1. Create a Vivid Picture: The primary goal is to paint a clear and detailed picture of a person, place, object, or event using sensory details (sight, sound, smell, taste, touch). The reader should feel like they are experiencing it themselves.
2. Engage the Reader's Senses: Descriptive writing uses vivid language to appeal to the reader's senses. The more senses engaged, the more immersive the experience becomes.
3. Evoke Emotion: By creating a strong sensory picture, descriptive writing aims to evoke emotions in the reader. This could be a sense of wonder, awe, sadness, joy, or any other feeling the writer wants to convey.
4. Show, Don't Tell: Good descriptive writing avoids telling the reader about something. Instead, it shows them through specific and detailed descriptions.
5. Use Figurative Language: Metaphors, similes, personification, and other figures of speech can help to create a more powerful and memorable image.
6. Employ Strong Verbs and Adjectives: Descriptive writing relies on strong verbs and adjectives to bring the subject to life.
7. Maintain a Clear Focus: While focusing on details, the writer needs to keep the central subject of the essay in mind and not wander too far afield.
8. Create a Sense of Place or Time: Descriptive writing often aims to transport the reader to a specific place or time, making them feel like they are there with the writer.
Overall, a descriptive essay is like a window into the writer's world, allowing the reader to experience it through the senses.