DESCRIPTIVE WRITING: Descriptive writing is often included in other forms or genres, especially the narrative. The purpose of description is to provide the vivid details that allow the reader to visualize people, settings and events.
SHOW DON'T TELL: Mark Twain once said, "Don't tell me the old lady screamed, drag her in here and show me her screaming." In other words, don't use simple statements to tell readers about important events in your stories, use detail and strong active language to bring the event to life. To learn more about the strategies of effective description press the following link:
- SHOW DON'T TELL: Examples from Literature
- The Man Froze to Death from To Build a Fire by Jack London
- It was Hot from To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
- SHOW DON'T TELL: Student Examples
- SHOW DON'T TELL: Revision - Sometimes, it is difficult to know where to begin when editing. This link will illustrate a step by step editing process to improve your descriptive writing.
