Major Forms and Types of Descriptive Writing

• Descriptive writing is used to describe a person, place, or thing in such a way that a picture is formed in a reader’s mind.
• The reader can visualize the thing by reading descriptive writing about it.

• Descriptive writing will help you improve your writing by making it more interesting and engaging to read.
• It helps readers understand the text/image better and identify the author’s intention more clearly.

There are three major forms of descriptive writing.

Writing about a person:

When we are describing a person, we should add his/her physical features, appearance, and other details that appeal to visualize an image in the reader’s mind.

Writing about an object:

When we are describing any object, there will be fewer emotions. We can use metaphorical terms to appeal to the reader’s senses.

Writing about a place:

While describing a place, we write about the place and its surroundings. The description should be in detail so that the reader can create a picture in his/her mind.

• We can describe a person, object, or place.

There are some other types of descriptive writing that include writing about oneself, writing poems, writing about traveling, memory, experience, and writing about nature.

Writing about oneself:

• Here, the writer writes about his/her hobbies, plans, or experiences. Everything should be in detail and in the form of telling a story that does not make the reader feel bored.

Writing poem:

• We can write simple rhyming words while writing a poem. We can use complex words also, but the reader should understand the meaning of these words. It should leave an impact on the reader’s mind.

Writing about travel, memory, and experience:

• In this kind of writing, we recall past events and describe them in detail. We can also write about present situations in the present form of the verb. This kind of writing usually gives the reader some information or idea about things.

Writing about nature:

• While writing about nature, the writer describes the beauty of nature. Many writers compare nature with women or something relative to describe beauty. It makes the reader understand nature deeply with an emotional touch.

• This kind of descriptive writing offers writers more creativity.
• It aims to create a realistic and touching image in the reader’s mind.
• It helps the writer to think in a broad way while writing descriptive writing.

Types of descriptive writing

• Subjective description
• Objective description

Objective description:

In the objective description, the facts are the primary focus. It shows fewer emotional aspects. The writer has to describe the reality of the object, whether it is good or bad.

Subjective description:

In the subjective description, the focus will be totally on the subject matter. Here, the writer can describe his/her emotions.

• In descriptive writing, we use five senses: ‘sight,’ ‘hearing,’ ‘touch,’ ‘smell,’ and ‘taste’ to write about any particular topic. The writer uses language that describes emotions and improves the imaginary quality of a reader. Some writers also use figurative languages like personification, similes, and metaphor to create an image in a reader’s mind.