06Jun

How To Get Better At Writing A Descriptive Essay

How To Improve Your Descriptive Writing Skills

Descriptive writing is important. This mode of writing allows you to convey important pieces of information, and it is how you can show off your epic writing skills. Your readers can picture where events are taking place through descriptive writing.

However, most people do not understand the concept of descriptive writing. Most writers feel the need to take two paragraphs to describe a sunset to match their character's mood when they could have simply used one sentence. No one enjoys reading cooked up descriptions. Avoid being that kind of writer. Below are a few tips on how to write the best descriptive essay:

  • Write relevant information

Let your writing match the voice of the narrator. Normally, a story is told through the eyes of one of your characters. For instance, say you have three characters in a bedroom. The tired one is probably only going to notice the bed and how comfortably warm the room feels. The paranoid one is going to be happy that the windows give them a good view of the open meadow, making it impossible for intruders to come unnoticed. And the picky one is going to be annoyed with the creaking floorboards and the fact that the dusty armoire isn't even mahogany. This is probably one of the more important parts of descriptive writing. Be very careful about having your characters describe and notice details that are out of their personality.

  • Match the mood of the story

You should match your description with the story’s plot. If for instance you are writing about a battle scene, use shorter sentences and fierce words that accurately show the brutality and confusion of the battlefield. Is your character having a surreal moment? Then take your time describing the beautiful way the sunlight is beaming through the window, sending shattered rays of light dancing across the ceiling. Avoid writing a description that confuses or bores your reader.

  • Play to your reader's senses.

Use the fact that most readers have intense imaginations. Do not use words such as "the room was scary cold.” Describe it in a way that will make your reader shiver by showing how the cold leaks into your bones and turns your breath into icy clouds. Describe how a doctor's office smells like latex gloves and cleaner. Take note of the whispering sound meadow grasses make, and do not rush past the feel of rain against your skin. Ensure that your reader can see, hear, smell, and feel what you are saying.

  • Do not be afraid to use symbolism and figures of speech

You can use symbolism and figures of speech but do not overuse them. Avoid using words like "Her hair was of silk." However, figurative writing is one of the most helpful forms of writing when it comes to getting a picture across to your readers. Saying something like flowers crushed underneath a carriage wheel can show a character's broken love. One can personify a downpour of rain as vengeful or purifying.

  • Slow down and spend some time being descriptive

You have to be willing to do some work if you are going to write a successful piece of description. Do not just say, "ghosts are transparent.” Try to show your reader that ghosts are transparent.

  • Read comic books.

Comic books are better at describing than novels. Most people might argue it is because of the pictures. However, comic books go out of their way to make their illustrations match the mood of the story, appeal to the reader, and move the plot along. They pull out all of the stops. They use symbolism and appeal to the senses by using only relevant images.