5 Types of Writing Styles Every Writer Should Master

If you’re a writer, then you’re skilled at understanding language and weaving words into compelling sentences⎯but did you know that there are different types of writing styles?

Not all writing is the same, nor should it be.

In this post, we’re going to examine five essential writing types that you should become an expert in: persuasive, expository, narrative, descriptive, and creative.

What Are the 5 Different Writing Styles?

The main difference in the types of writing styles is the purpose behind each piece you write. As a writer, you need to have a basic grasp of each style. They often overlap, and you may need to use several of them together in the same piece. Not only will this knowledge and experience diversify your skills and portfolio but it will potentially help you land more gigs.

Let’s dive into each of the five writing types and explore specific examples to showcase each style’s distinct aims.

What Is Persuasive Writing?

Persuasive writing is used to convince readers to adopt a certain opinion or take a particular action. It usually involves stating your position on a topic and then backing it up with evidence, facts, logical reasoning, emotional appeal, or other rhetorical strategies.

Persuasive Writing Examples

You’ll see persuasive writing most often in the following places:

• Advertisements
• Newspaper editorials
• Academic theses
• Product reviews
• Business proposals

Here’s an example of persuasive writing in action:

Obviously, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone should make any modern 11-year-old a very happy reader. The novel moves quickly, packs in everything from a boa constrictor that winks to a melancholy Zen-spouting centaur to an owl postal system, and ends with a scary surprise.—From a book review by Michael Dirda in The Washington Post

What Is Expository Writing?

You may know the term exposition as the material at the beginning of a story that establishes basic information the audience must know. Similarly, expository writing’s primary function is to inform.

For this type of writing, stick with facts and objective statements and avoid opinions. You’re simply trying to explain a concept. Many of our blog posts are expository in nature.

Expository Writing Examples

You’ll see expository writing most often in the following places:

• How-to articles
• Textbooks
• Hard news
• Technical manuals
• Recipes

Here’s an example of expository writing in action:

Plant seed potato segments cut side down (eyes up) in a 6-inch-deep hole or trench. Space each segment 12 inches apart on all sides.—From “How to Grow Potatoes” by Kevin Lee Jacobs

What Is Narrative Writing?

The main goal of narrative writing is to tell a story. This includes establishing characters, building out the setting, and introducing some form of conflict. It can also incorporate dialogue or employ narrative devices such as metaphors.

Narrative Writing Examples

You’ll see narrative writing most often in the following places:

• Novels
• Short stories
• Memoirs
• Anecdotes
• Personal essays

Here’s an example of narrative writing in action:

On the twenty-ninth of July, in 1943, my father died. On the same day, a few hours later, his last child was born. Over a month before this, while all our energies were concentrated in waiting for these events, there had been, in Detroit, one of the bloodiest race riots of the century.—From Notes of a Native Son by James Baldwin

What Is Descriptive Writing?

Descriptive writing uses sensory details to bring a vivid scene to life in the reader’s mind. This often goes hand in hand with narrative or creative writing to help immerse the audience in the story’s setting.

Descriptive Writing Examples

You’ll see descriptive writing most often in the following places:

• Novels
• Short stories
• Poems
• Product descriptions
• Fables

Here’s an example of descriptive writing in action:

A cool, fresh, and subtle soap with the crisp, invigorating scent of grapefruit complimented with a sweet peppermint finish and gently exfoliating mint leaves.—Meow Meow Tweet body soap description

What Is Creative Writing?

Creative writing often harnesses the power of all four of the other types of writing styles. It can persuade, educate, describe, and tell a story—sometimes all at once. There aren’t a lot of rules when it comes to creative writing, which gives you room to play and have fun.

Creative Writing Examples

You’ll see creative writing most often in the following places:

• Novels
• Short stories
• Memoirs
• Poems
• Songs

Here’s an example of creative writing in action:

so much depends

upon

a red wheel

barrow

glazed with rain

water

beside the white

chickens

—“The Red Wheelbarrow” by William Carlos Williams

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