Introduction Writing effective narrative essay titles is all about tapping into the essence of the story you’ve told and then revealing enough of it in the title to whet the reader’s appetite.  The title is like the little morsel on the fishing hook and the reader is the fish.  Get a good title out there and you’ll hook the reader immediately.  Some of the best narrative titles give almost nothing away about the book, but get readers’ attention because they are loud and declarative.  Other narrative titles get the reader’s attention by giving the reader a good idea of what the narrative is about.  Here are some examples of good narrative essay titles.  Have a look.

Narrative Essay Titles

1. It’s Never Too Late to Go Home:  Lessons from a Prodigal Son Who Took Years to Figure Out that Home Truly Is Where the Heart Wants to Be

2. Quest for Glory:  One Man’s Tale of Exploration in the 21st Century

3. Making the Rules Up as I Go:  Thoughts and Reflections on Parenting

4. Finding Oneself in the Novels and Short Stories of Conrad, Dostoevsky, Gogol and O’Connor

5. Reflections from the Other Side:  Insight from a Former Liberal Turned Social Conservative

6. If There is No Heaven:  Why a World Without God is Not Worth Imagining

7. A Personal...

In the Streets of Portland:  Dawn of a New Age in America
9. How I Learned to Day Trade: Or, What I Did with My Stimulus Check

10. The Story of Time:  The Role of Technology in the Evolution of the Rat Race

11. Winter in Siberia:  The Stories of Russian Exiles Told in Their Own Words

12. The Revolutionary Decade:  How the 1960s Changed America Forever

13. War and Suffrage:  How Carrie Chapman Sold Out the Anti-War...…Only to Be Harassed by Seven More Worse Than the First

23. Taking It Easy for All Us Sinners:  The Dude Waxes Philosophical and Gets Up Close and Personal

24. Walking to School:  Life Lessons from a 2nd Grader Who Never Took the Bus

25. Who Will Cook the Dinner?  Inside a Modern Marriage and Why Defining Roles Matters

Conclusion

Narrative essay titles should entice the reader by dropping clues and hints about the content that follows.  The best titles don’t give everything away.  They also aren’t misleading.  The title should be on target and appropriate in tone and language.  If the narrative is silly—go with a silly title; if serious, use a serious title.  In the end, the title reflects the essence of the narrative.