Narrative stories are told from the point-of-view of the author or narrator. In non-fiction, the author might have an objective view that takes no sides, Or he might take a subjective view that government is too big, or that it is too small. In fiction, the author often takes a third person point-of-view, telling the story but not participating. Or he might take a first person role, where he is one of the characters. In omniscient point-of-view, the narrator sees all and knows all. In limited omniscient, the narrator tells the story from one character's perspective.
Conflict is the struggle that drives the action and motivates many of the characters in a narrative story. The conflict could be man-versus-man, man-versus-nature or man versus the environment. Or it could be good versus evil. The conflict is driven by two main characters: the protagonist, or hero, and the antagonist, or villain. Narrative stories will also include several other main and minor characters, most of whom eventually side with the protagonist or the antagonist -- such as the Autobots and Deceptacons in the Transformers story.
Skillful use of the elements of storytelling make a narrative story more compelling than other forms of writing. Good narrative writing weaves the characters into the plot and enters them into the rising action, climax, falling action and resolution. The rising action is the key event that leads to the climax -- the high point in the story. The falling action is the action -- such as a high-speed car chase -- that leads to the resolution of the story or problem.
Good narrative stories include vivid and descriptive language that appeals to the readers' five senses: The writing makes the reader see, hear, taste, feel and smell certain elements of the story. Narrative stories also include figurative language such as similes and metaphors, which use phrases to compare like things to unlike things. Similes use "like" or "as": He was big as an elephant. Metaphors use "is" another: He is a bear. Other figurative language devices include hyperbole, personification and onomatopoeia -- Bam!