yachtmaster refresher course

Crew Training Courses

We offer MCA and RYA courses in Antibes (France) and Palma (Spain), tailored to yacht crew at every stage of their yachting journey. Our comprehensive training encompasses all essential modules to support seafarers in achieving the highest standards of professionalism within the yachting industry.

Free Navathome Diesel Engine course with RYA Day Skipper, Coastal Yachtmaster & Ocean theory online courses!

• Where Do I Start ?
• RYA Essential Navigation & Seamanship
• RYA Day Skipper
• RYA Coastal Yachtmaster
• RYA Yachtmaster Ocean
• Fastrack To RYA Coastal Yachtmaster
• RYA CEVNI Test
• Navathome Basic Training
• Navathome Diesel Engine Course
• Navathome ICC Theory Course
• Upgrade From Navathome ICC to RYA Day Skipper
• Navathome.com Mobile Phone App
• Book A Course
• Vouchers & Gifts
• Extend Your Course
• Ways To Pay
• Other Payments

Welcome to Navathome

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Navathome Basic Theory Course

Sail and motor Navigation

RYA Day Skipper theory

Start Your RYA Journey and Learn How To Navigate With Confidence Includes a free diesel engine course

RYA Coastal Skipper/ Yachtmaster

Enhance Your Knowledge of Navigation & Passage Planning Includes a free diesel engine course

CHOOSE YOUR COURSE

All courses are completed online, study at your own pace, from anywhere in the world.

Day Skipper

• Navathome provides more in their courses than any other centre
• Includes a free diesel engine course
• Free Navathome app for your mobile device
• Free mini RADAR simulator
• No Previous Experience Necessary
• Learn Basic Navigation & Seamanship

Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster

• Knowledge To Day Skipper Theory Level Required
• Enhance Your Knowledge of Navigation & Passage Planning

Yachtmaster Ocean

• Knowledge to Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Theory Level Required
• The Ultimate In Navigation

Fastrack to RYA Coastal Skipper/ Yachtmaster

• Formal Theory Qualifications Necessary
• Complete Day Skipper Revision and Coastal Yachtmaster Theory in one course

MORE THAN JUST NUMBERS ...

Years experience

TrustPilot reviews

Hours studied online

Download Mobile Application

We developed the mobile app to support and work alongside our courses, and it gives you access to some useful tools that you can use during your training program, and keep using throughout your on-water career.

Free And Available For Apple And Android .

WHAT OUR STUDENTS ARE SAYING ...

With over 2,500 5 Star Reviews on TrustPilot, it was hard to narrow it down.

customer Carolyn

Great Course

Day skipper theory course was very good - well explained and clear. There was help on hand when needed but working it out for yourself was great instruction in itself! I would certainly do another course with Navathome and would recommend it to others.

Comprehensive course with helpful feedback

I recently took the Coastal/Yachtmaster theory course with Navathome, and happily I passed. There is a great deal of information to cover, and trying to fit this round a day job meant I needed an extension to the time to go through the course, but they kindly granted me this, and provided helpful and constructive feedback at every point. The exam itself probably needs several days, especially if you are as slow at plotting fixes as I am. Think of a number and double it is useful in terms of time needed. The final paper is really an all-day job, so make sure to allow yourself a clear block of time when you can drop everything else and give it your undivided attention. Overall, this has been a thoroughly enjoyable learning experience, and I now feel far more confident that I have decent knowledge to back up the practicalities of sailing.

Navathome Day Skipper Theory

Just completed and passed the RYA Day Skipper Theory course with Navathome. It was a really great experience and I was pleased to discover that I am still capable of learning lots of new things. The content is excellent at delivered at your own pace so you can go back over things that you don't understand as many times as you want.

Tom, Cardiff

Well laid out lessons/resources

Well laid out lessons/resources. Excellent practice questions covering all scenarios. Instant feedback. Very helpful and patient instructors!!! Thank you All at Navathome

The day skipper theory course from…

The day skipper theory course from Navathome is really good. It is well laid out and easy to follow. It is simple to see your progress. The website works very well, I didn’t have any issues with it. I didn’t need to ask many questions, as the online course is so well structured, but when I did they were answered quickly and clearly.

Graham Foster

Comprehensive and high quality on line learning

A very comprehensive course giving time to complete all the exercises at your own pace, build confidence and commit everything to long term memory. I found this far better than creaming everything in over several weekends but be warned this is not the easy option. Fortunately great instructors available when required and instant feedback aids learning. Highly recommended.

Great course

Great course, super concise and well structured. I was able to sail through my practical assessment without any issues. (Dayskipper and Diesel Engine)

One of the best online courses ever!

One of the best online courses I’ve done, in any field. A great combination of text, diagrams, videos/animations, use of practical and physical components (charts, books, almanacs), quizzes, tests and full-on assessments. And there is always help from real people, who care about getting you where you want to be.

Very nice and helpful instructors

well structured course, with explanations for everyone. the instructors who are there for the student, helping him whenever he needs it.

Steve SP REPAIRS

Great Day skipper theory course fit in with my spare time.

Working so many hours I was able to fit the course in around my spare time.. the lessons were great and explained well with videos and graphics. The language was straightforward and although required some good concentration at times it was made even easier with how quick the reply to email questions would be.. I mean, literally a few minutes! This is a real professional set up with a real family/ kind feeling and atmosphere. Obviously you never meet the teachers apart from email but you can get a good sense that NavAtHome.com want you to pass vs just doing their jobs.. thank you NavAtHome.com, Jackie, Salomon and others that came back to my questions over the last months, look forward to doing the coastal course next year!

A very enjoyable course to do

The course was very easy to navigate and friendly to do. There are a few typos, but nothing to make anything ambiguous. I restarted the course this year after having to suspend doing it when I started caring for my mother a few years ago. The staff couldn't have been more helpful. I certainly will do another course in the future if I think it necessary for my level of sailing.

WHY NAVATHOME ?

Full support to pass, multi device support, highest rated school, free mobile app.

EXPERT RYA INSTRUCTORS

Fully animated lessons, group discounts, exceeds expectations, 6 months to complete with lifetime access to revision material.

Get 6 months initial access to complete the course, which may be extended, if required. After completing the course, you will receive lifetime access to our Revision Material to ensure you maintain the skills and knowledge you have learnt with us.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Our goal is to assist you by addressing common questions and providing valuable information about our courses and services. If you’re unable to find the specific answer you’re seeking, we encourage you to reach out to our dedicated team. We are always ready to provide further assistance and support.

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Enter voucher code HOME STUDY in the booking form

Coastal / Offshore

RYA Yachtmaster

Online Theory Course

A challenging course which stretches you but backed up with excellent coaching and instructor support.

Advanced training for more experienced skippers to navigate safely on coastal and offshore passages

The RYA Yachtmaster  online theory course takes your theory knowledge to the standard required for the Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore practical exams.

This course advances your skills as a skipper of a yacht or motor boat, with an emphasis on navigation and passage planning for more complex coastal or offshore passages by day and night

Includes some time for the revision of Day Skipper subjects then moves on to cover a greater depth of knowledge and more advanced skills in navigation, pilotage & meteorology.

Successfully gaining your RYA Yachtmaster theory certificate will enable you to confidently work towards your Yachtmaster Coastal or Yachtmaster Offshore practical qualification.

• Assumed knowledge To Day Skipper theory level.
• Minimum duration A minimum of 40 hours of course study time is specified by the RYA, plus time for exercises and exams.
• Ability after course Theory knowledge to skipper a vessel on coastal and offshore passages by day and night.  

Simply click below to try a free lesson.

Pilotage for RYA Yachtmaster Offshore

• Charts & Other Publications
• Definition of Position, Time, Speed & Distance
• The Compass (including allowance for deviation and swinging the compass)
• Tidal Theory
• Tidal Heights (including secondary ports)
• Tidal Streams (including interpolation of drift)
• Estimated Position
• Course to Steer
• Visual Aids to Navigation
• Electronic Aids to Navigation
• Passage Planning
• Meteorology (including interpreting surface pressure charts)
• The Collision Regulations
• Safety & Protection of The Environment

Unlimited support from our dedicated RYA Instructors - 365 days a year via email, phone or Skype/Zoom.

14-day unconditional money-back guarantee.

17 fully-narrated online lessons including animations, videos and realistic 3D graphics.

Embedded quizzes with instant feedback in each lesson.

14 self-assessment exercises with fully worked answers.

Over 50 downloadable or linked resources.

Videos covering: updating paper charts, engine checks, dismasting, jury rig, flood control, firefighting, gas explosions, capsize, lifejacket checks, how to put on a lifejacket and what happens when it inflates, man-overboard recovery, launching and boarding a liferaft.

Free Radar course.

RYA Student Pack (including 2 training charts, training almanac & course handbook).

Mock exams to prepare you for the real thing and give you the confidence to pass. 

3 final online exams with detailed instructor feedback and free repeat attempts if requried.

RYA Yachtmaster Shorebased Theory Course Completion Certificate.

12 months access to study with instructor support and exams - you can extend this if you want.

Lifetime access to training materials once you’ve completed the course.

Optional Extras

Plotter and divider You’ll need a course plotter and chart-dividers to complete the chartwork exercises - if you don’t already have these you can purchase a top quality set from us for £28 when you place your order.

Delivery UK delivery is free.  European delivery is £20, outside Europe delivery is £40.

You can start studying immediately as many of the lessons don’t rely on the printed support materials.

This course is accessed online with no additional software required.

Lessons are accompanied by optional professional narration, and notes. 

They are intuitive and easy to follow, whilst more complex subjects are accompanied by interactive animations and graphics to help you gain a full knowledge of each subject in the course syllabus.

Detailed step-by-step workings for navigational or tidal calculations make it easy for you to follow along as we show you how to plot positions, make tidal height and stream calculations, etc

You can go over these again and again, and test your knowledge with regular quizzes throughout each lesson. 

At the end of each lesson there is an excercise containg similar questions to the exam, with detailed and illustrated answers sent to you immediately to confirm your progress and fully prepare you for your mock and final exams.

You can repeat entire lessons and excercises as often as you wish until you are confident that you fully understand each subject.

When you have completed the course you can request mock and then final exams.

These are assessed by our RYA Instructors and detailed feedback is provided in any areas that may require further study within the course.

If you pass the final exams you will be awarded the RYA/MCA Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased Course Certificate , which will be posted to you.

Additional free resits, with suitable Instructor guidance, are available if required.

Call us for advice on 0238 218 2604

Course reviews.

Laura Anderson

Very enjoyable and informative

Impressively prompt and thorough feedback on all queries, tests, mock and real exams. Very high standards and you feel you have earned the Yachtmaster certificate.

Ciaran McIntyre

Comprehensive and well delivered

Excellent course materials and high quality delivery. Very responsive and excellent instructor feedback

Andrew Harvey

Excellent Yachtmaster theory course - I’d definitely recommend it.

Does what it says on the tin and more. I was impressed how well the course managed to tackle teaching relatively complex skills in a logical and easy to understand way.

Oliver Fleming

Well put together course.

I found the Yachtmaster theory course to be really well structured and covered all of the syllabus in great detail. I was impressed by how well the course managed to tackle teaching relatively complex skills in a logical and easy to understand way.

Combined - RYA Day Skipper & Yachtmaster to fast track your theory learning

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• Basic Safety Training
• Refresher (Fire & PST)
• Elementary First Aid
• Fire Prevention & Fire-fighting
• Personal Survival Techniques
• Advanced Fire Fighting
• Advanced Fire Fighting Refresher
• Proficiency in Security Awareness
• Personal Safety & Social Responsibility
• Crowd Management / Crisis Management and Human Behaviour
• Powerboat Level 2
• PWC/Jet Ski License
• PWI/Jet Ski Instructor
• PWC + PWI Pack
• Pack PB2 & PWC
• Day Skipper
• Shorebased Yachtmaster Theory
• Yachtmaster Practical Preparation & Offshore Exam
• Yachtmaster Offshore Package
• Full Deckhand Pack
• Full Interior Pack
• Basic Deckhand Pack
• Basic Interior Pack
• Full Tender and Jet Ski Pack
• Tender Pack
• Jetski Pack
• Yacht Deckhand Training
• Yacht Steward/ess Training
• Basic Food & Beverage Services
• Basic Housekeeping & Laundry Services
• Basic Wine, Bartending & Mixology
• Food Safety Level 2
• ⚡Lithium-ion Battery Safety Awareness on Superyachts
• VHF Short Range Certificate
• RYA Professional Practice & Responsibilities
• RYA Essential Navigation and Seamanship
• RYA Online Coastal Skipper/Yachtmaster Theory
• RYA Online Day Skipper Theory
• STCW PDSD for Superyachts
• STCW PDSD for Cruise Ships
• STCW Proficiency as Ship Security Officer on Superyachts
• Useful Information
• Steward/ess

Yachtmaster Offshore: When, Why, and How

In a seafarer’s career, there comes the time when Yachtmaster ticket becomes either a necessity, or the next logical step in professional development. No matter what the reason for the course is, Yachtmaster Offshore requires a thorough preparation and planning as well as some prior knowledge and experience.

• When am I ready to take the course?

The candidate’s eligibility for Yachtmaster Offshore program is defined by a number of requirements. First and foremost, the logged sea time must show a minimum of 2500 nautical miles, about half of which should be in tidal waters. There is a huge debate as to what tidal waters are, and the RYA leaves it to the Yachtmaster candidate to decide whether the passage they undertook happened in a tidal area. The definition offered by the RYA is as follows:

An area is deemed tidal if published stream, current or tidal range data is available, the influence of which is significant enough to require the effects to be taken into account to plan and execute a safe and efficient passage .

But even if the decision to call experience tidal is the candidate’s, the RYA wisely warns that the final judgement will be made by the examiner and recommends to list only those miles that can be backed up with evidence. The qualifying sea time should be gained on motor vessels if the candidate applies for Yachtmaster Offshore Motor license. Sail miles do not count.

The RYA also sets a requirement as to the number of qualifying passages. As defined by the Association, ‘a passage is a non-stop voyage from a departure port / safe haven to a destination port / safe haven ’. For the Yachtmaster Offshore , there must be a minimum of 5 passages over 60 nm each; 2 of those passages should be overnight and 2 when the candidate acted as a skipper. The skipper, as understood by the RYA , is a person nominated and responsible for the planning and execution of a passage including vessel and watch management . It’s important that throughout the 60-mile passage there occurs no change of skippers; otherwise, the passage cannot be deemed as qualifying.

Proper understanding of the skipper’s role is vital for ticking the box of another requirement – 5 days on board acting as a skipper. A day in this case is a period of 8 consecutive hours, and the majority of them should be at sea . In every 24 hours, Yachtmaster candidate can have only one qualifying day onboard.

Last but not least, the RYA’s Yachtmaster Offshore exam pre-requisites put some restrictions as to the tonnage and length: days on board and miles should be gained on vessels up to 500 gt and less than 24 meters LOA.

• When is the best time to take the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore course?

The full program – RYA Yachtmaster Offshore theory and RYA Yachtmaster Practical – takes 10 days to complete; the exam is usually scheduled right after, and candidates need to allow 2 days for it. With the sea, winds, and weather being unpredictable, to the candidates coming from abroad we advise to add an extra day before taking flights back home. Thus, the course is quite a commitment, and most seafarers take it during low Med season. Our Yachtmaster Offshore course is scheduled every month from December throughout April to give options to potential candidates.

• Why take the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore?

Yachtmaster is not for beginners. Commercially endorsed Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence entitles its holder to master a yacht of up to 200 gt, and that is a big responsibility. That said, one of the reasons to get Yachtmaster is to advance the qualifications from entry to higher level including MCA Officer of the Watch (OOW) or Chief Mate, for which Yachtmaster Offshore CoC is among the required documents. Yachtmaster Offshore Shore-based (theory) certificate is another pre-requisite to apply for the OOW, and it has to be sent along with STCW and other records as a part of the Notice of Eligibility.

 In a scheme of RYA training , Yachtmaster Offshore is preceded by RYA Day Skipper and Coastal Skipper, which allow to navigate 20 and 60 nautical miles offshore accordingly. With Yachtmaster Offshore qualifications, it is possible to skipper a cruising yacht up to 150 miles from harbour, so recreational boaters can have larger areas to explore and longer distances to cover.

• How to apply for Yachtmaster Offshore Program?

If you believe you are ready and meet the pre-requisites mentioned above and outlined on our website , your first step is to get in touch with us by email, phone, or through contact form . Once we receive your enquiry, we will email to you Sea Time Summary and Self-Evaluation forms to fill out, which we will then forward to our instructor to confirm your eligibility. If you are eligible for the course, we will proceed with course booking and securing your place on the training.

Some important things to remember: the candidates for the training should hold a valid Elementary First Aid certificate . For the STCW EFA , it should be issued within the last 5 years, for the RYA First Aid - within the last 3 years. VHF Marine Radio certificate can be offered as a part of Yachtmaster Offshore package , but if you already hold the certificate, we can offer a 100 euros reduction.

Our next Yachtmaster Offshore session starts on the 6 th of December. Click here for more dates.

More questions about Yachtmaster? Let us know!

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Deep Blue Sea Training

Yachtmaster offshore motor examination preparation.

The Yachtmaster offshore exam preparation week provides five days practical boat handling and revision of the theory with all aspects of the examination organised.

In our experience the majority of candidates require some level of preparation prior to taking the exam. This enables you to familiarise yourself with the yacht on which you will be examined and also gives you the opportunity to develop good working relations with your crew and the other candidates.

Please be honest in your appraisal of your skill level - If you are really confident and have ALL of the pre-course requirements outlined below and have a good knowledge of the International Regulations for Prevention of Collisions at Sea, then a 4 day preparation week prior to the exam may prove sufficient.

If you have any weak areas or gaps in your theory knowledge there will not be time to teach you during the preparation week. This should be viewed as an opportunity to “polish” your skills.

If you feel that you would benefit from some further training prior to your exam then we suggest booking a one week “Refresher” course prior to the YM prep week. Please contact us for information as this will be tailored to your individual needs.

Early in the week the instructor will asses your strengths and weaknesses and coach you in the areas required to pass the examination; however our experience normally leads us to work on the following areas; passage planning, man overboard recovery, close quarters handling, skippering techniques, navigation in restricted visibility, pilotage and knowledge of the International Collision Regulations.

The instructor will debrief you fully as the week progresses and ensure that you get time to work on those weaker areas; however he will also be honest in his appraisal go your skills and if he doesn’t think you are up to the standard required by the examiner he wont hesitate to tell you.

Pre-course requirements

• Age: 18 years
• Completed Yachtmaster Theory Course
• A minimum of 50 days at sea
• A minimum of 2,500 logged miles
• At least 5 passages over 60 miles measured along the rhumb line from the port of departure to the destination
• At least 5 days experience as a skipper (acting as skipper for at least 2 of these passages, including 2 as overnight passages
• Note: at least half the mileage and passages must be in tidal water and all qualifying seatime must be within 10 years prior to the exam.

Recommended reading

• Seaman’s Guide to the Rule of the Road by JWW Ford
• Yachtmaster for Sail and Power by Alison Noice

Bring with you on the day

• Protective clothing and equipment (sunscreen)
• Life jackets will be provided but feel free to bring your own

Course Details

• Duration: five days (there will be at least one night exercise during the course)
• Course start and finish time: 09.30 to variable

Certification

• The Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence is awarded on successful completion of practical examination

Post Course

• Commercial Endorsement of YM license will require the following
• Medical ML5/ENG1
• PPR Pass Certificate
• Basic Sea Survival Certificate
• First Aid Certificate
• Recommendations to compliment the Yachtmaster qualification
• RYA 1 Day Radar Course
• RYA 1 Day Diesel Engine Maintenance Course

Course Schedule - Yachtmaster Motor Exam Preparation

• Book this course

About Deep Blue Sea Training

Deep Blue Sea Training are an established and accredited RYA training centre in Palma de Mallorca, Spain providing RYA courses for leisure and recreational sailors as well as professional seafarers.

Professional Yacht Crew

If you currently work, or are hoping to work in the yachting industry you need appropriate training and qualifications. For sail, motor, power and personal watercraft, the Royal Yachting Association of Great Britain (RYA) has a wide range of highly respected qualifications that are internationally recognised and many of which can be commercially endorsed for those working in the maritime sector.

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How to contact Deep Blue Sea Training

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Office: + 34 971 902 100 Mobile: + 34 694 452 709

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School Address

Calle de Sant Magi, 46 Santa Catalina Palma de Mallorca 07013 Spain

Yacht Crew Training Courses | Crew & Captain’s School

Classroom and Hands-On Training That You Need to Get Your Tickets and Work on a Yacht

Classes are taught by knowledgeable professionals who have worked on yachts. class sizes are generally small in-order to provide hands-on training and personal guidance. a student will benefit from this level of personal training in the class and during hands-on boating sessions., yacht crew training courses – the essentials, mca master of yachts | certificates of competency.

These Certificates of Competency (CoC’s) are required in order to command a vessels up to 500 gross tons or 3000 gross tons respectively. Although the entry requirements for the two qualifications differ, they both require pass certificates for the same MCA (Yacht) course modules.

Marshall Islands 350 GT Master/ 500 GT Mate

THIS IS NOT A BEGINNER’S COURSE. In the Marshall Islands 350 GT Master/ 500 GT Mate Course you must possess a 200 GT Master of yachts or greater. Must have completed 3 years’ service on vessel > 15 meters, 1 year of which must be aboard a vessel > 200 tons in the position as Master or Mate.

MCA Chief Mate (Yachts less than 3000gt)

The Chief Mate (Yachts less than 3000gt) Certificate of Competency is an endorsement of the Officer of the Watch (Yachts less then 3000gt) Certificate of Competency. Once you hold the Officer of the Watch ( Yachts less than 3000gt ), you can then apply to the MCA for the endorsement for the Chief Mate (Yachts less than 3000gt) Certificate of Competency. The certificate can be applied for at the same time as the Officer of the Watch (Yachts less than 3000gt).

MCA Officer of the Watch (Yachts less than 3000gt)

MCA Officer of the Watch training consists of seven different modules that are required to be completed before attending and MCA oral exam to obtain the Officer of the Watch (Yachts less than 3000gt) Certificate of Competency.

MCA Advanced Firefighting

The MCA Advanced Fire Fighting course is designed to provide mariners with the knowledge and skills needed to develop a realistic shipboard fire prevention program.

MCA Advanced Firefighting Refresher/ Revalidation

This MCA course meets all the requirements for revalidating a MCA Advanced Firefighting certificate. The course is limited to those personnel who already have the advanced firefighting certification as well as maintained 1 year of sea time within the last 5 years.

IYT Master of Yachts

The IYT Master of Yachts 200t certificates are MCA compliant and widely accepted for the commercial operation of both power and sailing commercial yachts up to 200 gross tons. The qualifications are recognized by marine insurance companies worldwide as well as being accepted by all major yacht charter and management companies.

IYT Master of Yachts 200 tons Limited

This Certificate of Competency allows the holder to be in charge of a yacht up to 200 gross tons within 150 nautical miles of safe haven and/or to legally stand a watch on a yacht up to 500gt. It is also one of the requirements for entry to the MCA Officer of the Watch (Yachts) program ( see MCA structure ) and is the first step on the professional yachting promotion ladder.

IYT Master of Yachts 200 tons Unlimited

This Certificate of Competency allows the holder to be in charge of a commercial yacht up to 200 gross tons on unlimited voyages and is one of the requirements for the MCA Chief Mate (Yachts) qualification. ( see MCA structure ) The certificate is a qualification that indicates that the holder has sufficient knowledge of celestial navigation to navigate globally using a sextant and to plan, undertake and manage an ocean passage with a comprehensive understanding of the factors involved with regard to routing and weather/climate.

Professional SuperYacht Hospitality & Interiors Introduction

PYT SuperYacht Hospitality & Interiors Introduction

IYT Small Powerboat RIB Master (MCA Approved)

This course covers vessels up to 15m (45′) with no accommodation driven by outboard or inboard motors in fair weather up to 20 miles from a safe haven.

MCA Yacht Rating (MCA Approved)

The five-day MCA Yacht Rating course is an MCA approved course and is highly recommended for entry level students who wish to enter the Super-yacht industry. It comprises both theory and practical elements that give the student a comprehensive and all-round general knowledge of the requirements of the industry. It incorporates three separate MCA approved courses: Mega Yacht Crew – VHF Radio Operators – Small Power Boat and Rib Master

STCW 10 Course Curriculum

Standards of Training, Certification and Watch Keeping for Seafarers STCW defines the training necessary for all persons employed at sea. Starting out requires the satisfactory completion of safety and security courses which is a compulsory requirement for all aspiring crew members to complete. You must be able to assist members of your team if and when the time arises.

STCW 10 Refresher / Revalidation Course

On completion of this 2 day course, students will satisfy the requirement of every five years to provide evidence of having maintained the required competence in Basic Training. Entry requirements are, that you have previously been issued with a STCW certificate (STCW 95). This course is a requirement of the amended STCW 2010. This 2day refresher course meets the requirements set out in Chapter Vl of the STCW Code for the revalidating of Personal Survival Techniques-( STCW A-Vl/1-1 ) and Fire Prevention and Fire Fighting -( STCW A-Vl/1-2). Students would be advised to read and make themselves aware of the requirement in the MCA M-Notice MSN 1865 (M).

Security Awareness With Designated Duties

This course is for crew members that have security duties as part of their job. This course is a 8 hour course and fulfills the STCW code for the requirement for a Vessel Security for Personnel with Security Duties (VSPSD).

ICC – Certificate Of Competency – Power

It is now mandatory to hold a recognized International Certificate of Competency (ICC) if you wish to charter a boat in certain European and Scandinavian countries. IYT is uniquely authorized to issue ICCs on behalf of the Irish Government and the British Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA).

MCA Approved Engine Course 1 (AEC1)

The 5 day (30 hours) course is designed to give candidates the general fundamentals and knowledge about the general care and maintenance to keep engines on smaller vessels in good operational condition.

MCA Food Safety

This MCA-approved food and safety course is required for any crewmember that is handling food on any vessel.

Yachting Monthly

• Digital edition

Tips and hints for passing your Yachtmaster theory

• Katy Stickland
• July 20, 2021

Racing turned cruising sailors Liz Rushall and her husband Mark go back to school to brush up on their Yachtmaster theory

Although accomplished sailors, Liz and Mark found their rusty knowledge was hampering their cruising enjoyment. The Yachtmaster theory course revealed a number of areas in need of a refresher. Credit: David Harding

Liz Rushall shares tips and hints for passing your Yachtmaster theory course

‘Why on earth are you guys doing your Yachtmaster ?’ was the question our friends repeatedly asked. ‘Surely, you know all that stuff?’

We’ve both sailed since childhood, competitively racing dinghies, then keelboats. Sailing is our work and life.

Liz Rushall has won national dinghy and keelboat titles, but currently cruises a 28ft classic Honeybee called Ragdoll

Mark is a British Sailing Team coach, we’ve both won championships together and with others, and raced keelboats offshore.

In between times, since 2000, we’ve cruised Ragdoll our 28ft classic Honeybee, from Emsworth, having slow adventures around Brittany, Normandy, and the West Country.

Generally, we’ve arrived on the day we had planned, if not quite always at our estimated time.

Although I did my Yachtmaster theory some 20 years ago, it’s just like I have a Maths O-Level. It’s still a mystery to me.

Sitting the course at night-school, during an intensely busy job, with a bunch of powerboaters talking jargon knowingly, it was as if I was reliving the horror of maths at school.

Needless to say, as with my maths, I battled through the exam and unfortunately not much of it stuck.

Meanwhile, Mark learned his navigation on the hoof, cruising on friends’ boats during his student days and he is self-taught.

Good at all things involving science and numbers, he was always a bit dismissive of things like compass deviation.

We had a little hand-held GPS, a Walker trailing log, and more recently a very small detachable Garmin chartplotter and Simrad AIS. It all seemed to work – we were fine.

What could possibly go wrong?

You never stop learning

The real answer to the question ‘why do our Yachtmaster ’ was a wake-up call that came last summer.

We’d had a hectic few months, working late and trying to fit in our summer cruise around Mark’s Olympic coaching commitments.

We were both tired and needed a break.

Mark plotted our Channel crossing.

Normally I try to get involved and have a crack at the passage plan too, but it takes me ages.

Making sense of passage planning, including tidal heights and gates, is much easier once you’ve had a refresher. Credit: Liz Rushall

I helped a bit with the tidal streams (which I thought I was good at) and had a quick, over-the-shoulder look.

We decided to head for Cherbourg, to have options.

We dismissed the idea of heading straight to Saint-Vaast, as we’d anticipated a four-hour wait for the lock gates – tedious after a long crossing.

We left Chichester Harbour early, although I wanted to go even earlier.

As soon as we had popped out of the harbour, the wind clearly was not as forecast. It was more WSW than west, so not the reach we had hoped for.

Continues below…

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We were keen to get to France, however, so we pressed on.

It was a big spring tide, so we expected to get swept hard eastwards and then back westwards.

We reefed early, anticipating the wind against tide effect as we got towards France.

But it was a horrible sea. Our little boat was sailing beautifully but struggled to keep to our estimated speed.

We were consistently too far east of our course, even after the tide had turned, and the tide didn’t push us as hard west to Cherbourg as had been expected.

Still behind schedule, the water didn’t flatten out when the tide turned east again.

How to calculate position, estimate time of arrival and course to steer is all easily forgotten in a digital age. Knowing how to extract this information from your chartplotter is also crucial

Now very tired from hand steering, less than two hours from Cherbourg we had to concede that we simply could not punch upwind, with or without the engine.

The whole day had been a domino effect of one little thing after another.

So, as the sun faded, a quick change of plan.

We altered course for St Vaast, rocketing down on the tide, arriving just as the lock gates opened at 2300.

In the end, it was a good result, landing in our favourite spot, although it had been a very long day on a little boat with no self-steering.

After two days’ sleeping, having a sailing coach on board and racing in our blood meant, of course, a thorough debrief.

Naturally, over some lovely seafood and French wine.

We realised that our brains were not getting younger, and clearly there had been some ‘gaps’ in our navigational planning.

For a long time, I’ve felt aware that I didn’t have a complete handle on chartwork, despite owning a certificate that says I do.

The decision was made. Let’s have a crack at our RYA Yachtmaster and find out what we do and don’t know.

A course in ‘Johart’s Window’

Stage one of our plan was enrolling on an Intensive RYA Yachtmaster Theory course with the Emsworth School of Navigation – six days completed over two weekends.

Using dividers to transfer a position line from a scale is easier on a small boat than lining up a plotter or parallel rules. Credit: David Harding

Compared to my memories of scary night-school, the experience was a refreshing change.

Karen Dorontic, the principal, turned out to be an amazing teacher, with astounding levels of patience and a gift for not making you feel stupid, despite most of us coming up with some bizarre calculations and answers.

Her empathy with our learning process, the pitfalls and the mistakes we would make as we progressed through the topics and papers, was clearly based on her own experiences.

We had an interesting, mixed group on the course; a couple refurbishing their yacht to cruise around the world, two people who take people sailing on club-owned yachts, a Solent based cruiser, and my brothers.

One who, like me, did his Yachtmaster theory exam many years ago, the other a confirmed dinghy sailor now doing a bit more yacht racing.

Straight into the first session, and many of us were picking up some great tips.

Frequently things that sounded obvious, although only once you had been told.

For us, it was time-saving things, such as using the dividers to transfer positions from the side of the chart rather than struggling with parallel rules, and unlocking the delights of a Portland plotter.

Both were far more useful for our tiny navigation table. Then, there were the really useful ways of remembering things.

Who knew the cones on cardinal marks point to the black section? Easy.

Bizarrely, one of the most entertaining sessions was learning the Colregs (collision regulations).

We were in hoots visualising all those bells and gongs going off in poor visibility.

Yet once again, Karen gave us really helpful tips for working out lights, especially for towing vessels, which initially felt like a sea of colour we’d never remember.

The intensive nature of the course means there is a vast amount of information to process but without the luxury of a few days to absorb and reread what you are learning.

Almost inevitably, that meant some of us ‘hitting the wall’.

By day two of plotting estimated positions and courses to steer, I could no longer figure out Variation and Deviation.

The phrase ‘Error East Compass Least’ rapidly became another maths maze. Plus or minus?

The more I tried to think about it, the more it went wrong.

One candidate put his dividers down saying: ‘I’ve completely forgotten what it is I’m trying to achieve’.

I began to wonder how we’d ever got our boats anywhere around the Solent, let alone to St Malo, Chausey, and Tréguier.

Homework humiliations

With a lot of exercises to practise before the second weekend, it was hard to cram our homework into a busy fortnight.

Somehow we did, although mealtime conversation got down to the level of ‘what do two red lights mean?’ Riveting stuff!

The family WhatsApp was busy that week with shrieks of frustration as we all made chartwork errors.

Back in the classroom, we all compared notes. Everyone had struggled with their homework.

Mark didn’t get a single question right first time.

Liz found it useful to identify areas of weakness ahead of her Yachtmaster Theory course. Credit: David Harding

Number blindness set in as we all plotted the wrong information, dates and data and tried to use the tidal height tables to calculate tidal stream rates. We’d done it all.

One man owned up to plotting the date as a position on his chart.

At least we were all suffering in the same boat.

Undoubtedly, it was a painful process to go through, as we all fell into the pitfalls and traps deliberately set in the exercise questions.

However, it was true that practice makes perfect.

Through comparing our random attempts with the answers, we were all learning from our errors.

The fog is clearing

With homework horrors behind us, our practice paid off as we went through our exam papers.

Everyone passing the Colregs paper was a confidence boost. Bang the gong!

While we waited to hear our results, the bemused conversation went along the lines of, ‘Were those yellow and red lights a Hovercraft that was fishing?

Or an air-cushioned, displacement fishing vessel?

Details of the RYA Yachtmaster Theory course

Officially speaking, the RYA Yachtmaster Theory course builds on that which is taught in the shore-based Day skipper course.

However, for most people who have sailed regularly, then jumping straight to Yachtmaster theory is unlikely to be a major problem.

The course covers advanced navigation techniques including: position fixing; course shaping and plotting; tidal knowledge including secondary port calculations; navigation in restricted visibility; Admiralty publications and electronic position-finding equipment.

Much of this will be familiar to even the most casual cruiser, but as Liz discovered, some of the specifics might well need a bit of study.

The meteorology tuition includes the taking and interpretation of forecasts, plotting of weather systems as well as weather prediction.

Further courses

Many people who jump straight into Yachtmaster Theory may find that it turns up a weakness or gap in their knowledge.

It can often be helpful to identify areas of weakness and consider a training course that might help raise your level ahead of a Yachtmaster practical exam.

Several schools offer courses on many of the subjects in a Yachtmaster exam and they can help you to improve your knowledge.

On the other hand, it might just be an area you devote more time to in the lead up to Yachtmaster Practical.

Know your COLREGS

The one area where there are no shortcuts are Colregs; you just need to know your stuff – and finding the time to learn isn’t difficult.

So far as the MCA is concerned, this is the crunch.

Examiners are encouraged to demand high standards in this subject, and there’s no reason for a candidate, knowing full well they are going to be grilled extensively on this, not to have the regulations solidly in their mind.

The best way to be exam-proof is to invest in A Seaman’s Guide to the Rule of the Road (Morgans Technical Books Limited (£12.50), available for modest money online or in any chandlery.

Place it prominently in the heads some months before the exam and devote five minutes of each day to digesting its contents.

The book makes it easy and should leave you with no excuse for not having a thorough working knowledge.

Aside from the certificate, we both got a lot out of the course. Mark felt that it reminded him what he did know and reinforced what he didn’t.

Liz found she had forgotten some useful shortcuts during her Yachtmaster Theory course and put these into practice during her Yachtmaster Practical assessment. Credit: David Harding

Learning the processes and the ways to remember them, was so helpful.

For me, cracking the tidal stream rates was a revelation, and fears of secondary ports and tidal height calculations are mostly gone.

It will definitely help us explore places we never felt confident to visit because we have a long keel.

Karen’s many wise tips such as not trusting the electronics unquestioningly, and rapid plotting techniques will be invaluable.

Pilotage plans for new ports will now be a joy rather than a scrabble around through the pilot books.

We love our little boat, we sail her well, yet she will never be anything like the quickest boat on the water.

She needs all the help we can give her, which includes accurate navigation to arrive on time.

Having returned to the Yachtmaster theory I now feel that my confidence is up.

Mark and I now can’t wait for our next big voyage, to see what we’ve really learned.

Now there’s the small matter of our practical exams on the horizon.

5 key points to take away from our Yachtmaster Theory course

• Quick Plotting Techniques: Karen’s quick plotting technique really helps if, like us, you have a very small chart table. Simply plot your latitude using your Portland plotter or ruler. Then measure off your longitude along the top line of the chart from the nearest major longitude line eg 002°. Move the dividers down to in-line with your latitude plot and draw an arc on your first line
• Deviation and Variation: In the end, I solved this by learning to literally translate ‘error east/compass least’ and ‘error west/compass best’ into plain English! In other words: Compass error West – compass will be bigger than True; Compass error East –compass will be less than True. Learning how to use a pencil mark on the error scale on the Portland plotter to avoid the mental arithmetic entirely was another gem.
• Extrapolating tidal streams : One particular ‘lightbulb moment’ was calculating tidal streams. We’d only ever interpolated the tidal streams, estimating the rate between the mean spring and neap rates shown in the tidal atlas. The exercises highlighted that a big spring tide will be higher than the mean rate, and extrapolating this accurately makes a big impact on your course to steer.
• Remembering lights: Learning the lights felt really complex, but Karen taught us to look for the patterns. Remember a clock face for the number of flashes of the N, E, S and West cardinals (E is three flashes, South six, West nine and North continuous) is a great tip. For remembering the lights for towing vessels, adding an extra masthead light to represent the vessel it is towing, plus another for boat length over 50m, and another for tow length.
• Templates for secondary port and tidal stream calcs:  Rather than working it out from scratch each time, Karen encouraged us to develop our own, or use standard templates for calculating tidal information. It helps reduce errors, speeding up the planning process and saving brain cells for other tasks.

Key information on the Yachtmaster practical and theory courses

Why yachtmaster.

Although a Yachtmaster qualification is required for anyone planning to become a professional, thanks to the continuing efforts of the RYA, Brits who sail for leisure still don’t have to carry any proof of competence in home waters.

The certificate certainly remains the logical target of many a self-motivated sailor, though.

It also represents the icing on the cake for those looking for the reassurance of an external assessment.

Theory and Practical

Yachtmaster training can take place on a boat or in a classroom.

A shore-based course, either at desks in a school or via the popular Internet distance learning programmes, ends with a theory exam.

Success in this will help a student in later qualification upgrades, but it is not officially recognised.

The only certificates accepted by the authorities are those issued after an at-sea examination. To become a fully-fledged Yachtmaster, this practical test is the one that counts.

Coastal or offshore

In recent years, the old Coastal Skipper has been superseded by the new Yachtmaster Coastal certificate.

The qualifying mileage for this MCA-recognised qualification is 800 miles, with passage and night-hour requirements being regarded as fairly relaxed in comparison with Yachtmaster Offshore, which keeps its 2,500-mile entry level.

Either will serve as a proper Yachtmaster qualification and can be described as such.

Only the often-dropped suffix distinguishes the two.

Apply for ‘coastal’ and the examiner, recognising that you have less sea-time, will be more inclined to cut you a bit of slack.

The RYA has noted that most candidates are really only making ‘coastal-status’ passages.

In real terms this includes an annual trip across the Irish Sea, the North Sea or the Channel in a calculated weather window.

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RYA Practical Courses

Take a look at the RYA practical sailing courses we offer, from complete beginner to expert we have sailing courses that will appeal to everyone!

Learn to sail in the vibrant and exciting Solent! We have a great range of sailing courses for complete beginners, such as the RYA Start Yachting, or the RYA Competent Crew course for those complete beginners wanting to gain valuable hands-on experience. For those next steps on from RYA Competent Crew, the RYA Day Skipper theory and practical and combination courses are for those wanting that all-important driving licence for the sea, all the way up to RYA Yachtmaster and RYA Cruising Instructor courses for those wanting to go professional!

NEW – Finance now avalible on all courses, spread the cost of sailing throught out the year.

RYA Start Yachting

The RYA Start Yachting practical sailing Course is a gentle yet exciting and informative two day introduction in learning to sail for complete beginners with no prior experience to the world of sailing.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the RYA Start Yachting course!

RYA Competent Crew

The perfect sailing course for beginners, the five day RYA Competent Crew practical RYA course will give you the best building blocks to start your sailing journey with.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the RYA Competent Crew course at Gosport Marina!

RYA Day Skipper Practical

The RYA Day Skipper Course runs over five days and brings students with at least the RYA Competent Crew qualification and some sailing experience, up to skipper level.

Take a look at our live day skipper practical course calendar  for dates for the RYA Day Skipper Practical course!

RYA Day Skipper Combination Theory and Practical

The RYA Day Skipper Combined Theory and Practical Course runs over nine days. The course brings students with at least the RYA Competent Crew qualification, or some sailing experience, up to RYA Day Skipper level, through undertaking both the theory and practical courses.

Accommodation during the theory side of the course is available at extra cost

(subject to boat availability).

Take a look at our live course calendar for RYA Day Skipper Theory and Practical Combined Course dates, taking place at Gosport Marina.

RYA Coastal Skipper Practical

The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical course is the next progression step from being a qualified RYA Day skipper. With more advanced skills and valuable techniques being taught along with the planning and executing of much longer passages, it’s the next natural step-up from the RYA Day Skipper course, giving you more confidence in planning those all-essential Channel crossings.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical course!

RYA Yachtmaster™ Fast Track

The RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ Fast Track course takes you from limited or zero sailing experience all the way up to a fully qualified RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ , with all the required practical, theory courses, mile-building and sailing experience you’ll need to help get you qualified*.

Developed by some of the best RYA Yachtmaster Instructors and world-leading Marine industry experts, our Yachtmaster Fast Track scheme is far more comprehensive and better value than the competition – Compare what we offer against others!

Why go elsewhere? Book your place on our next RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ Fast Track course!

RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ Coastal/Offshore Preparation Week

The RYA Yachtmaster™ Coastal/Offshore qualification is the next progression step from being a qualified RYA Day/Coastal skipper, and is one of the most useful, credible, and accepted profressional qualifications in Yachting.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the RYA Yachtmaster™ Coastal/Offshore Preparation week!

RYA Day Skipper “Skills Weekend”

The Day Skipper Skills Weekend Course aims to help students who have not yet passed their RYA Day Skipper practical course and have a small action plan to achieve the qualification. It’s also a great refresher course for qualified sailors looking to hone and polish skills.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the Day Skipper Skills Weekend Practical course!

RYA Yachtmaster “Skills Weekend”

The Yachtmaster Skills Weekend helps students who have not yet passed their RYA Yachtmaster exam, RYA Coastal Skipper course or those wanting to refresh skills before undertaking the RYA Cruising Instructor course. It’s also a great refresher course for qualified sailors.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the Yachtmaster Skills Weekend Practical course!

RYA Cruising Instructor

The RYA Cruising Instructor practical sailing Course is a designed for RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore qualified sailors to enhance their career and gain the much coveted RYA Cruising Instructor qualification, and begin your Instructing career.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the RYA Cruising Instructor course!

Live Course Calendar

Bespoke events, customer reviews.

A fantastic weekend of sailing, almost 130 NM in all, with a relaxed, but fully engaging skipper. Great set up and brilliant on the admin. Thanks Stef, Tom et al!

I did a weeks coastal skipper course getting ready for my yacht master and I have to say it was one of the best training weeks I’ve had - our training instructor was superb, exactly the sort of person that you want. He could inspire, provide discipline and impart knowledge as well as let you learn through your own mistakes. Tom and Steph run an excellent operation there and I highly recommend it. They’re flexible and very helpful when it comes to your journey into being a qualified sailor.

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ONLINE – RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster

Theory by ardent sailing , online – rya coastal skipper / yachtmaster theory.

The RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore Theory Online Course by Ardent Training is an advanced theory program focusing on navigation, safety, meteorology, and IRPCS. It’s tailored for those seeking RYA Coastal Skipper or RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Qualifications.

Course Highlights

This course is a necessary precursor to the Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore practical courses/exams. Successfully completing the course enhances prospects such as yacht chartering, insurance premium reduction, and offshore professional skippering. It’s ideal for experienced skippers looking to extend their voyaging capabilities.

Course Resources and Support

Upon registration, students receive:

• Immediate access to the course modules and lessons via the website for 12 months. • Participation in the student forum and discussions for interactive engagement with peers and instructors. • Live support from RYA instructors through chat, email, phone, or your preferred method from 0800 to 2000 (UK time) 364 days a year. • The student pack mailed within 24 hours, equipped with charts, professional navigation tools, and more. • The RYA Yachtmaster Shorebased Certificate after completing the course and assessment. • Access to a fully video-presented course and written content for 12 months. • There is over 27 hours of video content, spread across 89 lessons. The estimated study time (including exams) is 50 hours.

Course Delivery

The RYA Coastal Skipper / Yachtmaster Offshore course is delivered in text and video formats. Each module contains lessons and knowledge checks to reinforce understanding.

Students will complete module assessments that consist of official RYA exercise questions, and receive personalised feedback on their progress from qualified instructors.

RYA Yachtmaster Theory Exam

Upon completion of the coursework, we assist students in preparing for the online RYA Yachtmaster Theory exam.

The exam comprises three papers and can be taken at home.

Examiner feedback is provided after completion.

There are no additional exam fees unless it needs to be invigilated for commercial MCA purposes*. Our instructors are committed to coaching every student to a passing standard.

After completing the online RYA Yachtmaster Theory qualification, students gain the knowledge to navigate a motor or sail boat in day or night, and in challenging coastal and offshore environments. Students earn the RYA Yachtmaster Shorebased certificate. To receive the full RYA Coastal Skipper or Yachtmaste r qualification, students must complete a practical course or exam at a practical center of their choice.

The Ardent Training RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Offshore Theory Course costs £345, inclusive of all expenses (postage, tax, etc.).

[More information from Ardent Sailing Here]

For those needing to use the RYA Yachtmaster certificate for MCA Large Yacht qualifications, an invigilated exam may be necessary, which might incur a small additional fee payable directly to the invigilator.*

*A few students intending to use the RYA Yachtmaster certificate for the MCA Large Yacht qualifications (such as Officer of the Watch or Master 3000) may need to get their final exam invigilated. We will arrange this at the most convenient location available to you. however, as it may involve getting a third party invigilator, there may be a small additional fee to be paid directly to the invigilator. If you think this might apply to you, or are unsure, please get in touch for advice and more information.

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Have you harnessed the power of the wind and tide, overlay header.

rya yachtmaster instructor course

Cruising and yachtmaster instructors.

COVID-19: There remains no requirement for these courses or revalidations to be residential. Cruising Instructor courses are at the centre’s discretion. Yachtmaster Instructor courses and Yachtmaster Instructor/Cruising Instructor revalidations will remain non-residential for 2021.

We are accepting applications for Cruising Instructor courses to be run at centres where local COVID restrictions allow. Courses can run with a minimum of two (with an additional crew member) and up to a maximum of four students.

It is suggested that a classroom or open area could be utilised for the duration of the course to allow for tuition and discussion that would normally happen inside the vessel to be carried out while socially distanced.

There is pre-learning for Cruising Instructor and Yachtmaster Instructor courses and revalidations which candidates will need to complete prior to attending.

Due to a lack of available trainers, Yachtmaster Instructor courses and Cruising Instructor/Yachtmaster Instructor revalidations are running, but only those organised by the RYA.

From May 2021 Cruising and Yachtmaster Instructors who are unable to get to an RYA revalidation due to COVID travel restrictions have an option to revalidate via an online method which would revalidate them once for two years from when their current ticket is due to expire.

Yachtmaster Instructor courses will run with a minimum of two and a maximum of three students. A YMI Sail course being four days and a YMI Power course being three days.

Yachtmaster Instructor and Cruising Instructor revalidations and reassessments will be run with a minimum of two and a maximum of three students and will be run over one day only.

This section is for people wanting to teach the RYA Yachtmaster Sail and Motor Cruising schemes.

The first step in teaching within the practical cruising scheme is to become qualified as an RYA Cruising Instructor, before moving up to the Yachtmaster Instructor qualification. Both qualifications can be taken in sail and motor cruisers, and the certificate will be endorsed accordingly. Due to the short time available on the instructor course, there is limited opportunity to fill any gaps in knowledge. The course is a blend of assessing the candidate's knowledge, providing a structured framework to instruct, coach, observe and deliver constructive feedback, and ensure the structure and standards required of RYA courses are understood. Candidates must therefore ensure they have sufficient underpinning knowledge prior to attending. An effective instructor must have credibility with students and a genuine interest and engagement with the subject is essential for this. Questions from students will often stray outside the core syllabus or be concerned with seeking advice about equipment or situations. Without enthusiasm and a depth of knowledge far above the RYA syllabus, this credibility could easily be lost. It is difficult to quantify in writing exactly what this means but without extensive practical experience of the subject, candidates are unlikely to be successful on an instructor course.

Due to the arduous nature of practical training afloat, an instructor certificate obtained or revalidated after the instructor's 67th birthday will require revalidation with effect from the instructor's 72nd birthday. An instructor certificate obtained or revalidated after the instructor's 70th birthday will be valid for a period of two years before an update is required. Cruising Instructor

Cruising Instructor

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Why get qualified? An RYA Yachtmaster Instructor Explains Why You Should

A typical class on a school boat takes in a diverse range of ages, backgrounds and aspirations.

First published in Sailing Today , Clive Loughlin looks at why RYA qualifications are worth more than the paper they are printed on. As published in Sailing Today – August 2018 ( pdf version )

5 + 40 + 5 = Certificate

Five days spent on an RYA Competent Crew course, followed by at least 40 hours of sustained effort on shorebased theory , and then another 5 days on a Day Skipper practical , should see most people walking away with an RYA Day Skipper certificate.

It is then largely a formality to obtain an ICC (International Certificate of Competence), and these two combined or individually are usually sufficient to allow chartering a yacht in the Med and many other international destinations.

For many this is as far as they want to go, and having acquired the means to this end why should anyone bother paying good money and using up valuable holiday time to attain higher qualifications?

Why Bother With The RYA?

The Royal Yachting Association (RYA) was founded in 1953 in response to the highly variable training that was on offer from private individuals. By providing a structure for training in a variety of water-based activities, combined with some excellent publications, the RYA makes it relatively easy to obtain first-class instruction and experience, and its qualifications are recognised throughout the world.

Of course it is quite possible to become a very good sailor and to skipper a yacht successfully without any qualifications at all – plenty of notable sailors have proved that point.

Similarly rocks, shallows, pontoons and mega yachts care not a jot how many certificates you can wave at them.

Living The Dream

Preparing to go sailing for the day. RYA courses establish a strong routine making it easy to learn

Chartering a yacht can make a truly wonderful holiday for friends and family alike. In the glossy charter magazines the sun always shines, the waters are crystal clear, and relaxing lazy afternoons are spent sailing in a gentle warm breeze, or swimming off the boat in a secluded anchorage.

Life can be like this, but its rich tapestry also includes scary blasts of katabatic wind that push the boat over to jaunty angles, fouling someone else’s anchor, and arriving in harbour to find the only space available requires shoe-horning your way in between earlier arrivals.

All this happens while previously deserted cockpits become crowded with spectators offering conflicting ‘helpful’ suggestions and scorn and derision in equal measure.

Accepting The Challenge

Not all will agree with me, but I think that one of the great appeals of sailing is that it continually presents new challenges. Learning how to handle these is how we build up experience, and as we gain more competence so our enjoyment is further reinforced.

Things can and do go wrong when you are sailing, and even a qualified instructor will mess things up occasionally. What really matters is how you approach the problem and this only comes with experience and training.

A very important part of learning to be a skipper is learning how to handle the crew, and this is very much part of the Day Skipper and higher qualifications.

The crew may well be very inexperienced and it may even be their first time on a yacht. It is therefore most important that the skipper is able to explain what is going on and what will happen in advance – ‘when we change direction the boat will tip over’.

It can be quite frightening for novice crew when things go wrong, and if they can sense that the skipper is not in control then it can be really scary and this is when accidents are most likely to happen.

Scared crew don’t go sailing again, but happy crew will always come back for more. There is no sadder a spectacle than a would–be skipper who’s crew have mutinied and no longer wish to go sailing with them.

Good skippers make full use of their crew and make sure they know what to do. Bad skippers try to do everything themselves and shout a lot.

So – to return to this articles theme of ‘Why get qualified?’, my answer is that it helps make sailing less scary and in so doing makes it more fun for everyone on board.

Working Up The Ranks

Although RYA courses are about learning – often in tight corners – yet there is plenty of time to enjoy yourself.

My sailing used to be limited to a week’s or fortnight’s charter every year, and I found that I had forgotten just about everything I had ever previously learned by the start of the next charter, and then was just about getting the hang of things again when it was time to fly home.

My solution was to book a 5-day course with a sailing school a month or so before I was due to go on a charter holiday. This not only gave me an extra holiday but also meant that I was far more confident to skipper the charter yacht.

I actually did my Yachtmaster Prep course five times. Not I hasten to add because I kept failing, as I was fortunate enough to pass first time, but because it was such super fun.

Cheap Holiday

Although RYA courses are about learning – often in tight corners – yet there is plenty of time to enjoy yourself. One of the really great things about doing a sailing course is that not only do you get 5 days sailing for less than the cost of a weekend’s charter, but you also get the benefit of personalised tuition and loads of hands-on experience.

You also get the chance to practice a lot of the manoeuvres that you hope you will never need, such as MOB recovery; as well as the more challenging activities like entering an unlit anchorage, or navigating a river at night.

Many of these are activities that you simply would not have the time or inclination to do if on holiday with family or friends.

These are all great fun but probably best done, at least the first few times, with an instructor on board who has done them many times before. And you never know when you may need these skills for real and be very glad of them. The ability to sail onto a mooring buoy will be worth its weight in gold dubloons if ever your engine conks out with a rope around the prop.

Coastal Skipper

The Day Skipper course covers a very wide variety of seamanship training so that the candidates achieve a good basic standard of boat handling expertise under sail and power, as well as a pretty good working knowledge of navigation.

The emphasis for Day Skipper is on making short passages in familiar waters by day.

The Coastal Skipper course places emphasis on longer passages, and includes quite a bit of night sailing. This requires a different mind-set to the short hops of a Day Skipper course.

Coastal Passages

Chart plotter work has become part of the RYA syllabus

I am currently planning a 5-day Coastal Skipper course with four crew doing Coastal Skipper and one Comp Crew.

I am hoping we can go from Southampton to Dartmouth and back (about 240nm) taking in a variety of Lyme Bay, Jurassic Coast and Solent attractions in the form of rivers, harbours, marinas and anchorages. This is probably aiming to cover more miles than a typical course, but with four Coastals I want to be sure to give each a good chance to be skipper for an extended passage, and the Comp Crew will also get a great variety of experience.

Yachtmaster

The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore exams are like the Day Skipper on steroids. Whereas the Coastal Skipper requires much the same level of skills as Day Skipper, but with more endurance thrown in, the Yachtmaster exams represent a significant step up in terms of required knowledge and boat handling skills.

The Yachtmaster Offshore qualification is often regarded as the gold-standard for seamanship, and you will need to demonstrate that you have logged over 50 days and 2,500 miles, including at least 5 passages over 60 miles, with two being overnight and two while acting as skipper. Cruises on passenger liners do not count!

Although you do not need to have passed any previous RYA courses you can expect to be examined on any part of the RYA syllabus except RYA Yachtmaster Ocean, and you will need to have obtained certificates for First Aid and VHF radio.

Yachtmaster Coastal candidates have lesser requirements for logged passages and are only examined on the syllabus up to Coastal Skipper standard.

The exam takes place on board and lasts either 6-10 hours per candidate for Yachtmaster Coastal or 8-12 hours for Yachtmaster Offshore. The exam comprises a combination of practical exercises and also tests your theoretical and navigational knowledge and expertise.

Yachtmaster Prep

For many, taking their Yachtmaster Coastal or Offshore exam is a rather daunting prospect and most will choose to go on a Yachtmaster Prep course immediately before the exam itself.

The idea of the Yachtmaster Prep course is not for you to learn something new, but to practice what you already know.

You will be quizzed on theory and collision regulations and given the chance to practice the trickier manoeuvres, such as picking up a mooring under sail and MOB recovery. The Yachtmaster is primarily a sailing exam and so you will be expected to demonstrate high levels of boat handing under all points of sail.

Be sure to use your crew and delegate tasks clearly. This is what being a good skipper is all about and is a very important part of the exam.

Clive Loughlin is an RYA Yachtmaster Instructor and regular Sailing Today contributor. Clive teaches for First Class Sailing in the Solent area.

Discover more about the RYA here:  www.rya.org.uk

Posted by: First Class Sailing

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RYA Cruising Instructor Course

Cruising instructor certification.

This course is designed for those already holding a Yachtmaster Offshore certificate of competence and who want to teach on the water, up to Day Skipper level. This is a great stepping stone towards Yachtmaster Instructor.

About the course

The syllabus is broken down into instructional techniques, knowledge, safety and personal skills and taught in a ratio of (4:1) students to instructor.

Any candidates booking on to an RYA Cruising Instructor course will be required to complete the  RYA Cruising Instructor pre-course knowledge interactive on-line course before attending the five day practical.

At the time of booking your RYA Cruising Instructor course, UKSA will automatically enroll you on to the RYA Interactive website and send through your login details, enabling you to complete the on-line course before attending the practical course at UKSA.

Includes all food, accommodation, tuition and certification.

The 5 days is spent living onboard.

View RYA Cruising Instructor information here.

Prerequisites

Below is the RYA Cruising Instructor Course syllabus. Candidates should have a depth and breadth of experience which far exceeds that of a newly qualified Yachtmaster with minimum logged seatime, so those whose knowledge and skills do not go beyond RYA Cruising Scheme competencies are unlikely to complete the course successfully. If in doubt this should be discussed with our Course Advisors.

• RYA / MCA Yachtmaster Offshore Certificate of Competence, with current Commercial Endorsement.
• Current RYA membership.
• A valid first aid certificate
• Cruising Instructor pre-course knowledge interactive on-line course e-certificates.

Candidates whose experience is largely based on inshore racing are also likely to struggle unless they take steps to refresh their cruising skills and knowledge.

English is the language of delivery of all RYA courses so all candidates should be very comfortable with using nautical English with an extensive vocabulary.

Qualifications

RYA Cruising Instructor Endorsement on successful completion of the course.

Dates and pricing

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Need help finding the right course for you?

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Cruising instructor (sail)

Who is it for.

The RYA Cruising Instructor course is the first step if you would like to teach RYA sailing courses. The certificate will allow you to teach RYA Day Skipper and Competent Crew courses.

Pre-requirements (RYA Cruising Instructor)

– Minimum age: 18 years old – Yachtmaster Offshore (or Ocean) certificate, with Commercial Endorsement – Online PPR (Professional Practices and Responsibilities) course certificate – RYA Basic Sea Survival certificate or STCW Personal Survival Techniques – Valid First Aid Certificate – RYA membership – In-date Medical Certificate (ENG1) – not older than 2 years – Pre-course knowledge check (online course prior to attending the instructor course).

Please click HERE to download a document to guide you to obtain the commercial endorsement and the commercial endorsement application form

What do you get?

The objective is to provide you with a number of teaching techniques to enable you to deliver the lessons effectively, and in a constructive and motivating manner. You will learn about the ‘Praise burger’ and the EDICTS system to teach practical skills and provide appropriate feedback. After the four days of preparation, you will:

– have learned a number of teaching techniques

– have practiced and refined the way you provide clear, positive, and constructive feedback to the students

– have seen your peers in action, and learned various styles to deliver a lesson

– feel confident to start teaching RYA sailing courses

How to book

Scroll the list of the courses in the box to the right (desktop) or at the bottom (mobile) of the page, choose the date that suits you, and click on it to start the booking process. If no courses are shown, please give us a call at +43 664 88360842 or send us an email at [email protected] , so we can discuss how we can help

Program – RYA Cruising Instructor

After you sign up and pay, you will receive from us the joining instructions and the login credentials to access the pre-course online check. Candidates are required to pass an online pre-course module prior to being eligible to attend the course. We will spend four days learning various techniques to teach effectively, provide clear and fair feedback and motivate students to improve further or address their gaps. You will take turns and play the role of the teacher or the student, thus practicing the arts of observation, listening, providing feedback, etc. All of the above whilst performing the various sailing maneuvers and theory notions included in the Competent Crew and Day Skipper syllabus and perfecting your way of delivering them.

With a  maximum of 4 candidates per yacht, your instructor can devote plenty of time to your needs and focus the program on the areas you need most.

You will spend four days with your instructor, learning, practicing, and perfecting various techniques of teaching. On day five you will be joined by an RYA ‘moderator’ whose task is to evaluate your suitability to be an Instructor.

What’s included and what is not:

Included: 

• 5 full days of tuition from an RYA qualified Cruising instructor Instructor
• Accommodation in a shared cabin onboard a modern yacht
• Instructor and Moderator travel and accommodation costs
• RYA Yachtmaster Scheme Logbook and Instructor Scheme book
• Linens & towels and final boat cleaning
• Free Wi-Fi onboard!
• Marina fees at home port
• Food and drinks (also for the instructor and moderator)
• Marina / anchorage fees outside of home port
• Diesel and Croatian tourist tax (approx 20 Euro p/p)
• Travel to/from Primosten

Location & time

Start: Monday at 9:00 End: Friday at 17:00

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Marina Kremik, Primosten (HR) is conveniently located only 30 min drive from Split International Airport.

The course starts on Monday morning at 9.00 am. You are more than welcome to arrive the night before (Sunday) and sleep onboard. Once you arrive, you will settle in your cabin and then go with the other participants to provision the boat for the week.

The course ends on Friday afternoon at around 17:00, but you are welcome to stay onboard until the Saturday morning at 9:00 .

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RYA Instructor Courses

For over 10 years now we have been training people to fulfil their ambition to become a rya instructor. we are really proud of the start that we can give instructors as they begin a hugely satisfying career. , we have courses scheduled throughout the year for rya powerboat instructor, advanced powerboat instructor, rya cruising instructor as well as all the specialist instructor courses which we run on behalf of the rya.  we also run courses to help people prepare for their instructor course., all our instructor courses are run from our centre in rhu marina using our vessels and our modern classroom facilities.

RYA Powerboat Instructor Skills Assessment

RYA Powerboat Instructor Course

RYA Advanced Powerboat Instructor Course

RYA Cruising Instructor Motor Course

RYA Navigation Instructor Course

RYA Radar Instructor Course

RYA SRC Assessor Course

RYA Diesel Engine Maintenance Instructor

RYA First Aid Instructor

RYA Teaching In the Classroom

IMO 6.09 Train the Trainer

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RYA Practical Courses

Take a look at the RYA practical sailing courses we offer, from complete beginner to expert we have sailing courses that will appeal to everyone!

Learn to sail in the vibrant and exciting Solent! We have a great range of sailing courses for complete beginners, such as the RYA Start Yachting, or the RYA Competent Crew course for those complete beginners wanting to gain valuable hands-on experience. For those next steps on from RYA Competent Crew, the RYA Day Skipper theory and practical and combination courses are for those wanting that all-important driving licence for the sea, all the way up to RYA Yachtmaster and RYA Cruising Instructor courses for those wanting to go professional!

NEW – Finance now avalible on all courses, spread the cost of sailing throught out the year.

RYA Start Yachting

The RYA Start Yachting practical sailing Course is a gentle yet exciting and informative two day introduction in learning to sail for complete beginners with no prior experience to the world of sailing.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the RYA Start Yachting course!

The perfect sailing course for beginners, the five day RYA Competent Crew practical RYA course will give you the best building blocks to start your sailing journey with.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the RYA Competent Crew course at Gosport Marina!

RYA Day Skipper Practical

The RYA Day Skipper Course runs over five days and brings students with at least the RYA Competent Crew qualification and some sailing experience, up to skipper level.

Take a look at our live day skipper practical course calendar  for dates for the RYA Day Skipper Practical course!

RYA Day Skipper Combination Theory and Practical

The RYA Day Skipper Combined Theory and Practical Course runs over nine days. The course brings students with at least the RYA Competent Crew qualification, or some sailing experience, up to RYA Day Skipper level, through undertaking both the theory and practical courses.

Accommodation during the theory side of the course is available at extra cost

(subject to boat availability).

Take a look at our live course calendar for RYA Day Skipper Theory and Practical Combined Course dates, taking place at Gosport Marina.

RYA Coastal Skipper Practical

The RYA Coastal Skipper Practical course is the next progression step from being a qualified RYA Day skipper. With more advanced skills and valuable techniques being taught along with the planning and executing of much longer passages, it’s the next natural step-up from the RYA Day Skipper course, giving you more confidence in planning those all-essential Channel crossings.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the RYA Coastal Skipper Practical course!

RYA Yachtmaster™ Fast Track

The RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ Fast Track course takes you from limited or zero sailing experience all the way up to a fully qualified RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ , with all the required practical, theory courses, mile-building and sailing experience you’ll need to help get you qualified*.

Developed by some of the best RYA Yachtmaster Instructors and world-leading Marine industry experts, our Yachtmaster Fast Track scheme is far more comprehensive and better value than the competition – Compare what we offer against others!

Why go elsewhere? Book your place on our next RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ Fast Track course!

RYA/MCA Yachtmaster™ Coastal/Offshore Preparation Week

The RYA Yachtmaster™ Coastal/Offshore qualification is the next progression step from being a qualified RYA Day/Coastal skipper, and is one of the most useful, credible, and accepted profressional qualifications in Yachting.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the RYA Yachtmaster™ Coastal/Offshore Preparation week!

RYA Day Skipper “Skills Weekend”

The Day Skipper Skills Weekend Course aims to help students who have not yet passed their RYA Day Skipper practical course and have a small action plan to achieve the qualification. It’s also a great refresher course for qualified sailors looking to hone and polish skills.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the Day Skipper Skills Weekend Practical course!

RYA Yachtmaster “Skills Weekend”

The Yachtmaster Skills Weekend helps students who have not yet passed their RYA Yachtmaster exam, RYA Coastal Skipper course or those wanting to refresh skills before undertaking the RYA Cruising Instructor course. It’s also a great refresher course for qualified sailors.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the Yachtmaster Skills Weekend Practical course!

RYA Cruising Instructor

The RYA Cruising Instructor practical sailing Course is a designed for RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore qualified sailors to enhance their career and gain the much coveted RYA Cruising Instructor qualification, and begin your Instructing career.

Take a look at our live course calendar  for dates for the RYA Cruising Instructor course!

Live Course Calendar

Bespoke events, customer reviews.

A fantastic weekend of sailing, almost 130 NM in all, with a relaxed, but fully engaging skipper. Great set up and brilliant on the admin. Thanks Stef, Tom et al!

I did a weeks coastal skipper course getting ready for my yacht master and I have to say it was one of the best training weeks I’ve had - our training instructor was superb, exactly the sort of person that you want. He could inspire, provide discipline and impart knowledge as well as let you learn through your own mistakes. Tom and Steph run an excellent operation there and I highly recommend it. They’re flexible and very helpful when it comes to your journey into being a qualified sailor.

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Yachting monthly.

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How to prepare for your Yachtmaster Offshore exam

• Theo Stocker
• August 16, 2024

In an age of digital navigation and walk ashore pontoons, how hard can the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore be? Theo Stocker prepared to take the test to find out

Many very competent and highly experienced yachtsmen and women don’t have any qualifications at all and are content to keep it that way, but for some reason, not being a Yachtmaster bothered me. I was pretty sure I was up to the standard, but I didn’t know.

Once you’ve got the ticket, you become an RYA Yachtmaster, something I’ve wanted to do for years. My friend Andrew and I have been talking about doing it since before his son Daniel, now 16, was born. Perhaps it was time to finally get on with our RYA Yachtmaster Offshore.

Every course I have done up to this point, from RYA Dinghy Level 2 all the way up to Coastal Skipper (some 20 years ago) has been one of the RYA’s ‘course-completion’ qualifications – do the week and if you can do what’s on the syllabus, you get the ticket, signed off by your training centre.

The RYA Yachtmaster Certificates of Competence (Coastal, Offshore and Ocean), however, are run by the RYA under the authority of the Maritime Coastguard Agency (MCA) and as such, they are the pinnacle of training for amateur sailors, and the start of the ladder of commercial qualifications, required for anyone who wants to work as a professional seafarer. You have to meet the pre-entry requirements, but passing is based purely on how you fare during a potentially gruelling day-long practical exam.

It’s now 51 years since the RYA took over examining Yachtmasters from the Board of Trade (now the MCA) in 1973, and Yachting Monthly was, in a small way, involved in shaping some of the practical seamanship elements of the exam.

Clearly, a lot has changed in the intervening years – navigation technology, engines, deck-gear, marinas, and not least the boats themselves. I was eager to see how the RYA Yachtmaster scheme has changed with the times, and if, like many other aspects of sailing, it has simply become easier, or whether it is still the challenging test it always was.

The crew (L-R): Matt Sillars, Andrew Eastham, Row Staples and Theo Stocker

What was I letting myself in for?

From the outset, the RYA were keen to emphasise that Yachtmaster is not an attendance-based course, but a one-day exam in which an examiner will form an objective opinion of your abilities, and will recommend you to the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Qualification Panel to become a Yachtmaster, or not.

Technically, no instruction is required before the exam and the theory course is not compulsory. However, taking the exam is a significant investment of time and money if you’re not confident of passing, and you will certainly need theory knowledge of the level of the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore shorebased course, with practical experience and skills to match that, to stand any chance of passing.

It is strongly recommended, therefore, that you have a few days’ preparation, ideally immediately before the exam, with the same boat and crew as you’ll have for the exam so you’re at the top of your game. You don’t want to be getting to know the foibles of a boat or crew whilst trying to exude an air of calm and knowledgeable competence.

A hearty meal every evening, and the occasional beer, keep the crew going

Many sailing schools offer places on a Yachtmaster preparation course, normally of five days, for four candidates, with two days of examination at the end of it, as only two candidates can be examined in any one 24-hour period, the exam being a marathon 8-12 hours for one person, and 10-18 hours for two. No more than four candidates can be examined at a time, as they are long days for candidate and examiner alike.

It was also made abundantly clear that while we had four days to prepare, this was not a course on which we could be taught what we needed to know; this should have been gained over our years of experience. The week’s aim was to run through the whole Yachtmaster syllabus to strip away any bluster, revealing to the cold light of day our weaknesses and bad habits.

Rough edges would be polished, but if we were learning new skills for the first time, then we probably were not quite ready for the exam just yet. No pressure!

What Yachtmaster Offshore instructor Matt Sillars says

The week is not a course to learn to be a Yachtmaster Offshore. You need to have done 90% of the work beforehand. The preparation days are about checking skills and finding where you need more work, rather than being taught skills. It’s also very difficult to fake experience and an examiner will spot someone exaggerating their skill set very quickly.

Matt helps Theo and Andrew with some last-minute revision of tidal corrections

Getting prepared for the Yachtmaster Offshore

As I prepared for the week, I quickly found I’d had significant ‘skills fade’ in my detailed knowledge of the Collision Regulations, particularly lights, shapes and sounds, and buoyage light characteristics.

You’ll need a good working knowledge not just of the most common parts of the rules, but of the whole lot, including some of the more esoteric corners of the rule book. Professional seafarers are expect to know every word verbatim; Yachtmasters need to be getting at least 80% of the lights and shapes right, and importantly be able to demonstrate that they understand them, to pass.

Article continues below…

The history of the RYA Yachtmaster scheme as it turns 50

The RYA started examining Yachtmaster candidates in 1973 but in fact the very first Yachtmaster certificates were awarded much earlier.…

12 expert skills to take you beyond Yachtmaster

Rupert Holmes outlines the skills that mark out the good sailors from the 
great ones, with experience and reflective learning…

The lights shown by trawlers shooting gear, towed vessels of the bizarest dimensions and sizes, and the sound signals of vessels in all sorts of pickles were initially, at best, a little foggy.

It’s easy to feel that in normal, coastal sailing you come across these intricacies so rarely as to make them irrelevant, but the point of the Yachtmaster is that you are able to operate at sea not as an amateur, but on a par with professional seafarers.

Indeed, with a commercial endorsement to your RYA Yachtmaster, you could easily be one of them, if you ever fancied a career change. Knowing the rules also diminishes the chances of ending up in front of an inquest. The detail is fiddly, but it’s not impossible to learn.

Everyone knows the motoring cone, but do you use it? And what about the other shapes?

IRPCS are something you just have to know, and it would be a real shame to fail your Yachtmaster because you hadn’t brushed up beforehand. For ease, many examiners will use packs of flip cards to test your knowledge of lights, shapes, buoyage and collision avoidance during a quiet moment on exam day. It’s not meant to be an interrogation, but if you’re getting more than two in ten wrong then the examiner won’t be able to pass you.

One little tip with sound signals are that it is easy to get overwhelmed once you start adding in all the extra sounds to the basic signals, but there are only a few distinct meanings to remember. These then get added together, but can easily be broken into their composite parts to help you decipher their meanings.

A safety brief can be tailored to your crew, their level of experience and their familiarity with your boat

Yachtmaster Offshore training

The forecast for the week couldn’t have been much better. Typically, the only day there wasn’t sunshine and a decent breeze was the day we had the photographer on board, but the rest of the time there was enough wind to get our teeth into – there’s nothing like trying to sail onto a mooring if there’s no wind, and it’s often a stiff breeze that makes marina manoeuvring tricky.

The aim for day one was to run through the full gambit of skills that would be tested in the exam for Matt to get an idea of where Andrew and I were at. With the food and kit stowed, the day began with the usual safety briefings, engine checks and discussion regarding firefighting.

Safety briefs

A good skipper will always make sure their crew have had a safety brief. If you sail with the same crew on a regular basis, you don’t need to give them the same briefing every time, but an occasional reminder of the main points is probably a good idea, as the details quickly fade. For us, the safety brief was about making sure the people we had on board knew where everything was on a boat they hadn’t sailed before.

Keep tethers and first-aid kit somewhere accessible

For a crew of novices, we would have included things like how to use a fire extinguisher and how to put on a lifejacket, but for experienced sailors, it is sufficient to show them where safety kit is, so things like tethers, fire-fighting equipment, seacocks and softwood bungs, as well as how the distress and MOB functions on this boat’s particular chartplotter and VHF radio work, are all relevant.

On deck, knowing were the MOB recovery kit, engine fire extinguisher and liferaft are is all important.

I’ve been doing engine checks for years, and it’s easy to be familiar with your engine at a basic level. Various acronyms exist to help remind you about what to check, but advice has changed recently to add in one sensible step to an engine check and that is to isolate the engine before opening the case.

You may do this already, but if you don’t, there’s a risk that in the usual melee of getting ready to set sail, someone on deck goes to start the engine while you’ve got your hand on the drive belt. Better switch off the isolator so this can’t happen until you’re done.

The acronym I found most helpful was: IWOBBLE: Isolate; Water (strainer); Oil (level and colour, engine and transmission); Belt (wear and tension); Bilges (empty); Leaks (no oil or fuel spills); Exhaust (clean, and water once the engine has started).

Every boat is different, such as MOB marking systems

It’s worth making sure any experienced sailors on your boat also know how to do some of these so that you as skipper don’t have to be the one with your head stuck in the engine bay when the engine fails on the way into harbour.

Dabs of high-vis paint on the relevant fittings can help direct you to the correct nut to loosen or tighten for each job.

In the exam, you may not have to bleed the engine, but you will need to talk through how you would handle various engine emergencies, from fires to fuel starvation, overheating and prop wraps, so spend time getting familiar with the fuel, water and cooling systems on your boat’s engine so you can point at the right bits.

Marina manoeuvres fill many cruising sailors with dread

Yachtmaster Offshore marina manoeuvres

With the boat and crew ready to go, it was time for our first go at ‘pontoon bashing’. It’s always going to be a little nerve-wracking handling a boat you don’t know well in the confines of a windy and tide-swept marina, so it’s a useful tool for the instructor to quickly get a gauge on your level of confidence and ability.

As someone who normally keeps a boat on a mooring and anchors at every available opportunity, tricky marina berths are something that I rarely visit, so this was a skill that needed a little more attention for me.

‘Parking’ can sometimes look a little boring to the outside observer, but serried ranks of expensive boats and vicious bow rollers and anchors makes this an exercise to really focus the mind. It also forces you to attempt berths that in normal sailing you would often rather avoid, but may be forced to use in a busy marina.

Check prop kick astern when alongside, then try out how the boat responds in open water

Get your bearings

To start, we took time to check the depth sounder was accurate using a leadline, and checking whether it was set to depth below the keel or below the waterline – a critical piece of information. While alongside, put the engine astern and have a look which side the prop wash emerges. The stern will kick to the other side when engaging astern.

We checked the boat’s pivot point too in ahead and astern, and how long the boat needed to get steerage in either direction. All of this can be done in open water.

Assessing the wind and tide is essential before you start a manoeuvre, factoring in what these will be doing in the berth itself, and not just out by the marina entrance. At Mercury Yacht Harbour, when the tide is in full spate, you can get a nasty diagonal cross-current across the berth, and some owners simply avoid coming or going at anything other than slack water.

Letting the boat come to a stop will show how she will want to lie.

Approaching a finger berth will be easier if it is on the outside of your turn

Tricky berths

We then tried a number of different berths of ascending difficulty – coming alongside an open hammerhead was straightforward, where slotting in between two already-moored boats took a little more planning.

Getting in and out of a large bay in which several boats are moored adds complication. In this case, with a strong westerly and an ebbing tide, I concluded it would be easier to do the whole manouevre in astern rather than switching direction and losing steerage part way through.

Don’t forget to think about how you’ll get out of the berth, how other boats will lie, and whether you want wind or sunshine in the cockpit and companionway.

Communicate to crew which lines you want let go first, before you start the manoeuvre, then keep them updated with what you’re doing

Getting into finger berths was straight-forward if they were ‘open’ berths, on the near side of the pontoon so that as the boat slides around the turn, her momentum carries her onto the berth. ‘Closed’ berths, on the far side were trickier, and often demanded going in past the berth, then either turning or reversing direction.

Switching which way you want to lie in the berth may necessitate starting the whole thing in astern rather than ahead. Be ready for this to be a spectator sport as onlookers wait for a victim like Romans in a Colosseum.

Judging what the tide and wind will do to your boat are key to marina manouevring. You also need to know which way the boat will ‘want’ to go in any given situation, and then use it to your advantage – think about stern kick, slide and pivot points.

It’s easy to think about bow and stern springs, but a midships line is one of the most useful. Drive against it in forwards while steering away from the pontoon to bring the bow in and hold the boat parallel.

Motor against a stern line to hold the boat alongside

It is also helpful to think about the ‘favoured’ side every time you enter a marina row. Given the prevailing conditions, you will be pushed to one side or the other, and you want to stay on the upwind or uptide side to keep your options open and your hull clear of the bow rollers waiting to leeward.

A ball fender is a really useful tool as it won’t roll out in the same way as a sausage fender and it has more give in it. Rig it at the point of main load before a manoeuvre.

Don’t forget to have an exit strategy if the approach doesn’t go according to plan so you can get out and try again.

It’s not cheating to have worked out in advance the tidal heights for where you will be sailing on the day of your exam (the beer is optional, but also helps)

Yachtmaster Offshore navigation

Getting a boat from A to B safely and effectively is still at the heart of the RYA Yachtmaster qualification, as it has been from its inception. The tools available to help us navigate have changed dramatically since 1973, however, and even in the last decade have been transformed.

GNSS, chartplotters, AIS, smartphones and internet access have resulted in a revolution. Many sailors have ditched paper almost entirely these days, so have the traditional navigation skills of the Yachtmaster scheme become irrelevant?

On our first evening, Matt set us homework; Andrew would take us from Hamble into the Beaulieu River and I would bring us back. Hardly a challenging trip, and one I’ve often done with little more than cursory planning. That’s not the point though, as if these were unfamiliar waters, I would need to navigate us much more accurately and actively, so this short trip was designed to test our pilotage and passage planning skills.

There was a good list of things to prepare for each day, and ahead of the exam

Definitely not cheating

Electronics and internet-based sources of information were not only allowed, but expected and encouraged for this exercise, albeit we also had to demonstrate our ability to use the ‘old-fashioned’ methods of calculating secondary port tidal heights, tidal streams and courses to steer.

While chartplotters on your phone may have freed us up from the old cliche of the skipper bobbing up and down to the chart table like a rabbit, it is equally as easy to fall into the trap of staring dumbly at our phones, driving a triangle across the screen, all but unaware of where we are in relation to the real world.

The trick is to be able to use every source of navigation information to make sense of the world around you and to sense-check that information against multiple sources of data.

It takes time to put your passage plan into the plotter and to make sure the plotter is set up to give you the information you need

It felt like cheating to be able to get tidal heights from my phone, but I also found the planning stage almost busier as a result. Many online sources of data, especially data, come from unknown origins and can vary a surprising amount, so don’t assume that what a screen is telling you is accurate data. Navionics and Admiralty EasyTides can disagree by up to an hour at times.

It’s also easy to let a machine work something out for you and suggest a route that makes sense on screen, but doesn’t work well in reality. It won’t factor in a good offing from a shallow lee shore, and nor will it care if the waypoints, and therefore the courses you’re steering, are easily identified visually from on deck. A single, long course, with an obvious headmark will be much easier for the helm to steer than lots of short ‘artificial’ courses. Secondary port calculations caused us both headaches as we dragged the process out of our long-term memory. Which way to interpolate and between which numbers is surprisingly easy to get wrong under pressure.

The strengths of paper

Inputting our plans into the chart plotter also takes time, as much from finding where all the dratted functions are in the plotter’s menu options as form the basic principles. For most plotters, planning remains something they do not do well, and using paper is often still faster and easier to get an overview of where safe water is. I’ve also yet to find a way to calculate a proper course to steer on a chartplotter yet, even for a single hour, let alone a longer passage.

When it comes to pilotage, a plotter or phone on deck is enormously helpful to see where you are. It isn’t however, the easiest way to present the essential information you need at your fingertips, and a notebook with pre prepared information is the best place to list expected tidal heights, alongside a sketch of buoys, lights, courses, radio comms and anything else you’ll need to know.

A sketch chart can quickly convey a huge amount of information

In many ways, the job of a small vessel navigator has got harder rather than easier, as more and more tools are at our disposal to use. Not only do you need to be able to read a chart and plot a fix, but you need to be able to navigate your way through multiple phone apps, plotter menus and be able to extract the right information from your radar and AIS.

It is very easy to get distracted from the main thing, which is keeping your head up and out of the boat, and for your bubble of awareness to shrink as you become more and more reliant on flicking from one screen to the next.

Coming out of Beaulieu, I was able to quickly check on my phone that although the height of tide promised on Navionics wasn’t huge, it was rising, and the Bramblemet tide guage was showing an extra 30cm of water. We would be fine.

A good crew will hold an accurate course and feed you information as you go

I’d put in a direct route, but used the cross track error function on the plotter to keep us to starboard of track, increasing our offing to windward, clear of Stansore Point and Calshot Sands. I had also tried to pick waypoints close to easily visible marks, even though this gave us a slightly longer route.

I knew we could cut the corner with an eye on Navionics once we got closer. At no point did me pulling my phone from my pocket or referring to the plotter raise any eyebrows, though I realised at the end that having been asked to plot a visual fix at some point, the objects I’d picked for a three-point fix weren’t on the chart, and I’d omitted to go back and plot a proper one.

Practising using just one of these tools to find your way forces you to get familiar with what it can do and how it works

Blind navigation

There’s nothing quite like losing one of your senses to sharpen your use of another. While the traditional ‘blind navigation’ exercises known and loved by sailing instructors are less ‘blind’ than they used to be, they are no less challenging than they ever were. They are also the best way to learn how to use one method of navigation that you might otherwise avoid if at all possible.

Over the four days, we conducted various exercises, all within a pretty small area at the bottom of Southampton Water, finding arbitrary spots of water given to us by Matt to locate. He would pick spots on the chart, and ask us navigate from one, to the next, to circle another and to stop at another.

Even on deck with all the tools at your disposal, it’s a good simulation of finding your way into an unknown narrow channel or rock-strewn harbour approach. We tried it using the charplotter route functions, just the radar, and just visual pilotage.

The harder part came when we were asked to verify one means against the other so that we had to juggle different systems in short order – information overload and unfamiliarity with the radar, plotter or phone app being the thing that was likely to distract us at the critical moment.

Using VRM/EBL from an identifiable radar target to follow a course to an unmarked position

How do you, for example, make sure that you stay precisely on a line between two imaginary points using radar alone? There is a way, it turns out, using the VRM/EBL function (Variable Range Marker/Electronic Bearing Line), by measuring to the imaginary point from a known, identifiable and charted point on the radar screen, then floating the VRM/EBL centre to this point, measuring the course and range from this point to your current location, then floating the centre back onto your known radar contact.

Simply steer to keep the object sliding along the EBL and when it reaches the intersection with the VRM, you’re there. Knowing the buttons to press to make this happen on your radar is another matter entirely and caused us many headaches.

Electronics are definitely not cheating. You’ve got to be able to use them, and to know what info you can trust and what you need to cross-reference. Navigation hasn’t really changed – you’ve still got to use multiple sources of position information to reliably work out where you are and where you need to go.

Rather than three bearing lines, it might be a GPS fix or a radar range, a depth and a transit, but relying on one source of information alone to determine your position never has been considered good seamanship.

Next month – Find out how Theo and Andrew got on with the rest of their prep week and whether they actually passed their Yachtmaster Offshore exam at the end of the week…

With thanks to the Hamble School of Yachting for the use of their Sun Odyssey 37. Hamble School of Yachting offers a range of sailing course, charters and adventures, from Competent Crew up to professional MCA qualifications. 

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What is an RYA Yachtmaster?

The RYA Yachtmaster® Certificate of Competence is often the ultimate aim of aspiring skippers. It is a well known, highly respected qualification worldwide, proving your experience and competence as a skipper. Unlike other qualifications in the cruising programme, there is no formal training course to become an RYA Yachtmaster. Instead, provided you have sufficient experience, certification and seatime, you can put yourself forward for an exam to test your skills and knowledge. There are a number of RYA navigation courses that will help you prepare for your exam. Many RYA Yachtmaster candidates also choose to book themselves into an RYA training centre for some specialised exam preparation training, but this is not compulsory.

You are capable of coastal passages

You are competent to undertake passages up to 150 miles offshore

You have the knowledge and experience to sail worldwide

• Arranging your exam

The Coastal and Offshore exams are practical tests afloat, and the Ocean is an oral exam. Find out more about qualifying passages, exam fees and how to book. 

With an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal, Offshore or Ocean Certificate of Competence you can start a career at sea.

You'll need to have the appropriate qualification for the vessel and area of operation.

If you want to work commercially, you'll need a commercial endorsement.

Find out more about other RYA professional qualifications.

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Can you really become an RYA Yachtmaster in as little as 14 weeks? Check out our top tips for getting the most from a Yachtmaster Fast Track course...

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BACKFLOW TESTER REFRESHER - Written Exam Review & Hands on Training

 Instructor:  Ben Bennett

6 hour course (F 8am-3pm), Includes 1 week of Wet Lab access, $375.00

6 Contact Hours

Prerequisites: High school diploma or equivalent education, Must be over 18 years old, Effectively communicate in English (speaking and writing skills)

This course is for currently certified backflow testers to prepare for their re-certification exam.  This class offers a combination of classroom and hands-on practice covering the required range of knowledge for re-certification. Topics include:

Introduction to Backflow Prevention

Backflow Prevention Terms and Definitions

Types of Backflow Prevention Assemblies

Cross-Connection Control Program Administration

Installation Requirements for Backflow Prevention Assemblies

Field Test Procedures for Backflow Prevention Assemblies

Maintenance of Backflow Prevention Assemblies

Record Keeping Requirements

This course also includes 1 week of access to our hands-on Wet Lab following the course.*                                           

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Upon successful completion of the training course the student is issued a certificate of completion from Water Industry Training Specialists, Inc.  Contact hours are also provided upon completion of the course.

WITS is privileged to host the hands-on portion of the AWWA Backflow Assembly Tester Recertification exams at our facility in Sunnyvale.  Please see course calendar for exam dates.  Written exams must be scheduled at an AWWA computer lab. Please note:  the cost of this course DOES NOT include cost of AWWA exam.  Water Industry Training Specialists, Inc. has no affiliation with AWWA.  All exam applications and fees must be sent directly to AWWA.

RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor – Everything You Need To Know

What Is the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor?

The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor ticket is a highly useful and credible motor cruising qualification. Administered on behalf of the UK Maritime and Coastgaurd Agency by the RYA the qualification is accepted as a worldwide standard. To gain an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor qualification you must sit a practical exam. 

What Does the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Allow You to Do?

Gaining an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor will allow you to work commercially on small motor vessels.

The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor exam certifies that you are competent to skipper a motor yacht on coastal voyages within 20nm of a harbour. 

How Can You Sit an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Exam?

The exam can be organised via the RYA to be done on your own vessel or via an RYA training centre, to be done on an RYA training vessel. It should be noted, that to complete the exam on your own vessel, your vessel must be up to an appropriate safety standard.

Most RYA training centres offering the RYA Cruising Scheme offer some form of pre exam preparation or coaching for those looking to take an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor exam.

These courses are often referred to as ‘RYA Yachtmaster Prep’ courses. This is unique within the RYA training framework in that it does not have a fixed course syllabus, length or course completion certificate.

Who Can Do an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Exam?

The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor exam is open to anyone who meets the minimum criteria, with all experience within the last 10 years.

• 17 years of age or older
• 30 days spent at sea
• 800nm cruised, with at least 50% in tidal waters
• 12 night hours
• 2 days as skipper

If you have exceeded all of the above by large margins, then the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor exam might be for you.

If you have the miles, but not the skippering experience, it is suggested that you charter a vessel in order to gain the skippering experience.

Additionally, exam candidates must also hold a relevant GMDSS VHF certification and an RYA First Aid certificate or recognised equivalent.

Can You Go Straight to the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Course and Exam?

You can indeed jump straight into the RYA Cruising Scheme at this stage, however, it is imperative that you understand the levels that are required of you, both in your knowledge and practical skills.

It is suggested that as a minimum you have completed (and passed) the RYA Coastal Skipper and Yachtmaster Theory course as the knowledge in here is both required for you to be at the level required, but will be formally tested during your RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor exam, both orally and in practical applications.

What Do You Need to Know before Attending a Course and Exam?

You, of course, need to be a suitably experienced skipper and this involves meeting the prerequisites mentioned above to be eligible. You should be able to handle your vessel competently in close quarters and at sea. You should be comfortable applying this in various day and night time passages.

As mentioned, it is strongly recommended to have completed the RYA Coastal and Yachtmaster Theory as the depth of knowledge gained from this shore based course will be tested throughout your exam. 

If you are looking for aa sailing equivalent course then you want RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Sail course .

How Long Does an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Prep Course and Exam Take?

The exam itself can take anything from 6 hours to 2 days depending on how many candidates are being examined on one vessel at a time. Up to 4 candidates can sit the exam at once and this would last for a maximum of 48 hours if so.

An RYA Yachtmaster Prep course is generally four and a half days long and is usually directly followed by the practical exam.

Is There a Set Syllabus?

No, this is the one time that while there is a recognised ‘course’, there is no syllabus. It is up to the experienced instructor on the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Prep course to tailor the learnings to your needs. This is more about refining your skills rather than teaching new ones.

You should be honest with yourself and your instructor in order for learnings throughout the week to be tailored to improve yourself on any weak areas that you may have.

What Should I Expect from an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Prep Course?

These courses run as a standalone course and while there may be students on another course, generally everyone onboard is a candidate for an RYA Yachtmaster Exam. The courses should however be run with no more than 4 students on board.

The content will depend on the needs of all students and is aimed at fine-tuning existing skills rather than teaching new ones. This will involve a lot of night time cruising and navigation, carrying out challenging boat handling while using theory knowledge and ensuring general skippering skills are up to scratch.

There is a basic syllabus that is used to help shape the exam content, but in reality, you can be tested on anything from the RYA cruising scheme within the exam.

Before choosing the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Prep course you need to be honest with yourself and your own abilities. While on the course you need to take on the advice and guidance given by the instructor on what areas need work. If you speak to your instructor before the course, they can tailor the instruction to your needs.

What Should I Expect on an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Exam?

On the exam, you will be given the opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge and competence. You will be expected to take full responsibility for your vessel and crew. The examiner will be looking for you to demonstrate competence and show your broad range of experience.

The exam will be an intensive experience and even when you are not the designated skipper, you will still be asked questions and observed and examined as a participant of the crew.

During the exam you will be asked to complete various tasks, ranging from leaving the dock, skippering a short passage, casualty recovery, night pilotage and even blind navigation. Additionally, you will be tested on theoretical aspects such as how to deal with an engine failure, knowledge of your vessel’s stability, meteorology and IRPCS.

As a potential RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor, these tasks are ones that should now be second nature to you and should take minimal time to plan while the theoretical knowledge should be able to roll off your tongue. 

What Is the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Exam Syllabus?

The following topics make up the basis for the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor exam syllabus. IRPCS, safety, boat handling, seamanship, responsibility as skipper, navigation, meteorology and signals.

But, as mentioned above, anything from the whole RYA cruising syllabus scheme can be tested.

What Is the Cost of an RYA Yachtmaster Course and Exam?

As ever, many schools differ in price. We would recommend that you take a look around at the various options and find what suits your needs the best. Cheapest is not often better.

This can range from knowing if you will have to share a cabin while onboard to whether food and berthing charges are included to how many other students you will be sharing your week with.

The exam fee is usually not included, which is currently £208.

Where Should I Do My RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor?

As always there are many thoughts and pros and cons on this, and as a potential RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor, you should consider yourself experienced enough to sit the exam anywhere. However, if you choose to sit the exam in an area that you are familiar with then you will take a lot of the stress out of learning a new area and start with a small advantage of having that all important local knowledge at your disposal.

What Happens If I Struggle on the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor Prep Course?

Your instructor should be able to update you on your ability levels throughout the course. They will be highly experienced and it is suggested that you listen to their advice given.

If you are learning something for the first time you should consider if you are ready for the exam. Talk to your instructor and they will be able to guide you on if you are ready for the exam or if they would advise further training.

What Is the Pass Mark for the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Exam?

There is no pass mark as such and the examiner will be looking to see that you are a competent and complete skipper, capable of looking after both your vessel and crew in a safe manner.

Every exam is different and no examiner will be setting out to fail any candidates, but they must ensure and check that each candidate is able to demonstrate their ability, knowledge and skills in a safe and timely manner.

If you were to fail to reach the levels of an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor certificate of competence then the examiner will give you a thorough debrief complete with action points to work on before you have another attempt at the exam. 

What Comes after RYA Yachtmaster Coastal?

After completion of the exam, you will have gained the credible achievement of an RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor certificate of competence and you can get this commercially endorsed by adding a sea survival certification, a personal medical and a PPR course, all of which, along with your GMDSS VHF and First Aid should be sent off to the RYA for certification upgrade. This will now allow the holder to skipper a vessel commercially, in coastal waters, up to 20nm from a harbour.

The next step is of course to get out on the water and to keep learning, keep gaining experience and keep improving on the skills and knowledge learned so far. No skipper is the finished article and we should all keep seeking to improve.

Once you have gained more experience, knowledge, mileage and time on the water it will be time to progress to the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor exam.

Releated Posts

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory – Everything You Need to Know

RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Motor – Everything You Need to Know

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This is probably aiming to cover more miles than a typical course, but with four Coastals I want to be sure to give each a good chance to be skipper for an extended passage, and the Comp Crew will also get a great variety of experience. Yachtmaster. The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal and Yachtmaster Offshore exams are like the Day Skipper on steroids ...

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The RYA Cruising Instructor course is the first step if you would like to teach RYA sailing courses. The certificate will allow you to teach RYA Day Skipper and Competent Crew courses. Pre-requirements (RYA Cruising Instructor) - Minimum age: 18 years old - Yachtmaster Offshore (or Ocean) certificate, with Commercial Endorsement

Price: from £995 (Finance now available) Location: Starts from our base at Premier Gosport Marina, and visits different ports around the Solent and adjacent waters. Duration: 5 days. The RYA Cruising Instructor practical sailing Course is a designed for RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore qualified sailors to enhance their career and gain the much ...

RYA Instructor Courses. For over 10 years now we have been training people to fulfil their ambition to become a RYA Instructor. We are really proud of the start that we can give instructors as they begin a hugely satisfying career. We have courses scheduled throughout the year for RYA Powerboat Instructor, Advanced Powerboat Instructor, RYA ...

An RYA Yachtmaster Prep course is generally four and a half days long and is usually directly followed by the practical exam. ... It is up to the experienced instructor on the RYA Yachtmaster Offshore Sail Prep course to tailor the learnings to your needs. This is more about refining your skills rather than teaching new ones.

The RYA Cruising Instructor practical sailing Course is a designed for RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore qualified sailors to enhance their career and gain the much coveted RYA Cruising Instructor qualification, and begin your Instructing career. Take a look at our live course calendar for dates for the RYA Cruising Instructor course!

RYA Yachtmaster Ocean Theory course online. Learn anywhere at your own pace, explore the latest content and new features with unlimited access to our expert instructors ... On average, our professional RYA instructors respond to student questions via live chat within 1 minute! Try it out now if you don't believe us. Web + App. Access your RYA ...

RYA Cruising Instructor certificate for sail or power as appropriate, or. If an RYA Yachtmaster Instructor in the other scheme (sail or power) with significant experience in the scheme they now wish to become a YMI in, send your relevant CV evidenced where possible, to [email protected] for consideration for a more direct route. Experience.

An RYA Yachtmaster Prep course is generally four and a half days long and is usually directly followed by the practical exam. ... It is up to the experienced instructor on the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Sail Prep course to tailor the learnings to your needs. This is more about refining your skills rather than teaching new ones.

The RYA set up a committee to govern its training activities in 1967 and the Yachtmaster Qualifications Panel was set up in 1971. Training is carried out in 58 countries and there are in excess of 25,000 RYA instructors across the world, (although many of these Instructors are not Yachtmaster Instructors but instruct in other disciplines (such as dinghy sailing, windsurfing and power-boating).

The RYA Yachtmaster Offshore prep and exam course is the final step on a student's journey to becoming a fully qualified, professional skipper. For a student, achieving the Yachtmaster Offshore qualification means that he or she can sail commercially and work towards becoming an instructor or other sailing professional.

RYA Coastal Skipper & Yachtmaster Offshore Shorebased (6 days or online) ... you prefer to take the sail exam we can put you in touch with a sail school once you have all of the above shorebased courses. During the prep week our Instructor will take you through many of the exercises the examiner is likely to throw at you on the final day. We ...

What Yachtmaster Offshore instructor Matt Sillars says. The week is not a course to learn to be a Yachtmaster Offshore. You need to have done 90% of the work beforehand. The preparation days are about checking skills and finding where you need more work, rather than being taught skills.

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The gold standard. The RYA Yachtmaster® Certificate of Competence is often the ultimate aim of aspiring skippers. It is a well known, highly respected qualification worldwide, proving your experience and competence as a skipper. Unlike other qualifications in the cruising programme, there is no formal training course to become an RYA Yachtmaster.

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The RYA Yachtmaster Coastal Motor exam is open to anyone who meets the minimum criteria, with all experience within the last 10 years. 17 years of age or older. 30 days spent at sea. 800nm cruised, with at least 50% in tidal waters. 12 night hours.

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Requirements for the Yachtmaster Offshore Exam

To sit the RYA Yachtmaster offshore exam, you are required to have the following miles and experience. All completed within the last ten years:

• A minimum of 2,500 miles are logged before you sit the exam. At least half the miles must be in tidal waters.
• Five passages over 60 miles long** . Two of these passages must have been at night, and two acting as skipper. 
• 50 days at sea on yachts up to 500gt.
• At least five days experience as a skipper.
• A valid First Aid Certificate (If STCW, completed within the last 5 years)
• A GMDSS short-range VHF radio certificate.

** Note: All five passages must have been on a vessel between 7m and 24m in length.

Requirements for the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal exam

• 30 days at sea on a vessel less than 24m in length, and a minimum of 800 miles logged before you sit the exam. At least half the sea time must be in tidal waters.
• Two days as skipper, on a vessel less than 24m in length.
• 12 night hours.
• A valid First Aid certificate.
• You must be 17 years old at the time of the exam.

If you hold the RYA Coastal Skipper course completion certificate, then the miles required for Yachtmaster Coastal are reduced to 400.

What is considered tidal waters?

An area is deemed tidal if published stream, current or tidal range data is available, the influence of which is significant enough to require the effects to be taken into account to plan and execute a safe and efficient passage.

But, all my sea miles has been on a vessel OVER 24m….

Good news! The RYA accepts 50% (1,250) of your qualifying sea miles gained on a vessel over 24m. 

It’s crucial to provide a Testimonial or Discharge book as proof of your 1,250 sea miles.

The other 50% (1,250 miles) must be from vessels between 7m and 24m in length.

Some Superyachts have large tenders and chase boats. In this case, any miles and qualifying passages gained at the helm go some way to 1,250 sea miles.

Do I need RYA Yachtmaster Theory?

Depends on your goal.

Technically, you don’t need it to sit your Yachtmaster Coastal or Offshore exam, however:

To become an RYA Yachtmaster, you need to be able to navigate using traditional and electronic navigation techniques. The RYA Yachtmaster Theory Course teaches you everything you need to know to navigate a yacht offshore and we recommend it to everybody thinking of sitting the RYA Yachtmaster practical exam.

RYA Yachtmaster Theory is a requirement for Officer of the Watch 3000GT.

At Flying Fish we combine both Yachtmaster Theory and a practical prep week into one course.

How do I convert from sail to power?

To convert from Yachtmaster offshore sail to power you must have completed, in the last 10 years:

• Minimum of 1,250 miles on a vessel between 7m and 24m in length.
• 25 days living onboard.
• 3 days as skipper.
• Three passages of over 60 miles, including one overnight and one as skipper.

How to record your miles.

Your experience would have been built up over some time on various types of yachts. The miles that you have gained on vessels between 7 and 24 meters in length in the  past ten years  can be recorded in either:

• RYA’s G158 logbook
• A CV detailing the information below
• An Excel spreadsheet

Please note, when recording your miles and experience, make sure you detail the following:

• Dates the passage/trip took place.
• Name and type of vessel
• Details of the passages
• Miles sailed on each passage
• Night hours

Flying Fish has created a personal log that you can use to record your sea miles.

What First Aid qualification do I need?

You must have a valid, in-date First Aid qualification to sit the RYA Yachtmaster Coastal or Offshore exam. 

The RYA, STCW, and Seafish First Aid certificates are all accepted by the RYA.

How long are certificates valid?

The RYA First Aid certificate is valid for 3-years.

STCW First Aid certificates do not have an expiry date. However, It is accepted that after 5 years, our knowledge of CPR and other life-saving techniques tends to fade.

Therefore, the RYA requires holders of STCW First Aid to refresh every 5-years from the date of issue.

At flying Fish, we offer STCW Elementary First Aid courses that coincide with our Yachtmaster Power Theory and practical courses. If you need to update your STCW Elementary First Aid qualification, we invite you to click on the link below to book an update.

Commercial Endorsement

By commercially endorsing your Yachtmaster qualification, you not only meet the necessary requirements for taking paying passengers on a commercial vessel but also equip yourself with the confidence and readiness for professional opportunities.

Superyacht tenders are usually registered as a “tender too” the larger yacht, and in most cases, Commercial Endorsement is not required.

Many individuals choose to endorse their RYA Yachtmaster for commercial use. This endorsement prepares you for potential opportunities, such as working as a professional skipper. If this is your goal, in addition to First Aid and VHF, you will need the following:

• Either an  ENG1 or ML5 medical
• STCW or RYA Sea survival certificate
• Complete the RYA’s online  PPR course

Once you have completed these three steps, you can apply for commercial endorsement through the RYA.

Upgrade to RYA Master 200 GT

Complete  STCW Basic Safety Training , then the RYA/MCA Yachtmaster Offshore certificate will be endorsed to allow the holder to skipper a commercial or privately owned vessel up to 200 gross tonnes, which may be greater than 24m in length.

What other skills do I need before I join a prep course?

If you are considering a  Yachtmaster Prep course  then Flying Fish will provide some pre-course reading. If you did some background reading before your prep course, it would help if you had a good knowledge of the following:

• I.R.P.C.S (rules of the road) and distress signals.
• Weather. The passage of frontal depression, sea breeze, fog, effects of wind and tide, and terminology used in a weather forecast.
• Navigation. Understand how to calculate tidal heights, course to steer, and estimated position.
• Ability to tie the basic knots.
• Have knowledge of Radar, rule 19, and how to use it for collision avoidance.
• The  G158 logbook  provides all sea time requirements and a section where you can record all your sea time.

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Wildfire training instruction & refresher courses.

We generally offer the RT-130 to contractors in the Spring of each year, and the other courses as needed or requested. The annual RT-130 training courses are offered in Grangeville, ID and Moscow, ID. Depending on class size and need we are also able to provide on-site courses at times and locations that best meet team needs. Class sizes range from 15 to 80 or more for the RT-130. Call us for minimum class sizes and alternate locations.

Our staff are a team of active wildland firefighters who can provide various trainings through an agreement with the USFS. We follow the guidance of the National Wildfire Coordinating Group for all our trainings and provide these trainings to area contractors to enable them to supplement local, state, and federal fire suppression programs.

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Registration cost.

• Early (ends  two weeks before course date): $70.00
• Standard (within two weeks of course date, including day of): $85.00
• All course times are 9:00 am – 4:00 pm with a 1-hour lunch. Walk test or Pack test will be done if weather permits. Please bring your own 45 lb. pack, Northwest Management, Inc. will not provide packs

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In 2001, Northwest Management, Inc. and Idaho Forest Associates initiated a unique conference for professional foresters targeted to promote continuing education, ethics and pride in our profession. Over the years, this annual conference has grown to include valuable information and workshops for all natural resource professionals. The conference delivers high quality workshops on new ideas, technologies, and emerging policy and professional issues.

The Annual Foresters Forum will be held at The Coeur d’Alene Resort in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. The forum is a fantastic venue for Inland Northwest foresters and resource professionals to focus on their profession, share information and learn new ideas, techniques and technologies. We are pleased to present high achieving and richly experienced speakers from all over the nation. Over 90% of the material presented at the forum is new every year, and this year will be no different.

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The theme, “ Forestry: It’s in Our DNA ,” references both the proud legacy of forestry and the ongoing challenges and opportunities that foresters and natural resources professionals face. Forestry and what it means to be a forester is multi-faceted with many backgrounds, disciplines, and experiences shaping our profession’s past, present, and future. SAF2023 will bring together novel science and on-the-ground management techniques, while focusing on how to better communicate our passion to the public, and building a community that can tackle impacts from a changing climate.

Check back later this month for more details about the convention themes, location, sponsor and exhibitor opportunities, and call for proposal process.

format of a personal narrative essay

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Telling the Story of Yourself: 6 Steps to Writing Personal Narratives

By Jennifer Xue

Table of Contents

Why do we write personal narratives, 6 guidelines for writing personal narrative essays, inspiring personal narratives, examples of personal narrative essays, tell your story.

First off, you might be wondering: what is a personal narrative? In short, personal narratives are stories we tell about ourselves that focus on our growth, lessons learned, and reflections on our experiences.

From stories about inspirational figures we heard as children to any essay, article, or exercise where we're asked to express opinions on a situation, thing, or individual—personal narratives are everywhere.

According to Psychology Today, personal narratives allow authors to feel and release pains, while savouring moments of strength and resilience. Such emotions provide an avenue for both authors and readers to connect while supporting healing in the process.

That all sounds great. But when it comes to putting the words down on paper, we often end up with a list of experiences and no real structure to tie them together.

In this article, we'll discuss what a personal narrative essay is further, learn the 6 steps to writing one, and look at some examples of great personal narratives.

As readers, we're fascinated by memoirs, autobiographies, and long-form personal narrative articles, as they provide a glimpse into the authors' thought processes, ideas, and feelings. But you don't have to be writing your whole life story to create a personal narrative.

You might be a student writing an admissions essay , or be trying to tell your professional story in a cover letter. Regardless of your purpose, your narrative will focus on personal growth, reflections, and lessons.

Personal narratives help us connect with other people's stories due to their easy-to-digest format and because humans are empathising creatures.

We can better understand how others feel and think when we were told stories that allow us to see the world from their perspectives. The author's "I think" and "I feel" instantaneously become ours, as the brain doesn't know whether what we read is real or imaginary.

In her best-selling book Wired for Story, Lisa Cron explains that the human brain craves tales as it's hard-wired through evolution to learn what happens next. Since the brain doesn't know whether what you are reading is actual or not, we can register the moral of the story cognitively and affectively.

In academia, a narrative essay tells a story which is experiential, anecdotal, or personal. It allows the author to creatively express their thoughts, feelings, ideas, and opinions. Its length can be anywhere from a few paragraphs to hundreds of pages.

Outside of academia, personal narratives are known as a form of journalism or non-fiction works called "narrative journalism." Even highly prestigious publications like the New York Times and Time magazine have sections dedicated to personal narratives. The New Yorke is a magazine dedicated solely to this genre.

The New York Times holds personal narrative essay contests. The winners are selected because they:

had a clear narrative arc with a conflict and a main character who changed in some way. They artfully balanced the action of the story with reflection on what it meant to the writer. They took risks, like including dialogue or playing with punctuation, sentence structure and word choice to develop a strong voice. And, perhaps most important, they focused on a specific moment or theme – a conversation, a trip to the mall, a speech tournament, a hospital visit – instead of trying to sum up the writer’s life in 600 words.

In a nutshell, a personal narrative can cover any reflective and contemplative subject with a strong voice and a unique perspective, including uncommon private values. It's written in first person and the story encompasses a specific moment in time worthy of a discussion.

Writing a personal narrative essay involves both objectivity and subjectivity. You'll need to be objective enough to recognise the importance of an event or a situation to explore and write about. On the other hand, you must be subjective enough to inject private thoughts and feelings to make your point.

With personal narratives, you are both the muse and the creator – you have control over how your story is told. However, like any other type of writing, it comes with guidelines.

1. Write Your Personal Narrative as a Story

As a story, it must include an introduction, characters, plot, setting, climax, anti-climax (if any), and conclusion. Another way to approach it is by structuring it with an introduction, body, and conclusion. The introduction should set the tone, while the body should focus on the key point(s) you want to get across. The conclusion can tell the reader what lessons you have learned from the story you've just told.

2. Give Your Personal Narrative a Clear Purpose

Your narrative essay should reflect your unique perspective on life. This is a lot harder than it sounds. You need to establish your perspective, the key things you want your reader to take away, and your tone of voice. It's a good idea to have a set purpose in mind for the narrative before you start writing.

Let's say you want to write about how you manage depression without taking any medicine. This could go in any number of ways, but isolating a purpose will help you focus your writing and choose which stories to tell. Are you advocating for a holistic approach, or do you want to describe your emotional experience for people thinking of trying it?

Having this focus will allow you to put your own unique take on what you did (and didn't do, if applicable), what changed you, and the lessons learned along the way.

3. Show, Don't Tell

It's a narration, so the narrative should show readers what happened, instead of telling them. As well as being a storyteller, the author should take part as one of the characters. Keep this in mind when writing, as the way you shape your perspective can have a big impact on how your reader sees your overarching plot. Don't slip into just explaining everything that happened because it happened to you. Show your reader with action.

You can check for instances of telling rather than showing with ProWritingAid. For example, instead of:

"You never let me do anything!" I cried disdainfully.

"You never let me do anything!" To this day, my mother swears that the glare I levelled at her as I spat those words out could have soured milk.

Using ProWritingAid will help you find these instances in your manuscript and edit them without spending hours trawling through your work yourself.

4. Use "I," But Don't Overuse It

You, the author, take ownership of the story, so the first person pronoun "I" is used throughout. However, you shouldn't overuse it, as it'd make it sound too self-centred and redundant.

ProWritingAid can also help you here – the Style Report will tell you if you've started too many sentences with "I", and show you how to introduce more variation in your writing.

5. Pay Attention to Tenses

Tense is key to understanding. Personal narratives mostly tell the story of events that happened in the past, so many authors choose to use the past tense. This helps separate out your current, narrating voice and your past self who you are narrating. If you're writing in the present tense, make sure that you keep it consistent throughout.

6. Make Your Conclusion Satisfying

Satisfy your readers by giving them an unforgettable closing scene. The body of the narration should build up the plot to climax. This doesn't have to be something incredible or shocking, just something that helps give an interesting take on your story.

The takeaways or the lessons learned should be written without lecturing. Whenever possible, continue to show rather than tell. Don't say what you learned, narrate what you do differently now. This will help the moral of your story shine through without being too preachy.

GoodReads is a great starting point for selecting read-worthy personal narrative books. Here are five of my favourites.

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

Jane Yolen, the author of 386 books, wrote this poetic story about a daughter and her father who went owling. Instead of learning about owls, Yolen invites readers to contemplate the meaning of gentleness and hope.

Night by Elie Wiesel

Elie Wiesel was a teenager when he and his family were sent to Auschwitz concentration camp in 1944. This Holocaust memoir has a strong message that such horrific events should never be repeated.

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

This classic is a must-read by young and old alike. It's a remarkable diary by a 13-year-old Jewish girl who hid inside a secret annexe of an old building during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands in 1942.

The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion

This is a personal narrative written by a brave author renowned for her clarity, passion, and honesty. Didion shares how in December 2003, she lost her husband of 40 years to a massive heart attack and dealt with the acute illness of her only daughter. She speaks about grief, memories, illness, and hope.

Educated by Tara Westover

Author Tara Westover was raised by survivalist parents. She didn't go to school until 17 years of age, which later took her to Harvard and Cambridge. It's a story about the struggle for quest for knowledge and self-reinvention.

Narrative and personal narrative journalism are gaining more popularity these days. You can find distinguished personal narratives all over the web.

Curating the best of the best of personal narratives and narrative essays from all over the web. Some are award-winning articles.

Narratively

Long-form writing to celebrate humanity through storytelling. It publishes personal narrative essays written to provoke, inspire, and reflect, touching lesser-known and overlooked subjects.

Narrative Magazine

It publishes non,fiction narratives, poetry, and fiction. Among its contributors is Frank Conroy, the author of Stop-Time , a memoir that has never been out of print since 1967.

Thought Catalog

Aimed at Generation Z, it publishes personal narrative essays on self-improvement, family, friendship, romance, and others.

Personal narratives will continue to be popular as our brains are wired for stories. We love reading about others and telling stories of ourselves, as they bring satisfaction and a better understanding of the world around us.

Personal narratives make us better humans. Enjoy telling yours!

Write like a bestselling author

Love writing? ProWritingAid will help you improve the style, strength, and clarity of your stories.

Jennifer Xue

Jennifer Xue is an award-winning e-book author with 2,500+ articles and 100+ e-books/reports published under her belt. She also taught 50+ college-level essay and paper writing classes. Her byline has appeared in Forbes, Fortune, Cosmopolitan, Esquire, Business.com, Business2Community, Addicted2Success, Good Men Project, and others. Her blog is JenniferXue.com. Follow her on Twitter @jenxuewrites].

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• How to write a narrative essay | Example & tips

How to Write a Narrative Essay | Example & Tips

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Narrative essays in college applications

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Caulfield, J. (2023, July 23). How to Write a Narrative Essay | Example & Tips. Scribbr. Retrieved August 21, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/academic-essay/narrative-essay/

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How to Write a Personal Narrative like a Pro (With Examples)

Last Updated: December 12, 2023 Fact Checked

Template and Sample Narrative

• Brainstorming

This article was co-authored by Grant Faulkner, MA . Grant Faulkner is the Executive Director of National Novel Writing Month (NaNoWriMo) and the co-founder of 100 Word Story, a literary magazine. Grant has published two books on writing and has been published in The New York Times and Writer’s Digest. He co-hosts Write-minded, a weekly podcast on writing and publishing, and has a M.A. in Creative Writing from San Francisco State University.  There are 7 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 867,285 times.

Personal narratives focus on a particular real life event that was pivotal or important for the writer. You may have to write a personal narrative as part of a college application or as an assignment for a class. To write a strong personal narrative, start by coming up with an engaging idea. Then, write the narrative with an opening hook and a detailed, organized structure. Always review and revise the personal narrative before handing it in so it is at its best.

Things You Should Know

• Center your narrative around an important moment in your life. For example, you might write about a time you had to make a hard decision or deal with a conflict.
• Move chronologically through the events you’re discussing. This will make your narrative easy to follow and draw your reader in.
• Finish with a moral takeaway or a life lesson. What did you learn from these events, and why is it important? How did they shape you as a person?

Brainstorming Ideas for the Narrative

• For example, you may write about your struggles with body image in high school and how you overcame them in adulthood. Or you may write about your disastrous 15th birthday party and how it affected your relationship with your mother.

• For example, you write a personal narrative about your complicated relationship with your birth mother. Or you may write about a conflict you have with a sport you play or a club you are a part of.

• For example, you may explore a theme like poverty by writing about your family’s struggle with money and finances. You may write about having to defer college applications to work at your parent’s business to make ends meet for your family.

• The Boys of My Youth by Jo Ann Beard
• Slouching Towards Bethlehem by Joan Didion
• Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
• The Lives section of The New York Times

Writing the Personal Narrative

• For example, the first line in the personal narrative by Tony Gervino is attention grabbing: “I was 6 when my brother John leaned across the kitchen table and casually whispered that he had killed Santa Claus.” [5] X Research source

• For example, in Tony Gervino’s essay, he sets the scene by providing setting, character, and narrative voice: “It was July 1973, we were living in Scarsdale, N.Y., and he was four years older than I was, although that seemed like decades.”

• For example, you may start with an event in childhood with your older sister and then move forward in time to the present day, focusing on you and your older sister as adults.

• For example, you may describe the feeling of your mother’s famous lemon cake as “rich and zesty, with a special ingredient that to this day, I cannot identify.”

• For example, you may end a personal narrative about your complicated relationship with your troubled sister by ending on a recent memory where you both enjoyed each other’s company. You may leave the reader with a lesson you have learned about loving someone, even with all their messiness and baggage.

Polishing the Personal Narrative

• You can also try reading the narrative out loud to someone else so they can hear how it sounds. This can then make it easier for them to give you feedback.

• Be willing to accept feedback from others. Be open to constructive criticism as it will likely strengthen the narrative.

Community Q&A

You Might Also Like

• How to Write a Narrative Essay
• How to Write a Journal Entry
• How to Write an Epistolary Narrative
• How to Write an Autobiography
• ↑ https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/personal-narrative-examples
• ↑ https://www.byrdseed.com/writing-better-personal-narratives/
• ↑ https://grammar.yourdictionary.com/grammar-rules-and-tips/tips-for-writing-a-personal-narrative-essay.html
• ↑ https://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/17/magazine/lives-a-rats-tale.html
• ↑ https://open.lib.umn.edu/writingforsuccess/chapter/10-1-narration/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/reading-aloud/
• ↑ https://writingcenter.unc.edu/tips-and-tools/revising-drafts/

About This Article

To write a personal narrative, start by choosing a memorable moment, event, or conflict in your life that you want to write about. Then, use your personal narrative to describe your story, going chronologically through the events. Try to use a lot of sensory detail, like how things smelled, sounded, felt, and looked, so your readers can picture everything you're describing. At the end of your narrative, include a lesson you learned or something you took away from the experience. To learn how to brainstorm ideas for your personal narrative, read on! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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3 Great Narrative Essay Examples + Tips for Writing

General Education

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

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

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

What Is a Narrative Essay?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

3 Great Narrative Essay Examples

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

A Ticket to the Fair by David Foster Wallace

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Death of a Moth by Virginia Woolf

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

5 Key Tips for Writing Narrative Essays

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

Develop Strong Motifs

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

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

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

Use First-Person Perspective

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

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

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

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

Stick to the Truth

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

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

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

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

Use Sensory Descriptions

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

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

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

What’s Next?

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

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

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

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

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How to Write a Personal Narrative Essay

Elle LaMarca  |  June 4, 2024  |  2 Comments

A personal narrative essay is a form of creative nonfiction writers use to share compelling stories from their own lives. Through the writing of personal narrative essays, writers can examine the events of their own life, and transform their everyday experiences into essays that uncover deeper truths in the world.

There are many different reasons why a writer may choose to share their stories through personal narrative essays. In this article, I’ll define and dissect the different elements and forms of personal essays, discuss when and why this creative nonfiction form may be for you, and share an example. I will also guide you through a step-by-step process on how to write a personal narrative essay.

Note: The terms personal narrative essay and personal essay are often synonymous and will be used as such in this article.

Let’s get into it. What is a personal narrative essay?

How to Write a Personal Narrative Essay: Contents

What is a personal narrative essay?

Why choose to write a personal narrative essay, key fundamentals of the personal narrative essay, personal narrative essay example, how to write a personal narrative essay – a step-by-step guide, various styles of the personal essay, next steps for personal essay writers.

A personal narrative essay is a type of essay in which the writer shares a personal experience or story from their own life. It typically involves reflecting on a particular event, moment, or period and presenting it in a narrative form.

A personal narrative essay is a type of essay in which the writer shares a personal experience or story from their own life.

In a personal narrative essay, the writer often aims to convey a specific message, lesson, or insight gained from the experience. These essays are characterized by their first-person point of view , vivid descriptions, and emotional resonance. They often explore themes such as personal growth, overcoming challenges, or the significance of a particular event in the writer’s life. Nearly all personal essays show a transformation in the writer that occurs as a result of the experience they are writing about.

While a personal narrative essay is a form of nonfiction, it employs elements of traditional storytelling techniques , like plot, characters, conflict , and setting, which allows the writer to craft an engaging, yet factual, story. Additionally, personal essays include a thesis statement and conclusion. Through the narrative, the writer constructs a broader argument, using storytelling as a vehicle to engage the reader. By immersing the reader in vivid, impactful scenes, the writer effectively builds their argument and leads the audience through a significant transformation, which results in a compelling conclusion.

People may choose to write personal narrative essays for a variety of reasons, each driven by personal motivations, goals, and experiences. I started writing personal essays three years ago. Prior to that, most of my writing was fiction based—novels and flash fiction. However, a few years ago, I began to feel a driving desire to write about some of my life experiences. I wanted to share what I’d been through, and find deeper meaning and connection by sharing my personal stories with others.

Here are several reasons why someone might want to write a personal narrative essay:

• Self-expression: Writing a personal narrative essay allows writers to express themselves creatively and authentically. It provides a platform to share your thoughts, feelings, and experiences in words, allowing you to articulate your unique perspective on the world.
• Reflection and introspection: Writing about personal experiences can be a form of self-reflection and introspection, a deeper way to examine moments that changed you. It allows you to explore your thoughts, emotions, and motivations, while gaining and sharing insights into yourself, your relationships with others and society at large.
• The gift of storytelling: Humans are inherently drawn to stories. Readers love to invest themselves in personal essays that propel them through a compelling true story. Your stories are a gift to be shared.
• Making sense of experiences: Sometimes, you need to write about it to better understand it. Writing about personal experiences can help you make sense of complex or difficult situations. Writing a personal essay may help you process your emotions, analyze events from alternate perspectives, and find meaning in the transformation that resulted from these situations.
• Sharing learned wisdom and personal lessons: At their core, personal essays are about transformation. Personal narrative essays often convey valuable lessons, insights, or wisdom gained from lived experiences. By sharing your stories and the lessons you’ve learned along the way, you may inspire, educate, or offer guidance to others facing similar challenges or situations. This is how transformation leads to connection.
• Building connections: Writing about personal experiences can foster empathy, understanding, and connection with readers who relate to similar experiences or emotions. It creates a sense of shared humanity and can help individuals feel less alone in their struggles or triumphs. Some of the best personal essays help readers feel seen and less alone, because they connect their experiences with yours.
• Documenting personal history: Personal narrative essays can serve as a record of your personal history. These essays preserve memories, perspectives, and insights for oneself and future readers. They capture the essence of a moment in time, providing a snapshot of one’s life journey.
• Creative expression through storytelling: For writers, crafting personal narrative essays can be a form of creative expression and storytelling practice. It allows you to hone your writing skills in a multitude of ways, experiment with various narrative techniques, and develop your own unique voice and style .

Overall, writing a personal narrative essay offers writers a powerful means of self-expression, reflection, and connection with readers. Whether for personal catharsis, artistic expression, or the desire to share life lessons, the act of writing and sharing personal stories can be deeply rewarding.

Personal essays are a great means of creative expression, in part, because the form offers writers a plethora of ways to share their personal experiences. There are many different styles of and containers in which to write a personal essay, and not a lot of hard and fast rules about how to do so. We’ll discuss some of those options in a bit, but no matter the form, most personal narrative essays contain these fundamental elements:

• Thesis Statement: Don’t be alarmed! This isn’t the same kind of thesis statement that you composed for high school research papers. In a personal essay, your thesis statement is how you express to readers what you are writing about. This represents the core idea or message behind your story. The thesis statement contains the theme of your essay. While your narrative will likely focus on a specific event or set of experiences from your life, the underlying theme should be a universal truth that resonates with a broad audience.

Including a thesis statement will clarify the purpose of your story for your readers. A strong thesis in a narrative often addresses or reflects on a central conflict, so the initial step in crafting a personal narrative essay typically involves identifying the core conflict in your story. Many personal essays are about an external conflict that in turn causes an internal conflict, which must be resolved by the end of the essay.

• Honesty and personal experience: Not surprisingly, a personal essay is about your personal experiences. Effective personal essays often showcase moments of vulnerability and self-discovery. Being honest about your experiences, even when it’s difficult, adds authenticity. Often you won’t be the only “ character ” in an essay, as it will feature other people from your real life. Tell your story honestly, but be mindful of others’ privacy and consider if you need consent from family or friends before sharing sensitive information.
• Pivotal moment: Like in fiction, your personal narrative should build up to a peak moment of tension or a significant turning point. This climax is often the most intense part of your essay and may coincide with an epiphany. An epiphany is a moment of sudden realization or insight. Insight describes those “aha!” moments—places in which you come to deeper realizations about your life, the lives of others, and the world at large. Insights do not need to be massive, culture-transforming realizations. Many moments of insight are found in small interactions and day-to-day experiences. These epiphanies—whether large or small—most often lead to a transformation.
• Transformation: The goal of a personal narrative essay isn’t just to write down the details of an experience; it’s to show how that experience impacted the writer and led to a transformation. Think of it as the why of your essay; the very reason why you’re writing it. There must be a shift in mindset, values, etc. over the course of the essay. You should not start and end a personal essay as the same person.

The transformation should illustrate the change or growth you undergo as a result of your experiences. Transformation is used to show how the events and conflicts in the story lead to a significant shift in the writer’s perspective, behavior, or understanding of themselves and the world.

• Sensory details and literary devices: Personal essay writers rely on the use of vivid sensory details and literary devices to recreate pivotal moments from real life in order to bring readers inside their stories. As much as possible, you want your readers to feel your experiences. Focus on all of the senses when writing. Do not just state what happened. Instead, describe what you saw, how it felt in your body, any colors, sounds or smells that were present. The goal is to fully immerse readers into your story.

Along with sensory details, personal essays often include common literary devices, like metaphor and symbolism , to add richness and depth to the narrative, which makes for a more compelling and immersive read.

A great narrative essay example is the piece “Flow” by Mary Oliver, which you can read for free on Amazon .

The essay dwells on, as Mary Oliver puts it, the fact that “we live in paradise.” At once both an ode to nature and an urge to love it fiercely, Oliver explores our place in the endless beauty of the world.

Throughout the essay, Oliver weaves in her thoughts about the world, from nature’s noble beauty to the question “What is the life I should live?” Yet these thoughts, however profound, are not the bulk of the essay. Rather, she arrives at these thoughts via anecdotes and observations: the migration of whales, the strings of fish at high tide, the inventive rescue of a spiny fish from the waterless shore, etc.

What is most profound about this essay, and perhaps most amusing, is that it ends with Oliver’s questions about how to live life. And yet, the stories she tells show us exactly how to live life: with care for the world; with admiration; with tenderness towards all of life and its superb, mysterious, seemingly random beauty.

Such is the power of the narrative essay. By examining the random facts of our lives, we can come to great conclusions.

As I previously mentioned, there aren’t many concrete rules to writing personal essays. However, there are general methods you can use to begin writing your first or your one-hundredth essay. Here is a step-by-step guide for you to try.

1. Choose a Topic

• What seemingly small life events transformed me in a significant way?
• When I think of the person I am today, which moments come to mind first that helped form the foundation of who I am?
• When did something alter my worldview, personal philosophy, or political beliefs?
• What moment of adversity did I overcome and grow stronger from?
• What is something that I believe to be very important, that I want other people to value as well?
• What life event of mine do I not yet fully understand, yet know I was altered by?
• What is something I am constantly striving for?
• What is something I’ve taken for granted, but am now grateful for?
• Select a Central Conflict: Once you’ve identified the experience you’d like to write about, identify a specific conflict or challenge that forms the heart of your story. Remember, a personal essay should show a transformation in the form of growth or change. Ask yourself, how the experience changed you and list the conflict(s) you had to overcome in order to change.

2. Brainstorm and Outline

• Free Write: Spend time writing about your chosen topic without worrying about structure. Capture memories, emotions, and significant details. Think about the other people involved, and the setting of your narrative. First, write down everything you remember about the experience. Second, make a sensory list of how you felt during this time. What did you see, hear, smell, feel?
• Create a Narrative Outline: Reread your free write, and highlight the key material you’d like to use and expand on. Next, organize your thoughts into a preliminary outline that details how you’d like to structure your essay. If it’s helpful to get you focused on a structure, your outline should include an introduction, rising action, climax, falling action, and conclusion.

For more advanced essay writers, this may be the stage where you decide on the specific container in which you’d like to tell your story, and/or the style of personal essay you plan to use. More on containers and styles of personal essays a bit later.

3. Draft Your Essay

Here is some advice to consider when drafting each section:

• Introduction: Compose an opening that hooks the reader. Start with a captivating opening sentence that grabs the reader’s attention. Set the scene by providing any pertinent background information, and introduce the main characters, setting, and the initial situation. State your thesis by clearly articulating the central conflict or the main point of your narrative.
• Develop the Body Paragraphs: Consider how you’ll relay the sequence of events. Will they follow a chronological order or an alternative time structure? Think about what you want to say and the best option for how to develop your story to maintain a clear narrative flow.

While describing key events be sure to use vivid descriptions. This will help bring significant events to life and immerse your readers inside your experience.

As much as possible, remember to show, don’t tell . Use descriptive language and dialogue to illustrate your experiences and emotions rather than just describing them.

• Build to the Climax: Highlight moments of conflict and build tension as your story unfolds. The climax is the peak of the story, where the conflict reaches its highest point. This should be a moment of transition for the writer. Make this moment impactful and vivid.
• Write the Falling Action and Conclusion: Describe the events that follow the climax, leading towards a resolution. Show how the conflict is resolved, and how the narrator, you, were transformed by the experience. Reflect on the outcomes and summarize the impact of the events on your life. Reflect on what you learned or how you changed.

The conclusion should reinforce the central conflict or theme of your essay, showing how your story illustrates this point and relates back to your thesis. End with a lasting impression—a thought-provoking statement, a question, or a reflection that leaves the reader thinking about your essay.

4. Revise and Edit

• Review for Clarity and Flow: Ensure your narrative is clear and logically structured. Make sure each paragraph transitions smoothly to the next. Consider if the structure you’ve selected is working for or against your essay. Do you need to change it? Have you included any unnecessary details that do not move your narrative toward the conclusion?
• Check for Descriptive Details and Balance: Revision is a great time to enhance your essay with descriptions and sensory details that you may have left out. You may also realize you’ve overloaded on descriptions. Too many colorful or overly written descriptions may detract from the poignancy the story. If so, make cuts to those that are not essential.
• Refine Your Language: Check for varied sentence structure and precise word choice. Avoid clichés and overly complex language.
• Proofread for Errors: Look for grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors. Reading your essay aloud can help catch mistakes you might miss when reading silently.

5. Seek Feedback

• Consider Sharing with Others: Have trusted friends, family members, or critique partners read your essay. Ask them to highlight the areas of your essay they appreciate the most. If you’re up for it, ask for constructive feedback on content and style.
• Revise Based on Feedback: Consider the feedback you receive and make necessary revisions to improve your essay. Remember, you are the author and this is your story. You get the final say on how you use feedback from others to revise your essay. Use what resonates most and that you believe will improve your personal essay, then revise. It’s normal to go through many rounds of feedback and revisions to make your essay shine.

6. Finalize Your Essay and Decide if You’d Like to Submit for Publication

• Polish the Details: Make final adjustments to ensure your essay is clear, engaging, and free of errors.
• Follow Submission Guidelines: If you plan to submit your essay for publication, follow any specific formatting and submission guidelines required, such as word count, font size, margins, and spacing. Be sure to read these guidelines carefully and follow all of them exactly as stated. ( Here are some literary journals to submit to! )
• Self-publish: If you’re planning to publish the essay yourself on a personal blog or website, think of a title that suits your story and will attract readers.

As you become more advanced and invested in writing personal essays, you may want to try other styles beyond the standard narrative essay. Alternatively, you may still be a beginner but have an experience you’d like to write about in a more experimental style of personal essay.

Here are four examples of unique styles of the personal essay:

1. The Braided Essay

A braided personal essay weaves together multiple strands or storylines to create a cohesive whole. Each strand or thread of story may be different in terms of subject matter, time period, or perspective, but they are interconnected and work together to explore a common theme or idea. At first, the threads of a braided essay may seem mismatched or disjointed, but a central thread will always braid the strands together.

For more on the braided personal essay, check out our guide by instructor Zining Mok:

Braided Essays and How to Write Them

2. The Hermit Crab Essay

A hermit crab is a form of the personal essay where the writer adopts an external structure or container to tell a personal story. Just as a hermit crab inhabits a shell that was not originally its own, a hermit crab essay uses an existing form—such as a list, recipe, instruction manual, quiz, or any other non-narrative format—to present the writer’s narrative. This approach allows for a unique and often surprising exploration of personal experiences.

3. The Segmented Essay

A segmented personal essay is broken into distinct sections or segments, each focusing on different aspects of the central theme or story. These segments can vary in writing styles, length, and content, allowing the writer to explore a topic from multiple angles or perspectives. The segmented structure can create a mosaic-like effect, where each piece contributes to a fuller understanding of the whole.

4. The Lyric Essay

A lyric essay is a hybrid form of writing that combines the figurative language elements of poetry with the autobiographical details of the personal essay. It often blurs the boundaries between prose and poetry, incorporating lyrical language, fragmented structure, and emotional resonance to explore an experience or theme. The lyric essay is characterized by its emphasis on language, rhythm, mood and the exploration of personal and philosophical ideas, often in a non-linear and associative manner.

Learn more about writing the lyric essay here:

Writing Without Limits: Understanding the Lyric Essay

Personal narrative essays offer readers an engaging look into a writer’s innermost thoughts, feelings, and experiences, which provides a unique and intimate perspective on the chosen subject matter. It’s a truthful and revealing method of storytelling, where the reader is not just an observer but an active participant in the writer’s unfolding transformation. Writing a personal essay is never an easy endeavor, but it can surely be a rewarding one. (You can also have some fun with it, too!)

When you have a completed essay, what’s next? You might be interested in submitting to some literary journals. Here are 24 literary journals you can submit to—we hope you find a great home for your writing!

If you’re looking for additional feedback on your work, feel free to join our Facebook group . You can also take a look at our upcoming nonfiction courses , where you’ll learn the fundamentals of essay writing and make your story even more compelling.

Questions? Thoughts? Please leave any comments below. I’d love to hear from you!

Elle LaMarca

Thank you Elle. A most interesting topic. A just completed a poem that falls very closely to what you categorise as the lyrical narrative essay. I never realised at the time that this is what I actually did. What a joy to learn something new everyday.

Thank you, Philip. What a lovely discovery!

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Personal Narrative Writing Guide

WHAT IS A PERSONAL NARRATIVE?

A Personal Narrative recounts an event or experience from the writer’s life in story form and often in intimate detail. This text type not only relates to the events happening around the author but also often reveals the writer’s inner thoughts and emotions also.

A personal narrative can be understood as nonfiction storytelling based on the writer’s thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Told in the first person, the writer draws on their life events to construct a story.

Combining elements of nonfiction recount writing with introspection and the frequent use of literary devices more commonly associated with fiction and poetry, a personal narrative can be best understood as a type of creative nonfiction .

PERSONAL NARRATIVE VERSUS A PERSONAL RECOUNT: SO WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE?

Personal narratives are also frequently referred to as personal recounts. They share much in common but are unique text types, so let’s explore how they compare and contrast.

When we first instruct our students to write stories based on the events of their own lives, they will inevitably write simple recounts. These recounts are based on retelling personal incidents of their lives but lack the depth we can typically expect to find in a personal narrative.

While personal narratives also recount events from the writer’s life, with greater emphasis placed on exploring the writer’s thoughts and feelings on these events rather than just what happened.

A personal narrative is a means for the writer to explore the meaning of the events in their life. It is, at its core, an introspective and creative endeavor that focuses as much on the interior life of the writer as it does on external events.

While the conclusion of a traditional recount usually provides some of the writer’s insights, in a personal narrative, these are woven throughout the text.

STRUCTURE AND FEATURES OF A PERSONAL NARRATIVE

Personal narrative structure.

ORIENTATION Explain the who, what, when, and where of the experience in your introduction to your audience.

FOCUS Mainly focus on meaningful events.

CHRONOLOGY Events are described in the sequence in which they occurred.

ORGANIZATION Relevant information is organized into paragraphs

INSIGHT & MEANING Include personal comments, opinions or interpretations of the experience or event in your personal narrative.

PERSONAL NARRATIVE FEATURES

TENSE The first and third person are used most frequently and recall is always written in the past tense. Present tense can be used for analysis and opinion.

NOUNS Use proper nouns to refer to specific people, places times and events

VOICE Both active and passive voice are used in recounts. Use these to express your emotions and thinking clearly.

CONNECTIVES Use conjunctions and connectives to link events and indicate time sequence in your personal narrative.

A COMPLETE TEACHING UNIT ON PERSONAL NARRATIVE WRITING

Teach your students to write AMAZING PERSONAL NARRATIVES using a proven model of research skills, writing strategies and engaging content. ALL CONTENT, RESOURCES AND ASSESSMENT TOOLS INCLUDED covering.

Download this COMPLETE 85 PAGE UNIT today. NO PREPARATION REQUIRED.

HOW LONG SHOULD A PERSONAL NARRATIVE BE?

The personal narrative is a modern text type and therefore has no traditionally defined optimum length, and we can find texts ranging from a couple of hundred words to a multi-volume series in this genre. 

However, for our students, this text type can be thought of in terms of length as similar to an essay. Like an essay, the text needs to be long enough to comprehensively answer the question, prompt, or the event/experience the student is retelling.

David Sedaris, the American writer and one of the best-known writers of humorous personal narratives, has written many books that could accurately be classified in this genre.

While these full-length books are often built around a loose theme, each chapter could stand alone as a personal narrative essay in its own right, each built around a single identifiable experience or event. 

As with an essay, the length of a personal narrative can be based on a variety of factors, including:

• Age and ability of the students
• Specifics of the question or writing prompt
• Any limitation imposed by a word count
• The complexity of the event/experience being written about.

Regardless of length, given its structural similarity with the essay, personal narratives usually follow a basic three-part structure.

HOW TO WRITE A PERSONAL NARRATIVE STEP-BY-STEP

We mentioned previously that this text type is relatively modern, so there aren’t many fixed rules concerning structure. That said, we can usually identify three distinct parts of a personal narrative corresponding to the three parts outlined in the hamburger essay or the 5-paragraph essay format. These are:

• The introduction
• The body paragraphs
• The conclusion

If you want an in-depth guide to this format, check out our comprehensive article here . But, for now, let’s take a brief look at the purpose of each section as it relates to a personal narrative.

WRITING THE INTRODUCTION OF A PERSONAL NARRATIVE

The introduction of a personal narrative performs several functions. 

1: It hooks the Reader

The first job of the introduction is to ‘hook’ the reader. If we can’t catch the reader’s interest initially, there will be no middle or end for the reader. A strong hook is needed at the very outset, and it can take several forms. 

Some effective hooks to open a personal narrative with include:

• A bold claim
• An interesting anecdote
• A fascinating fact or revealing statistic
• A compelling quotation

Whichever technique the student chooses to open their narrative with, they should ensure it is relevant to the subject matter explored, whether it focuses on external or internal events or experiences or a mixture of both. 

2: It orients the Reader

Like many other nonfiction and fiction text types, the opening paragraph (or paragraphs) will also orient the reader by answering some basic questions such as:

• What is the text about?
• Who is in this story?
• Where is it set?
• When do the events or experiences occur?

While it may also hint at why these events or experiences matter, a detailed answer to the why of a personal narrative may be saved for the text’s conclusion.

This section of the personal narrative can also be thought of as The Exposition .

3: It Sets the Tone

The introduction reveals not only what the text will be about but also how the writer (and, by extension, the reader) will treat the topic. This is the tone.

For example, a more sombre tone has been established where the language used is serious and formal. In this instance, the reader will adopt a more serious approach to the work.

On the other hand, if the treatment of the event or experience is humorous, this will be apparent in the language choices the writer makes and the mood they establish. Going forward, the reader can reasonably expect to be amused by what’s to come in the text.

THE BODY PARAGRAPHS OF A PERSONAL NARRATIVE

The body paragraphs of a personal narrative comprise the bulk of the text. 

As with any type of recount, this section will generally focus on the chronological retelling of an event or experience. 

However, there is another significant difference between this type of recount and the other types.’ The root of this difference can be found in the word ‘narrative’.

While the body paragraphs of a personal narrative can make use of some of the defining characteristics of more traditional types of recount, if the introduction acts as the exposition of the setting and character of the story, the body paragraphs move the text along its story arc.

Though we will cover the main elements briefly, structuring a story is an art in itself and if you want to find out more about it, check out our detailed article on the subject here.

Also, if you want to learn more about the structure of general recounts, find out more here .

While we’ve seen that the introduction of a personal narrative corresponds to a story’s exposition, the following elements of a story arc can be found in the text’s body.

1: The Problem

The problem or conflict is an essential ingredient in any story worth the name. It creates the story’s focal point, ignites the reader’s interest, and drives the story forward. In a personal narrative, this problem can be internal or external, however, there is often an emphasis placed on how the issues affect the writer psychologically.  2: The Rising Action  

As the narrative develops, the dramatic tension will tend to increase. The main problem will intensify, or the writer may introduce additional more minor problems to amp things up. 3: The Climax

This is where the story reaches its dramatic high point. In the case of a personal narrative where the conflict or problem is psychological, this drama and its climax may play out internally.

WRITING THE CONCLUSION OF YOUR PERSONAL NARRATIVE ESSAY

This third and final section of the personal narrative performs a slightly different function to a regular essay’s conclusion. 

While the conclusions of most nonfiction text types focus on restating a central thesis and/or providing a summary of arguments, the conclusion in a personal narrative follows a story’s final section more closely. 

That is, it usually contains the story’s falling action and resolution.

Let’s take a quick look at each.

1: The Falling Action

The story arc dips in dramatic tension after the dramatic high point of the climax. As personal narratives often focus on ‘internal’ events, this ‘action’ can also occur internally. 2: Resolution

The resolution marks the end of the story, and in this text type, it usually involves some personal change in circumstances or transformation. It can also take the form of a lesson learned or new knowledge attained.

TIPS FOR WRITING A GREAT PERSONAL NARRATIVE ESSAY

• Begin with a clear and compelling story: Your personal narrative essay should focus on a significant event or experience in your life that you want to share with the reader.
• Write in the first person perspective: Use “I” statements to describe your experiences and thoughts and take us inside your mind.
• Be descriptive: To bring your story to life, use descriptive language to paint a picture of the sights, sounds, and emotions of your experience.
• Focus on what matters the most: Tell a powerful story with just a few key details. When writing your personal narrative, focus on the most impactful events and thoughts that help convey your message.
• Emphasize the impact the experience had upon you: Leave the reader with a clear understanding of the impact that the experience had on your life.
• Be true to yourself: Ensure your personal narrative essay is honest and genuine in your descriptions and reflections.
• Deliver a powerful ending: The conclusion should summarize the major points of your essay and leave the reader with a lasting impression.
• Review and Revise: Don’t be afraid to proofread your essay several times to ensure it is the best it can be.

Teaching Resources

Use our resources and tools to improve your student’s writing skills through proven teaching strategies.

PERSONAL NARRATIVE TEACHING STRATEGIES AND ACTIVITIES

PERSONAL NARRATIVE PRACTICE EXERCISE: ACTIVITY 1

• Organise your students into small groups of four or five
• Provide each group with a selection of personal recounts
• Can the students identify how each sample text attempts to hook the reader in the opening paragraph?
• How effectively does the introduction of each text orient the reader?
• What is the tone of the text? How has this tone been created?

PERSONAL NARRATIVE PRACTICE EXERCISE: ACTIVITY 2

In their groups, with their sample personal narrative texts, ask students to identify how the writer deals with each element as listed below and discuss how effectively they have done so.

• The Problem
• The Rising Action

PERSONAL NARRATIVE PRACTICE EXERCISE: ACTIVITY 3

Now students understand how to structure and write each stage of their personal narrative, encourage them to spend some time brainstorming events and experiences from their lives that could serve as the topic for their writing.

When they have chosen a suitable topic, instruct them to begin planning the writing of their text using the categories listed above. They might even wish to create a simple graphic organizer to help. 

For example:

Introduction

• What is the opening hook?

Body Paragraphs

• What is the central problem?
• What happens in the rising action?
• How does the climax play out?
• What happens in the falling action?
• What is the resolution of the story?

Once students have their narrative adequately planned, it’s time to get them writing earnestly to put all that theory into practice.

PERSONAL NARRATIVE WRITING TEMPLATE / GRAPHIC ORGANIZER

PERSONAL NARRATIVE WRITING EXAMPLES

VIDEO TUTORIAL ON PERSONAL NARRATIVE WRITING

NARRATIVE WRITING CHECKLIST BUNDLE

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RELEVANT ARTICLES

How to Write a Recount Text (And Improve your Writing Skills)

How to Write a Historical Recount Text

5 Easy Recount Writing Lesson Plans students love.

15 Awesome Recount & Personal Narrative Topics

Explore our Teaching Unit on PERSONAL NARRATIVES

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• How To Write a Narrative Essay: Guide With Examples
• Learn English
• James Prior
• No Comments
• Updated December 12, 2023

Welcome to the creative world of narrative essays where you get to become the storyteller and craft your own narrative. In this article, we’ll break down how to write a narrative essay, covering the essential elements and techniques that you need to know.

What is a Narrative Essay?

A narrative essay is a form of writing where the author recounts a personal experience or story. Unlike other types of essays, a narrative essay allows you to share a real-life event or sequence of events, often drawing from personal insights and emotions.

In a narrative essay, you take on the role of a storyteller, employing vivid details and descriptive language to transport the reader into the world of your story. The narrative often unfolds in chronological order, guiding the audience through a journey of experiences, reflections, and sometimes, a lesson learned.

The success of a narrative essay lies in your ability to create a compelling narrative arc. This means establishing a clear beginning, middle, and end. This structure helps build suspense, maintain the reader’s interest, and deliver a cohesive and impactful story. Ultimately, a well-crafted narrative essay not only narrates an event but also communicates the deeper meaning or significance behind the experience, making it a powerful and memorable piece of writing and leaving a lasting impression on the reader.

Types of Narrative Essays

Narrative essays come in various forms, each with unique characteristics. The most common type of narrative essay are personal narrative essays where you write about a personal experience. This can cover a whole range of topics as these examples of personal narrative essays illustrate. As a student in school or college, you’ll often be asked to write these types of essays. You may also need to write them later in life when applying for jobs and describing your past experiences.

However, this isn’t the only type of narrative essay. There are also fictional narrative essays that you can write using your imagination, and various subject specific narrative essays that you might have come across without even realizing it.

So, it’s worth knowing about the different types of narrative essays and what they each focus on before we move on to how to write them.

Here are some common types of narrative essays:

• Focus on a personal experience or event from the author’s life.
• Use the first-person perspective to convey the writer’s emotions and reflections.
• Can take many forms, from science fiction and fantasy to adventure and romance.
• Spark the imagination to create captivating stories.
• Provide a detailed account of the author’s life, often covering a significant timespan.
• Explore key life events, achievements, challenges, and personal growth.
• Reflect on the writer’s experiences with language, reading, or writing.
• Explore how these experiences have shaped the writer’s identity and skills
• Document the author’s experiences and insights gained from a journey or travel.
• Describe places visited, people encountered, and the lessons learned during the trip.
• Explore historical events or periods through a personal lens.
• Combine factual information with the writer’s perspective and experiences.

The narrative essay type you’ll work with often depends on the purpose, audience, and nature of the story being told. So, how should you write narrative essays?

How To Write Narrative Essays

From selecting the right topic to building a captivating storyline, we explore the basics to guide you in creating engaging narratives. So, grab your pen, and let’s delve into the fundamentals of writing a standout narrative essay.

Before we start, it’s worth pointing out that most narrative essays are written in the first-person. Through the use of first-person perspective, you get to connect with the reader, offering a glimpse into your thoughts, reactions, and the significance of the story being shared.

Let’s get into how to create these stories:

Write your plot

If you want to tell a compelling story you need a good plot. Your plot will give your story a structure. Every good story includes some kind of conflict. You should start with setting the scene for readers. After this, you introduce a challenge or obstacle. Readers will keep reading until the end to find out how you managed to overcome it.

Your story should reach a climax where tension is highest. This will be the turning point that leads to a resolution. For example, moving outside of your comfort zone was difficult and scary. It wasn’t easy at first but eventually, you grew braver and more confident. Readers should discover more about who you are as a person through what they read.

A seasoned writer knows how to craft a story that connects with an audience and creates an impact.

Hook readers with your introduction

In your introduction, you will introduce the main idea of your essay and set the context. Ways to make it more engaging are to:

• Use sensory images to describe the setting in which your story takes place.
• Use a quote that illustrates your main idea.
• Pose an intriguing question.
• Introduce an unexpected fact or a statement that grabs attention.

Develop your characters

You need to make readers feel they know any characters you introduce in your narrative essay. You can do this by revealing their personalities and quirks through the actions they take. It is always better to show the actions of characters rather than giving facts about them. Describing a character’s body language and features can also reveal a great deal about the person. You can check out these adjectives to describe a person to get some inspiration.

Use dialogue

Dialogue can bring your narrative essay to life. Most fiction books use dialogue extensively . It helps to move the story along in a subtle way. When you allow characters to talk, what they have to say seems more realistic. You can use similes , metaphors, and other parts of speech to make your story more compelling. Just make sure the dialogue is written clearly with the right punctuation so readers understand exactly who is talking.

Work on the pace of the story

Your story must flow along at a steady pace. If there’s too much action, readers may get confused. If you use descriptive writing, try not to overdo it. The clear, concise language throughout will appeal to readers more than lengthy descriptions.

Build up towards a climax

This is the point at which the tension in your story is the highest. A compelling climax takes readers by surprise. They may not have seen it coming. This doesn’t mean your climax should come out of left field. You need to carefully lead up to it step by step and guide readers along. When you reveal it they should be able to look back and realize it’s logical.

Cut out what you don’t need

Your story will suffer if you include too much detail that doesn’t move your story along. It may flow better once you cut out some unnecessary details. Most narrative essays are about five paragraphs but this will depend on the topic and requirements.

In a narrative essay, you share your experiences and insights. The journey you take your readers on should leave them feeling moved or inspired. It takes practice to learn how to write in a way that causes this reaction. With a good plot as your guide, it’s easier to write a compelling story that flows toward a satisfying resolution.

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How to write a narrative essay [Updated 2023]

A narrative essay is an opportunity to flex your creative muscles and craft a compelling story. In this blog post, we define what a narrative essay is and provide strategies and examples for writing one.

What is a narrative essay?

Similarly to a descriptive essay or a reflective essay, a narrative essay asks you to tell a story, rather than make an argument and present evidence. Most narrative essays describe a real, personal experience from your own life (for example, the story of your first big success).

Alternately, your narrative essay might focus on an imagined experience (for example, how your life would be if you had been born into different circumstances). While you don’t need to present a thesis statement or scholarly evidence, a narrative essay still needs to be well-structured and clearly organized so that the reader can follow your story.

When you might be asked to write a narrative essay

Although less popular than argumentative essays or expository essays, narrative essays are relatively common in high school and college writing classes.

The same techniques that you would use to write a college essay as part of a college or scholarship application are applicable to narrative essays, as well. In fact, the Common App that many students use to apply to multiple colleges asks you to submit a narrative essay.

How to choose a topic for a narrative essay

When you are asked to write a narrative essay, a topic may be assigned to you or you may be able to choose your own. With an assigned topic, the prompt will likely fall into one of two categories: specific or open-ended.

Examples of specific prompts:

• Write about the last vacation you took.
• Write about your final year of middle school.

Examples of open-ended prompts:

• Write about a time when you felt all hope was lost.
• Write about a brief, seemingly insignificant event that ended up having a big impact on your life.

A narrative essay tells a story and all good stories are centered on a conflict of some sort. Experiences with unexpected obstacles, twists, or turns make for much more compelling essays and reveal more about your character and views on life.

If you’re writing a narrative essay as part of an admissions application, remember that the people reviewing your essay will be looking at it to gain a sense of not just your writing ability, but who you are as a person.

In these cases, it’s wise to choose a topic and experience from your life that demonstrates the qualities that the prompt is looking for, such as resilience, perseverance, the ability to stay calm under pressure, etc.

It’s also important to remember that your choice of topic is just a starting point. Many students find that they arrive at new ideas and insights as they write their first draft, so the final form of your essay may have a different focus than the one you started with.

How to outline and format a narrative essay

Even though you’re not advancing an argument or proving a point of view, a narrative essay still needs to have a coherent structure. Your reader has to be able to follow you as you tell the story and to figure out the larger point that you’re making.

You’ll be evaluated on is your handling of the topic and how you structure your essay. Even though a narrative essay doesn’t use the same structure as other essay types, you should still sketch out a loose outline so you can tell your story in a clear and compelling way.

To outline a narrative essay, you’ll want to determine:

• how your story will start
• what points or specifics that you want to cover
• how your story will end
• what pace and tone you will use

In the vast majority of cases, a narrative essay should be written in the first-person, using “I.” Also, most narrative essays will follow typical formatting guidelines, so you should choose a readable font like Times New Roman in size 11 or 12. Double-space your paragraphs and use 1” margins.

To get your creative wheels turning, consider how your story compares to archetypes and famous historical and literary figures both past and present. Weave these comparisons into your essay to improve the quality of your writing and connect your personal experience to a larger context.

How to write a narrative essay

Writing a narrative essay can sometimes be a challenge for students who typically write argumentative essays or research papers in a formal, objective style. To give you a better sense of how you can write a narrative essay, here is a short example of an essay in response to the prompt, “Write about an experience that challenged your view of yourself.”

Narrative essay example

Even as a child, I always had what people might call a reserved personality. It was sometimes framed as a positive (“Sarah is a good listener”) and at other times it was put in less-than-admiring terms (“Sarah is withdrawn and not very talkative”). It was the latter kind of comments that caused me to see my introverted nature as a drawback and as something I should work to eliminate. That is, until I joined my high school’s student council.

The first paragraph, or introduction, sets up the context, establishing the situation and introducing the meaningful event upon which the essay will focus.

The other four students making up the council were very outspoken and enthusiastic. I enjoyed being around them, and I often agreed with their ideas. However, when it came to overhauling our school’s recycling plan, we butted heads. When I spoke up and offered a different point of view, one of my fellow student council members launched into a speech, advocating for her point of view. As her voice filled the room, I couldn’t get a word in edgewise. I wondered if I should try to match her tone, volume, and assertiveness as a way to be heard. But I just couldn’t do it—it’s not my way, and it never has been. For a fleeting moment, I felt defeated. But then, something in me shifted.

In this paragraph, the writer goes into greater depth about how her existing thinking brought her to this point.

I reminded myself that my view was valid and deserved to be heard. So I waited. I let my fellow council member speak her piece and when she was finished, I deliberately waited a few moments before calmly stating my case. I chose my words well, and I spoke them succinctly. Just because I’m not a big talker doesn’t mean I’m not a big thinker. I thought of the quotation “still waters run deep” and I tried to embody that. The effect on the room was palpable. People listened. And I hadn’t had to shout my point to be heard.

This paragraph demonstrates the turn in the story, the moment when everything changed. The use of the quotation “still waters run deep” imbues the story with a dash of poetry and emotion.

We eventually reached a compromise on the matter and concluded the student council meeting. Our council supervisor came to me afterward and said: “You handled that so well, with such grace and poise. I was very impressed.” Her words in that moment changed me. I realized that a bombastic nature isn't necessarily a powerful one. There is power in quiet, too. This experience taught me to view my reserved personality not as a character flaw, but as a strength.

The final paragraph, or conclusion, closes with a statement about the significance of this event and how it ended up changing the writer in a meaningful way.

Narrative essay writing tips

1. pick a meaningful story that has a conflict and a clear “moral.”.

If you’re able to choose your own topic, pick a story that has meaning and that reveals how you became the person your are today. In other words, write a narrative with a clear “moral” that you can connect with your main points.

2. Use an outline to arrange the structure of your story and organize your main points.

Although a narrative essay is different from argumentative essays, it’s still beneficial to construct an outline so that your story is well-structured and organized. Note how you want to start and end your story, and what points you want to make to tie everything together.

3. Be clear, concise, concrete, and correct in your writing.

You should use descriptive writing in your narrative essay, but don’t overdo it. Use clear, concise, and correct language and grammar throughout. Additionally, make concrete points that reinforce the main idea of your narrative.

4. Ask a friend or family member to proofread your essay.

No matter what kind of writing you’re doing, you should always plan to proofread and revise. To ensure that your narrative essay is coherent and interesting, ask a friend or family member to read over your paper. This is especially important if your essay is responding to a prompt. It helps to have another person check to make sure that you’ve fully responded to the prompt or question.

Frequently Asked Questions about narrative essays

A narrative essay, like any essay, has three main parts: an introduction, a body and a conclusion. Structuring and outlining your essay before you start writing will help you write a clear story that your readers can follow.

The first paragraph of your essay, or introduction, sets up the context, establishing the situation and introducing the meaningful event upon which the essay will focus.

In the vast majority of cases, a narrative essay should be written in the first-person, using “I.”

The 4 main types of essays are the argumentative essay, narrative essay, exploratory essay, and expository essay. You may be asked to write different types of essays at different points in your education.

Most narrative essays will be around five paragraphs, or more, depending on the topic and requirements. Make sure to check in with your instructor about the guidelines for your essay. If you’re writing a narrative essay for a college application, pay close attention to word or page count requirements.

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Writing a Personal Narrative Essay: Everything You Need to Know

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Struggling to write a compelling personal narrative essay? You’re not alone; many students find it challenging to create a story that is both engaging and meaningful. 

It can feel overwhelming, but we're here to help. This blog will guide you through each step of writing a personal narrative essay, offering clear tips. 

Plus, we provide free examples to make sure your essay stands out.

• 1. What’s a Personal Narrative Essay?
• 2. Steps to Write a Personal Narrative Essay
• 3. Personal Narrative Essay Examples
• 4. Good Personal Narrative Essay Topics

What’s a Personal Narrative Essay?

A personal narrative essay is a type of narrative essay where you tell a story about an experience from your own life. It's like sharing a personal story with your readers. 

In these essays, you don't just tell what happened; you also share how you felt, what you learned, or why the experience was important to you. It's all about expressing yourself and giving your readers a glimpse into your life.

Personal narrative essays can cover a wide range of topics, from memorable events and adventures to challenges you've faced or lessons you've learned. They allow you to connect with your readers on a personal level and share your unique perspective with the world.

Steps to Write a Personal Narrative Essay

Writing a personal narrative essay involves a series of steps. Each step is important for creating a clear and engaging story. Here’s how to write a personal narrative essay in easy steps:

Step 1: Choose a Topic

Start by picking a topic that means something to you. It could be an important event, a challenge you faced, or a memorable experience. Make sure it's something you care about and that others might find interesting too.

Step 2: Make an Outline

Before you start writing, outline your story. This helps you organize your thoughts and keep your essay structured. Include the main parts like the introduction, key events, and the conclusion. An outline will guide you as you write.

Step 3: Write an Introduction

Your introduction should catch the reader’s attention. Begin with something interesting like a short story, a surprising fact, or a question. Briefly introduce what your essay will be about and set the stage for your story.

Step 4: Develop the Story

Tell your story in a clear order. Describe the key events and experiences in detail. Make sure your story flows smoothly from one event to the next. Use simple and clear language to keep your readers interested.

Step 5: Describe the Characters

Give details about the people in your story, including yourself. Explain their personalities and how they fit into your story. Show how the events affected you and the other characters, highlighting any changes or growth.

Step 6: Use Descriptive Language

Use clear and vivid descriptions to bring your story to life. Describe what you saw, heard, felt, tasted, and smelled. This helps your readers imagine your experiences and feel connected to your story.

Step 7: Write a Conclusion

Your conclusion should wrap up your story. Summarize the main points and reflect on what you learned from the experience. Leave your readers with a final thought or message that stays with them.

Step 8: Revise and Edit

After writing your first draft, take time to revise and edit. Look for ways to improve clarity and flow. Check for any grammar or spelling mistakes. You might also ask someone else to read your essay and give feedback.

This last step helps you catch any small mistakes and ensures your essay is polished.

Personal Narrative Essay Examples

Examples are incredibly helpful in understanding the art of personal narrative essay writing. 

Here is a sample personal narrative essay:

Here are some more examples you should consider:

High School Personal Narrative Essay

Personal Narrative Essay Example High School

College Personal Narrative Essay

Personal Narrative Essay Example College

Personal Narrative Essay 750 Words

Example of Personal Narrative Essay About Yourself

Take a look at some more narrative essay examples to have a better understanding of structuring your essays. 

Good Personal Narrative Essay Topics

A good personal narrative essay topic is one that allows you to share a meaningful experience from your life in a compelling and engaging way. 

It should be a topic that you feel passionate about and that has had a significant impact on you. Ideally, the topic should be relatable to your audience, allowing them to connect with your story on a personal level. 

Good personal narrative essay topics often revolve around:

• A Moment That Changed My Life Forever
• The Best Decision I Ever Made
• Lessons Learned from Failure
• My Journey to Self-Discovery
• An Unforgettable Travel Experience
• A Family Tradition That Shaped Me
• The Power of Forgiveness: My Story
• How I Overcame Adversity
• A Childhood Memory That Still Influences Me
• An Unexpected Act of Kindness I Received

Take a look at this list of narrative essay topics to get inspiration for your essay. 

So there you have it!

By following this guide, you'll be well-equipped to write compelling personal narrative essays. You can craft compelling, meaningful stories that engage and resonate with your audience.

Are you in search of the best online essay writing service ? We have got you covered.

Our narrative essay writing service has experienced writers skilled in crafting high-quality essays. Whether it's a narrative essay or any other type, we're here to provide top-notch results.

So, get in touch with us today and experience the difference.

Frequently Asked Questions

What to write in a personal narrative essay.

In a personal narrative essay, write about a significant personal experience. Include an engaging introduction and detailed body paragraphs that describe the events and emotions. Finish the essay with a conclusion that reflects on the importance of the experience and what you learned.

What is the format of a personal narrative essay?

A personal narrative essay follows a specific format: Start with an introduction that includes a hook and introduces the main theme. Then, develop the plot by describing the sequence of events leading to a climax or turning point. Highlight the conflict or main challenge that drives the story, and conclude with a reflection on the significance of the experience and what you learned.

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10 Personal Narrative Examples to Inspire Your Writing

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About Martin Cavannagh

Head of Content at Reedsy, Martin has spent over eight years helping writers turn their ambitions into reality. As a voice in the indie publishing space, he has written for a number of outlets and spoken at conferences, including the 2024 Writers Summit at the London Book Fair.

Personal narratives are short pieces of creative nonfiction that recount a story from someone’s own experiences. They can be a memoir, a thinkpiece, or even a polemic — so long as the piece is grounded in the writer's beliefs and experiences, it can be considered a personal narrative.

Despite the nonfiction element, there’s no single way to approach this topic, and you can be as creative as you would be writing fiction. To inspire your writing and reveal the sheer diversity of this type of essay, here are ten great examples personal narratives from recent years: 

1. “Only Disconnect” by Gary Shteyngart

Personal narratives don’t have to be long to be effective, as this thousand-word gem from the NYT book review proves. Published in 2010, just as smartphones were becoming a ubiquitous part of modern life, this piece echoes many of our fears surrounding technology and how it often distances us from reality.

In this narrative, Shteyngart navigates Manhattan using his new iPhone—or more accurately, is led by his iPhone, completely oblivious to the world around him. He’s completely lost to the magical happenstance of the city as he “follow[s] the arrow taco-ward”. But once he leaves for the country, and abandons the convenience of a cell phone connection, the real world comes rushing back in and he remembers what he’s been missing out on. 

The downfalls of technology is hardly a new topic, but Shteyngart’s story remains evergreen because of how our culture has only spiraled further down the rabbit hole of technology addiction in the intervening years.

What can you learn from this piece?

Just because a piece of writing is technically nonfiction, that doesn’t mean that the narrative needs to be literal. Shteyngart imagines a Manhattan that physically changes around him when he’s using his iPhone, becoming an almost unrecognizable world. From this, we can see how a certain amount of dramatization can increase the impact of your message—even if that wasn’t exactly the way something happened. 

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2. “Why I Hate Mother's Day” by Anne Lamott

The author of the classic writing text Bird by Bird digs into her views on motherhood in this piece from Salon. At once a personal narrative and a cultural commentary, Lamott explores the harmful effects that Mother’s Day may have on society —how its blind reverence to the concept of motherhood erases women’s agency and freedom to be flawed human beings. 

Lamott points out that not all mothers are good, not everyone has a living mother to celebrate, and some mothers have lost their children, so have no one to celebrate with them. More importantly, she notes how this Hallmark holiday erases all the people who helped raise a woman, a long chain of mothers and fathers, friends and found family, who enable her to become a mother. While it isn’t anchored to a single story or event (like many classic personal narratives), Lamott’s exploration of her opinions creates a story about a culture that puts mothers on an impossible pedestal. 

In a personal narrative essay, lived experience can be almost as valid as peer-reviewed research—so long as you avoid making unfounded assumptions. While some might point out that this is merely an opinion piece, Lamott cannily starts the essay by grounding it in the personal, revealing how she did not raise her son to celebrate Mother’s Day. This detail, however small, invites the reader into her private life and frames this essay as a story about her —and not just an exercise in being contrary.

3. “The Crane Wife” by CJ Hauser 

Days after breaking off her engagement with her fiance, CJ Hauser joins a scientific expedition on the Texas coast r esearching whooping cranes . In this new environment, she reflects on the toxic relationship she left and how she found herself in this situation. She pulls together many seemingly disparate threads, using the expedition and the Japanese myth of the crane wife as a metaphor for her struggles. 

Hauser’s interactions with the other volunteer researchers expand the scope of the narrative from her own mind, reminding her of the compassion she lacked in her relationship. In her attempts to make herself smaller, less needy, to please her fiance, she lost sight of herself and almost signed up to live someone else’s life, but among the whooping cranes of Texas, she takes the first step in reconnecting with herself.

With short personal narratives, there isn’t as much room to develop characters as you might have in a memoir so the details you do provide need to be clear and specific. Each of the volunteer researchers on Hauser’s expedition are distinct and recognizable though Hauser is economical in her descriptions. 

For example, Hauser describes one researcher as “an eighty-four-year-old bachelor from Minnesota. He could not do most of the physical activities required by the trip, but had been on ninety-five Earthwatch expeditions, including this one once before. Warren liked birds okay. What Warren really loved was cocktail hour.” 

In a few sentences, we get a clear picture of Warren's fun-loving, gregarious personality and how he fits in with the rest of the group.

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4. “The Trash Heap Has Spoken” by Carmen Maria Machado

The films and TV shows of the 80s and 90s—cultural touchstones that practically raised a generation—hardly ever featured larger women on screen. And if they did, it was either as a villain or a literal trash heap. Carmen Maria Machado grew up watching these cartoons, and the absence of fat women didn’t faze her. Not until puberty hit and she went from a skinny kid to a fuller-figured teen. Suddenly uncomfortable in her skin, she struggled to find any positive representation in her favorite media.

As she gets older and more comfortable in her own body, Machado finds inspiration in Marjory the Trash Heap from Fraggle Rock and Ursula, everyone’s favorite sea witch from The Little Mermaid —characters with endless power in the unapologetic ways they inhabit their bodies. As Machado considers her own body through the years, it’s these characters she returns to as she faces society’s unkind, dismissive attitudes towards fat women.

Stories shape the world, even if they’re fictional. Some writers strive for realism, reflecting the world back on itself in all its ugliness, but Carmen Maria Machado makes a different point. There is power in being imaginative and writing the world as it could be, imagining something bigger, better, and more beautiful. So, write the story you want to see, change the narrative, look at it sideways, and show your readers how the world could look. 

5. “Am I Disabled?” by Joanne Limburg 

The titular question frames the narrative of Joanne Limburg’s essay as she considers the implications of disclosing her autism. What to some might seem a mundane occurrence—ticking ‘yes’, ‘no’, or ‘prefer not to say’ on a bureaucratic form—elicits both philosophical and practical questions for Limburg about what it means to be disabled and how disability is viewed by the majority of society. 

Is the labor of disclosing her autism worth the insensitive questions she has to answer? What definition are people seeking, exactly? Will anyone believe her if she says yes? As she dissects the question of what disability is, she explores the very real personal effects this has on her life and those of other disabled people. 

Limburg’s essay is written in a style known as the hermit crab essay , when an author uses an existing document form to contain their story. You can format your writing as a recipe, a job application, a resume, an email, or a to-do list – the possibilities are as endless as your creativity. The format you choose is important, though. It should connect in some way to the story you’re telling and add something to the reader’s experience as well as your overall theme. 

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6. “Living Like Weasels” by Annie Dillard

While out on a walk in the woods behind her house, Annie Dillard encounters a wild weasel. In the short moment when they make eye contact, Dillard takes an imaginary journey through the weasel’s mind and wonders if the weasel’s approach to life is better than her own. 

The weasel, as Dillard sees it, is a wild creature with jaws so powerful that when it clamps on to something, it won’t let go, even into death. Necessity drives it to be like this, and humanity, obsessed with choice, might think this kind of life is limiting, but the writer believes otherwise. The weasel’s necessity is the ultimate freedom, as long as you can find the right sort, the kind that will have you holding on for dear life and refusing to let go. 

Make yourself the National Geographic explorer of your backyard or neighborhood and see what you can learn about yourself from what you discover. Annie Dillard, queen of the natural personal essay, discovers a lot about herself and her beliefs when meeting a weasel.

What insight can you glean from a blade of grass, for example? Does it remind you that despite how similar people might be, we are all unique? Do the flights of migrating birds give you perspective on the changes in your own life? Nature is a potent and never-ending spring of inspiration if you only think to look. 

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7. “Love In Our Seventies” by Ellery Akers

“ And sometimes, when I lift the gray hair at the back of your neck and kiss your shoulder, I think, This is it.”

In under 400 words, poet Ellery Akers captures the joy she has found in discovering romance as a 75-year-old . The language is romantic, but her imagery is far from saccharine as she describes their daily life and the various states in which they’ve seen each other: in their pajamas, after cataract surgeries, while meditating. In each singular moment, Akers sees something she loves, underscoring an oft-forgotten truth. Love is most potent in its smallest gestures.  

Personal narrative isn’t a defined genre with rigid rules, so your essay doesn’t have to be an essay. It can be a poem, as Akers’ is. The limitations of this form can lead to greater creativity as you’re trying to find a short yet evocative way to tell a story. It allows you to focus deeply on the emotions behind an idea and create an intimate connection with your reader. 

8. “What a Black Woman Wishes Her Adoptive White Parents Knew” by Mariama Lockington

Mariama Lockington was adopted by her white parents in the early 80s, long before it was “trendy” for white people to adopt black children. Starting with a family photograph, the writer explores her complex feelings about her upbringing , the many ways her parents ignored her race for their own comfort, and how she came to feel like an outsider in her own home. In describing her childhood snapshots, she takes the reader from infancy to adulthood as she navigates trying to live as a black woman in a white family. 

Lockington takes us on a journey through her life through a series of vignettes. These small, important moments serve as a framing device, intertwining to create a larger narrative about race, family, and belonging. 

With this framing device, it’s easy to imagine Lockington poring over a photo album, each picture conjuring a different memory and infusing her story with equal parts sadness, regret, and nostalgia. You can create a similar effect by separating your narrative into different songs to create an album or episodes in a TV show. A unique structure can add an extra layer to your narrative and enhance the overall story.

9. “Drinking Chai to Savannah” by Anjali Enjeti

On a trip to Savannah with her friends, Anjali Enjeti is reminded of a racist incident she experienced as a teenager . The memory is prompted by her discomfort of traveling in Georgia as a South Asian woman and her friends’ seeming obliviousness to how others view them. As she recalls the tense and traumatic encounter she had in line at a Wendy’s and the worry she experiences in Savannah, Enjeti reflects on her understanding of otherness and race in America. 

Enjeti paints the scene in Wendy’s with a deft hand. Using descriptive language, she invokes the five senses to capture the stress and fear she felt when the men in line behind her were hurling racist sentiments. 

She writes, “He moves closer. His shadow eclipses mine. His hot, tobacco-tinged breath seeps over the collar of my dress.” The strong, evocative language she uses brings the reader into the scene and has them experience the same anxiety she does, understanding why this incident deeply impacted her. 

10. “Siri Tells A Joke” by Debra Gwartney

One day, Debra Gwartney asks Siri—her iPhone’s digital assistant—to tell her a joke. In reply, Siri recites a joke with a familiar setup about three men stuck on a desert island. When the punchline comes, Gwartney reacts not with laughter, but with a memory of her husband , who had died less than six months prior.

In a short period, Gwartney goes through a series of losses—first, her house and her husband’s writing archives to a wildfire, and only a month after, her husband. As she reflects on death and the grief of those left behind in the wake of it, she recounts the months leading up to her husband’s passing and the interminable stretch after as she tries to find a way to live without him even as she longs for him. 

A joke about three men on a deserted island seems like an odd setup for an essay about grief. However, Gwartney uses it to great effect, coming back to it later in the story and giving it greater meaning. By the end of her piece, she recontextualizes the joke, the original punchline suddenly becoming deeply sad. In taking something seemingly unrelated and calling back to it later, the essay’s message about grief and love becomes even more powerful.

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The Ultimate Narrative Essay Guide for Beginners

A narrative essay tells a story in chronological order, with an introduction that introduces the characters and sets the scene. Then a series of events leads to a climax or turning point, and finally a resolution or reflection on the experience.

Speaking of which, are you in sixes and sevens about narrative essays? Don’t worry this ultimate expert guide will wipe out all your doubts. So let’s get started.

Everything You Need to Know About Narrative Essay

What is a narrative essay.

When you go through a narrative essay definition, you would know that a narrative essay purpose is to tell a story. It’s all about sharing an experience or event and is different from other types of essays because it’s more focused on how the event made you feel or what you learned from it, rather than just presenting facts or an argument. Let’s explore more details on this interesting write-up and get to know how to write a narrative essay.

Elements of a Narrative Essay

Here’s a breakdown of the key elements of a narrative essay:

A narrative essay has a beginning, middle, and end. It builds up tension and excitement and then wraps things up in a neat package.

Real people, including the writer, often feature in personal narratives. Details of the characters and their thoughts, feelings, and actions can help readers to relate to the tale.

It’s really important to know when and where something happened so we can get a good idea of the context. Going into detail about what it looks like helps the reader to really feel like they’re part of the story.

Conflict or Challenge 

A story in a narrative essay usually involves some kind of conflict or challenge that moves the plot along. It could be something inside the character, like a personal battle, or something from outside, like an issue they have to face in the world.

Theme or Message

A narrative essay isn’t just about recounting an event – it’s about showing the impact it had on you and what you took away from it. It’s an opportunity to share your thoughts and feelings about the experience, and how it changed your outlook.

Emotional Impact

The author is trying to make the story they’re telling relatable, engaging, and memorable by using language and storytelling to evoke feelings in whoever’s reading it.

Narrative essays let writers have a blast telling stories about their own lives. It’s an opportunity to share insights and impart wisdom, or just have some fun with the reader. Descriptive language, sensory details, dialogue, and a great narrative voice are all essentials for making the story come alive.

The Purpose of a Narrative Essay

A narrative essay is more than just a story – it’s a way to share a meaningful, engaging, and relatable experience with the reader. Includes:

Sharing Personal Experience

Narrative essays are a great way for writers to share their personal experiences, feelings, thoughts, and reflections. It’s an opportunity to connect with readers and make them feel something.

Entertainment and Engagement

The essay attempts to keep the reader interested by using descriptive language, storytelling elements, and a powerful voice. It attempts to pull them in and make them feel involved by creating suspense, mystery, or an emotional connection.

Conveying a Message or Insight

Narrative essays are more than just a story – they aim to teach you something. They usually have a moral lesson, a new understanding, or a realization about life that the author gained from the experience.

Building Empathy and Understanding

By telling their stories, people can give others insight into different perspectives, feelings, and situations. Sharing these tales can create compassion in the reader and help broaden their knowledge of different life experiences.

Inspiration and Motivation

Stories about personal struggles, successes, and transformations can be really encouraging to people who are going through similar situations. It can provide them with hope and guidance, and let them know that they’re not alone.

Reflecting on Life’s Significance

These essays usually make you think about the importance of certain moments in life or the impact of certain experiences. They make you look deep within yourself and ponder on the things you learned or how you changed because of those events.

Demonstrating Writing Skills

Coming up with a gripping narrative essay takes serious writing chops, like vivid descriptions, powerful language, timing, and organization. It’s an opportunity for writers to show off their story-telling abilities.

Preserving Personal History

Sometimes narrative essays are used to record experiences and special moments that have an emotional resonance. They can be used to preserve individual memories or for future generations to look back on.

Cultural and Societal Exploration

Personal stories can look at cultural or social aspects, giving us an insight into customs, opinions, or social interactions seen through someone’s own experience.

Format of a Narrative Essay

Narrative essays are quite flexible in terms of format, which allows the writer to tell a story in a creative and compelling way. Here’s a quick breakdown of the narrative essay format, along with some examples:

Set the scene and introduce the story.

Engage the reader and establish the tone of the narrative.

Hook: Start with a captivating opening line to grab the reader’s attention. For instance:

Example:  “The scorching sun beat down on us as we trekked through the desert, our water supply dwindling.”

Background Information: Provide necessary context or background without giving away the entire story.

Example:  “It was the summer of 2015 when I embarked on a life-changing journey to…”

Thesis Statement or Narrative Purpose

Present the main idea or the central message of the essay.

Offer a glimpse of what the reader can expect from the narrative.

Thesis Statement: This isn’t as rigid as in other essays but can be a sentence summarizing the essence of the story.

Example:  “Little did I know, that seemingly ordinary hike would teach me invaluable lessons about resilience and friendship.”

Present the sequence of events in chronological order.

Develop characters, setting, conflict, and resolution.

Story Progression : Describe events in the order they occurred, focusing on details that evoke emotions and create vivid imagery.

Example : Detail the trek through the desert, the challenges faced, interactions with fellow hikers, and the pivotal moments.

Character Development : Introduce characters and their roles in the story. Show their emotions, thoughts, and actions.

Example : Describe how each character reacted to the dwindling water supply and supported each other through adversity.

Dialogue and Interactions : Use dialogue to bring the story to life and reveal character personalities.

Example : “Sarah handed me her last bottle of water, saying, ‘We’re in this together.'”

Reach the peak of the story, the moment of highest tension or significance.

Turning Point: Highlight the most crucial moment or realization in the narrative.

Example:  “As the sun dipped below the horizon and hope seemed lost, a distant sound caught our attention—the rescue team’s helicopters.”

Provide closure to the story.

Reflect on the significance of the experience and its impact.

Reflection : Summarize the key lessons learned or insights gained from the experience.

Example : “That hike taught me the true meaning of resilience and the invaluable support of friendship in challenging times.”

Closing Thought : End with a memorable line that reinforces the narrative’s message or leaves a lasting impression.

Example : “As we boarded the helicopters, I knew this adventure would forever be etched in my heart.”

Example Summary:

Imagine a narrative about surviving a challenging hike through the desert, emphasizing the bonds formed and lessons learned. The narrative essay structure might look like starting with an engaging scene, narrating the hardships faced, showcasing the characters’ resilience, and culminating in a powerful realization about friendship and endurance.

Different Types of Narrative Essays

There are a bunch of different types of narrative essays – each one focuses on different elements of storytelling and has its own purpose. Here’s a breakdown of the narrative essay types and what they mean.

Personal Narrative

Description : Tells a personal story or experience from the writer’s life.

Purpose: Reflects on personal growth, lessons learned, or significant moments.

Example of Narrative Essay Types:

Topic : “The Day I Conquered My Fear of Public Speaking”

Focus: Details the experience, emotions, and eventual triumph over a fear of public speaking during a pivotal event.

Descriptive Narrative

Description : Emphasizes vivid details and sensory imagery.

Purpose : Creates a sensory experience, painting a vivid picture for the reader.

Topic : “A Walk Through the Enchanted Forest”

Focus : Paints a detailed picture of the sights, sounds, smells, and feelings experienced during a walk through a mystical forest.

Autobiographical Narrative

Description: Chronicles significant events or moments from the writer’s life.

Purpose: Provides insights into the writer’s life, experiences, and growth.

Topic: “Lessons from My Childhood: How My Grandmother Shaped Who I Am”

Focus: Explores pivotal moments and lessons learned from interactions with a significant family member.

Experiential Narrative

Description: Relays experiences beyond the writer’s personal life.

Purpose: Shares experiences, travels, or events from a broader perspective.

Topic: “Volunteering in a Remote Village: A Journey of Empathy”

Focus: Chronicles the writer’s volunteering experience, highlighting interactions with a community and personal growth.

Literary Narrative

Description: Incorporates literary elements like symbolism, allegory, or thematic explorations.

Purpose: Uses storytelling for deeper explorations of themes or concepts.

Topic: “The Symbolism of the Red Door: A Journey Through Change”

Focus: Uses a red door as a symbol, exploring its significance in the narrator’s life and the theme of transition.

Historical Narrative

Description: Recounts historical events or periods through a personal lens.

Purpose: Presents history through personal experiences or perspectives.

Topic: “A Grandfather’s Tales: Living Through the Great Depression”

Focus: Shares personal stories from a family member who lived through a historical era, offering insights into that period.

Digital or Multimedia Narrative

Description: Incorporates multimedia elements like images, videos, or audio to tell a story.

Purpose: Explores storytelling through various digital platforms or formats.

Topic: “A Travel Diary: Exploring Europe Through Vlogs”

Focus: Combines video clips, photos, and personal narration to document a travel experience.

How to Choose a Topic for Your Narrative Essay?

Selecting a compelling topic for your narrative essay is crucial as it sets the stage for your storytelling. Choosing a boring topic is one of the narrative essay mistakes to avoid . Here’s a detailed guide on how to choose the right topic:

Reflect on Personal Experiences

• Significant Moments:

Moments that had a profound impact on your life or shaped your perspective.

Example: A moment of triumph, overcoming a fear, a life-changing decision, or an unforgettable experience.

• Emotional Resonance:

Events that evoke strong emotions or feelings.

Example: Joy, fear, sadness, excitement, or moments of realization.

• Lessons Learned:

Experiences that taught you valuable lessons or brought about personal growth.

Example: Challenges that led to personal development, shifts in mindset, or newfound insights.

Explore Unique Perspectives

• Uncommon Experiences:

Unique or unconventional experiences that might captivate the reader’s interest.

Example: Unusual travels, interactions with different cultures, or uncommon hobbies.

• Different Points of View:

Stories from others’ perspectives that impacted you deeply.

Example: A family member’s story, a friend’s experience, or a historical event from a personal lens.

Focus on Specific Themes or Concepts

• Themes or Concepts of Interest:

Themes or ideas you want to explore through storytelling.

Example: Friendship, resilience, identity, cultural diversity, or personal transformation.

• Symbolism or Metaphor:

Using symbols or metaphors as the core of your narrative.

Example: Exploring the symbolism of an object or a place in relation to a broader theme.

Consider Your Audience and Purpose

• Relevance to Your Audience:

Topics that resonate with your audience’s interests or experiences.

Example: Choose a relatable theme or experience that your readers might connect with emotionally.

• Impact or Message:

What message or insight do you want to convey through your story?

Example: Choose a topic that aligns with the message or lesson you aim to impart to your readers.

Brainstorm and Evaluate Ideas

• Free Writing or Mind Mapping:

Process: Write down all potential ideas without filtering. Mind maps or free-writing exercises can help generate diverse ideas.

• Evaluate Feasibility:

The depth of the story, the availability of vivid details, and your personal connection to the topic.

Imagine you’re considering topics for a narrative essay. You reflect on your experiences and decide to explore the topic of “Overcoming Stage Fright: How a School Play Changed My Perspective.” This topic resonates because it involves a significant challenge you faced and the personal growth it brought about.

Narrative Essay Topics

50 easy narrative essay topics.

• Learning to Ride a Bike
• My First Day of School
• A Surprise Birthday Party
• The Day I Got Lost
• Visiting a Haunted House
• An Encounter with a Wild Animal
• My Favorite Childhood Toy
• The Best Vacation I Ever Had
• An Unforgettable Family Gathering
• Conquering a Fear of Heights
• A Special Gift I Received
• Moving to a New City
• The Most Memorable Meal
• Getting Caught in a Rainstorm
• An Act of Kindness I Witnessed
• The First Time I Cooked a Meal
• My Experience with a New Hobby
• The Day I Met My Best Friend
• A Hike in the Mountains
• Learning a New Language
• An Embarrassing Moment
• Dealing with a Bully
• My First Job Interview
• A Sporting Event I Attended
• The Scariest Dream I Had
• Helping a Stranger
• The Joy of Achieving a Goal
• A Road Trip Adventure
• Overcoming a Personal Challenge
• The Significance of a Family Tradition
• An Unusual Pet I Owned
• A Misunderstanding with a Friend
• Exploring an Abandoned Building
• My Favorite Book and Why
• The Impact of a Role Model
• A Cultural Celebration I Participated In
• A Valuable Lesson from a Teacher
• A Trip to the Zoo
• An Unplanned Adventure
• Volunteering Experience
• A Moment of Forgiveness
• A Decision I Regretted
• A Special Talent I Have
• The Importance of Family Traditions
• The Thrill of Performing on Stage
• A Moment of Sudden Inspiration
• The Meaning of Home
• Learning to Play a Musical Instrument
• A Childhood Memory at the Park
• Witnessing a Beautiful Sunset

Narrative Essay Topics for College Students

• Discovering a New Passion
• Overcoming Academic Challenges
• Navigating Cultural Differences
• Embracing Independence: Moving Away from Home
• Exploring Career Aspirations
• Coping with Stress in College
• The Impact of a Mentor in My Life
• Balancing Work and Studies
• Facing a Fear of Public Speaking
• Exploring a Semester Abroad
• The Evolution of My Study Habits
• Volunteering Experience That Changed My Perspective
• The Role of Technology in Education
• Finding Balance: Social Life vs. Academics
• Learning a New Skill Outside the Classroom
• Reflecting on Freshman Year Challenges
• The Joys and Struggles of Group Projects
• My Experience with Internship or Work Placement
• Challenges of Time Management in College
• Redefining Success Beyond Grades
• The Influence of Literature on My Thinking
• The Impact of Social Media on College Life
• Overcoming Procrastination
• Lessons from a Leadership Role
• Exploring Diversity on Campus
• Exploring Passion for Environmental Conservation
• An Eye-Opening Course That Changed My Perspective
• Living with Roommates: Challenges and Lessons
• The Significance of Extracurricular Activities
• The Influence of a Professor on My Academic Journey
• Discussing Mental Health in College
• The Evolution of My Career Goals
• Confronting Personal Biases Through Education
• The Experience of Attending a Conference or Symposium
• Challenges Faced by Non-Native English Speakers in College
• The Impact of Traveling During Breaks
• Exploring Identity: Cultural or Personal
• The Impact of Music or Art on My Life
• Addressing Diversity in the Classroom
• Exploring Entrepreneurial Ambitions
• My Experience with Research Projects
• Overcoming Impostor Syndrome in College
• The Importance of Networking in College
• Finding Resilience During Tough Times
• The Impact of Global Issues on Local Perspectives
• The Influence of Family Expectations on Education
• Lessons from a Part-Time Job
• Exploring the College Sports Culture
• The Role of Technology in Modern Education
• The Journey of Self-Discovery Through Education

Narrative Essay Comparison

Narrative essay vs. descriptive essay.

Here’s our first narrative essay comparison! While both narrative and descriptive essays focus on vividly portraying a subject or an event, they differ in their primary objectives and approaches. Now, let’s delve into the nuances of comparison on narrative essays.

Narrative Essay:

Storytelling: Focuses on narrating a personal experience or event.

Chronological Order: Follows a structured timeline of events to tell a story.

Message or Lesson: Often includes a central message, moral, or lesson learned from the experience.

Engagement: Aims to captivate the reader through a compelling storyline and character development.

First-Person Perspective: Typically narrated from the writer’s point of view, using “I” and expressing personal emotions and thoughts.

Plot Development: Emphasizes a plot with a beginning, middle, climax, and resolution.

Character Development: Focuses on describing characters, their interactions, emotions, and growth.

Conflict or Challenge: Usually involves a central conflict or challenge that drives the narrative forward.

Dialogue: Incorporates conversations to bring characters and their interactions to life.

Reflection: Concludes with reflection or insight gained from the experience.

Descriptive Essay:

Vivid Description: Aims to vividly depict a person, place, object, or event.

Imagery and Details: Focuses on sensory details to create a vivid image in the reader’s mind.

Emotion through Description: Uses descriptive language to evoke emotions and engage the reader’s senses.

Painting a Picture: Creates a sensory-rich description allowing the reader to visualize the subject.

Imagery and Sensory Details: Focuses on providing rich sensory descriptions, using vivid language and adjectives.

Point of Focus: Concentrates on describing a specific subject or scene in detail.

Spatial Organization: Often employs spatial organization to describe from one area or aspect to another.

Objective Observations: Typically avoids the use of personal opinions or emotions; instead, the focus remains on providing a detailed and objective description.

Comparison:

Focus: Narrative essays emphasize storytelling, while descriptive essays focus on vividly describing a subject or scene.

Perspective: Narrative essays are often written from a first-person perspective, while descriptive essays may use a more objective viewpoint.

Purpose: Narrative essays aim to convey a message or lesson through a story, while descriptive essays aim to paint a detailed picture for the reader without necessarily conveying a specific message.

Narrative Essay vs. Argumentative Essay

The narrative essay and the argumentative essay serve distinct purposes and employ different approaches:

Engagement and Emotion: Aims to captivate the reader through a compelling story.

Reflective: Often includes reflection on the significance of the experience or lessons learned.

First-Person Perspective: Typically narrated from the writer’s point of view, sharing personal emotions and thoughts.

Plot Development: Emphasizes a storyline with a beginning, middle, climax, and resolution.

Message or Lesson: Conveys a central message, moral, or insight derived from the experience.

Argumentative Essay:

Persuasion and Argumentation: Aims to persuade the reader to adopt the writer’s viewpoint on a specific topic.

Logical Reasoning: Presents evidence, facts, and reasoning to support a particular argument or stance.

Debate and Counterarguments: Acknowledge opposing views and counter them with evidence and reasoning.

Thesis Statement: Includes a clear thesis statement that outlines the writer’s position on the topic.

Thesis and Evidence: Starts with a strong thesis statement and supports it with factual evidence, statistics, expert opinions, or logical reasoning.

Counterarguments: Addresses opposing viewpoints and provides rebuttals with evidence.

Logical Structure: Follows a logical structure with an introduction, body paragraphs presenting arguments and evidence, and a conclusion reaffirming the thesis.

Formal Language: Uses formal language and avoids personal anecdotes or emotional appeals.

Objective: Argumentative essays focus on presenting a logical argument supported by evidence, while narrative essays prioritize storytelling and personal reflection.

Purpose: Argumentative essays aim to persuade and convince the reader of a particular viewpoint, while narrative essays aim to engage, entertain, and share personal experiences.

Structure: Narrative essays follow a storytelling structure with character development and plot, while argumentative essays follow a more formal, structured approach with logical arguments and evidence.

In essence, while both essays involve writing and presenting information, the narrative essay focuses on sharing a personal experience, whereas the argumentative essay aims to persuade the audience by presenting a well-supported argument.

Narrative Essay vs. Personal Essay

While there can be an overlap between narrative and personal essays, they have distinctive characteristics:

Storytelling: Emphasizes recounting a specific experience or event in a structured narrative form.

Engagement through Story: Aims to engage the reader through a compelling story with characters, plot, and a central theme or message.

Reflective: Often includes reflection on the significance of the experience and the lessons learned.

First-Person Perspective: Typically narrated from the writer’s viewpoint, expressing personal emotions and thoughts.

Plot Development: Focuses on developing a storyline with a clear beginning, middle, climax, and resolution.

Character Development: Includes descriptions of characters, their interactions, emotions, and growth.

Central Message: Conveys a central message, moral, or insight derived from the experience.

Personal Essay:

Exploration of Ideas or Themes: Explores personal ideas, opinions, or reflections on a particular topic or subject.

Expression of Thoughts and Opinions: Expresses the writer’s thoughts, feelings, and perspectives on a specific subject matter.

Reflection and Introspection: Often involves self-reflection and introspection on personal experiences, beliefs, or values.

Varied Structure and Content: Can encompass various forms, including memoirs, personal anecdotes, or reflections on life experiences.

Flexibility in Structure: Allows for diverse structures and forms based on the writer’s intent, which could be narrative-like or more reflective.

Theme-Centric Writing: Focuses on exploring a central theme or idea, with personal anecdotes or experiences supporting and illustrating the theme.

Expressive Language: Utilizes descriptive and expressive language to convey personal perspectives, emotions, and opinions.

Focus: Narrative essays primarily focus on storytelling through a structured narrative, while personal essays encompass a broader range of personal expression, which can include storytelling but isn’t limited to it.

Structure: Narrative essays have a more structured plot development with characters and a clear sequence of events, while personal essays might adopt various structures, focusing more on personal reflection, ideas, or themes.

Intent: While both involve personal experiences, narrative essays emphasize telling a story with a message or lesson learned, while personal essays aim to explore personal thoughts, feelings, or opinions on a broader range of topics or themes.

A narrative essay is more than just telling a story. It’s also meant to engage the reader, get them thinking, and leave a lasting impact. Whether it’s to amuse, motivate, teach, or reflect, these essays are a great way to communicate with your audience. This interesting narrative essay guide was all about letting you understand the narrative essay, its importance, and how can you write one.

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15 Inspiring Personal Narrative Examples for Writers

Reveal a part of yourself in your essay.

Students start writing personal narratives at a young age, learning to use descriptive language to tell a story about their own experiences. Try sharing these personal narrative examples for elementary, middle, and high school to help them understand this essay form.

What is a personal narrative?

Think of a narrative essay like telling a story. Use descriptive language, and be sure you have a beginning, middle, and end. The essay should recount your personal experiences, including your thoughts, feelings, and actions.

Learn more about personal narrative essays here:

• What Is Narrative Writing, and How Do I Teach It in the Classroom?
• Engaging Personal Narrative Ideas for Kids and Teens
• Best Mentor Texts for Narrative Writing in Elementary School

Elementary School Personal Narrative Examples

In elementary school, personal narratives might be quite short, just a paragraph or two. The key is to encourage kids to embrace a personal style of writing, one that speaks in their own voice. Take a look at these elementary school personal narrative essay examples for inspiration.

The Horrible Day

“next i fell asleep in my cereal and my brother stole my toast”—anonymous student.

In this short personal narrative written by a 2nd grader, the author describes a bad day with lots of details and an informal tone. It’s a great model for your youngest writers.

Read the full essay: The Horrible Day at Thoughtful Learning

Keep an Eye on the Sky!

“as we made our way out to the field, my stomach slowly turned into a giant knot of fear.” —anonymous student.

Any student who dreads gym class will connect with this essay, which turns a challenge into a triumph. This narrative from Time for Kids is annotated, with highlighted details and tips to help kids write their own essay.

Read the full essay: Keep an Eye on the Sky! at Time for Kids

Grandpa, Chaz, and Me

“i really miss grandpa, and so does my brother, even though he never met him.” —cody, 4th grade student.

Written by a 4th grader, this essay relates the author’s loss of a grandfather at a very young age. Using simple, personal language, they tell a compelling story in a few short paragraphs.

Read the full essay: Grandpa, Chaz, and Me at Thoughtful Learning ADVERTISEMENT

Surviving an Embarrassing Situation

“i had made the shot in the wrong basket, giving the green shirts the win” —anonymous student.

Personal narratives tell a story, with a beginning, middle, and end. This annotated essay outlines those parts, making it easier for young writers to do the same in their own writing.

Read the full essay: Surviving an Embarrassing Situation at Sopris West Educational Services

“Do you have a friend who loves you?” —Kendra, 4th grade student

Writing about friends gives writers the chance to describe someone’s physical characteristics and personality. This 4th grade essay uses personal details to bring a beloved friend to life.

Read the full essay: Ann at Thoughtful Learning

Middle School Personal Narrative Examples

By middle school, personal narratives are longer and more involved, telling more detailed stories and experiences. These middle school personal narrative essay examples model strong writing skills for this age group.

“As thoughts of certain death run through my mind, the world appears a precious, treasured place.” —Amy, student

Describing an opportunity to overcome your worst fears makes an excellent personal narrative topic. The vivid descriptions of the landscape and the author’s feelings help the reader make a strong connection to the author.

Read the full essay: The Climb at Thoughtful Learning

The Best Friend Question

“i’ve often wondered, does not having a best friend make me defective” —blanche li, age 13, diablo vista middle school, danville, california.

When her Spanish teacher asked students for an essay describing their best friend, 13-year-old Blanche Li fell back on her standard story: that of a made-up person. Here, she explains why she made up “Haley” and wonders what having an imaginary best friend says about her.

Read the full essay: The Best Friend Question at The New York Times

The Racist Warehouse

“i didn’t know racism was still around; i thought that situation had died along with dr. king.” —alicia, 8th grade student.

Strong personal narratives often relate the way the author learned an important life lesson. Here, an 8th grader describes her first experience with racism, in an essay that will sadly ring true with many readers.

Read the full essay: The Racist Warehouse at Thoughtful Teaching

“For the first time, we realized that we didn’t know how to express our voice, and we always suppressed it.” —Jocelyn C., 7th grade student, Texas

Seventh-grader Jocelyn C. describes the unique experience of spending two years living in an RV with her family, traveling the country. She relates the ups and downs of their trip, illustrating the way her family learned to live together in close quarters and embrace the adventure.

Read the full essay: RV Journey at Write From the Heart

An Eight Pound Rival

“i’m trying to accept that he didn’t mean to dominate the center stage all the time, that’s just one of the many lovable assets of his personality.”.

A new sibling can change everything in a family, especially when you’ve always been the baby. This middle schooler explains her challenging relationship with a little brother that she loves, even when he drives her a bit crazy. (Find this essay on page 42 at the link.)

Read the full essay: An Eight Pound Rival at Teaching That Makes Sense

High School Personal Narrative Examples

High school students have more complex stories to tell, though they’re sometimes reluctant to do so. Reading personal narrative essay examples like these can encourage them to open up and get their thoughts, feelings, and ideas down on the page.

Sorry, Wrong Number

“when i received the first text, i was a playful sixth grader, always finding sly ways to be subversive in school and with friends.” —michelle ahn, high school student.

When Michelle Ahn was 11, she started getting texts for a wrong number, a man named Jared. Rather than correcting the error, she spends the next few years occasionally engaging with his texters as “Jared,” learning more about him. Though she finally comes clean, her time as “Jared” exposes her to a way of life very different from her own, and opens her eyes to the inner lives of others.

Read the full essay: Sorry, Wrong Number at The New York Times

Caught in the Net

“little does everyone else know how often i’m not doing school research or paper writing; instead i’m aimlessly writing emails or chatting with internet friends and family hundreds of miles away.” —kim, college student.

Even before social media and smartphones swept the world, internet addiction had become a problem. Here, a student shares her experiences in AOL chat rooms, meeting people from around the globe. Eventually, she realizes she’s sacrificing life in the real world for her digital friends and experiences, and works to find the right balance.

Read the full essay: Caught in the Net at Thoughtful Learning

Nothing Extraordinary

“an uneasy feeling started to settle in my chest. i tried to push it out, but once it took root it refused to be yanked up and tossed away.” —jeniffer kim, high school student.

During an ordinary shopping trip, high schooler Jenniffer Kim suddenly realizes she’s ashamed of her mother. At the same time, she recognizes all the sacrifices her mom has made for her, and gladly takes the chance to make a tiny sacrifice of her own.

Read the full essay: Nothing Extraordinary at The New York Times

The Pot Calling the Kettle Black

“at this point in life, i had not yet learned to be gentle with myself, or others.” —anonymous student.

A teen who lives with bipolar disorder recounts a difficult conversation with her parents, in which her mother dismisses her as “crazy.” A few years later, this same teen finds herself in the emergency room, where her mother has just tried to die by suicide. “Crazy!” the daughter thinks. After her mother also receives a bipolar disorder diagnosis, the author concludes, “‘Crazy’ is a term devised to dismiss people.”

Read the full essay: The Pot Calling the Kettle Black at Pressbooks

What a Black Woman Wishes Her Adoptive White Parents Knew

“i know that i am different, but do not have the words to understand how.” —mariama lockington.

Though not written by a high schooler, this essay by Mariama Lockington makes an excellent mentor text for this age group. Lockington dives deep into her feelings about being adopted by parents of a different race, and shares her challenges in poignant language that speaks directly to the reader.

Read the full essay: What a Black Woman Wishes Her Adoptive White Parents Knew at Buzzfeed News

Do you use personal narrative examples as mentor texts in your classroom? Come share your experiences and ask for advice in the We Are Teachers HELPLINE group on Facebook !

Plus, strong persuasive writing examples (essays, speeches, ads, and more) ..

40 Best Mentor Texts for Narrative Writing in Elementary School

These will be your new go-to titles. Continue Reading

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Narrative Essays

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When writing a narrative essay, one might think of it as telling a story. These essays are often anecdotal, experiential, and personal—allowing students to express themselves in a creative and, quite often, moving ways.

Here are some guidelines for writing a narrative essay.

• If written as a story, the essay should include all the parts of a story.

This means that you must include an introduction, plot, characters, setting, climax, and conclusion.

• When would a narrative essay not be written as a story?

A good example of this is when an instructor asks a student to write a book report. Obviously, this would not necessarily follow the pattern of a story and would focus on providing an informative narrative for the reader.

• The essay should have a purpose.

Make a point! Think of this as the thesis of your story. If there is no point to what you are narrating, why narrate it at all?

• The essay should be written from a clear point of view.

It is quite common for narrative essays to be written from the standpoint of the author; however, this is not the sole perspective to be considered. Creativity in narrative essays oftentimes manifests itself in the form of authorial perspective.

• Use clear and concise language throughout the essay.

Much like the descriptive essay, narrative essays are effective when the language is carefully, particularly, and artfully chosen. Use specific language to evoke specific emotions and senses in the reader.

• The use of the first person pronoun ‘I’ is welcomed.

Do not abuse this guideline! Though it is welcomed it is not necessary—nor should it be overused for lack of clearer diction.

• As always, be organized!

Have a clear introduction that sets the tone for the remainder of the essay. Do not leave the reader guessing about the purpose of your narrative. Remember, you are in control of the essay, so guide it where you desire (just make sure your audience can follow your lead).

20+ Narrative Essay Prompts

by Sue Weems | 0 comments

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If you're practicing your personal essay skills or just storytelling in general, these narrative essay prompts are a great way to get started!

What is narrative writing?

Narrative essays are a unique form of writing that allows authors to tell their personal stories, weaving personal experiences into a cohesive and engaging format. Unlike traditional essays that focus on analysis or argumentation, narrative essays emphasize storytelling, often emphasizing emotions, character development, and vivid imagery. The aim is to transport readers into the writer's world, offering them insights into personal beliefs, values, or lessons learned through real-life situations.

At the heart of a narrative essay is a central theme or message that resonates throughout the narrative. This theme serves as a guiding thread, connecting various events, emotions, and characters.

In this article, we'll explore various narrative essay ideas designed to spark creativity and inspire writers to delve into their experiences. Whether you're a student looking for a writing assignment or a seasoned writer seeking new material, these prompts will help ignite your imagination and shape compelling narratives.

If you're looking for a step-by-step guide on how to write a personal narrative essay , check out our comprehensive guide here .

Narrative Essay Prompts

• Describe a time when a seemingly trivial decision led to an unexpected adventure that changed your perspective on life.
• Write about the moment you realized that you had become just like one of your parents, and how it made you feel.
• Reflect on a mistake you made that spiraled into a series of fortunate events, ultimately leading to a significant life lesson.
• Tell the story of someone who lost their home (or something of value) but found a new sense of community and belonging in an unexpected place.
• What major event has changed your life more than any other? Write an essay describing the event and what it changed.
• Write about a time you or someone you know had to make a difficult decision.
• Revisit a passion or hobby you abandoned long ago, detailing the emotions and memories that surfaced upon your return.
• Share the experience of a family gathering that revealed surprising secrets and strengthened your bonds with relatives.
• Write about a time you stood up for someone else, and how it impacted your understanding of bravery and justice.
• Describe an encounter with a stranger that taught you something profound about compassion and human connection.
• Reflect on a cherished recipe passed down through generations, and the memories it evokes each time you prepare it.
• Write about a family road trip or a family vacation that was a memorable experience.
• Tell the story of facing a fear that had haunted you for years, and how overcoming it transformed your self-image.
• Write a narrative about receiving a phone call that brings unexpected news. Capture the emotions you experience and how you respond to the information, whether it’s good or bad.
• Narrate a day when everything seems to go wrong—from waking up late to losing something important. Use humor and creativity to depict the mishaps and how you ultimately find a way to turn the day around.
• Write about a time someone taught you something difficult and taught you a valuable lesson.
• Tell about a time you made something whether a cake, birdhouse, song, story, or something else.
• Write about a place you go that feels like a second home.
• Write about a time you volunteered or helped someone else in a significant way.
• What is something you and your family or friends do that is unique to you or your culture?
• Tell about a time you visited somewhere new and learned something about yourself or the world.
• Write about a gift that changed your perception of something.
• Tell about an experience with music or art that shifted your understanding or gave you a deeper appreciation.

These prompts encourage students to tap into their imagination and life experiences, making narrative writing both fun and meaningful!

 Choose one of these ideas and write for fifteen minutes . When you're finished, share your story in the Pro Practice Workshop for feedback from the community. And if you share, please be sure to comment on a few stories by other writers.

Sue Weems is a writer, teacher, and traveler with an advanced degree in (mostly fictional) revenge. When she’s not rationalizing her love for parentheses (and dramatic asides), she follows a sailor around the globe with their four children, two dogs, and an impossibly tall stack of books to read. You can read more of her writing tips on her website .

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Narrative Essay Writing

Narrative Essay Examples

20+ Top Narrative Essay Examples by Experts

12 min read

Published on: Apr 12, 2020

Last updated on: Mar 24, 2024

How to Write a Narrative Essay in Simple Steps

Interesting Narrative Essay Topics and Ideas

Personal Narrative Essay - Easy Guide & Examples

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Narrative essays are a common assignment in school, but many students struggle to write them. 

The problem with narrative essays is that they can be difficult to write. They require students to think about their own experiences and to put those experiences into words. This can be a challenge, especially for students who are not used to writing about themselves.

The solution to the problem of writing narrative essays is to provide students with examples. By reading examples of narrative essays, students can see how other students have successfully written about their own experiences. 

In this blog post, we will provide you with examples of narrative essays.By the end of this blog post, you will have a better understanding of how to write a narrative essay.

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Before writing, go through narrative essay examples to ensure that outlining and formatting are done correctly. Moreover, looking at examples will allow the writer to understand sensory details and vocabulary to describe events, settings, characters, and emotions.

Here are some famous narrative essays that you can consider adding to your reading wishlist:

“A Modest Proposal” by Jonathan Swift

“Once More to the Lake” by EB White

“The Fourth of July” by Audre Lorde

“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin

“The Crisis” by Thomas Paine

But it doesn't end here! To help our students, CollegeEssay.org has gathered many other narrative essay sample. These examples will help you learn the correct formation of a narrative essay.

Read on to discover!

Personal Narrative Essay Example

Are you looking for a sample to draft a personal narrative essay ? Go through the example provided below to understand how the first-person and third-person perspectives are used in a narrative essay.

Sample Personal Narrative Essay

Narrative Essay Example for Middle School

A narrative essay is frequently assigned to middle school students to assess their writing and creative skills. If you are a student looking for a sample narrative essay for your middle school assignment, go through the example provided below.

Narrative Essay Example: 7th Grade

Narrative Essay Example for Grade 8

Grade 9 Narrative Essay Example

Sample Narrative Essay Grade 12

Narrative Essay Example for High School

When drafting assignments for high school, professional writing is essential. Your essays and papers should be well structured and written in order to achieve better grades. If you are assigned a narrative essay, go through the sample provided to see how an effective essay is written.

Sample Narrative Essay For High School

Good Narrative Essay Examples for College

College essays are more complex in nature than other academic levels. They require a better understanding of the concept, following a proper writing procedure, and an outline.

Although you are to draft a narrative essay for your college assignment, make sure it is professionally written. Read the sample narrative essay provided below.

Descriptive Narrative Essay Example

If you are to draft a document on the recreation of an event, a descriptive narrative essay is written. It presents an incident that happened to the writer and the backed-up information that supports the story.

The following is a perfect example of a descriptive narrative essay.

Sample Descriptive Narrative Essay

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Literacy Narrative Essay Example

Academic assignments often require students to draft essays on education. Education is the most significant topic of discussion, and for this purpose, almost every essay type and research paper studies it.

If you are drafting a narrative essay on literacy, go through the sample provided.

Fictional Narrative Essay Example

Drafting a fictional piece of document requires a more vivid description and detail. If you are assigned a narrative essay to draft on a fictional theme, read the example provided below.

Sample Fictional Narrative Essay

The Essentials of Narrative Essays

In a narrative essay, the goal is to write a story from one person's perspective. To do this well requires incorporating all of these aspects: 

Below are some golden points that you should keep in mind when writing a narrative essay.

• Chronological order is the most common way to present information.
• A thesis statement has a function in an essay. This is typically evident in the opening paragraph.
• The writer's argument is clearly communicated through the use of sensory details and vivid language.
• This draws the reader in and makes them interested in what the writer has to say. Everything in the passage is somehow related to the main point.

How to Start a Narrative Essay?

When you start writing the narrative essay, you should follow some steps and make your writing process easy.

For your help, we gathered some steps that you should follow when starting writing the essay.

• Choose a narrative essay topic that is engaging and interesting.
• Do some research and then start writing the essay.
• Create an outline.
• Start writing the essay. The way you describe things should be creative and colorful. Thus, the reader can feel as if they are right there with what's happening.
• Proofread the essay before submitting it.

Watch the video below for tips on how to write a narrative essay:

Narrative Essay Writing Tips 

Professional essay writers of CollegeEssay.org have gathered some tips and tricks for you to follow to make your narrative essay remarkable. Even if you are aware of the writing procedure, it is advised to use expert tips to make your documents flawless. 

Follow the tips provided below to draft an exceptional narrative essay.

• Clear Content: The narrative essay content should be clear. All the details and descriptions provided should be readable and understandable by the audience. Avoid using complex words and distribute content into paragraphs.
• Keep it concise: Avoid describing every minor detail or movement. Provide only explanations that are important for the readers to imagine. 
• Use first-person perspective: To make something believable and interesting for the readers, state it from the first-person perspective. Share your personal experiences, stories, and opinions to make the content impactful. 
• Use limited referencing: When drafting an essay, according to the instructed format, avoid using frequent in-text citations. 
• Use Clear Stance: Write your point of view clearly, so the readers feel that it is a genuine piece of writing. 

Keep in mind that a narrative essay is different from an expository essay but the same as a descriptive essay .  

In conclusion,

Using the tips provided by the professionals and going through the narrative essay examples will let you draft an effective paper. 

Looking for top-tier essay writing help online ?

Our narrative essay writing service offers unparalleled expertise to bring your stories to life with clarity and creativity.

Also, elevate your writing journey with the best essay writer , our AI-driven tool that combines cutting-edge technology with user-friendly functionality. Experience the blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern innovation in your next essay. Try it now!

How long is a narrative paragraph.

Paragraphs vary in length depending on the content, but a standard 5-sentence paragraph usually isn't enough to tell an interesting story. 

How do I write a narrative essay?

Here are some steps that will help you to write a great narrative essay. 

• Consider the topic 
• Start writing the draft 
• Provide supporting facts 
• Revise your essay 

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However, like any other type of writing, it comes with guidelines. 1. Write Your Personal Narrative as a Story. As a story, it must include an introduction, characters, plot, setting, climax, anti-climax (if any), and conclusion. Another way to approach it is by structuring it with an introduction, body, and conclusion.

Interactive example of a narrative essay. An example of a short narrative essay, responding to the prompt "Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself," is shown below. Hover over different parts of the text to see how the structure works. Narrative essay example.

3. Create a Thesis Statement. The thesis statement is the most important sentence and tells the reader what your essay will be about. In a personal narrative essay, the thesis statement can briefly explore the story's events. Or it can tell the reader about the moral or lesson learned through personal experience.

A personal narrative essay can be best described as creative nonfiction about your experiences. We can help you learn how to approach this personal piece. ... How To Format Your Personal Narrative Essay. Unlike other essay forms, the personal narrative essay doesn't really have a set format. You can definitely start with an intro, ...

A personal narrative essay uses the components of a story: introduction, plot, characters, setting, and conflict. It also uses the components of argument, thesis, and conclusion. In a personal narrative essay, we tell our readers a story to make a larger argument. Focusing the readers' attention on significant, detailed scenes, we develop our ...

Show the narrative to others. Ask a friend, peer, classmate, or family member to read the narrative. Pose questions to them about the style, tone, and flow of the narrative. Ask them if the narrative feels personal, detailed, and engaging. [10] Be willing to accept feedback from others.

A narrative essay is one of the most intimidating assignments you can be handed at any level of your education. Where you've previously written argumentative essays that make a point or analytic essays that dissect meaning, a narrative essay asks you to write what is effectively a story.. But unlike a simple work of creative fiction, your narrative essay must have a clear and concrete motif ...

A personal narrative essay is a type of essay in which the writer shares a personal experience or story from their own life. In a personal narrative essay, the writer often aims to convey a specific message, lesson, or insight gained from the experience. These essays are characterized by their first-person point of view, vivid descriptions, and ...

A personal narrative is a means for the writer to explore the meaning of the events in their life. It is, at its core, an introspective and creative endeavor that focuses as much on the interior life of the writer as it does on external events. While the conclusion of a traditional recount usually provides some of the writer's insights, in a ...

Provide a detailed account of the author's life, often covering a significant timespan. Explore key life events, achievements, challenges, and personal growth. Reflect on the writer's experiences with language, reading, or writing. Document the author's experiences and insights gained from a journey or travel.

1. Pick a meaningful story that has a conflict and a clear "moral.". If you're able to choose your own topic, pick a story that has meaning and that reveals how you became the person your are today. In other words, write a narrative with a clear "moral" that you can connect with your main points. 2.

A personal narrative essay follows a specific format: Start with an introduction that includes a hook and introduces the main theme. Then, develop the plot by describing the sequence of events leading to a climax or turning point.

Personal Narrative. A personal narrative. significant impact. is a story told by the writer that focuses on real-life events that had a. It offers a way for the writer to tell their story through the first-person point of view in a reflective way. A formula consisting of the writer's life-changing memory plus their struggle with that memory ...

6 Excellent Personal Narrative Examples While there are fantastic examples of stellar essays lurking in nearly every corner of the Internet—and I'm thinking beyond the usual suspects like The New York Times, Oprah and The Washington Post — when I teach my personal essay writing course, I frequently turn to the following examples for the reasons cited below.

Ten examples of amazing personal narrative essays to inspire your writing. Click to tweet! 1. "Only Disconnect" by Gary Shteyngart. Personal narratives don't have to be long to be effective, as this thousand-word gem from the NYT book review proves. Published in 2010, just as smartphones were becoming a ubiquitous part of modern life ...

Step 1: Topic choice (or prompt given) The first step in writing a narrative essay is to determine the topic. Sometimes, your topic is chosen for you in the form of a prompt. You might map out the topics you want to mention in the essay or think through each point you'd like to make to see how each will fit into the allotted word count (if ...

As your essay is going to be submitted to college admissions, your personal narrative is subjected to an extra set of standards. To better your chances of being accepted by the college of your choice, your personal narrative should: Be well constructed and grammatically correct. Adhere to a prompt, if you were given one.

Here's a quick breakdown of the narrative essay format, along with some examples: Introduction. Purpose: Set the scene and introduce the story. Engage the reader and establish the tone of the narrative. ... Narrative essays primarily focus on storytelling through a structured narrative, while personal essays encompass a broader range of ...

15 Inspiring Personal Narrative Examples for Writers. Reveal a part of yourself in your essay. Students start writing personal narratives at a young age, learning to use descriptive language to tell a story about their own experiences. Try sharing these personal narrative examples for elementary, middle, and high school to help them understand ...

These essays are often anecdotal, experiential, and personal—allowing students to express themselves in a creative and, quite often, moving ways. Here are some guidelines for writing a narrative essay. If written as a story, the essay should include all the parts of a story. ... When would a narrative essay not be written as a story? A good ...

1. Choose your topic. Before you start writing, you can choose a topic that will guide your writing. Because a personal narrative is based on your experiences, try to choose a topic you're comfortable with and willing to discuss. It also can help to consider the purpose of your narrative when choosing a topic.

Narrative essays are a unique form of writing that allows authors to tell their personal stories, weaving personal experiences into a cohesive and engaging format. Unlike traditional essays that focus on analysis or argumentation, narrative essays emphasize storytelling, often emphasizing emotions, character development, and vivid imagery.

The last chimes in. "Oh, my God, she is such a slut!" she says, drawing out the last word for effect. From my vantage point, I can see their faces in the mirror as they talk; the way their eyes open wide in amazement as they contemplate the horrors of what this girl has done. I'm thrilled by their outrage.

Go through the example provided below to understand how the first-person and third-person perspectives are used in a narrative essay. The Day I Learned to Swim. I was 10 years old when I learned to swim. I had always been afraid of water, but my parents decided it was time for me to learn how to swim.

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Coronavirus FAQ: I'm a NOVID and don't want to catch COVID. Can you guide me?

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Okay, so it seems like everyone I know has come down with COVID this summer — even the people known as NOVIDs (never had COVID before). I’ve been lucky so far. What do I need to know to protect myself during the current surge?

You probably know all the strategies to stay safe. But maybe you’re suffering from COVID amnesia — perhaps the trauma of the early years of the pandemic has wiped out your memory of basic precautions like mask-wearing and hand-washing.

Meanwhile, others have become COVID-indifferent, says Dr. William Schaffner, a professor in the division of infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine.

They’re living in a bubble, thinking yeah, well, whatever, que sera sera — but it won’t happen to me.

Then came the strong summer surge of 2024 in the U.S. and many other places. “ New waves of infection have been registered in the Americas, Europe and the western Pacific,” the U.N. reported this month.

And, adds Schaffner, while getting the virus is a mere annoyance for many, for others, especially older adults and people with underlying health conditions, the consequences can be dire. COVID can still make them pretty sick, land them in the hospital and result in long COVID. And the virus can prove fatal. This summer in the U.S., there have been 400 to 600 deaths a week linked to COVID-19.

Perhaps that is why, for the first time in the history of our Coronavirus FAQ series, doctors have been emailing us and asking us to remind people of the ways to ward off the virus that launched a pandemic now in its fourth year. So think of this edition of as your COVID refresher course.

Vaccines. Yes, an updated vaccine that addresses the currently circulating variants is on the way. Approval came on Thursday. Here’s our story .

Masks. A well-made mask — an N-95 or KN-95 — will still protect you even if others around you are not masked. And it’ll protect others if you might be contagious — say you’ve found out you were with someone who since tested positive but don’t know your status, says Schaffner.

During a COVID surge, you’re less likely to contract the virus if you mask up in crowded spaces like airports, airplanes and busy stores where exhaled pathogens may be in the air.

When making a mask decision, keep in mind that outdoor air is effective at dispersing those pathogens.

Dr. Schaffner says he currently puts on a mask whenever he’s around other people because he has a vulnerable family member and wants to reduce the risk of bringing COVID home.

If you’re out of mask practice, Schaffner gives a gentle but firm reminder that your mask has to fit over your nose and cover your chin and cheeks to protect your mouth properly. If you take mask breaks for a deep breath or a sip of water, Schaffner recommends making it a short break -- outdoors if possible or in a space where you’re not around others.

And oh yeah, you’re probably going to have to pay for the masks. We'll see if government giveaways for masks come back for the expected winter surge, but you probably won't see free masks at your local library right now.

Keep your distance. Putting some space between yourself and others is still a good strategy — even though earlier this summer it was reported that the six-foot rule from the early days of the pandemic was not based on data. A 6-foot distance is not a magic number that will prevent infection since we now know that exhaled pathogens can travel hundreds of feet. But as transmission expert Linsey Marr explains, “As you get farther away from the infected person, aerosols become more diluted, so the chance of inhaling [particles] usually goes down with distance.”

As an analogy, Marr suggests you think about cigarette smoke. Smaller COVID particles “behave like cigarette smoke. If you’re close to someone who exhaled a big puff of smoke, you’re exposed to more than if you’re farther away. The farther away you get, the better.”

What if my housemate catches it? Am I next? Another question to ponder in the wake of rising case counts: If my partner or housemate gets COVID do I automatically get it? Not necessarily, as infectious disease specialist Dr. Abraar Karan wrote in a story for NPR this year. If you’re fortunate, your roomie might have a short window of contagiousness and might not be a superspreader — some people just don’t exhale a lot of pathogens. Open windows and an indoor air filter can help reduce your risk. As do masks, of course.

Testing, testing. And here’s another COVID reminder: be prepared to test if you’re experiencing COVID-like symptoms.

Currently, the federal government is not distributing free tests. A test costs about $7.50 each online and in stores. If you have any in your COVID supply stash, check this FDA website to see if the expiration date has been extended.

But this fall will bring a return of government-supplied freebies. The federal government has just announced that by the end of September people will be able to order up to four free COVID tests from the website COVIDtest.gov.

You might also check expiration dates on items you bought in bulk during the pandemic, such as acetaminophen to reduce COVID fevers and hand sanitizer, which though it lasts for three to five years, might be close to or past the expiration date if you bought it when the world started shutting down in 2020. Expired hand sanitizer isn’t dangerous, per the FDA, it just may be less effective at fighting germs.

The timing of a test is critical. Since most of us have at least some immunity to the virus from prior bouts and vaccines which could initially suppress your load of virus, testing early on might not produce an accurate result. So it can take a few days for a test to register the virus.

And do test, says Dr. Harish Moorjani, an infectious disease specialist at Phelps Hospital in Sleepy Hollow, N.Y.

Symptoms you think might be COVID-19 could be fall allergies or flu or RSV. For proper treatment, advises Moorjani, it’s good to know what you do – or don’t have.

If you do get COVID. Americans who test positive for the coronavirus are no longer advised by the CDC to stay home from work and school for five days.

The new guidelines are:

1. Stay home and away from others if you have respiratory virus symptoms such as fever, chills, fatigue, cough, runny nose and headache.

2. You can go back to your normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, your symptoms are diminishing overall, and you have not had a fever and are not using fever-reducing medication.

3. Take added precautions for the next five days after a decision to stop isolating: for example, frequent hand washing, wearing a mask and physical distance from others if you can.

So the overall takeaway is: You can end your isolation sooner but a) you could still possibly be a little contagious and b) keep in mind that some people will be less cautious about isolation, which increases the risk of COVID exposure for the general public (see: masks, above).

A note about vaccine timing. We should note that if you’ve caught COVID within the past few days or weeks you “may” wait three months from a positive test or the start of symptoms, per the CDC, to make sure that your body mounts a robust response to the vaccine. Dr. Amesh Adalja, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, says that wait should be at least three months. That’s because if you have antibodies to the virus in your system because of a recent infection, the immune response to a vaccine can be weak.

New costs of COVID. People who are uninsured or have high deductibles may have to pay for vaccines and medication at the end of August when CDC ends its “bridge access” program which helped provide free coverage for some COVID-related expenses for such individuals.

COVID vaccines are free for people with health insurance including Medicare and Medicaid, but Dr. Robert Hopkins, chief medical officer of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases, reminds people that to avoid copays or the full cost — about $120 for the updated COVID vaccine, you have to be vaccinated at an in-network provider.

A large pharmacy chain shouldn’t be a problem but if you have concerns, particularly about an independent pharmacy you can check with them to see if they are in your insurer’s network.

No insurance or having a hard time finding an in-network provider? Call 211 for state health department information and 311 for local health department information to find out about community health clinics and health department drives that offer the vaccine for free.

And if your doctor prescribes Paxlovid to reduce severity of symptoms, which Dr. Schaffner hopes is the case if you are older or have underlying health conditions that increase your risk for severe disease if you get COVID-19, your health insurer may charge a copay. Previously the federal government provided the drug for free regardless of insurance status.

If you need assistance to afford Paxlovid, you might want to contact Pfizer’s assistance program or call Pfizer at 877-219-7225.

One more thing: The summer surge will end of course but remember all this advice because … a winter surge is likely!

If you have a question you'd like us to consider for a future post, email us at  [email protected]  with the subject line: "Coronavirus Questions." See an  archive of our FAQs  here.

Fran Kritz is a health policy reporter based in Washington, D.C., and a regular contributor to NPR. She also reports for the  Washington Post  and  Verywell Health . Find her on X: @fkritz  

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