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Writing Descriptive Essays. What, exactly, is a Descriptive Essay?. A descriptive essay is simply an essay that describes something or someone by appealing to the reader’s senses: sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste. Steps to writing an effective Descriptive Essay:.
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What, exactly, is a Descriptive Essay? A descriptive essay is simply an essay that describes something or someone by appealing to the reader’s senses: sight, sound, touch, smell, and taste.
Steps to writing an effective Descriptive Essay: 1. Select a subject - Observation is the key to writing a good description. For example, if you are writing about a place, go there and take notes on the sights, sounds, and smells. A descriptive essay paints a picture for the reader, using descriptive devices and the senses.
Create a thesis statement – A thesis statement is simply a sentence that tells the reader what you are going to be talking about throughout the entire essay • You’re thesis statement should never begin with phrases like, “I am going to be talking about. . .”
Since this is a descriptive essay, create a thesis that informs the reader of who or what you will be describing. Ex: “My bedroom is an ocean sanctuary” Ex: “My family vacation to Disney World was a magical week of fun, laughter, and sun-filled happiness.
Select dominant details • Make sure you are only writing about things that specifically support your thesis. For example, if your thesis statement is talking about your sun-filled trip to the beach, don’t bore the reader with meaningless details about your swimsuit. . . You should be describing the beach itself, and perhaps some of the events that took place there (e.g. building a sandcastle, boogie-boarding, parasailing, etc.)
Use descriptive words – do not use vague words or generalities (such as good, nice, bad, or even beautiful). • Think about it. . . Which sounds better? “I ate a good dinner.” Or “I devoured a steaming hot, cheese-filled pepperoni pizza for dinner.” See the difference?
Provide sensory detail • Smells that are in the air (the aroma of freshly brewed coffee) • Sounds (traffic, honking horns, waves crashing) • Sights (“The sun scattered tiny diamonds across dew-covered grass as it peeked out from beyond the horizon.”) • Touch (“The texture of the adobe hut’s walls resembled coarse sandpaper.”) - Taste: sweet, sour, salty, bitter, tart (“Giant goose bumps formed on my tongue when I accidently bit into a sliver of lemon.”)
6. Draw a logical conclusion - The conclusion may also use descriptive words; however, make certain the conclusion is logical and relevant.
Now let’s practice! On a blank sheet of paper, look at the following images. Write down things you might hear, see, taste, smell, or feel/touch if you were “in” these pictures After you have compiled a brief list of sensory details, write a descriptive sentence about each picture.
The Narrative Essay • A narrative essay is a story written about a personal experience. • Writing a narrative essay provides an opportunity to get to know and understand yourself better. • Narratives provide human interest, spark our curiosity, and draw us close to the storyteller.
In addition, narratives can • Create a sense of shared history • Provide entertainment • Provide insight
Traits of a Narrative Essay • Usually written in first person – “I” • Usually rely on concrete, sensory details to convey their point • Usually include these story conventions: plot, setting, characters, climax, ending • ALWAYS make a point. You don’t tell a story just for the sake of telling…your story must make a point.
Show don’t Tell • What does show don’t tell mean? • Good writing tends to draw an image in the reader’s mind instead of just telling the reader what to think or believe.
Here’s a sentence that tells. • Mr. Bobweave was a fat, ungrateful old man. • That gets the information across, but it is BORING.
A sentence that shows… • Mr. Bobweave heaved himself out of the chair. As his feet spread under his apple-like frame and his arthritic knees popped and cracked in objection, he pounded the floor with his cane while cursing that dreadful girl who was late again with his coffee. • The writer didn’t tell Mr. Bobweave was fat, he showed it by saying his “apple-like” frame.
How can you show your ideas? • Use metaphors and similes: • She landed under the window like a falling leaf. • Use quoted language: bits of conversation can enliven your writing. • Know when to quit: If you think your readers would like a little more, write the little bit more and then delete it.
