Descriptive Writing

What is descriptive writing?

Descriptive writing paints a picture with words. It helps readers see, hear, smell, taste and feel what the writer is describing, as if they were right there.

Compare:

• It was a nice beach.
• Warm sand squished between my toes as gulls cried overhead. The waves crashed and fizzed, and the air tasted of salt.

The second one lets you experience the beach. That’s the power of good description.

Use your five senses

The heart of descriptive writing is sensory details: details that appeal to the five senses.

You don’t need all five senses in every sentence, but using several makes a description come alive. Many writers forget smell and sound, so adding them can make your work stand out.

Show, don’t tell

Show, don’t tell is one of the most important writing tips.

• Telling: Grandpa was old.

• Showing: Grandpa’s hands were spotted and wrinkled, and he leaned on his wooden cane as he shuffled to the porch.

• Telling: I was nervous.

• Showing: My stomach flipped, and my sweaty hands shook as I stepped onto the stage.

When you show, readers figure out the feeling themselves. It is more interesting and more believable.

Choose precise words

Vivid verbs

A vivid verb is a strong, specific action word. Swap plain verbs for more exact ones.

Specific nouns and adjectives

Instead of a dog, write a shaggy golden retriever. Instead of a flower, write a bright yellow sunflower. Be careful not to pile on too many adjectives. Two strong ones are better than five weak ones.

Use comparisons

Figurative language helps readers picture something by comparing it to something familiar.

• A simile compares using like or as: The puppy’s fur was as soft as a cloud. The fog crept in like a grey cat.
• A metaphor says something is something else: The playground was an oven in the July sun.
• Personification gives human qualities to objects: The wind howled at the windows.

Create a mood

Good description has a dominant impression: one main feeling, such as cozy, spooky, peaceful or exciting. Choose details that support that feeling.

Spooky: The floorboards creaked. A cold draft brushed my neck, and somewhere in the dark a door slowly groaned open.

Cozy: Rain tapped on the window while the fire crackled. I curled up in a fuzzy blanket with a mug of hot cocoa warming my hands.

Organize your description

Readers need a clear path through your description. Try one of these orders:

• Top to bottom or left to right, for describing a person or a room
• Near to far, for describing a landscape
• Most important to least important, for a strong first impression
• Time order, for describing an event as it happens

Planning a descriptive paragraph

1. Choose your subject and the feeling you want to create.
2. Brainstorm details for each sense in a chart.
3. Pick the strongest details that fit your feeling.
4. Organize them in a clear order.
5. Write, then revise: replace plain words with vivid ones.

Common mistakes

• Telling instead of showing. Replace it was scary with details that make it scary.
• Too many adjectives. The big, huge, giant, enormous tree repeats itself.
• Only using sight. Add sounds, smells and textures.
• Using vague words like nice, good, stuff and things.

Try it yourself

Rewrite each telling sentence as a showing sentence with at least two senses:

1. The kitchen smelled good.
2. The storm was bad.
3. She was happy.

Quick recap

• Descriptive writing helps readers picture and feel what you describe.
• Use sensory details for sight, sound, smell, taste and touch.
• Show, don’t tell, and choose vivid verbs and specific nouns.
• Similes and metaphors create pictures; a dominant impression creates a mood.