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Rasipuram Krishnaswami Iyer Narayanaswami, popularly known as R. K. Narayan, was one of the finest Indian writers. Known for his Malgudi series, Narayan left his mark through extraordinarily simple and unpretentious writing style. He drew inspiration from his real life and his ability to juxtapose reality with fiction is a common tactic used by descriptive writers.
More often than not, we use descriptive writing in our email and text messages, without even realizing it. Anybody can learn how to become a descriptive writer, with patience and practice. Let’s explore what is descriptive writing and how it can benefit us in a business environment?
Descriptive Writing: Meaning And Types
As the name suggests, descriptive writing is a type of writing where an author describes a person, place or object. The purpose of descriptive writing is to help readers visualize everything that’s written. In other words, readers imagine themselves to be a character in the story, experiencing different events and situations. It creates sensory experiences by describing, illustrating, persuading and demonstrating descriptive details.
Descriptive writing techniques help you become experimental and creative. You pay attention to detail and become more observant. Not only does it change the way you write, but it also influences the way you interact with others. Being well-versed with a descriptive writing format is an important skill in the workplace. Whether you want to pitch new ideas or write convincing emails, descriptive writing is the way to go. You’ll be able to hold your readers’ attention and engage them in ways like never before!
To paint a vivid picture in the minds of your readers, here are the various examples of descriptive writing that explore its different kinds.
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Location Description
You describe places and want to connect to a memory that transpired in a particular place. For example, you met a potential investor at a business conference. If you reach out to them, remember to talk about where and how you both met.
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Action Description
You describe what your characters are doing. For example, you have to present a progress report of the project your team is doing. Look at every member as an individual character who is contributing to the project in their own ways.
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Emotion Description
You describe the emotions that your characters are feeling. For example, while drafting a congratulatory email, you’re likely to have an emotional tone and describe your feelings. It helps you connect with your readers better.
How To Master The Art Of Descriptive Writing
Writing is one of the most crucial business communication skills. Whether you’re looking for a new job or asking for a letter of recommendation, your style, tone and language matter a lot. Well-crafted descriptive writing will help you get into essential details without sounding boring. Here are some of the top descriptive writing techniques that’ll effectively get your message across.
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Show, Don’t Tell
One of the most useful tactics is to sprinkle specific details that appeal to the readers’ senses. Sensory information helps them experience the description more closely, captivating their attention and interest.
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Exaggerate In Moderation
Figurative language is a powerful literary device that can paint instant pictures of your characters or settings. Similes and metaphors are some of the common tools but even onomatopoeia (words that sound like what they mean; e.g., tick-tock) can make a difference. Brands often use this device for slogans and advertisements.
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Surprise Your Readers
Descriptive writing gives you the liberty to pepper your sentences with surprising elements i.e., more interesting words. For example, instead of a cold mountain, you can describe it as a sleepy mountain. Using unique adjectives will keep your writing fresh and your readers interested.
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Prompt For Prompts
Create your own mystery box by writing a few ideas or words in small pieces of paper and tossing them inside a box. You can grab a piece at random and use it to enhance your writing. You can even describe the way you feel about the object or what you think about it. Be adventurous and try out challenging ways to describe things.
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What Do You See?
Before you paint mental images for others, take time to understand how you visualize a character or a setting. What do your five senses tell you? A good way to expand your sensory experiences is to read comic books or graphic novels. Replicate tactics from your favorite authors and make note of what you experience.
Harappa Education’s Writing Proficiently course will help structure your thoughts, polish your writing style and teach you to write clearly, concisely and compellingly. The SCQR—Situation, Complication, Question and Resolution—Framework will guide you in enhancing your storytelling skills and tactics. The tried-and-tested methods will make your business communication so effective that everyone sits up and takes notice!
Explore topics such as Significance of Writing Skills, Different Types of Writing Styles, Expository Writing, Process of Writing & How to Write an Email from Harappa Diaries and polish your writing skills.
