How to Write an Essay About an Event

Step 1
Introduce the event. A strong introductory paragraph that introduces the reader to the subject
matter includes a descriptive account of some element or aspect of the event itself. For instance,
if your essay is about your experience at the Democratic National Convention, you would want
to quickly pull the reader into the convention by describing the buzz of the crowd, the cool crisp
night air of the stadium, and the faint smell of popcorn descending downward through the
bleacher seats from the concession stand above. The introduction should inform the reader of the
event being described and establish the authenticity of the experience, and should do so in a
subtle manner.
Step 2
Decide what the point of your essay is. A good narrative essay will attempt to persuade or teach,
rather than simply describe. Perhaps your goal in describing your experience at the Democratic
Convention is to inspire readers to engage in political action, or teach them the shortcomings of
the process. Your essay should then move gradually toward that action in such a way that, by the
end of the narrative, the readers will be ready to act, or will clearly see the shortcomings of party
politics. This should not necessarily occur because of logical discourse, but because you have
painted such a vivid picture of the event and its meaning that emotional appeal is enough to
achieve the desired result.
Step 3
Use the first person point of view. This practice is often regarded as unacceptable in essays, but
when it comes to describing an event in a narrative essay, it can sometimes be a more effective
tool for inviting the reader to participate. If you are writing the essay for a school assignment,
you should check with the teacher or professor to make sure this is acceptable.
Step 4
Include analysis of the event as you tell the story. One effective way to do this is to include your
own train of thought as you observe the events taking place around you. Describe how the events
are impacting you as you observe them. Again, all of the elements of good storytelling are
necessary here. Include sights, sounds, smells and the like in order to convey a firsthand
experience.
Step 5
Conclude your essay by reiterating your main point. Again, this can be done very subtly, but that
it up to your discretion. You can be very blunt about telling the readers to take action, or you can
simply appeal to their emotions by painting an effective picture. Your writing should invite the
readers into the essay and walk them, step by step, through a narrative of the event itself, inviting
them to participate in such a manner that they will come away from the experience with the same
emotions and thoughts that you did.

Types of Papers: Narrative/Descriptive
To write a narrative essay, youll need to tell a story (usually about something that happened to you) in such a way that
he audience learns a lesson or gains insight.
To write a descriptive essay, youll need to describe a person, object, or event so vividly that the reader feels like he/she
could reach out and touch it.
Tips for writing effective narrative and descriptive essays:
Tell a story about a moment or event that means a lot to you--it will make it easier for you to tell the story in an
interesting way!
Get right to the action! Avoid long introductions and lengthy descriptions--especially at the beginning of your
narrative.
Make sure your story has a point! Describe what you learned from this experience.
Use all five of your senses to describe the setting, characters, and the plot of your story. Don't be afraid to tell
the story in your own voice. Nobody wants to read a story that sounds like a textbook!
Remember: Avoid simply telling us what something looks like--tell us how it tastes, smells, sounds, or feels!
Consider this
Virginia rain smells different from a California drizzle.
A mountain breeze feels different from a sea breeze.
We hear different things in one spot, depending on the time of day.
You can taste things youve never eaten: how would sunscreen taste?
Using Concrete Details for Narratives
Effective narrative essays allow readers to visualize everything that's happening, in their minds. One way to make sure
that this occurs is to use concrete, rather than abstract, details.
Concrete Language Abstract Language
makes the story or image seem clearer and more real to
us.
...makes the story or image difficult to visualize.
gives us information that we can easily grasp and perhaps
empathize with.
leaves your reader feeling empty, disconnected, and
possibly confused.
The word abstract might remind you of modern art. An abstract painting, for example, does not normally contain
recognizable objects. In other words, we can't look at the painting and immediately say "that's a house" or "that's a bowl
of fruit." To the untrained eye, abstract art looks a bit like a child's finger-painting--just brightly colored splotches on a
canvas.
Avoid abstract languageit wont help the reader understand what you're trying to say!