Descriptive Writing

Overall Purpose
• You want to create
an image or series of
images in the
reader’s mind.
• If done well, your
reader should feel as
though he/she is
experiencing the
world through your
senses -- as though
he/she were
transposed onto you.
 A Basic Skill
• Descriptive writing
is a “threshold
skill.” It is the
basic building block
of all other forms of
writing.
• In order to write all
types of essays
well, you must
write well
descriptively.
 Some Specific Uses
• To entertain • To relate an
• Such as an experience.
amusing • Such as a
description of a description of your
teenager’s room. childhood home to
convey a sense of
wealth or poverty
you grew up in.
 More Specific Uses
• To express • To inform (for a
feelings reader unfamiliar
• Such as a with a subject).
description of your • Such as a
favorite outdoor description of a
spot so that your newborn calf for a
reader clearly reader who has
understands why never seen one.
you enjoy that
place so very
much.
 Still More Specific Uses
• To persuade, to • To clarify, to clear
convince readers up a
that some music misconception.
videos degrade • Such as the
women. descriptions of
• Such as a two people,
description of a objects, places, or
degrading music ideas.
video.
Where Can Descriptive Writing Be
Found?
• By itself
• Narratives
• Exemplifications
• Comparison-contrasts
• Arguments
• Definitions
• Division-
classifications
• Cause-effect
 How Do You Begin?
• First, figure out two things:
• Your purpose -- what are you trying to
achieve with this description?
• Your audience -- who are you
directing your description toward.
• Your purpose and audience
determine WHAT you say and HOW
you say it.
 Then What?
• Generate as • Select which of
many ideas, those you want to
details, examples, use.
and images as • You cannot use
you can -- more everything; it’s
than you think too much -- and
you’ll need. you want to avoid
sounding like a
laundry list.
 Focus on a Dominant
Impression
• Support the
dominant
impression with
specific, vivid,
precise details
that all lead
toward that
overall image.
Getting Organized
• There are three
ways to organize
a descriptive
essay.
• Keep in mind that
organization
patterns tend to
overlap.
 Spatial Organization
• This is organizing
your images in
physical space:
• Top to bottom
• Front to back
• Left to right
• Near to far
• Head to toe
• Bumper to bumper
Chronological
Organization
• Sequential order
• First to last
• Morning-noon-night
• First, second, third
• Monday, Tuesday,
Wednesday
• September,
October, November
• 1999, 2000, 2001
 Emphatic Organization
• Order of
importance
• Least to most
• Most to least
 Then What?
• Express and • Use sensory
explain your language. We are
sensory creatures
details in length
and experience our
and in depth. world with our
• Avoid creating a senses.
laundry list of • Hearing
• Taste
characteristics.
• Touch
• Sight
• Smell
Be Aware of:
• The power of words.
• Denotation (literal,
dictionary definitions)
• Connotation
(associations we
make with words)
• They are often not
the same -- and
sometimes opposite!
 Smooth transitions,
please!
• Be aware of
transitions; they
help your reader
move between
ideas.
• They’re connectors
between sentences
and between
paragraphs.
Do You Feel Like I Do?
• Use sensory language:
• Hearing
• Tasting
• Touching
• Smelling
• Seeing
• Be aware that sensory
language enlivens
your writing but also
slows it down.
• Use it well but
sparingly.
 Precision, Precision…
• Always be vivid,
specific, and
precise with
details.
• Use concrete
details instead of
amorphous,
vague ideas.
Figurative Language
• Try to use:
• Metaphors
• Similes
• Personification
 Sentences
• Vary sentence
• Length
• Short
• Medium
• long
• Structure
• Simple
• Complex
• Compound
• Compound-
Complex
 Focus
• Remember that
descriptive writing
is focused on
images NOT
EVENTS.
• Think of it as
flipping through a
photo album. Each
image is static yet
tells a story.