Descriptive Writing

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Definition:

Carefully choosing words to create images in the readers mind. Usually of People, Places, Objects or Events

Types:

Objective Scientific Description:

Accurate snap shot/ Diagram

Found in Transactional writing, such as text books, technical manuals, police records

Provides a concise, factual account, rendering exactly WHAT was OBSERVED, in precise detail

Subjective Impressionistic Description:

Found in prose and poetry

Provides writer's selective observations. It is responsive and tells about the writer, their view and attitude on the topic.

Most discriptive writing falls some where between the two styles.

So keep in mind the Purpose & intended audience when choosing.

Characteristics:

Regardless of style or purpose, it contains a multitude of details to build a strong imagePerson, Place, Object, Event description is based on writer's physical & psychological POV. Ex: Writer describes a street from a balcony or street level / Writer describes a lobster trap in a different perspective to a tourist than a fisher would.

Observations are organized in a particular manner

+ General Observations of whole scene to a more specific observation of its parts

+ Spatially - Right to left, Top to bottom, End to End,

+ Chronologically - Beginning to end, Dawn to Dusk,

+ Sensory - According to the senses

What is it?