Examples are used by everyone, everyday, when thinking, speaking, and writing. We use them to inform people and illustrate and illuminate our points. Examples make expression more vivid and interesting, which is what you always want it to be. Examples also work to show instances that work to represent the whole. You begin with a generalization (your point or thesis), then use examples to strengthen and “back up” the point you are trying to make.
If you write, “A Beautiful Mind is the best drama made in the last 10 years,” you could then follow up with, “I believe this is true because of the excellent cast, the wonderful direction, and the fact that this movie is based on a true story.” You would then want to go into further detail by discussing the “Who/What/Why” of the actors, the “Who/What/Why” of the director, and the “Who/What/Why/Where/When/How” of the story. You can see that specific examples are used within the larger, general examples, and all of these examples always work to explain and strengthen the generalization.
Notice that the arrangement of examples must follow a logical pattern of organization: chronological, spatial, simplest to most complex, least to most important, or some other pattern that fits your topic. The choice of organization is up to you, and oftentimes, your topic and the examples you choose will guide you towards the right pattern.
Examples also work very well when combined with narration and description, through the use of anecdotes, longer stories, specific details, and facts. Keep in mind that you must use clear transitions to move from one example to the next. Some examples are for instance, therefore, for example, afterward, next, in other words, first, second, etc, and finally.
Don’t forget the impact subjective examples can have when compared to objective examples.
You can also tell a story based on examples--it's easy! First, consider a story that didn't occur in one instance. Think of something that you experienced, learned, gained, or even lost over a period of time. Look at each stage in the experience as an example of a step you took towards an outcome or goal. Add example to example until, through a string of examples, you have illustrated the whole "story." Remember--transitions are necessary to indicate chronological or physical movement.
If you were to diagram an example-based story, it could look like this:
The number of examples you should use to tell your story depends, of course, on the story you are trying to tell. Choose a story, map out the number of examples necessary for a complete telling of that story, then write it!
It’s easy to feel overwhelmed when thinking of all the examples you can use, but always remember that you are striving to choose only the best, most representative examples to illustrate and emphasize your point.