THE FOUR CATEGORIES OF WRITING

SELF-EXPRESSION ENTERTAINMENT PERSUASIVE INFORMATIVE Putting your thoughts, feelings and experiences into words ENTERTAINMENT Writing meant to evoke emotion PERSUASIVE Writing intended to sell an idea, point of view, or product to the reader INFORMATIVE Writing meant to convey factual information

SELF-EXPRESSION Putting your thoughts, feelings and experiences into words Expressive writing is personal and emotional and has no regard for standard format and writing conventions like spelling, punctuation and verb agreement. It pays no attention to propriety: it simply expresses what is on your mind and in your heart. The expressive writer has no concern for a reader. The writer is writing for his or her self. EXAMPLE A Diary or Journal

ENTERTAINMENT Writing meant to evoke emotion Writing to entertain focuses on producing an emotional reaction like joy, sorrow, anger, or fear. Examples include novels, poems, plays, and screenplays.

PERSUASIVE Writing intended to sell an idea, point of view, or product to the reader Persuasive Writing is the opposite of Expressive Writing. The focus is entirely on the reader.

INFORMATIVE Writing meant to convey factual information

“RULES” FOR Expressive Writing

“Rules” for Literary Writing

“Rules” for Persuasive Writing INFORMATIVE

Rules” for Informative Writing

INFORMATIVE

SOURCES