Descriptive Writing Language Arts/Writing

Why worry about description? Makes writing more concrete or livid Adds specific detail Shows sensory (your 5 senses) images Makes writing more interesting (less BORING!) Makes characters come alive

Painting a Picture with Words Show, don’t tell as you write Use dialogue Details, details, details Use rhetorical devices (metaphors and similes) Factual statements that can support your writing and be proven

When you’re stuck… Create a 5 senses cluster- Let’s practice doing one for this picture:

Show, Don’t Tell! Don’t just say, “It was beautiful”, prove it! Use active, precise verbs Precise: He warned me not to go. Common: He told me not to go. Use fresh figurative language use similes, metaphors, and personification avoid clichés

Dialogue Use dialogue to create a sense of “being there” by actually sharing the conversation Pick quotes that give examples and details about your topic. Direct quotes will help you give the reader a vivid picture of the scene you are describing.

Factual Information Use direct quotes Give straight facts to give a clear picture of the subject Offer factual examples and details

Organization Chronological: Organize ideas, facts, attributes, and sensory details into the time periods in which they happened. Organize by the order in which events occurred (first to last) Spatial: Organize your writing based on how you view your subject (top to bottom, entrance to exit, left to right, etc.)

What element(s) of descriptive writing does the author use? The thick, burnt scent of roasted coffee tickled the tip of my nose just seconds before the old, faithful alarm blared a distorted top-forty through its tiny top speaker. Wiping away the grit of last night's sleep, the stark white sunlight blinded me momentarily as I slung my arm like an elephant trunk along the top of the alarm, searching for the snooze button. While stretching hands and feet to the four posts of my bed, my eyes opened after several watery blinks. I crawled out of the comforter, edging awkwardly like a butterfly from a cocoon, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. The dusty pebbles on

Cont … the chilled, wood floor sent ripples spiraling from my ankles to the nape of my neck when my feet hit the floor. Grabbing the apricot, terrycloth robe, recently bathed in fabric softener and October wind, I knotted it tightly at my waist like a prestigious coat of armor and headed downstairs to battle the morning.

What element(s) of descriptive writing does the author use? The bologna sandwich in the back corner of the refrigerator was a nightmare. It smelled like a dead skunk under the porch. The green mold that covered it was the color of dill pickles and fuzzy like an overripe peach. When I picked it up, the drippy, squishy sounds coming from it made my skin crawl!

What element(s) of descriptive writing does the author use? My cat’s silky fur is as black as pavement. He is a panther as he glides through our yard. His scent is as sweet as grass mixed with rain, and his fur is as shiny as a newly washed car. When I pick him up, my furry friend feels like a warm hug.