Have you ever pondered upon writing something but don't know how to do it? Where to start from? Or you wrote something keeping an idea in mind, but it turned out not quite as you wanted?
The reason maybe the style of writing. It`s about how the writer presents the words to the readers and how well it influences the target audience. Let us start by defining an article and then exploring the different writing styles.
What is an article?
An article is a piece of writing on a particular subject published in a newspaper, magazine, online or on any other platform. It can be fiction or non-fiction depending upon the interest of the writer. The main objective of writing an article is to provide relevant and useful information to the readers.
Types Of Article Writing
Each writing style has a distinct purpose. It is important to consider the purpose of writing and the target audience before selecting a writing style. There are four basic types of article writing:
Expository
Expository writing is used for explaining a particular topic to its readers. It aims at providing relevant information and is not influenced by the opinion of the writer. It is subject oriented and include details like what, when, how, who, why etc. regarding the subject matter. It is usually non-fiction and does not entertain the readers. It uses appropriate facts, data, examples, statistics, evidence, visual presentations etc.
Types:
- Cause and effect- understanding why something happened and its impact.
- Process/ Sequential- includes how-to guides, instructions, explaining how to do something using an organized method.
- Problem and Solution- analyzing the given problem, finding the appropriate solution and suggesting ways to implement it. The solution should be legitimate and not just a mere opinion and should be supported by relevant data and facts.
- Compare and contrast- comparing the similarities and differences between two subjects of same category.
- Definition and classification- describing a topic in detail, explaining its meaning, types, examples etc.
Examples:
- Academic essays
- Magazine articles
- Scientific reports
- Textbooks
- User manuals
- Persuasive/Argumentative
Persuasive writing focuses on convincing the readers to agree with the writer’s opinion. It uses suitable logics, reasons, arguments, justifications to show that the perspective or idea presented is valid. It is biased and persuades the readers to accept the given opinion and take an action.
It is usually non-fiction and uses certain techniques to convince the readers such as:
- Asking rhetorical questions (question asked to make a point rather than to get an answer).
- Using emotive (arousing strong emotions) language.
- Repetition of words, phrases or ideas.
- Criticizing the opposite opinion.
- Using relevant evidence and logic.
- Comparisons using metaphors, similes and analogies.
Examples:
- Speech
- Proposals
- Advertisements
- Reviews
- Newspaper editorials
Descriptive
Descriptive writing is like expository writing as it aims to explain the topic in detail, however, it uses descriptive language to do so. Descriptive language includes detailed description of something in such a way that it creates a vivid image in the reader’s mind and enables them to get a better feel of the text. The most common forms of Descriptive language are adverbs, adjectives, metaphors and similes.
Descriptive writing is usually a form of fiction though it can be used in non-fictions also. It has five basic elements:
- Sensory details- writing that induces emotions of readers, creates a vivid image in their mind, appeals to their senses of sight, touch, hearing, smell, taste.
- Figurative language- using similes, metaphors, allusions, hyperbole personification etc. to compare two things.
- Precise language- using language that emphasizes on the main theme and should not be vague.
- Dominant impression- creating a single dominant impression or central theme or focusing on a single idea to which all the details relate to.
- Careful organization- understanding the role of chronology, spatial, and order of importance.
Examples:
- Journal
- Poetry
- Travel writing
- Song lyrics
- Biographies
Narrative
Narrative writing is basically story writing. It can be fiction, non-fiction or somewhere between both (semi autobiographies, historical fiction etc.) It is mostly based on imagination and can be written on a variety of themes such as fantasy, science fiction, romance, mystery etc.
There are 7 main elements of narrative writing:
- Plot- events that occur from beginning to end in the story.
- Setting- time and location in which story takes place.
- Theme- the main idea, what story is about.
- Conflict- the main problem that must be resolved which creates tension and brings suspense in story and make it interesting.
- Point of view- viewpoint from which the story is being told.
- Characters- people, animals, other beings or things that perform actions and are affected by the plot.
- Narrative Arc- setup, rising tension, climax, resolution.
Examples:
- Short stories
- Novels
- Poems
- Plays
- Memoirs
Know your type?
It is important to know you type as it:
- Helps in knowing your target audience.
- Enables one to convey the message properly.
- Makes it easier to choose topics for writing.
- Helps in creating better content.
- Attract more readers.
- Helps in knowing your strengths and weaknesses and work upon them.
- Makes writing more organized.
- Makes the research process easier.
- Enables one to focus on the key areas & improving the writing skills.
- Helps one to write more in less time.
So, Lets sum it up
Knowing your writing style not only helps in creating better content but also brings a sense of originality and uniqueness to it. It enables one to express oneself more naturally as the writing style aligns with the purpose of writing. One can always experiment with different writing styles as it helps in conveying your thoughts or views more efficiently with reference to what you are writing.