life skill you’ve mastered
- Learning to drive
Uplifting Narrative Essay Topics for College
College is another time in your life that’s wrought with self-discovery and seeing the world as it truly is.
- Why you chose to go to college
- How you chose your major
- The impact of joining a team or club
- A fellow student you see thriving against the odds
- Examples of community on campus
- A test experience that boosted your self-esteem
- The moment you realized you were going into the right field
- What a college degree means to you
- College as a microcosm of the world
- The feeling of independence
- Keeping in touch with family
- The role of old friends in your new life
- Dating as a way of finding yourself and growing as a person
- Receiving good news
- Overcoming professional rejection
- Something you brought from home that keeps you sane
- The role of “home” in your life
- A time when you received great professional feedback
- Your biggest cheerleader
- Your mentor
- A TV character who broke the mold
- A moving internship experience
Share Your Story
Whether you use narrative writing prompts or not, a narrative essay should always be a moment where you share your story. More often than not, your story is relatable to others. To craft the best narrative essay, choose a topic that’s meaningful to you.
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!
Our specialists will write a custom essay on any topic for $13.00 $10.40/page
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.
- 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:
Receive a plagiarism-free paper tailored to your instructions.
- 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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60+ Personal Narrative Essay Topics + Bonus Tips
Updated 15 Dec 2022
A personal narrative essay is a story that is told from writer’s point of view and should include a plot, conflict, and characters. Usually, college or high school students are expected to submit assignments based on their own personal lives. This, of course, has to relate to the topic done in class.
Choosing the right narrative essay topics or presentation topics can have an impact on the grade that you score on your narrative essay. Also, not knowing the structure of a proper essay can make the process difficult and uninteresting so if you will ever need to take the stress of university work from your shoulders, we are here to complete your " write my essay " order. A well-written essay should capture the attention of a reader and get him or her involved with the events in your story and Edubirdie essay writing service will help you out.
Read also: The 125 Descriptive Essay Topics : The Easiest Way to Create a Descriptive Essay
How to Choose a Narrative Essay Topic?
As mentioned before, knowing narrative speech topics and personal narrative ideas will affect your score. Choosing a topic of your essay gives you an advantage in the sense that you can write about something you're passionate ambitious.
So, how do you choose the right topic for your creative writing assignment? This is easy. For starters, you should know that the best narrative speech topic can be an event from your life. You can select one memory and use it to build an incredible story. You may actually have many memories that are just waiting to be written down. If you struggle with this part, ask our narrative online essay writer for help.
Life stories told from the first person (and usually ending with morale or a conclusion, known also as coda) could fit the definition of personal narrative (autobiographies are also life stories told from the first person but they are much more complex and voluminous).
So, why not take advantage of this. In other situations, you may feel like a class theme doesn't relate to any event or memory in your life. When faced with this situation, you can create a fictional story. Another great alternative is checking online for examples of good narrative essay topics .
An example of a personal narrative essay is sharing memory of a person the author saw in the childhood and who left a stark impression (e. g. due to exceptional qualities).
Here is a little of 65, narrative essay topics for high school students and college/university attendants. You can use these personal narrative ideas to help you to choose titles for your creative writings. If this list is not enough, you can turn to our narrative essay helper for assistance.
- My Personal Beliefs
- Psychometric Test And My Personal Experience
- Narrative Essay on Winning the 7th Grade Math Award
- Reasons Why the National University Can Be Proud of Me
- My Online Course Experience
- My Deserving to Be a Member of the National Honor Society
- Reasons Why I Am a Qualified and Contributive NJHS Candidate
- Personal Statement: My Experience in Accounting
- Pathway To My Future Dream
- What Makes Me a Strong Candidate for the National Honor Society
- Painting Vs Gardening As My Favorite Hobbies
- Nutrition: My Diet Analysis
- Nursing And Chemistry Through My Own Eyes
- Analysis of My Personal Leadership Strengths and Weaknesses Essay
- My Utopia: Personal Writing Assignment
- My Personal Strengths and Weaknesses
- Personal Experience Of Going Vegan
- A Narrative of My Strengths and Weaknesses
- My Thoughts On The Origin Of The Universe
- My Personal Strengths and Use of Them
- My Philosophy of Life: ‘I Think; Therefore I am’
- My Thoughts About The Psychology Career
- My Support of the New Deal: Reflective Essay
- My Study Plan in University to Get Master of Global Management Program
- My Spring Break Trip to Florida
- What Life Has Taught Me
- My Study Plan for Studies in China at Tongji Studies University
- Proud of My Indian Roots
- Significant Impact of Marcus High School Cheerleading on My Personal Growth
- My Sister’s Keeper: Story Analysis
- My Potential for Internal Medicine Residency
- Brand Myself On LinkedIn
- Emotional Intelligence: Improving Myself
- My Autobiography and Future Plans
- Role of Curiosity in My Life
- The Bucket List of My Future Life
- Review of My Personal Improvement Project
- My Struggle Will Be Beautiful in The End Essay
- In The Honor of My Native Language
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- Finding My Wings Through Faith and Hard Work
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Read also: 60 Exemplification Topic for Students
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Tips on Writing Narrative Essays
A major difference between narratives and rhetorical essays is that you give the reader vivid descriptions that will allow them to reach a certain conclusion. For you to accomplish this task, your essay should be well structured and contain all necessary components. To guide you on your journey here are a few tips.
1. Prewrite
Before working on your assignment, think of what event in your life that relates to the class theme. This stage is known as prewriting phase. This is the point where you select your topic. Keep in mind that a topic can influence outcome of a narrative. Select a topic that is important to you so you can compose the best story.
However, it doesn't end here. After coming up with your personal narrative topic, identify all events and details that you want to include in your paper. Create an outline of how events should occur. This prompts you to create appropriate words narrative papers.
2. Be clear
Using complex words can confuse readers. Instead, use simple descriptive words that would convey the message you are trying to pass. Also, do not include all narrative ideas in the same paragraph.
Instead spread out narrative ideas between different paragraphs. Do not create in a clinical manner. Write the same way you would to your friends. Each description and statement should be vivid. After all, it's the only way to get readers fully engaged with your story.
3. Use the 1st person
The whole idea of writing a narrative essay is to provide an autobiographical story of events you may have experienced. This means writing in the first person and not the second person. Writing in the first person gives you an opportunity to narrate events as though they were happening at the same moment. It is the best way for readers to connect with the main character of your story, which is you in this case.
4. Edit your narrative
After you have completed your narrative essay, make sure you revise it. Revising gives you chance to make corrections which may make an entire story more interesting. During this process, you can add events or remove ideas that don't suit the story. Reread the entire narrative. Ask yourself a following questions while doing a review:
- Is there a smooth transition between events?
- Will the story attract readers?
- Will the narrative make readers continue reading?
- Are all events and characters described vividly?
- Will readers understand the main message of stories?
If the answer to the questions on this list is yes, then you are on your way to understanding how to write a narrative essay .
Narrative writing is essential for students in high school and college. Selecting a narrative essay topic of your narrative essay is one of the most important steps in creating this type of assignment. When you select a topic you are passionate about it helps you write an exceptional and captivating story. Using narrative writing ideas help you to write a more interesting story.
You can use Edubirdie to get more ideas for narrative essay topics. You can buy a narrative essay from our professional writers. All our work is original and of high quality. Feel free to contact us for more information.
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How to Write a Narrative Essay or Speech
- Ph.D., Rhetoric and English, University of Georgia
- M.A., Modern English and American Literature, University of Leicester
- B.A., English, State University of New York
A narrative essay or speech is used to tell a story, often one that is based on personal experience. This genre of work comprises works of nonfiction that hew closely to the facts and follow a logical chronological progression of events. Writers often use anecdotes to relate their experiences and engage the reader. In doing so, you can give your narrative a level of emotional appeal. It can be serious or humorous, but this emotional appeal is essential if you want to give your audience some way to connect with your story.
The most successful narrative essays usually share these three basic traits:
- They make a central point.
- They contain specific details in support of that point.
- They are clearly organized in time .
Constructing the Essay
Magazines like the New Yorker and websites like Vice are known for the pages-long narrative essays they publish, sometimes called long-format journalism. But an effective narrative essay can be as short as five paragraphs. As with other kinds of essay writing, narratives follow the same basic outline:
- Introduction: This is the opening paragraph of your essay. It contains the hook, which is used to grab the reader's attention, and the thesis or topic, which you'll detail in the next section.
- Body: This is the heart of your essay, usually three to five paragraphs in length. Each paragraph should contain one example, such as a personal anecdote or noteworthy event, that supports your larger topic.
- Conclusion: This is the final paragraph of your essay. In it, you'll sum up the main points of the body and bring your narrative to an end. Writers sometimes embellish the conclusion with an epilogue or a takeaway.
Narrative Essay Topics
Choosing the topic for your essay may be the hardest part. What you're looking for is a particular incident that you can recount in a well-developed and clearly organized essay or speech . We have a few ideas to help you brainstorm topics. They're quite broad, but something will surely spark an idea.
- An embarrassing experience
- A memorable wedding or funeral
- An exciting minute or two of a football game (or another sporting event)
- Your first or last day at a job or new school
- A disastrous date
- A memorable moment of failure or success
- An encounter that changed your life or taught you a lesson
- An experience that led to a renewed faith
- A strange or unexpected encounter
- An experience of how technology is more trouble than it's worth
- An experience that left you disillusioned
- A frightening or dangerous experience
- A memorable journey
- An encounter with someone you were in awe of or afraid of
- An occasion when you experienced rejection
- Your first visit to the countryside (or to a large city)
- The circumstances that led to the breakup of a friendship
- An experience that showed that you should be careful of what you wish for
- A significant or comic misunderstanding
- An experience that showed how appearances can be deceiving
- An account of a difficult decision that you had to make
- An event that marked a turning point in your life
- An experience that changed your viewpoint on a controversial issue
- A memorable encounter with someone in authority
- An act of heroism or cowardice
- An imaginary encounter with a real person
- A rebellious act
- A brush with greatness or death
- A time that you took a stand on an important issue
- An experience that altered your view of someone
- A trip that you would like to take
- A vacation trip from your childhood
- An account of a visit to a fictional place or time
- Your first time away from home
- Two different versions of the same event
- A day when everything went right or wrong
- An experience that made you laugh until you cried
- The experience of being lost
- Surviving a natural disaster
- An important discovery
- An eyewitness account of an important event
- An experience that helped you grow up
- A description of your secret place
- An account of what it would be like to live as a particular animal
- Your dream job and what it would be like
- An invention you'd like to create
- A time when you realized your parents were right
- An account of your earliest memory
- Your reaction when you heard the best news of your life
- A description of the one thing you can't live without
Other Types of Essays
Narrative essays are one of the major essay types. Others include:
- Argumentative: In argumentative essays , the writer makes the case for a specific opinion on a topic, using research and analysis to persuade the reader.
- Descriptive: This kind of writing relies on detail to describe or define a person, place, thing, or experience. Writing may be either objective or subjective.
- Expository: Like argumentative essays, expository writing requires research and analysis in order to expound upon a subject. Unlike argumentative essays, the intention is not to change the readers' opinion but to inform the readers.
- Angelli, Elizabeth; Baker, Jack; and Brizee, Allen. " Essay Writing ." Perdue.edu. 9 February 2018.
- Beck, Kate. " Instructions to Write a Narrative Essay. " SeattlePI.com.
- Santa Barbara City College staff. "Structure of a Personal Narrative Essay." SBCC.edu.
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How do I use writing topics in my classroom?
Do you want to inspire your students to write great narratives, essays, and reports? Check out these grade-specific writing topics organized by mode (explanatory, creative, and so on). Or search for writing topics that relate to a theme, such as “life” or “animals” or “family.”
Jump to . . .
Explanatory writing.
- A day in the rainforest
- After-school games
- An important person I know about
- At the library
- Foods I don't like
- Friendly places
- Games I play with friends
- Games we play at recess
- Good things in my neighborhood
- How plants grow
- How to make my favorite dessert
- How to make new friends
- I like spring because . . .
- I like to make . . .
- I'd like to see . . .
- Insects, insects everywhere
- Learning to ride a bike
- My favorite food
- My favorite pet
- My favorite season
- My mom's/dad's hobby
- My new friend
- My shopping list
- Our clubhouse
- The biggest bubble-gum bubble
- The funniest zoo animal
- This person makes me laugh
- What I know about . . .
- What I know about an animal
- What I know about dinosaurs
- What I know about stars
- What I know about the ocean
- What I like about math
- What makes me laugh?
- What will I share?
- Who I will be in the future
- Who's at the zoo?
- Why I like to read
- Why I love to sing
- Words I think are funny
Persuasive Writing
- Don't litter!
- Things that would make my neighborhood better
Narrative Writing
- A day at the beach
- A special birthday
- Buying something with my own money
- Cooking dinner with Mom/Dad
- Eating lunch with my friends
- Going grocery shopping
- Going to the circus
- I rode on a . . .
- I'm happy when . . .
- Losing my teeth
- My adventure
- My trip to . . .
- Noisy times and quiet times
- Playing a game with Grandma/Grandpa
- Playing with pets
- Something funny that happened to me
- The biggest thing I ever saw
- The last time I cried
- When _ was born
Response to Literature
- A book I just read
- Some of my favorite books
Creative Writing
- A story about a holiday
- A trip on a rocket ship
- Dear George Washington
- Seeing the world through the eyes of . . .
- Sometimes I wish . . .
- What if I met a . . .
- What if I were 10 years old?
- What if I were someone else?
- What if toys could talk?
- What's under my bed?
Research Writing
- I wonder why . . .
- Something I don't understand
- A bicycle I'd like to have
- A day in the desert
- A great place to go
- A great treehouse
- A place I like to visit
- A sport I'm good at
- A trip on a monorail
- Activities for indoor fun
- Activities for outdoor fun
- Amazing facts I know
- An amazing animal
- Dancing to the music
- Having fun at school
- Helping out around the house
- Magic tricks I can do
- Making my favorite food
- My favorite baby-sitter
- My favorite board game
- My favorite teacher
- My homework place
- Our classroom pet
- Some things I like about the museum
- The best house pets
- The weirdest house pets
- Things that are hard to believe
- Things to do in the snow
- Unusual fruits and vegetables
- Water balloons!
- What I like about where I live
- What makes me special
- Who is beautiful?
- Let's help the environment by . . .
- Things I'd like to change
- A cozy spot at home
- A funny time in my family
- A great day with a friend
- A helpful person I have met
- A person who means the world to me
- A walk in the woods
- Funny things my pet has done
- My best birthday
- My favorite family story
- Putting on a play
- Swimming at the pool or lake
- When everything goes wrong
- Book characters I'd like to meet
- A dark hallway
- Donuts for dinner
- Something I wish would happen
- What if there were no electricity
- All about an amazing animal
Business Writing
- A cartoon character that I like
- A song that means a lot to me
- A special photograph
- A special, secret place
- A trip in a submarine
- An important time in history
- Building a fort
- Creatures that live in the ocean
- Creepy, crawly things
- Dirt bikes and skateboards
- Do I want to be famous?
- Doing homework
- Going to the dentist
- Gone fishing!
- How to stop hiccups
- How we divide the chores at our house
- I don't understand why . . .
- I'd like to invent a machine that . . .
- If I started my own business, I'd . . .
- Instructions for a pet sitter of my pet
- Let's help the animals by . . .
- Looking at the globe
- My favorite clothes
- My favorite form of exercise
- Pizza is . . .
- Staying at a friend's house
- The first day of school is the worst/best because . . .
- The rules we follow
- Things I see when I take a walk
- What I use a computer for
- What if I were the teacher?
- What is important to me?
- What it's like to use a wheelchair
- What my dreams feel like
- When I see nature, I . . .
- Why I like/dislike playing team sports
- Why my mom and dad are the greatest
- My school really needs . . .
- A day in the life of my pet
- A visit to a friend's school
- An excellent birthday party
- Discovering a new friend
- Getting my first pair of glasses
- Grandma's attic
- I'll never eat another . . .
- My best day
- My first school memories
- My most embarrassing moment
- Rings on her fingers
- Talk about being scared!
- When I did something amazing
- When I was upside down
- When the big storm hit
- If I wrote like the author of . . .
- A really spooky story
- Summer games
- What if we suddenly had to move?
- A game that meant a lot to my childhood
- A school field trip
- A toy I've held onto all these years
- A trip to a space station
- A typical lunch hour
- Can farmers grow enough food for everyone?
- Here's what a new student needs to know
- How I can change the way I look
- How I picture myself four years from now
- How I would define the word . . .
- I would have liked to have lived during this time.
- I'm principal for the day. Here is my schedule.
- I've done something that no one else has done
- If I could be someone else, I would be . . .
- My bedroom from top to bottom
- My favorite place
- My idea of a fun weekend
- My life as a . . .
- My participation in an activity outside of school
- One thing I want to do by the time I leave 8th grade
- Overcoming health problems
- The wildest hairstyle I have ever seen
- What a family member taught me
- What a house of the future might look like
- What I broke or lost that belongs to someone else
- A big hazard on the road
- A big problem in education is . . .
- A cool store
- A dedicated teacher or coach
- Dear Senator
- Discover nature
- Finally, a good assembly
- How could TV be better?
- Let's save _ in our schools
- My best class ever
- My favorite neighbor
- My favorite singer(s)
- Rights that kids in my grade should have
- The worst food I ever ate
- This really bugs me
- What's good about hard work?
- Why I deserve a larger allowance
- Why parents should be honest with their kids
- Why school fund-raisers are important
- Why weekends need to be longer
- A memorable bus ride
- A narrow escape from trouble
- A time that was just not fair
- A visit to a relative's house
- If I lived back in history
- If only I would have listened!
- My first concert
- My first friend
- Summer in a cabin by a lake
- The most fun I've had recently
- We couldn't stop laughing!
- We got caught!
- When I was lost
- A great book made into a great movie
- My favorite character from a book
- What if a book came to life?
- What this story means to me
- How _ came to be.
- Life among the cloud people
- Long ago and far away
- Meeting myself in the future
- Traveling west in a wagon train
- When the dinosaurs returned
- A job I'd really like to have
- All about an amazing place
- The most fascinating things I learned
- The tallest, the deepest, the longest, the biggest
- When I conducted an experiment
- When science took a big leap forward
Personal Writing
- The book that got me hooked on reading
- A day I will always remember
- A friend who moved away
- A great scientific breakthrough
- A person who changed history
- A personal habit I'd like to change
- A project I am working on
- A typical evening at home
- A visit with the doctor or dentist
- An invention that transformed the world
- Causes of a huge change in the world
- Coping with brothers and sisters
- Hanging out
- How a vehicle works
- How do people cope with constant pain?
- How I express myself artistically
- How it would feel to walk in space
- I admit it: I enjoy professional wrestling.
- I take some things too seriously
- If I were a superhero, I'd be . . .
- Is pollution a necessary evil?
- Is this love?
- Morning madness
- My craziest experience in a restaurant or shopping mall
- My dream car
- My first crush
- My first encounter with a bully
- My muscles were so sore after . . .
- My Web site
- Self-esteem
- Something this school really needs is . . .
- Sometimes, adults seem . . .
- The environment: problem and solution
- The hardest thing I have ever done
- The idea hit me like a tornado.
- The next wave of social media
- The toys I'll never give up
- Tools I will need in my intended profession
- We all make mistakes
- What animals can teach people
- What different colors mean to me
- What do Americans do well?
- What do I do to break routine?
- What do I worry about?
- What if school sports were dropped?
- What invention would I like to see in my lifetime?
- What it's like where I work
- Who knows me best?
- Why are crime dramas so popular?
- Why are some people so cruel?
- "Obstacles are what you see when you take your eyes off the goal."
- A change that would improve school life
- Foods I love, foods I hate
- I couldn't believe that Mom/Dad volunteered me for that job
- It's a rule, so it's right . . . right?
- Let's hear it for my favorite senior citizen
- Let's push alternate forms of energy
- Putting my foot in my mouth
- The government should . . .
- What most drives me crazy is . . .
- Why appearance is not so important
- Why I deserve the job
- _ is like a boomerang
- A funny thing happened when . . .
- A meaningful gift I've given or received
- A time when I got in trouble
- An unforgettable dream
- Looking at pictures of family and friends
- My brother or sister made me so mad
- My worst vacation
- What I regret most
- When I faced my fears
- When I learned something difficult
- When I traveled to . . .
- A remarkable artist
- An all-new album from an important artist
- An amazing work of art
- Meet the characters of . . .
- The music that moves me most
- The theme of my favorite story is . . .
- Alone on a desert island
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
A teacher you will never forget; An experience that put you in danger; A funny story that happened to you; A story from your childhood; Your
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
Personal Narrative Essay Topics · The first concert I went to · A scary experience that put me in real danger · My first trip abroad · How I lost my
General Personal Narrative Essay Ideas · Describe a performance or sporting event you took part in. · Explain the process of cooking and eating
Good Narrative Essay Topics · The day I decided I will never cry again · Breakfast diaries: Eggs and sausages · It was the hardest decision of my
Encouraging Personal Narrative Essay Topics · Overcoming a disability · A health scare that changed your life · A time when you helped someone · Someone who changed
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
Tips on Writing Narrative Essays · Is there a smooth transition between events? · Will the story attract readers? · Will the narrative make readers continue
Narrative Essay Topics · An embarrassing experience · A memorable wedding or funeral · An exciting minute or two of a football game (or another
Narrative Writing. A cozy spot at home · A day at the beach · A day in the desert