Types of Writing Styles

There are four types of writing styles. These are expository, descriptive, persuasive and narrative. To begin with, what are writing styles?

Everyone has a particular way of dressing. Sometimes, you dress to impress others. Other times, your dressing's just casual. Writing too, can express a specific style. The Style a writer uses defines that writer. It differentiate him from the others. A writing style is therefore how a writer chooses to express himself through writing.

In this article, we have identified and explained with examples these different types of writing. At the end f the page, we have allowed room for more suggestions and comments.

Types of Writing Styles

1. Expository:

This type of writing style is very common. You can use it for almost all types of essays except persuasive essays. Authors who write in an expository manner try to explain a concept. They explain a concept or idea while including details to support it. Here, the author's opinions don't count. The focus is on accepted facts about a topic. Statistics and other evidence can be used. The style is more formal and straight forward and the use of slang and casual language is absent.

Examples of Expository Writing include

• How to articles
• Textbooks
• news stories
• Recipes
• Scientific writing
• Business and technical writing etc.

2. Descriptive:

The word descriptive is self explanatory. Descriptive writing  intends to describe. Authors who use this style are out to paint a picture in words and form- they are out to paint a place or thing for their audience.

Here, writers use beautiful language, imagery etc to create detail, so readers can envision the scenery and events in their minds. The intention of the writer is not to convince  or explain to the audience. He merely describes  it. He describes what he sees, smells, tastes, hears or touches. His focus is to entertain. There are many examples of descriptive writing:

• Poetry
• Plays
• Fictional Novels
• Diary Writing etc

3. Persuasive:

Persuasive writing is also one of the four types of writing styles. In this type of writing, the author's main intention is to convince the audience of a position or belief. Here, the author's opinions and biases count. Writing must be clear and concise but also a bit more forceful and dramatic to help convince the reader.

Here, the use of exaggeration is permitted. The author also relies on specific details and examples for support. He must justify and proffer reasons why it is important to take a particular stance on issues . This style is very common among those writing academic papers. If you write argumentative essays, this is also your style. Other examples include:

• Cover Letters
• Editorial News Papers
• Adverts
• Letters of recommendation
• Articles.

4. Narrative:

Authors who use the narrative writing styles are trying to construct  and communicate a story.  Such a story has characters, is driving by conflict and has a setting. You cannot also escape the use of descriptive language and imagery. The write wants the readers to imagine characters, scenes, settings, inorder to become part of the story's world  and to connect to its plot. This type of writing style is used in almost all longer piece of writing; fiction and none-fiction alike. Good examples are

• Novels
• Novellas
• poetry
• short stories etc.
  

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