The first important thing to remember about a narrative essay is that it tells a story. The author may write about. 1  an experience or event from his or her past. 2  a recent or an ongoing experience or event. 3  something that happened to somebody else, such as a parent or a grandparent.
The drafting phase of the writing process entails the actual composing of the text. During this phase, writers use prewriting activities to generate a piece of writing in rough form.
Steps in the Writing Process. 1  Pre-writing: This is the planning phase of the writing process, when students brainstorm, research, gather and outline ideas, often using diagrams for mapping out their thoughts. Audience and purpose should be considered at this point, and for the older students, a working thesis statement needs to be started.