1. Qualities of Descriptive Writing

2. Types of Descriptive Writing
Objective: To convey information without bias or emotion
Subjective: To convey information with feeling and emotion

3. Basic Strategies
Develop a comprehensive list of observations made of the subject
2. Determine a dominant impression intended for the reader
3. Carefully plan the order in which to present the descriptive details

4. 1. Comprehensive Lists Develop before writing the piece
Include not just sight, but also smell, sound, touch and taste
Include unique details/descriptive qualities
Narrow the list to only those items that help portray your intended mood. Some opposite descriptions may be maintained to show stark contrast.

5. 2. Dominant Impression
the single quality, mood or atmosphere the writer chooses to emphasize.

6. 3. Organization
pattern of organization must fit the subject of the description logically and naturally
must be easy to follow
Examples:
Spatial order
Order of impression
Order of degree
Part-by-part order

7. Organization, continued
Spatial order: left to right, near to far, top to bottom, etc.
Order of impression: what you noticed first, second, etc.
Order of degree: Least important to most important, least familiar most familiar, etc.
Part-by-part order: for example, first the place, then the people, then the activities, etc.

8. Descriptive Writers use...
Vivid language
Carefully chosen adjectives (not over-used)
Vivid comparisons (metaphors/similes)
Personified objects
Action verbs (“I glanced around” vs. “I was looking around”)

9. Strong descriptive writers find a balance of details: not too much, not too little.