What are narrative techniques?

A narrative technique is a special tool that writers use to make their story more interesting and easier to follow.

Imagine you're telling your friend about an exciting adventure you had at the park. You might say, “First I climbed the slide, then I ran through the sprinkler.” That’s like using narrative techniques, they help organize what happens in a way that feels natural and fun.

Think of a story as a game with different rules. A writer can choose to tell the story from one person’s point of view, like you telling your own adventure. That's called first-person narrative. Or they might switch between characters, like playing a game where each player takes turns explaining what happened, that’s third-person narrative.

Sometimes writers use tricks to make the story feel more real or exciting. For example, if you’re telling your friend about hiding from a big dog, you might say, “I could hear its paws pounding on the floor!” That's like using dialogue, it makes the story come alive, just like when you and your friend talk back and forth during playtime.