Notes on Descriptive Writing

2. Notes on Descriptive Writing

3. Notes on Descriptive Writing In this unit you will learn: • Types of descriptive words • Two types of description • How to write a descriptive sentence • Organizational patterns for paragraphs • Tips for Writing Description

4. Notes on Descriptive Writing Think of descriptive writing as “writing that shows rather than tells.”

5. Types of Descriptive Words Concrete Words Polysymbolic Words Emotionally-impacted Words Figures of Speech

6. Types of Descriptive Words Words that stimulate an impression of one of the five senses Concrete Words

7. Types of Descriptive Words Words that stimulate multiple impressions of the five senses Polysymbolic Words

8. Types of Descriptive Words Concrete and/or polysymbolic words that also carry significant emotional value(s) Emotionally-impacted Words

9. Types of Descriptive Words Imaginative comparisons Object A Object B Figures of Speech

10. Types of Descriptive Words Imaginative comparisons Object A Object B Figures of Speech ? !

11. Types of Descriptive Words Imaginative comparisons • similes • metaphors • personification • anthropomorphism • synecdoche Figures of Speech

12. Types of Descriptive Words An indirect comparison using “like” or “as” Similes

13. Types of Descriptive Words A direct comparison suggesting a complete transformation of Object A into Object B Metaphors

14. Types of Descriptive Words • Simple metaphor • Collapsed metaphor • Abstract metaphor • Inverted metaphor • Functional metaphor Types of Metaphors

15. Types of Descriptive Words • Simple metaphor • John is a fox. Types of Metaphors

16. Types of Descriptive Words 2. Collapsed metaphor John, the fox Types of Metaphors

17. Types of Descriptive Words 3. Abstract metaphor _____, “fox” Types of Metaphors

18. Types of Descriptive Words 4. Inverted metaphor foxy John Types of Metaphors

19. Types of Descriptive Words 5. Functional metaphor “That John! He sure ‘outfoxed’ me!” Types of Metaphors

20. Types of Descriptive Words Attributing life-like qualities to inanimate objects/subjects Personification

21. Types of Descriptive Words Attributing specific human-like qualities to inanimate objects/ subjects Anthropomorphism

22. Types of Descriptive Words Referencing a part of one object to compare that object with another Synecdoche

23. Problems with Figures of Speech A Sample Paragraph Cool water flows through the rocky banks of the creek and into a wide pond. Reeds and cattails surrounding the bank embrace the pond like a mother’s enfolding arms reaching out to caress her sleeping child. Like a beaming proud mother’s eye, the sun drenches the scene with its loving warmth. Just beneath the sparkling surface of the water, minnows shoot from rock to rock like silver darts thrust like scattershot by some unseen hand.

24. Problems with Figures of Speech A Sample Paragraph Cool water flows through the rocky banks of the creek and into a wide pond. Reeds and cattails surrounding the bank embrace the pond like a mother’s enfolding arms reaching out to caress her sleeping child. Like a beaming proud mother’s eye, the sun drenches the scene with its loving warmth. Just beneath the sparkling surface of the water, minnows shoot from rock to rock like silver darts thrust like scattershot by some unseen hand.

25. Problems with Figures of Speech A Sample Paragraph Cool water flows through the rocky banks of the creek and into a wide pond. Reeds and cattails surround the bank. The sun drenches the scene with its warmth. Just beneath the sparkling surface of the water, like silver darts, minnows shoot from rock to rock.

26. Two Types of Description Objective Description Subjective Description

27. Two Types of Description “technical description” Objective Description

28. Two Types of Description Concrete Words Polysymbolic Words Objective Description

29. Two Types of Description “personal description” Subjective Description

30. Two Types of Description Concrete Words Polysymbolic Words Emotionally-Impacted Words Figures of Speech Subjective Description

31. Writing the Descriptive Sentence The descriptive sentence is always an abstraction with specific details. The descriptive sentence always focuses on the subject or the predicate. The descriptive sentence supports an objective—one part of the paragraph or another.

32. Writing the Descriptive Sentence Descriptive sentences never present all the images; each sentence creates a limited picture. The descriptive sentence is always an abstraction with specific details.

33. Writing the Descriptive Sentence The descriptive sentence always focuses on the subject or the predicate. Subject -- Predicate

34. Writing the Descriptive Sentence The descriptive sentence always focuses on the subject or the predicate. Subject Noun – Verb – Object Nouns Who? What? Where? When? How?

35. Writing the Descriptive Sentence The descriptive sentence supports an objective—one part of the paragraph or another. Clarifies the main idea of the topic sentence Clarifies primary development Clarifies secondary development

36. Writing the Descriptive Sentence A sample descriptive sentence: The blue-grey laptop computer, perched on the parquet-laminated kitchen table, cluttered with books and papers, displays the PowerPoint abstract background—softly blended graphics that fade into white, punctuated with stiff, black letters.

37. Writing the Descriptive Sentence A better descriptive sentence: On its two back legs, the blue-grey laptop computer perched on the parquet-laminated kitchen table. (subjective description)

38. Writing the Descriptive Sentence An alternative descriptive sentence: Raised on back legs, the blue-grey laptop computer was set on the parquet-laminated kitchen table. (objective description)

39. Basic Patterns for Organizing Effective Description Directional Organization Spatial Organization Psychological Organization

40. Basic Patterns for Organizing Effective Description Order of the Compass Linear Chronological Sequential Directional Organization

41. Basic Patterns for Organizing Effective Description General to Specific/Specific to General Small to Large/Large to Small Front to Back/Back to Front Inside to Outside/Outside to Inside Spatial Organization

42. Basic Patterns for Organizing Effective Description Most important to least important Least important to most important Associative (familiarity) Non-associative (random) Psychological Organization

43. Sample Paragraph #1 Facing east, the house rests atop two acres of farmland. The gated drive begins at the highway and winds in a gentle “S” across the grassy front lawn and ends at the garage to the left of the main house. Behind the house stretches freshly plowed ground, rows ranging from left to right. A line of oaks crowns the crest of the property.

44. Sample Paragraph #2 Resting deeply back in his chair, his feet crossed on the corner of his desk, Dr. Marsh is fast asleep. The few silver-grey strands of hair sweep back from his receding hairline. His lips sealed loosely, his wide chin rests comfortably over his neck. A pair of black reading glasses dangle on the end of his nose. His chest rises and falls as he snores softly in a slow rhythm. His pulpy hands are folded in his lap over a brown folder of loose pages.

45. Tips for Descriptive Writing Focus the descriptive words on the subject or predicate. Don’t overwork the detail. Arrange descriptive sentences consistently, following an organizational plan. Keep descriptive detail objective in business communications. Use description along with other developmental patterns.