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The 4 Main Types of Writing Styles and How to Use Them as a Writer

Understanding the 4 main types of writing styles can help you grow as a writer and attract an audience for your written work. Here’s how to identify each style of writing and tips for using each of the 4 common writing styles to develop your written skills.

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One of the things that can help you grow as a writer is to learn the 4 main types of writing styles and use the characteristics of each to further develop your own personal voice as a writer.

By learning how to use the different writing styles in your work, you will not only improve your skills as writer, but also learn ways to better connect with your audience of readers.

In this post we’ll cover the 4 main types of writing styles and how to use them as a writer to create compelling books, stories, essays, poetry, articles and more.

What are Writing Styles?

Writing styles are basically another way of saying the form or type of written work you are creating. Think of it as a classification for being able to identify what kind of writing you are creating.

For example, if you are writing a cookbook, that is a completely different style of writing than if you were writing a steamy romance novel!

Each writing style has a different purpose – and therefore, different characteristics are present when you are writing each type of different work.

Now that we understand what a writing style is – let’s talk about the 4 main writing styles which are commonly talked about amongst writers and literary educators.

The 4 Main Writing Styles & What They Mean

The four main writing styles which are commonly recognized are expository , descriptive , narrative , and persuasive .

Style #1: Expository

The definition of expository is this: “intended to explain or describe something.”

Most types of written work that fall into this category explain something in more detail, or provide insight and instruction in regards to a particular topic.

What types of writing fall into this category of expository writing style?

While there are many different types of written work which can be categorized as expository style of writing, you can often identify this type of writing by noticing the purpose of the work.

• Does the work intend to explain something in more detail?
• Does the written piece inform?
• Does the written piece answer questions such as “what, how and why?”

Here are some examples of the different types of writing pieces which can fall into the category of expository writing:

• Newspaper and Magazine Articles {not including editorials}
• Non-Fiction Books
• How-To Books
• Self Help Books
• Writing about Hobbies & Interests
• Recipes & Cookbooks
• Instructional Guides
• Scientific Research
• Textbooks & Educational Resources
• Business Articles & Books
• Medical Research, Journals and Articles

When you write expository style pieces, your main goal as a writer is to inform your readers with insight and facts that pertain to the subject of your piece.

For example, if you are writing about the history of ice cream, you would be including a lot of research and fun facts into your piece.

Note that this type of writing style is not intended to persuade or influence your audience. In writing your piece on the history of ice cream, you would NOT be trying to persuade your readers.

You would not want to say things like “Everybody should eat ice cream!” and “These 5 reasons will convince you forever to choose strawberry swirl flavored ice cream as your favorite flavor.”

Sometimes it can be confusing on whether an article is expository or persuasive. For example, an article called “The 5 Unexpected Health Benefits of Ice Cream” – would not fall into expository writing, even though it is providing information.

The word “benefits” has a positive connotation to the title. If you were to be writing an article on possible health benefits on ice cream, it would be very important that you as the writer keep your opinion separated from the facts and information if you plan for it to be an expository style piece. To be expository in nature, you would want to use a title such as “Scientists Research The Health Effects of Ice Cream.”

Books and articles that explain how to do something are also very popular examples of expository writing. Cookbooks are very popular, as they explain to others the tips, techniques, and recipes on how to cook something. How-to books for hobbies and crafts are also a good example of this type of writing.

Style #2: Descriptive Writing

Descriptive writing goes deeper than expository writing. While expository writing might have some descriptive details and factual information, descriptive writing will make use of many writing elements and literary devices such as metaphors and similes.

The purpose and goal of descriptive writing is to bring your reader into the written work as if the reader were to be experiencing it first hand.

Most fictional pieces fall under the category of descriptive writing, and even some non-fiction pieces such as memoirs and creative non-fiction can fall under the category of a descriptive writing style.

If you are writing fiction, the more descriptive you can be with your words, the more relatable your story will be to the reader.

For example, we recommend that writers ask their characters questions as one way to really intimately understand the details about a character. Details about the setting, events, and people present in a story will help your readers be able to imagine and understand the piece.

This style also includes poetry. If you browse through some of our poetry writing prompts , you will see there is a lot of attention put on using details to create a scene or feeling in writing a poem!

Here are some examples of types of descriptive writing pieces:

• Poetry & Prose
• Travel Diaries
• Personal Journals
• Lyrics in Music and Songwriting

Most pieces using only a descriptive writing style are not very long. It is uncommon for a fictional novel to be 100% fully descriptive without getting into our next writing style, which is narrative writing.

Style #3: Narrative Writing

Narrative writing is far more complex that simple descriptive writing.

While a poem for example may describe a scene or even events or people – generally you do not get into the deep inner thoughts of the characters or even get a full story with a clear middle, beginning, and end complete with conflict and dialogue.

Nearly all fiction novels fall into the case of narrative writing, as well as longer epic poems and sagas.

In narrative writing, there is a story to be told – a clear plot complete with setting, characters, dialogue, conflict and resolution. A narrative piece often has a timeline or sequence of events which further build to the point of conflict and resolution.

Here are some examples of the works which would be considered to have a narrative writing style:

• Fiction Novels
• Memoirs & Biographies
• Screenplays
• Myths, Legends, and Fables
• Historical accounts
• Essays which talk about a lesson learned or valuable insight from an experience

Narrative writing pieces are generally easy to identify, although sometimes it can be confused with descriptive writing styles. The key difference in determining which one a written work might be is whether or not there is a developed storyline or plot.

If there is a well developed plot and storyline, you are most likely reading narrative writing.

Style #4: Persuasive Writing

Persuasive writing is a type of writing style where the purpose is to influence someone into believing or doing something. As the word “persuasive” suggests – your goal is to persuade someone’s actions or thoughts to align with your own goals as the writer.

The persuasive writing essay is a popular homework assignment for many kids. For example, a student might be assigned to write an essay to convince their parents of something. “Why We Should Get a Pet Rabbit” and “5 Reasons You Should Not Make Me Clean My Room”.

Persuasive writing is intended to convince someone of something, and so it usually needs to have a good bit of research and logical analysis – but also should attempt to make an emotional connection to the desired audience as well.

A classic piece of writing which serves as an example of persuasive writing is Thomas Paine’s book Common Sense , which was written in the Colonial times of the American Revolutionary War, urging citizens that separating from England was of utmost importance.

Here are some examples of types of writing which are persuasive writing:

• Editorial & Opinion pieces in Newspapers and Magazines
• Essays on a specific belief or “hot button” topic
• Letters written to request an action or file a complaint
• Advertisements {Convincing you to buy something}
• Copywriting {Note, copywriting is different from copyright!}
• Company Brochures
• Business Proposals
• Political speeches

When the intention of the work is to convince the audience of something – this falls into persuasive writing.

How to Use the 4 Main Different Writing Styles as a Writer

Now that we know the different types of writing styles, you may be wondering how do you use each style?

The first thing to do is think about what you are planning to write and what the intention is. What is your goal and what type of message are you trying to communicate to your readers?

Expository Style Writing:

In this type of writing your goal is to inform your readers about research or data.

When writing expository style pieces, follow these guidelines:

• Avoid using words which have a positive or negative connotation
• Do not insert your opinion or attempt to persuade your audience into thinking, feeling, or doing something based on your beliefs
• Use research and cite your sources
• When writing online, link to additional resources or websites
• Use quotes, illustrations or informative graphics to highlight the information
• Give concise and clear directions

Descriptive Writing Style:

This type of writing has the goal to describe something and bring into your reader’s imaginations

Here are some tips for writing with descriptive writing styles:

• Use literary devices such as metaphors and similes.
• Use well thought out adjectives and adverbs to describe nouns and verbs.
• Bring attention to small details
• Use the 6 senses: sight, touch, taste, smell, sound, and feeling

Narrative Writing Style:

In narrative writing style, your goal is to convey a storyline to your readers.

Here is how to achieve this type of writing style:

• Outline a storyline, plot or timeline sequence of events
• Include detailed descriptions of your characters and scenes
• Give your readers insight into the inner thoughts or behind-the-scenes information to elements of your story
• Answer the 6 W questions in your writing: Who, What, When, Where, How, and Why?
• Make it so your piece of work conveys an important lesson or insight – what is the moral of the story? What was the outcome of this experience?
• Use concrete language which gives readers a specific image to visualize and relate to

Persuasive Writing Style:

When you are writing to persuade, your intention is to convince your readers to side with you. This can be as simple as convincing them to buy your latest new product, or even writing about important social and humanitarian issues.

Here are some tips for writing persuasively:

• Include information, data, and facts to back up your argument
• Cite your sources and give readers access to additional information
• Appeal to your readers on an emotional level – how will siding with your opinion connect with them and make them feel?
• Take into consideration your reader’s needs, wants, and desires and how your message will help your reader achieve these.

Understanding Writing Styles Can Help You Be a Better Writer

No matter what type of writing you enjoy creating – understanding the basic main 4 types of writing styles can help you become a better writer.

If you are writing a how-to article for example, you will be able to understand what types of elements to ensure your piece of work includes. If you’re writing a descriptive poem, knowing what type of language to use can help convey your message for abstract concepts.

Use these different writing styles as a fun writing exercise!

Even if you typically only write for one style, it can be a lot of fun to push yourself to try to write for the different types of styles. For example, try writing a persuasive essay, and then a descriptive essay on the same topic. It can also be fun to write a descriptive poem and then turn it into a narrative essay or short story.

Not sure what to write about using these different writing styles? We have TONS of ideas for you with many different writing prompts! Check out our list of 365 writing prompts ideas which are sure to inspire your creative muse!

Using prompts is a great way to help you start writing in different writing styles and push yourself to a new exciting challenge for your writing skills!

I hope this article about the different writing styles and how you can use them as a writer will be helpful for you in building and developing your written skillset.

What types of writing styles do you enjoy writing the most? Have any tips for writing in expository, descriptive, narrative or persuasive styles of writing? We’d love to hear your ideas and experiences in the comments section below!

Chelle Stein wrote her first embarrassingly bad novel at the age of 14 and hasn't stopped writing since. As the founder of ThinkWritten, she enjoys encouraging writers and creatives of all types.

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General Education

A piece’s writing style can help you figure out what kind of writing it is, what its purpose is, and how the author’s voice is unique. With so many different types of writing, you may think it’s difficult to figure out the specific writing style of a piece or you'll need to search through a long list of writing styles.

However, there are actually just four main types of writing styles, and together they cover practically all the writing you see, from textbooks to novels, to billboards and more.  Whether you’re studying writing styles for class or trying to develop your own writing style and looking for information, we’ve got you covered.

In this guide, we explain the four styles of writing, provide examples for each one, go over the one thing you need to know to identify writing style, and give tips to help you develop your own unique style of writing.

The 4 Types of Writing

There are four main different styles of writing. We discuss each of them below, list where you’re likely to see them, and include an example so you can see for yourself what each of the writing styles looks like.

Writers who use the narrative style are telling a story with a plot and characters. It’s the most common writing style for fiction, although nonfiction can also be narrative writing as long as its focus is on characters, what they do, and what happens to them.

Common Places You’d See Narrative Writing

• Biography or autobiography
• Short stories
• Journals or diaries

“We had luncheon in the dining-room, darkened too against the heat, and drank down nervous gayety with the cold ale. ‘What’ll we do with ourselves this afternoon?’ cried Daisy, ‘and the day after that, and the next thirty years?’    ‘Don’t be morbid,’ Jordan said. ‘Life starts all over again when it gets crisp in the fall.’ ‘But it’s so hot,’ insisted Daisy, on the verge of tears, ‘and everything’s so confused. Let’s all go to town!’ - The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

You can quickly tell that this passage from the novel The Great Gatsby is an example of narrative writing because it has the two key traits: characters and a plot. The group is discussing eating and drinking while trying to decide what to do for the rest of the day.

As in this example, narrative writing often has extended dialogue scenes since the dialogue is used to move the plot along and give readers greater insight into the characters.

Writers use the expository style when they are trying to explain a concept. Expository writing is fact-based and doesn’t include the author’s opinions or background. It’s basically giving facts from the writer to the reader.

Common Places You’d See Expository Writing

• Newspaper articles
• Academic journals
• Business memos
• Manuals for electronics
• How-to books and articles

“The 1995/1996 reintroduction of gray wolves (Canis lupus) into Yellowstone National Park after a 70 year absence has allowed for studies of tri-trophic cascades involving wolves, elk (Cervus elaphus), and plant species such as aspen (Populus tremuloides), cottonwoods (Populus spp.), and willows (Salix spp.). To investigate the status of this cascade, in September of 2010 we repeated an earlier survey of aspen and measured browsing and heights of young aspen in 97 stands along four streams in the Lamar River catchment of the park’s northern winter range. We found that browsing on the five tallest young aspen in each stand decreased from 100% of all measured leaders in 1998 to means of <25% in the uplands and <20% in riparian areas by 2010. Correspondingly, aspen recruitment (i.e., growth of seedlings/sprouts above the browse level of ungulates) increased as browsing decreased over time in these same stands.” -”Trophic cascades in Yellowstone: The first 15 years after wolf reintroduction” by William J. Ripple and Robert L. Beschta

This abstract from an academic journal article is clearly expository because it only focuses on facts. The authors aren’t giving their opinion of wolves of Yellowstone, they’re not telling a story about the wolves, and the only descriptions are number of trees, streams, etc. so readers can understand the study better.

Because expository writing is focused on facts, without any unnecessary details or stories, the writing can sometimes feel dense and dry to read.

Descriptive

Descriptive writing is, as you may guess, when the author describes something. The writer could be describing a place, person, or an object, but descriptive writing will always include lots of details so the reader can get a clear and complete idea of what is being written about.

Common Places You’d See Descriptive Writing

• Fiction passages that describe something

“In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an oozy smell, nor yet a dry, bare sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or eat: it was a hobbit hole and that means comfort. It had a perfectly round door like a porthole, painted green, with a shiny yellow brass knob in the exact middle. The door opened on to a tube-shaped hall like a tunnel: a very comfortable tunnel without smoke, with panelled walls, and floors tiled and carpeted...” - The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

This is the opening passage of the novel The Hobbit . While The Hobbit is primarily an example of narrative writing, since it explores the adventures of the hobbit and his companions, this scene is definitely descriptive. There is no plot or action going on in this passage; the point is to explain to readers exactly what the hobbit’s home looks like so they can get a clear picture of it while they read. There are lots of details, including the color of the door and exactly where the doorknob is placed.

You won’t often find long pieces of writing that are purely descriptive writing, since they’d be pretty boring to read (nothing would happen in them), instead many pieces of writing, including The Hobbit , will primarily be one of the other writing styles with some descriptive writing passages scattered throughout.

When you’re trying to persuade the reader to think a certain way or do a certain thing, you’ll use persuasive writing to try to convince them.  Your end goal could be to get the reader to purchase something you’re selling, give you a job, give an acquaintance of yours a job, or simply agree with your opinion on a topic.

Common Places You’d See Persuasive Writing

• Advertisements
• Cover letters
• Opinion articles/letters to the editor
• Letters of recommendation
• Reviews of books/movies/restaurants etc.
• Letter to a politician

“What General Weygand called the Battle of France is over. I expect that the battle of Britain is about to begin. Upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization. Upon it depends our own British life, and the long continuity of our institutions and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us in this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him, all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad, sunlit uplands. But if we fail, then the whole world, including the United States, including all that we have known and cared for, will sink by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves, that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say, ‘This was their finest hour.’ - “This was their finest hour” by Winston Churchill

In this excerpt from his famous “Their finest hour” speech, Prime Minister Winston Churchill is clearing trying to convince his audience to see his viewpoint, and he lays out the actions he thinks they should take. In this case, Churchill is speaking to the House of Commons (knowing many other British people would also hear the speech), and he’s trying to prepare the British for the coming war and convince them how important it is to fight.

He emphasizes how important the fight will be (“Upon this battle depends the survival of the Christian civilization.” and clearly spells out what he thinks his audience should do (“Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties…”).

Common Writing Styles to Know

Each of the four main types of writing styles has multiple subsets of styles within it. Here are nine of the most common and important types of writing you’ll see.

Narrative Writing

Character voice.

Character voice is a common writing style in novels. Instead of having an unknown narrator, the audience knows who is telling the story. This first-person narrator can help the reader relate more both to the narrator and the storyline since knowing who is telling a story can help the reader feel more connected to it. Sometimes the narrator is completely truthful in telling what happens, while other times they are an unreliable narrator and will mislead or outright lie to readers to make themselves look better. 

To Kill a Mockingbird (Scout is the narrator) and The Hunger Games (Katniss is the narrator) are two examples of this writing style.

Stream-of-Consciousness

This writing style attempts to emulate the thought process of the character. Instead of only writing about what the character says or does, stream-of-consciousness will include all or most of the characters thoughts, even if they jump from one topic to another randomly or include incomplete thoughts.

For example, rather than writing “I decided to take a walk to the ice cream shop,” an author using the stream-of-consciousness writing style could write, “It’s pretty hot out, and I feel like I should eat something, but I’m not really that hungry. I wonder if we have leftovers of the burgers Mom made last night? Is Mom staying late at work tonight? I can’t remember if she said. Ice cream would be a good choice, and not too filling. I can’t drive there though because my car is still in for repairs. Why is the repair shop taking so long? I should have listened when David said to check for reviews online before choosing a place. I should text David later to see how he is. He’ll think I’m mad at him if I don’t. I guess I’ll just have to walk to the shop.”

James Joyce and William Faulkner are two of the most well-known writers to have regularly used the  stream-of-consciousness writing style.

Epistolary writing uses a series of documents, such as letters, diary entries, newspaper articles, or even text messages to tell a story. They don’t have a narrator, there’s just whoever purportedly gathered the documents together. This writing style can provide different points of view because a different person can be the author of each document.

Well-known examples of epistolary writing include the novels Dracula  (written as a series of letters, newspaper articles, and diary entries) and Frankenstein (written as a series of letters).

Expository Writing

You’ll find this style in textbooks or academic journal articles. It’ll focus on teaching a topic or discussing an experiment,  be heavy on facts, and include any sources it cited to get the information. Academic writing often assumes some previous knowledge of the topic and is more focused on providing information than being entertaining, which can make it difficult to read and understand at times.

Business writing refers to the writing done in a workplace. It can include reports, memos, and press releases. Business writing typically has a formal tone and standard formatting rules. Because employees are presumably very busy at work, business writing is very concise and to the point, without any additional flourishes intended to make the writing more interesting.

You’ll see this writing style most commonly in newspaper articles. It focuses on giving the facts in a concise, clear, and easy-to-understand way. Journalists often try to balance covering all the key facts, keeping their articles brief, and making the audience interested in the story.

This writing style is used to give information to people in a specific field, such as an explanation of a new computer programming system to people who work in software, a description of how to install pipes within a house for plumbers, or a guide to new gene modifications for microbiologists.

Technical writing is highly specialized for a certain occupational field. It assumes a high level of knowledge on the topic, and it focuses on sharing large amounts of information with the reader. If you’re not in that field, technical writing can be nearly impossible to understand because of the jargon and references to topics and facts you likely don’t know.

Descriptive Writing

Poetry is one of the most challenging styles of writing to define since it can come in many forms. In general, poems use rhythmic language and careful word choice to express an idea. A poem can be an example of descriptive writing or narrative writing, depending on whether it’s describing something or telling a story. Poetry doesn’t need to rhyme, and it often won’t follow standard grammatical or structural rules. Line breaks can, and often do, occur in the middle of sentences.

Persuasive Writing

Copywriting.

Copywriting is writing that is done for advertising or marketing purposes. It’s attempting to get the reader to buy whatever the writer is trying to sell. Examples of copywriting include catalogs, billboards, ads in newspapers or magazines, and social media ads.

In an attempt to get the reader to spend their money, copywriters may use techniques such as descriptive language (“This vanilla was harvested from the lush and exotic island of Madagascar"), exciting language (Stop what you’re doing and learn about this new product that will transform your life!”) and exaggeration (“This is the best cup of coffee you will ever taste!”).

Opinion 

People write opinion pieces for the purpose of stating their beliefs on a certain topic and to try to get readers to agree with them. You can see opinion pieces in newspaper opinion sections, certain blog posts, and some social media posts. The quality of opinion writing can vary widely. Some papers or sites will only publish opinion pieces if all the facts in them can be backed up by evidence, but other opinion pieces, especially those that are self-published online, don't go through any fact-checking process and can include inaccuracies and misinformation.

What If You’re Unsure of a Work’s Writing Style?

If you’re reading a piece of writing and are unsure of its main writing style, how can you figure which style it is? The best method is to think about what the purpose or main idea of the writing is. Each of the four main writing styles has a specific purpose:

• Descriptive: to describe things
• Expository: to give facts
• Narrative: to tell a story
• Persuasive: to convince the reader of something

Here’s an example of a passage with a somewhat ambiguous writing style:

It can be tricky to determine the writing style of many poems since poetry is so varied and can fit many styles. For this poem, you might at first think it has a narrative writing style, since it begins with a narrator mentioning a walk he took after church. Character + plot = narrative writing style, right?

Before you decide, you need to read the entire passage. Once you do, it’ll become clear that there really isn’t much narrative. There’s a narrator, and he’s taking a walk to get a birch from another man, but that’s about all we have for character development and plot. We don’t know anything about the narrator or his friend’s personality, what’s going to happen next, what his motivations are, etc.

The poem doesn’t devote any space to that, instead, the majority of the lines are spent describing the scene. The narrator mentions the heat, scent of sap, the sound of frogs, what the ground is like, etc. It’s clear that, since the majority of the piece is dedicated to describing the scene, this is an example of descriptive writing.

How Can You Develop Your Own Writing Style?

A distinctive writing style is one of the hallmarks of a good writer, but how can you develop your own? Below are four tips to follow.

Read Many Different Styles of Writing

If you don’t read lots of different kinds of writing, you won’t be able to write in those styles, so before you try to get your own writing style, read different writing styles than what you’re used to.  This doesn’t mean that, if you mostly read novels, you suddenly need to shift to reading computer manuals. Instead, you can try to read novels that use unreliable narrators, stream-of-consciousness writing, etc.

The more you read, the more writing styles you’ll be exposed to, and the easier it’ll be able to combine some of those into your own writing style.

Consider Combining Multiple Types of Writing Styles

There’s no rule that you can only use one style for a piece of writing. In fact, many longer works will include multiple styles. A novel may be primarily narrative, but it can also contain highly descriptive passages as well as expository parts when the author wants the readers to understand a new concept.

However, make sure you don’t jump around too much. A paper or book that goes from dense academic text to impassioned plea for a cause to a story about your childhood and back again will confuse readers and make it difficult for them to understand the point you’re trying to make.

Find a Balance Between Comfort and Boundary-Pushing

You should write in a style that feels natural to you, since that will be what comes most easily and what feels most authentic to the reader. An academic who never ventures outside the city trying to write a book from the perspective of a weathered, unschooled cowboy may end up with writing that seems fake and forced.

A great way to change up your writing and see where it can be improved is to rewrite certain parts in a new writing style.  If you’ve been writing a novel with narrative voice, change a few scenes to stream-of-consciousness, then think about how it felt to be using that style and if you think it improved your writing or gave you any new ideas. If you’re worried that some writing you did is dull and lacking depth, add in a few passages that are purely descriptive and see if they help bring the writing to life.

You don’t always need to do this, and you don’t need to keep the new additions in what you wrote, but trying new things will help you get a better idea of what you want your own style to be like.

The best way to develop your own writing style is to expose yourself to numerous types of writing, both through reading and writing. As you come into contact with more writing styles and try them out for yourself, you’ll naturally begin to develop a writing style that you feel comfortable with.

Summary: The 4 Different Styles of Writing

There are four main writing styles, and each has a different purpose:

If you’re struggling to figure out the writing style of a piece, ask yourself what its purpose is and why the author wants you to read it.

To develop your own writing style, you should:

• Read widely
• Consider mixing styles
• Balance writing what you know and trying new things

What's Next?

Literary devices are also an important part of understanding writing styles. Learn the 24 literary devices you must know by reading our guide on literary devices.

Writing a research paper for school but not sure what to write about?   Our guide to research paper topics has over 100 topics in ten categories so you can be sure to find the perfect topic for you. 

Are you reading  The Great Gatsby for class or even just for fun?  Then you'll definitely want to check out our expert guides on the biggest themes in this classic book, from love and relationships to money and materialism .

Christine graduated from Michigan State University with degrees in Environmental Biology and Geography and received her Master's from Duke University. In high school she scored in the 99th percentile on the SAT and was named a National Merit Finalist. She has taught English and biology in several countries.

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16 Types Of Writing Every Writer Should Master

Discover our guide with types of writing you can use in your next writing assignment; there are many different forms of writing to explore today!

As someone who makes a living writing for other people’s websites, I often adapt my writing style for different audiences and situations. The way I write conveys meaning beyond the words I use or what I say. Some forms of writing paint a picture, convince readers to act, or communicate facts using reliable sources. Choosing from the different types of writing and adapting to the requirements of a professor, business, or client is crucial to writing success.

Below, I’ll share the different types of writing you can practice and learn how to become a better writer .

1. Expository Writing

2. narrative writing, 3. persuasive writing, 4. descriptive writing, 5. technical writing, 6. diary writing, 7. business writing, 8. copywriting, 9. content writing, 11. critical writing, 12. scientific writing, 13. travel writing, 14. blogging, 15. technical writing, 16. academic writing, the final word on types of writing, how do i choose the right writing style for a piece, how can i learn to write in various styles.

Expository writing focuses on providing facts and research about a given topic. With some forms of writing like this, you’ll explore an idea in detail and expand on that idea using factual statements. 

When writing an expository essay, you don’t seek to prove a point, persuade, or evoke emotions. Your goal is to explain something in an objective and balanced way. Read our guide to the best essay writing topics . Here are some examples of expository writing you’re probably familiar with, whether you’ve written them or read them:

• Journalistic articles
• How-to manuals
• Assembly instructions

Stories are everywhere around you and provide ample opportunity to express your imagination.

In forms of writing like narrative writing, you tell a story that’s 100 percent truthful, primarily factual but embellished for reader enjoyment or fiction. Stories are everywhere around you and provide ample opportunity to express your imagination.

Examples of the narrative style include:

• Biographies and autobiographies
• Short stories
• Narrative journalism

The journalist Hunter S. Thompson popularized this type of writing in his articles and essays, whereby his journalism often reads like a novel. If you’d like to learn more about this style, read our guide to narrative essays .

In a persuasive essay, your goal is to convince the reader to agree with you through strategic argumentation. To accomplish this, you employ various argumentation techniques like presenting supporting evidence for your argument, laying out points logically that slowly generate buy-in from the reader, and telling a story that evokes emotion to make the case. Politicians and leaders use persuasive writing to popularize ideas like Barack Obama’s book The Audacity of Hope . If you’d like to learn more, read our guide to persuasive essays .

Examples of persuasive writing include:

• Advertisements and marketing campaigns
• Cover letters
• Letters of recommendation
• Business proposals
• Persuasive essays
• Persuasive social media posts
• Persuasive journalism

Descriptive writing is a type of writing style that overlaps with others in this list. It’s one of the most common types of writing, as students often write descriptive essays in school. One of the essential concepts in descriptive writing is to “show, not tell.” Rather than simply saying what happened, explain the how and the why behind it to paint a picture. If you’d like to learn more, read our guide to descriptive essays . You’ll use numerous literary devices to accomplish this, such as:

• Foreshadowing

For this writing style, you’ll choose a point of view to relate to readers. The POV can change the tone of the piece, with the third-person often sounding more formal and objective, while the first and second can seem informal. You may need a combination of more than one POV for the piece to work. Examples of POV usage:

• First-person – I, We 
• Second person – You, Understood You 
• Third-person – He, She, It, They

Technical writing involves communicating something complex in a way the audience can understand. To accomplish this, the technical writer must have in-depth knowledge of the topic they’re explaining and an understanding of the audience’s experience level. Technical writing is devoid of personal opinions. Instead, it explains a topic or concept step-by-step or logically. If you’d like to learn more, read our guide explaining how to become a technical writer . Examples of technical writing include:

• Research papers
• Legal documents
• Some textbooks
• White papers
• Academic writing
• Medical journals
• Technical documentation for products and software

 Diary writing is a more personal form intended to log events in a person’s life and often their emotions. If you think you might be famous someday, keeping diaries could one day be resource materials for your auto-biography! Read our guide explaining the differences between a diary and a journal .

That point aside, many people use diaries as an external way to process how they’re feeling to deal with anger, regret, grief, fear, jealousy, and sadness. It’s cheaper than therapy. Diary writing can be a positive experience. People often write about what they’re grateful for, express their joy around fortuitous events, or set life goals and celebrate accomplishments.

Examples of diary writing include:

• The Diary of Anne Frank
• Leonardo Da Vinci’s diaries
• Charles Darwin’s diaries
• Marie Curie’s notebooks

Business writing is a commonly misunderstood type of writing. Many consider business writing stuffy and formal, but it’s a stimulating and well-paying field. A business writer follows a company style guide to convey an idea or concept for internal and, sometimes, external use.

For example, a business writer could take notes from an executive and turn them into a compelling business case for the wider team. They could also articulate the values of a business in everyday concise language for a presentation, pitch deck or company manifesto.

Copywriting describes using words to sell products and services to a target audience. A copywriter produces copy for websites, sales pages and email funnels. They aim to convince readers to act, for example, opting in for a lead magnet with their email address, taking out a trial or buying a product. A copywriter can also branch into social media and content writing. Copywriters can earn high-five and even six figures annually by providing this service to companies or clients.

The art of copywriting involves holding the attention of readers. For this reason, it’s a valuable skill for those writing online. A good copywriting formula can help a writer finish an article or blog post quickly. Learn how to become a copywriter .

Content writing is similar to copywriting. A content writer produces blog posts, articles, ebooks and guides for companies or online businesses. They may also write YouTube video scripts and social media posts.

A content writer typically charges clients a per-word rate, usually between four and ten cents, depending on the complexity of the topic. Content writing has become more popular for freelancers because most online businesses thrive on content.

A well-run niche website, for example, publishes a set number of SEO-optimized articles each month to increase traffic and revenue. The owner of this site depends on a team of knowledgeable content writers to achieve their publication and revenue goals. If you’d like to try this discipline, read our guide explaining what does a content writer do ?

Poetry is something most writers try for fun. It’s a surprisingly rewarding discipline as a writer can play around with words, imagery and sensory language. Usually, an aspiring poet isn’t trying their hand at this type of writing to supplement their income. Instead, it’s a creative challenge .

Perhaps the most accessible type of poetry to start with is Haiku. It’s a type of Japanese poetry whereby the first line contains five syllables, the second 7 and the third 5. Haiku is only one form of poetry to explore. Read our guide to the most common types of poetry . For example, consider this ancient Haiku by Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō:

An old silent pond A frog jumps into the pond— Splash! Silence again. – Matsuo Bashō

A critic considers a piece of popular media and analyzes it for a general audience. The most obvious example is a film critic who watches a film and then explains whether readers should watch it in newspaper articles or online.

Critical writing is often subjective rather than objective because it’s written from the reviewer’s point of view. After all, one person’s art is another’s trash! However, writing reviews requires deep knowledge and understanding of the topic or medium in question… or at least an ability to entertain readers with your point of view. Popular forms of critical writing include:

• Film reviews
• Game reviews
• Music reviews

Scientific writing involves writing literature reviews, peer-reviewed journal papers, and grant proposals. They read the prevailing literature about a topic, review current thinking and then provide a synopsis and evaluation. A scientific writer backs up their argument or points with evidence and citations. Ideally, a scientific writer demonstrates precision, clarity and objectivity.

However, they’re usually writing for an expert audience who understands the topic, prevailing literature or works in the field. Therefore, a scientific writer doesn’t always have to explain basic concepts and ideas as they can assume their audience knows the basics.

Travel writing describes writing about your experiences while visiting a country, city or location. It sounds like a glamorous profession because you get paid to go on holiday! However, professional travel writers are often under strict deadlines and must see and do as much as possible quickly. That often cuts out any socializing. Travel writers also face competition from locals who can write about a location with more expertise than a visitor. Travel writers can earn a nice side income by blogging and writing about their trips online. For more, read our guide explaining how to become a travel writer .

Blogging is an immensely rewarding form of writing that started in 1997. If you’re going to start a blog today, expect competition. Reportedly, over 600 million blogs exist worldwide.

However, a writer can find success more easily if they write within a specific niche about topics readers are searching for, rather than their day or personal lives. The best blogs are self-hosted on WordPress and monetized through display advertising, affiliate promotions, and digital products. To learn more, read our guide to blogging for writers .

Technical writing is a specialized skill where writers take complex information and display it in a way that’s easy for readers to understand. Often, technical writing involves creating diagrams, graphs, charts and visuals to help explain the topic. Various sectors like finance, technology, IT, healthcare and STEM utilize technical writers to create articles and guides on specific topics. For more, learn how to get paid to write reviews .

Academic writing is used for all scholarly contexts, like school essays or college dissertations. It will almost always follow a structure and usually follows formatting guidelines like MLA or APA. Writing for academic purposes will involve research and narrative in a passive or third-person voice to maintain objectivity. Many resources are available to help with academic writing; check out our guide with the best essay-writing apps to get started.

Writers can explore many different styles, from creative to commercial. Selecting the right one depends on the reader, editor, publication, and writing goals . If you’re bored with one style, you can always try another for fun or to flex your creative muscles. 

FAQs About Types Of Writing

Consider your audience and the style guide for the publication in question. Identify what type of writing the editor expects for this topic, publication, situation, or brand. Consider how your piece can inform, educate, inspire or entertain readers.

Reading their examples is one of the best ways to learn writing styles. Notice how the writer grabs your attention, unfolds their main points, and communicates with you. Then practice, and ask someone–preferably a writer–to give you some feedback.

Meet Rachael, the editor at Become a Writer Today. With years of experience in the field, she is passionate about language and dedicated to producing high-quality content that engages and informs readers. When she's not editing or writing, you can find her exploring the great outdoors, finding inspiration for her next project.

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Types of Writing Styles

There are four main types of writing: expository, descriptive, persuasive, and narrative. Each of these writing styles is used for a specific purpose. A single text may include more than one writing style.

Expository writing is one of the most common types of writing. When an author writes in an expository style, all they are trying to do is explain a concept, imparting information from themselves to a wider audience. Expository writing does not include the author’s opinions, but focuses on accepted facts about a topic, including statistics or other evidence.

Examples of Expository Writing

• How-to articles
• News stories (not editorials or Op-Eds)
• Business, technical, or scientific writing

Descriptive

Descriptive writing is often found in fiction, though it can make an appearance in nonfiction as well (for example, memoirs, first-hand accounts of events, or travel guides). When an author writes in a descriptive style, they are painting a picture in words of a person, place, or thing for their audience. The author might employ metaphor or other literary devices in order to describe the author’s impressions via their five senses (what they hear, see, smell, taste, or touch). But the author is not trying to convince the audience of anything or explain the scene – merely describe things as they are.

Examples of Descriptive Writing

• Journal/diary writing
• Descriptions of Nature
• Fictional novels or plays

Persuasive writing is the main style of writing you will use in academic papers. When an author writes in a persuasive style, they are trying to convince the audience of a position or belief. Persuasive writing contains the author’s opinions and biases, as well as justifications and reasons given by the author as evidence of the correctness of their position. Any “argumentative” essay you write in school should be in the persuasive style of writing.

Examples of Persuasive Writing

• Cover letters
• Op-Eds and Editorial newspaper articles
• Reviews of items
• Letters of complaint
• Advertisements
• Letters of recommendation

Narrative writing is used in almost every longer piece of writing, whether fiction or nonfiction. When an author writes in a narrative style, they are not just trying to impart information, they are trying to construct and communicate a story, complete with characters, conflict, and settings.

Examples of Narrative Writing

• Oral histories
• Novels/Novellas
• Poetry (especially epic sagas or poems)
• Short Stories

About Writing: A Guide Copyright © 2015 by Robin Jeffrey is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License , except where otherwise noted.

Text Types and Different Styles of Writing: The Complete Guide

A guide to understanding different types of writing and text types.

Reading and writing are complex skills that demand much from students. As they progress, we must assist them in going beyond grammar, punctuation, and spelling and understanding the conventions and structures of the various text types or genres.

By understanding the significance of each text type, educators can tailor their teaching strategies to meet the specific demands of different written contexts.

When students comprehend the purpose of an essay they have been assigned, they can approach it strategically and customize it to the intended audience.

Whether students are deciphering a Shakespearean sonnet, grappling with a scientific research paper, or crafting a persuasive argument, a nuanced understanding of text types will help them confidently navigate the intricacies of language.

In this article, we’ll explore the purpose of literary and factual text types. For greater insight, be sure to read the full guides attached to each type.

What are the main text types?

There are many ways to categorize the broad range of reading and writing materials we encounter daily. But, generally speaking, it’s helpful to think of them in terms of two overarching and broad categories:  factual  and  literary.

We will discuss various sub-categories that fall under these two broad categories. It’s worth noting that different curricula might refer to text types in varying ways. For instance, a recount is also known as a personal narrative in certain regions, and there are several text types with multiple names.

FACTUAL TEXTS

Endeavor to inform, instruct, or persuade through the use of facts and information., literary texts, seek to entertain, enlighten, or elicit emotion through a creative use of language and structure., daily quick writes for all text types.

Our FUN DAILY QUICK WRITE TASKS will teach your students the fundamentals of CREATIVE WRITING across all text types. Packed with 52 ENGAGING ACTIVITIES

Factual Text Types

Argumentative texts.

An argumentative essay is a type of writing in which the author takes a stance on a particular issue or topic and presents arguments and evidence to support that position.

The primary goal is to persuade the reader to adopt the author’s viewpoint or consider it seriously, at the least.

Argumentative Texts are commonly assigned to students in grades three and above. They require them to critically analyze information, develop a clear thesis or main idea, and present a well-structured and reasoned argument.

Argumentative essays are used for debates, policy advocacy, public discourse, critical thinking development, research, and expressing personal views, contributing to social and intellectual dialogue.

Quick Writing Activity: An effective way to lead to writing a discussion text is to hold a discussion or debate in the classroom on a contentious issue or a topic that piques the interest of your class. For example, Should video games be considered a sport? or should homeschooling replace traditional schooling due to technology?

The style of an argumentative essay is typically formal, and the tone is persuasive. The writer should aim to engage the reader and convey the issue’s importance.

Biographies

Biographies are written accounts of people’s lives, providing a comprehensive and detailed narrative of their experiences, achievements, and societal impact. These works offer insight into the individual’s character, contributions, and the historical or cultural context in which they lived. Biographies can take various forms, including books, articles, documentaries, or online profiles, and they are valuable for preserving and sharing the stories of notable individuals.

Examples of biographies include “The Diary of Anne Frank” by Anne Frank, “Steve Jobs” by Walter Isaacson, and “The Wright Brothers” by David McCullough. Biographies play a crucial role in documenting the lives of influential individuals, preserving their stories, and inspiring readers with accounts of human achievement and resilience.

Quick Writing Activity: As a warm-up to biographical writing, St udents imagine themselves as the subject of the biography and write diary entries from that person’s perspective. This activity encourages empathy, deepens understanding of the character’s emotions, and fosters creative expression while maintaining a connection to factual information.

DISCUSSIONS

A discussion essay is a type of academic writing that presents and explores different perspectives on a given topic.

Unlike an argumentative essay, where the author takes a specific stance and argues in favour of it, a discussion essay requires the writer to consider various viewpoints, analyze the strengths and weaknesses of each, and present a well-rounded view of the issue.

The goal is not necessarily to persuade the reader to adopt a particular position but to provide a comprehensive understanding of the topic.

Discussion essays are often assigned in academic settings to assess students’ ability to analyze complex issues, consider different perspectives, and present a well-reasoned discussion. They are commonly found in subjects such as philosophy, sociology, and political science, where exploring diverse viewpoints on a topic is crucial for a comprehensive understanding

EXPOSITORY TEXTS & Explanatory ESSAYS

Explanatory texts, expository texts, or explanatory essays are written compositions that aim to provide information, clarify concepts, or explain a particular subject to the reader. The primary purpose of explanatory texts is to convey factual information in a clear, organized, and easily understandable manner. These texts can be found in various forms, including essays, articles, manuals, textbooks, and reports.

Suggested Activity: Task students with going to the library and gathering a range of explanatory texts on various topics. In groups, students go through these texts analyzing the various features they have in common. From their findings, students draw up a detailed list of criteria they can use to write their explanatory texts later.

Information Reports

Information reports, often categorized as expository or informative writing, are compositions that present factual information on a specific topic in a clear, concise, and organized manner. These reports aim to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the subject, and they are commonly found in educational, scientific, and professional contexts. Information reports follow a structured format and are characterized by their focus on delivering objective information without personal opinions or biases

Examples of information reports include scientific research papers, academic reports, technical manuals, and informational articles. These reports serve the purpose of presenting information objectively, helping readers gain insights into a specific topic, and serving as a valuable resource for reference and learning.

Suggested Activity: Students will enjoy creating an information report about their favourite animal. Providing facts and information about aspects such as appearance, habitat, movement, food and life cycle. Images and Diagrams will significantly enhance the finished product.

Procedural Texts & INSTRUCTIONAL ESSAYS

Procedural texts, also known as procedural documents or instructional texts, are written compositions that provide step-by-step guidance on how to perform a specific task or achieve a particular goal. Their primary purpose is to inform the reader about a process, procedure, or set of instructions clearly and concisely. These texts are often found in instructional manuals, recipe books, user guides, technical documents, and other contexts where a systematic set of instructions is necessary.

Procedural texts are essential for conveying information in a format that is easily accessible to individuals who need to perform specific tasks or follow a particular process.

Suggested Activity: Partner students up for this writing task. Ask the students to think of something they know how to do well. It could be anything from how to tie shoelaces to how to perform a cartwheel. It doesn’t matter what it is, as long as the student clearly understands how to do it. Students then write an explanatory text that explains how to do it. Partners swap their work with each other. They then try to perform the task exclusively following the explanation within the text. If they can’t perform the task as it’s meant to be done, then the writer needs to redraft their work until it can be done.

Persuasive Texts / OPINION WRITING

Persuasive texts cover a broad collection of opinions, and argumentative writing styles are designed to sway the reader’s opinion towards a specific viewpoint or prompt them to undertake a particular action. These texts employ language, style, and tone strategically to present compelling arguments, evidence, and reasoning, aiming to convince the audience. They are prevalent in diverse contexts, encompassing academic writing, advertising, public speeches, and opinion pieces.

Examples of persuasive texts include opinion articles in newspapers or magazines, political speeches, advertising campaigns promoting products or services, letters of recommendation, and persuasive essays within academic settings.

Suggested Activity: Distribute copies of a persuasive text to students in groups. For example, this could be an advertisement or newspaper editorial. Challenge students in their groups to identify various persuasive strategies employed within the text, whether in terms of structure, presentation, visuals, or language. Students can compare and contrast their findings between groups.

Non-chronological reports

Non-chronological reports are informative writing that presents information about a particular topic without following a strict chronological order. Unlike narratives or historical accounts that organize information based on a sequence of events over time, non-chronological reports present facts, descriptions, and details in a logical and thematic structure. These reports are commonly used in educational contexts, informational articles, and reference materials.

Examples of non-chronological reports include scientific reports, encyclopedia entries, informational articles in magazines, and educational materials. These reports are valuable for presenting information in a structured and thematic manner, making them accessible for readers seeking specific details about a particular topic.

Suggested Activity: An informational leaflet is one form of a non-chronological report. Challenge students to produce an information leaflet on something they know, such as a local attraction or historical site. When students have completed their leaflets, please encourage them to review each other’s work and offer feedback.

Recounts are a form of writing that involves retelling past events or experiences. The primary purpose of a recount is to inform or entertain the reader by providing a detailed account of what happened. Recounts can take various forms, including personal narratives, diary entries, news reports, or historical retellings. They often use a chronological structure to present events in the order in which they occurred.

Personal narratives, autobiographical accounts, eyewitness testimonies, travel diaries, and historical retellings are examples of recounts. They serve as a means of sharing personal experiences, preserving memories, and conveying information about past events in a compelling and engaging way.

Suggested Activity: In the library, challenge students to gather as many different types of recounts as possible. In their groups, students review the various recounts and compile a list of criteria for this text type. As a whole class, the groups share their results. Encourage students to pay particular attention to the range of topics that can be presented as recounts and how this can affect the language style. For example, recounting a science experiment will use more technical and formal language than the informal and personal style that might be employed to recount a travel adventure.

Literary Text Types

Poetry is a form of artistic expression that uses language to evoke emotions, convey images, and create a rhythmic and musical effect. It is a genre of literature characterized by a heightened use of language, often employing techniques such as meter, rhyme, and metaphor. Poems come in various forms and styles, each with its own unique structure and purpose. Poetry is a rich and diverse literary tradition that allows for creatively exploring themes, emotions, and perspectives.

Examples of famous poets include William Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Langston Hughes, and Maya Angelou. Poetry can take various forms, including sonnets, haikus, free verse, and epic poems. Its versatility allows poets to experiment with language, form, and structure to create unique and expressive works.

Suggested Activity: Find an anthology of poetry that groups poems together according to themes. Task your students to look at poems exploring a common theme. Have the students look at the features these poems have in common and the features that differ. Can the students identify the different types of poems?

A narrative is a form of writing that tells a story or recounts a series of events. Narratives can take various forms, including short stories, novels, autobiographies, and even some types of essays. The primary goal of a narrative is to engage the reader by presenting a compelling and coherent sequence of events that unfold over time using the story elements of character, setting, plot, theme and conflict.

Examples of Narratives include Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl.

Narratives entertain, inform, or convey a message through the artful arrangement of events and characters in a story.

Suggested Activity: This task can be completed using novels, short stories, or even concerning movies the students are familiar with. Have the students draw an x and a y-axis on a piece of paper. Students label the x-axis time and the y-axis action. Students then plot and label the narrative’s introduction, complication, rising action, climax, and resolution. The more intense the action at each point of the story, the higher on the y-axis the point will be plotted. The points are then joined with a line. This will give the students a sense of the ‘shape’ of the story. Internalizing an understanding of this general storytelling pattern will help students immensely in their writing.

Written drama, often known as a play or script, is a form of literature designed for performance on stage. It involves creating characters, dialogue, and a plot structure to convey a narrative through the characters’ interactions and conflicts.

Written drama incorporates dramatic elements, such as setting, conflict, climax, and resolution, to engage an audience emotionally and intellectually.

Playwrights employ unique techniques, including dialogue, stage directions, and sometimes monologues, to bring their stories to life in a theatrical context, offering a distinct blend of literary and performative artistry.

Suggested Activity: Students can explore the different conventions, similarities, and differences between prose and drama by taking a story written in a prose genre, such as a fable, short story, etc., and converting it into a script for a drama.

A COMPLETE YEAR OF WRITING FOR STUDENTS – 1000+ PAGES

This HUGE BUNDLE  offers over 1000 PAGES of COMPLETE UNITS of work that would easily fill a year of writing, all created with STRUCTURE, INSIGHT AND KNOWLEDGE to improve student writing skills. EDITABLE / DIGITAL & PRINT formats. No preparation is required.

In Conclusion

Understanding the various aspects of the different writing genres will help students navigate writing that serves a wide range of purposes.

It will also help students with their own text compositions. Understanding the various underlying text structures will provide students with an effective means of organizing their work, helping to ensure their writing is fit for purpose.

Exposing your students to as many different genres as possible and providing opportunities to explore how these text types operate will go a long way to helping them develop into adaptive and organized readers and writers in the future.

OTHER GREAT ARTICLES FROM LITERACYIDEAS.COM

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Different Types of Writing Styles — Forms of Writing Explained

W hat are the different styles of writing? How many different types of writing styles and forms of writing are there? There is some disagreement of how many major forms of writing there are. Depending on which source you turn to, you might be told there are only four different styles of writing or you might be told there are as many as 12 forms of writing. There is no right or wrong answer to this question as the matter is subjective, but four is the most commonly accepted answer. In this post, we will be breaking down ‘the 4 types of writing’ and, along the way, we’ll explain the ways that some choose to further subdivide those forms of writing. Let’s get started by defining the first of our major forms of writing.

What are the different types of writing formats?

1. narrative.

What are the types of writing? • An introduction to narrative writing

If you are a screenwriter (or wish to become a screenwriter ), then this is the writing type most applicable to you. Simply put, narrative writing is storytelling. Narrative writing often falls under the fiction side of the fiction/non-fiction divide and tells a story with character arcs , a plot , and a structure , but narrative writing can also exist in other kinds of writing like structured non-fiction such as a biography that tells someone’s life story.

Narrative writing encompasses prose, screenwriting, and certain types of poetry . Some sources suggest that creative writing should be classified as its own type outside of narrative writing. Check out our collection of creative writing prompts .

Different types of writing genres

2. descriptive.

What types of writing are there?  •  Intro to descriptive writing

Descriptive writing does as the name implies; it describes. Much of descriptive writing is sensory and revolves around sights, sounds, scents, tastes, and feelings. Descriptive writing is often powered by adjectives but is by no means limited to adjectives alone.

The ultimate goal of descriptive writing is to conjure a clear mental image for the reader. Descriptive writing is frequently found in poetry and in prose, but can also be incorporated into most other forms of writing as well, such as in persuasive writing if the goal is to describe or review something; like describing the taste and scent of food in a restaurant review.

Different styles of writing

3. persuasive.

What are the different types of writing formats?  •  A lesson on persuasive essays

The goal of persuasive writing is to convince the reader of a particular stance on a subject. Persuasive writing is often presented in the form of an essay or video essay but may also occur in other forms such as in a highly thematic book or film with a central message it is trying to get across. Persuasive writing is also heavily used in the advertising world to persuade consumers to purchase a product. Persuasive writing also encompasses things like reviews, though some sources suggest that review writing should be classified as its own type.

4 types of writing

4. expository.

The different types of writing genres  •  A lesson in expository writing

Expository writing is the presentation of bonafide information. Expository writing is not the same as exposition in a story , though it does function in a similar way to convey information. There is no opinion or subjective perspective involved in expository writing.

All information included in expository writing should be verifiable through authoritative sources. Expository writing is often found in textbooks, instruction manuals, journalism, and technical writing. Expository writing may be used in support of persuasive writing.

What are the types of writing?

Other classifications.

What types of writing are there?  •  The four forms of writing

Aside from the four main kinds of writing we’ve defined above and the additional subclassifications others use that we’ve mentioned, there are alternative ways to separate different styles of writing based upon different criteria. If you wish to create a simple, binary division, you could divide all writing into either fiction or non-fiction.

Another binary divide could classify writing as either objective or subjective. Writing can also be distinguished by medium: prose, poetry, stage play, screenplay , teleplay , essay, etc.

How to Write Every Day

Now that you have a thorough grasp of the different styles of writing, it’s the perfect time to develop your overall writing skills. No matter which type of writing you specialize in, developing better writing habits will always lead to improvement. Up next, learn tactics and tricks to help you write every day.

Up Next: How to Write Daily →

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Types of Writing (Styles, Examples, 13 Key Tones)

Writing eloquently is more than simply mastering proper grammar . It means being comfortable with writing in different styles. The writing style denotes the way in which a writer arranges the words and expresses their thoughts. This also affects how the readers understand a text. The writing style is determined by factors like the topic of discussion and the intended audience.

The different types of writing include the following

Narrative writing.

This form of writing is used to express the imagination of the writer. It is used in both fiction, as well as non-fiction. The author, rather than simply stating rote facts, weaves a beautiful story using the information. It is usually used in narrative journalism, autobiographies, biographies, novels, and short stories.

Descriptive writing

This style of writing is used by authors to paint a picture for the reader about the product or place or anything else they are writing about. Writers can use first-person, second-person, or third-person POV in this style. Literary devices like simile and metaphor are widely used in this style.

Persuasive writing

This style of writing is used in academic or business settings. The author uses this style to convince the reader of an idea or proposal. Reasons, justifications, and conclusive proof are also extensively used in this style to provide credibility to the paper or document.

Expository writing

Expository writing concentrates on researching a specific topic and presenting the facts. In this style, the authors will examine a topic in-depth and develop it using facts and evidence. The authors do not try to convince the reader about anything, as seen in the persuasive style. Rather, the author presents the information and lets the reader make inferences.

Business writing

This style is used by authors to convey a notion or an idea for internal use and occasionally for use by the public. Usually, the style used by the writer is in accordance with the company guide. The writers take notes about company policies from higher-level managers or executives and convert them into business plans for the entire team. This style is also used while creating company manifestos, presentations, or pitch decks.

Technical writing

This style of writing is used to explain some complex topics to a general audience. The complexity of the style typically depends on the expertise level of the readers. The writer needs to have a high level of subject knowledge to successfully use this style.

Scientific writing

This style is usually used for writing grant proposals, peer-reviewed articles, and literature reviews. The author provides evidence as well as citations to support their claims in the documents. Objectivity, accuracy, and precision are the defining features of this style of writing.

Content writing

This style encompasses a wide variety of writing, including writing articles, blog posts, guides, and e-books. Content writing also focuses on producing SEO-optimized or keyword-enriched articles in a number of niches. This kind of writing is generally done to increase the traffic to a website organically.

Copywriting

Copywriting is the practice of playing with words to persuade a target market to purchase the goods and services of a company. Copywriting can be used to create copy for email funnels, websites, and sales pages. It is similar to content writing, but the copy should be more engaging and to the point. They should also always have a sales angle.

Critical writing

This style of writing is a subjective form of writing and is presented from the author’s perspective. Film reviews are a common form of critical writing. In this, the reviewer watches a movie and provides an analysis of it for the general public.

Diary writing

This form of writing is extremely personal and very rarely shared with the outside world. A writer keeps a journal to record happenings in their life as well as emotions. Many authors also use this as a way to vent their emotions. Diary writing can also be used to cope with negative emotions such as remorse, regret, fear, jealousy, grief, and sadness. The diaries of many famous people, like Anne Frank, have been published, inspiring millions of people worldwide.

Travel writing

Travel writers describe their experiences when exploring a location for their readers. It also celebrates the customs and traditions of different places around the world. Travel writing is aimed at helping readers understand different locations and the people living there . It will also help readers plan their trip to the said location. Travel memoirs, travel guidebooks, and nature writing are all part of travel literature.

In this type of writing, the authors usually focus on a particular niche they like, especially something a wider audience will love to read about. Blogs are written in electronic media, and this style of writing usually involves keyword research and SEO optimization.

Poetry writing

In this style of writing, the author or poet uses words to create imagery in the minds of people. The goal of most poems is to evoke some form of emotional response from the reader. This is a form of creative writing that uses literary devices like simile and metaphor. Poetry can be either freeform without any formal structure, or highly structured, adhering to the rules of meter and rhythm.

Is content writing and copywriting the same?

Content writing and copywriting are similar but slightly different. Content writing is used to describe a product or give information about something, whereas copywriting is focused on pitching a product to the customers. Content writing is focused on giving general information about the product, whereas copywriting is more focused on the sales angle.

How do authors choose the best writing style for any document?

The authors first consider the style guide provided by the publication agency. The target audience is also considered when choosing the writing style. The authors should also consider how the document might educate, inform, motivate, or amuse readers.

How can writing styles be improved?

An author can improve their writing style by:

• understanding the concept
• using straightforward words
• writing short paragraphs
• ditching adverbs
• avoiding fillers
• occasionally using qualifiers
• proofreading
• practicing writing relentlessly.
• Merriam-Webster – writing definition
• Research.com – A Guide to the Different Types of Writing
• Become a writer today – 13 Types Of Writing Every Writer Should Master
• OpenOregon – TYPES OF WRITING STYLES

Inside this article

Fact checked: Content is rigorously reviewed by a team of qualified and experienced fact checkers. Fact checkers review articles for factual accuracy, relevance, and timeliness. Learn more.

About the author

Dalia Y.: Dalia is an English Major and linguistics expert with an additional degree in Psychology. Dalia has featured articles on Forbes, Inc, Fast Company, Grammarly, and many more. She covers English, ESL, and all things grammar on GrammarBrain.

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• The four main types of essay | Quick guide with examples

The Four Main Types of Essay | Quick Guide with Examples

Published on September 4, 2020 by Jack Caulfield . Revised on July 23, 2023.

An essay is a focused piece of writing designed to inform or persuade. There are many different types of essay, but they are often defined in four categories: argumentative, expository, narrative, and descriptive essays.

Argumentative and expository essays are focused on conveying information and making clear points, while narrative and descriptive essays are about exercising creativity and writing in an interesting way. At university level, argumentative essays are the most common type. 

In high school and college, you will also often have to write textual analysis essays, which test your skills in close reading and interpretation.

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Table of contents

Argumentative essays, expository essays, narrative essays, descriptive essays, textual analysis essays, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about types of essays.

An argumentative essay presents an extended, evidence-based argument. It requires a strong thesis statement —a clearly defined stance on your topic. Your aim is to convince the reader of your thesis using evidence (such as quotations ) and analysis.

Argumentative essays test your ability to research and present your own position on a topic. This is the most common type of essay at college level—most papers you write will involve some kind of argumentation.

The essay is divided into an introduction, body, and conclusion:

• The introduction provides your topic and thesis statement
• The body presents your evidence and arguments
• The conclusion summarizes your argument and emphasizes its importance

The example below is a paragraph from the body of an argumentative essay about the effects of the internet on education. Mouse over it to learn more.

A common frustration for teachers is students’ use of Wikipedia as a source in their writing. Its prevalence among students is not exaggerated; a survey found that the vast majority of the students surveyed used Wikipedia (Head & Eisenberg, 2010). An article in The Guardian stresses a common objection to its use: “a reliance on Wikipedia can discourage students from engaging with genuine academic writing” (Coomer, 2013). Teachers are clearly not mistaken in viewing Wikipedia usage as ubiquitous among their students; but the claim that it discourages engagement with academic sources requires further investigation. This point is treated as self-evident by many teachers, but Wikipedia itself explicitly encourages students to look into other sources. Its articles often provide references to academic publications and include warning notes where citations are missing; the site’s own guidelines for research make clear that it should be used as a starting point, emphasizing that users should always “read the references and check whether they really do support what the article says” (“Wikipedia:Researching with Wikipedia,” 2020). Indeed, for many students, Wikipedia is their first encounter with the concepts of citation and referencing. The use of Wikipedia therefore has a positive side that merits deeper consideration than it often receives.

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An expository essay provides a clear, focused explanation of a topic. It doesn’t require an original argument, just a balanced and well-organized view of the topic.

Expository essays test your familiarity with a topic and your ability to organize and convey information. They are commonly assigned at high school or in exam questions at college level.

The introduction of an expository essay states your topic and provides some general background, the body presents the details, and the conclusion summarizes the information presented.

A typical body paragraph from an expository essay about the invention of the printing press is shown below. Mouse over it to learn more.

The invention of the printing press in 1440 changed this situation dramatically. Johannes Gutenberg, who had worked as a goldsmith, used his knowledge of metals in the design of the press. He made his type from an alloy of lead, tin, and antimony, whose durability allowed for the reliable production of high-quality books. This new technology allowed texts to be reproduced and disseminated on a much larger scale than was previously possible. The Gutenberg Bible appeared in the 1450s, and a large number of printing presses sprang up across the continent in the following decades. Gutenberg’s invention rapidly transformed cultural production in Europe; among other things, it would lead to the Protestant Reformation.

A narrative essay is one that tells a story. This is usually a story about a personal experience you had, but it may also be an imaginative exploration of something you have not experienced.

Narrative essays test your ability to build up a narrative in an engaging, well-structured way. They are much more personal and creative than other kinds of academic writing . Writing a personal statement for an application requires the same skills as a narrative essay.

A narrative essay isn’t strictly divided into introduction, body, and conclusion, but it should still begin by setting up the narrative and finish by expressing the point of the story—what you learned from your experience, or why it made an impression on you.

Mouse over the example below, a short narrative essay responding to the prompt “Write about an experience where you learned something about yourself,” to explore its structure.

Since elementary school, I have always favored subjects like science and math over the humanities. My instinct was always to think of these subjects as more solid and serious than classes like English. If there was no right answer, I thought, why bother? But recently I had an experience that taught me my academic interests are more flexible than I had thought: I took my first philosophy class.

Before I entered the classroom, I was skeptical. I waited outside with the other students and wondered what exactly philosophy would involve—I really had no idea. I imagined something pretty abstract: long, stilted conversations pondering the meaning of life. But what I got was something quite different.

A young man in jeans, Mr. Jones—“but you can call me Rob”—was far from the white-haired, buttoned-up old man I had half-expected. And rather than pulling us into pedantic arguments about obscure philosophical points, Rob engaged us on our level. To talk free will, we looked at our own choices. To talk ethics, we looked at dilemmas we had faced ourselves. By the end of class, I’d discovered that questions with no right answer can turn out to be the most interesting ones.

The experience has taught me to look at things a little more “philosophically”—and not just because it was a philosophy class! I learned that if I let go of my preconceptions, I can actually get a lot out of subjects I was previously dismissive of. The class taught me—in more ways than one—to look at things with an open mind.

A descriptive essay provides a detailed sensory description of something. Like narrative essays, they allow you to be more creative than most academic writing, but they are more tightly focused than narrative essays. You might describe a specific place or object, rather than telling a whole story.

Descriptive essays test your ability to use language creatively, making striking word choices to convey a memorable picture of what you’re describing.

A descriptive essay can be quite loosely structured, though it should usually begin by introducing the object of your description and end by drawing an overall picture of it. The important thing is to use careful word choices and figurative language to create an original description of your object.

Mouse over the example below, a response to the prompt “Describe a place you love to spend time in,” to learn more about descriptive essays.

On Sunday afternoons I like to spend my time in the garden behind my house. The garden is narrow but long, a corridor of green extending from the back of the house, and I sit on a lawn chair at the far end to read and relax. I am in my small peaceful paradise: the shade of the tree, the feel of the grass on my feet, the gentle activity of the fish in the pond beside me.

My cat crosses the garden nimbly and leaps onto the fence to survey it from above. From his perch he can watch over his little kingdom and keep an eye on the neighbours. He does this until the barking of next door’s dog scares him from his post and he bolts for the cat flap to govern from the safety of the kitchen.

With that, I am left alone with the fish, whose whole world is the pond by my feet. The fish explore the pond every day as if for the first time, prodding and inspecting every stone. I sometimes feel the same about sitting here in the garden; I know the place better than anyone, but whenever I return I still feel compelled to pay attention to all its details and novelties—a new bird perched in the tree, the growth of the grass, and the movement of the insects it shelters…

Sitting out in the garden, I feel serene. I feel at home. And yet I always feel there is more to discover. The bounds of my garden may be small, but there is a whole world contained within it, and it is one I will never get tired of inhabiting.

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Though every essay type tests your writing skills, some essays also test your ability to read carefully and critically. In a textual analysis essay, you don’t just present information on a topic, but closely analyze a text to explain how it achieves certain effects.

Rhetorical analysis

A rhetorical analysis looks at a persuasive text (e.g. a speech, an essay, a political cartoon) in terms of the rhetorical devices it uses, and evaluates their effectiveness.

The goal is not to state whether you agree with the author’s argument but to look at how they have constructed it.

The introduction of a rhetorical analysis presents the text, some background information, and your thesis statement; the body comprises the analysis itself; and the conclusion wraps up your analysis of the text, emphasizing its relevance to broader concerns.

The example below is from a rhetorical analysis of Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech . Mouse over it to learn more.

King’s speech is infused with prophetic language throughout. Even before the famous “dream” part of the speech, King’s language consistently strikes a prophetic tone. He refers to the Lincoln Memorial as a “hallowed spot” and speaks of rising “from the dark and desolate valley of segregation” to “make justice a reality for all of God’s children.” The assumption of this prophetic voice constitutes the text’s strongest ethical appeal; after linking himself with political figures like Lincoln and the Founding Fathers, King’s ethos adopts a distinctly religious tone, recalling Biblical prophets and preachers of change from across history. This adds significant force to his words; standing before an audience of hundreds of thousands, he states not just what the future should be, but what it will be: “The whirlwinds of revolt will continue to shake the foundations of our nation until the bright day of justice emerges.” This warning is almost apocalyptic in tone, though it concludes with the positive image of the “bright day of justice.” The power of King’s rhetoric thus stems not only from the pathos of his vision of a brighter future, but from the ethos of the prophetic voice he adopts in expressing this vision.

Literary analysis

A literary analysis essay presents a close reading of a work of literature—e.g. a poem or novel—to explore the choices made by the author and how they help to convey the text’s theme. It is not simply a book report or a review, but an in-depth interpretation of the text.

Literary analysis looks at things like setting, characters, themes, and figurative language. The goal is to closely analyze what the author conveys and how.

The introduction of a literary analysis essay presents the text and background, and provides your thesis statement; the body consists of close readings of the text with quotations and analysis in support of your argument; and the conclusion emphasizes what your approach tells us about the text.

Mouse over the example below, the introduction to a literary analysis essay on Frankenstein , to learn more.

Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is often read as a crude cautionary tale about the dangers of scientific advancement unrestrained by ethical considerations. In this reading, protagonist Victor Frankenstein is a stable representation of the callous ambition of modern science throughout the novel. This essay, however, argues that far from providing a stable image of the character, Shelley uses shifting narrative perspectives to portray Frankenstein in an increasingly negative light as the novel goes on. While he initially appears to be a naive but sympathetic idealist, after the creature’s narrative Frankenstein begins to resemble—even in his own telling—the thoughtlessly cruel figure the creature represents him as. This essay begins by exploring the positive portrayal of Frankenstein in the first volume, then moves on to the creature’s perception of him, and finally discusses the third volume’s narrative shift toward viewing Frankenstein as the creature views him.

If you want to know more about AI tools , college essays , or fallacies make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples or go directly to our tools!

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At high school and in composition classes at university, you’ll often be told to write a specific type of essay , but you might also just be given prompts.

Look for keywords in these prompts that suggest a certain approach: The word “explain” suggests you should write an expository essay , while the word “describe” implies a descriptive essay . An argumentative essay might be prompted with the word “assess” or “argue.”

The vast majority of essays written at university are some sort of argumentative essay . Almost all academic writing involves building up an argument, though other types of essay might be assigned in composition classes.

Essays can present arguments about all kinds of different topics. For example:

• In a literary analysis essay, you might make an argument for a specific interpretation of a text
• In a history essay, you might present an argument for the importance of a particular event
• In a politics essay, you might argue for the validity of a certain political theory

An argumentative essay tends to be a longer essay involving independent research, and aims to make an original argument about a topic. Its thesis statement makes a contentious claim that must be supported in an objective, evidence-based way.

An expository essay also aims to be objective, but it doesn’t have to make an original argument. Rather, it aims to explain something (e.g., a process or idea) in a clear, concise way. Expository essays are often shorter assignments and rely less on research.

The key difference is that a narrative essay is designed to tell a complete story, while a descriptive essay is meant to convey an intense description of a particular place, object, or concept.

Narrative and descriptive essays both allow you to write more personally and creatively than other kinds of essays , and similar writing skills can apply to both.

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Types of Writing — Find Your Writing Style

Updated: February 14, 2024

Published: March 11, 2020

When it comes to writing, everyone has their own style. There are different types of writing which depend on both the audience and the format — be it an essay, research paper, journal, poem or any other form of writing.

Finding your own writing style is important because it becomes a piece of who you are. As a student , this is especially true as you will be required to write quite often. Having your own style will help you because it makes you stand out and you will be less likely to copy others.

This guide will outline the different type of writing styles so you will know which to use when. It will also help give some insight into how you can define your own writing style.

Photo by  Pixabay  from  Pexels

The 4 types of writing.

Knowing the different types of writing will be beneficial both as a student and in life.

There are four main types of writing:

1. Expository Writing — The Facts

The main purpose of expository writing is to explain something. As one of the most common styles of writing, it is often used in academic settings. Expository writing is unlikely to include the author’s opinion. Instead, it is full of facts that either share information about a specific subject or explain how to do something.

When to Use Expository Writing:

• How-to guides
• Academic writing
• Technical and scientific papers
• News and editorial

2. Narrative Writing — The Story

Narrative writing is as it sounds — it’s based on narration and storytelling. Non-fiction writing like this requires the author to create characters and sometimes dialogue. It follows a storyline that introduces the characters and leads the reader along the characters’ journey.

When to Use Narrative Writing:

• Short stories
• Biographical or autobiographical pieces
• Oral history

3. Persuasive Writing — The Sell

With the intention to convince the reader, persuasive writing includes reasoning. The author presents their point of view and offers support as to why you should agree with their take on a matter.

When to Use Persuasive Writing:

• Advertorial
• Letter of recommendation
• Editorial and opinion pieces
• Cover letters
• Personal Statements

4. Descriptive Writing — The Details

Descriptive writing focuses on describing something with detail. Beyond simple and to-the-point sentences, descriptive writing paints a picture, so to speak, for the reader.

When to Use Descriptive Writing:

• Nature writing

Know Your Purpose First, Then Choose a Style

When you write, you’ll often be reminded to know your audience before you get started. In the same way, it’s useful to understand your purpose before putting words on the page.

When you understand your “why,” it will help you choose your “how.” That’s why it’s important to have a strong handle on the different types of writing style. It will help to make your writing more effective and consciously curated.

Why It Matters

Knowing what you’re writing for will help you serve the purpose of the piece. Moreso, if you have your intention set, this will help you to develop your own style while writing.

How To Define Your Personal Style

Writing is a form of communication, and everyone has something different to say and a way to say it.

To define your own style, consider the following:

1. Use What You Know:

Depending on the type of writing, you can draw from your own personal experiences.

2. Voice and Tone:

Voice is about who is doing the talking, and tone is about how you do the talking. When writing, you are basically putting your words that you could say out loud on the page. So, when someone reads it, they can begin recognizing a certain cadence, or rhythm, in how you piece the words together. This becomes one of the most obviously recognizable traits of your writing style.

3. Analyze your Perspective:

Take a step back to understand how and why you see something in a particular way. Then, try to convey that thought process in what you write so that the reader can better understand where you are coming from.

4. Use your Senses:

Using your senses is particularly useful when writing in a descriptive style. This is because it’s all about giving as much detail as possible. So, rather than just writing something like “The sun set,” you can add more to it such as, “The edge of the sun kissed the sky goodnight as it moved below the horizon, painting its surroundings with shades of pink and burnt orange.”

5. Avoid Cliches:

Resist the urge to include overused phrases in your work. While cliches offer truth, they take away from your own style because they have been overused.

6. Learn Writing Rules:

Especially when writing for academia or business, be sure to incorporate proper writing rules and correct grammar. If you learn these rules before you write, it will be easier to focus on the actual content of the piece.

7. Practice Every Day:

With anything, the more you practice, the better you get. If you write a little bit every day, you will improve naturally.

Photo by  Tirachard Kumtanom  from  Pexels

Types of creative writing.

Along with the types of writing listed above, there are also different types of creative writing.

Some creative writing includes:

Essays don’t just have to be for school. You can write personal essays that share your thoughts, feelings, and philosophy about ideas.

2. Journaling/Diaries:

Aside from journaling for news purposes, you can write journal and diary entries for yourself.

Memoirs share stories from personal accounts. They can be drawn from life experiences like traveling or relationships, for example.

4. Free Writing:

This is writing as stream of consciousness. Simply put down everything that comes to mind without editing.

5. Letters:

While letter writing is becoming less popular because of digital communication, it’s still a nice way to communicate with friends, family, business partners, and more. You can also write letters with your opinion to publications.

There are many different styles of poetry. One of the nicest things about writing poems is that they don’t have to abide by any rules. As the poet, you set the rules!

7. Storytelling:

One of the most popular forms of creative writing is storytelling. From short stories to novels, storytelling takes readers on a journey, which can be inspirational and even life-changing.

8. Song Lyrics:

Like poetry with a melody, song lyrics are a nice form of creative writing, especially for those with musical talent.

Ask for Feedback

More often than not, writing is a subjective art. As such, it helps to get the feedback of others. From editing for grammatical purposes to reading for meaning, people other than yourself may have something useful to share about your writing.

Don’t be afraid to listen to their thoughts and use their criticisms constructively. And remember, try not to take feedback too personally.

Wrapping Up

Depending on what you want to write, you will take a different approach every time.

By defining your goals and knowing your audience, you can choose the types of writing that are best suited for each task.

As you continue to practice writing, you will start to develop your own style that is totally unique to you. Good luck and happy writing!

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Abjads / Consonant Alphabets

Abugidas / syllabic alphabets, syllabaries, semanto-phonetic writing systems, undeciphered writing systems, other writing and communication systems.

Writing systems : Abjads | Alphabets | Abugidas | Syllabaries | Semanto-phonetic scripts | Undeciphered scripts | Alternative scripts | Constructed scripts | Fictional scripts | Magical scripts | Index (A-Z) | Index (by direction) | Index (by language) | Index (by continent) | What is writing? | Types of writing system | Differences between writing and speech | Language and Writing Statistics | Languages

Abjads, or consonant alphabets, have independent letters for consonants and may indicate vowels using some of the consonant letters and/or with diacritics. In Abjads such as Arabic and Hebrew full vowel indication (vocalisation) is only used in specific contexts, such as in religious books and children's books.

The image below shows the word 'language' in Arabic and Hebrew, both without vowel marks (unvocalised) and with vowel marks (vocalised).

In Semitic languages like these most words have roots made up of three consonants, e.g. k-t-b (كتب) is the root for words related to marking, inscribing or writing in Arabic. Adding vowels and other consonants to such roots creates different words such as كاتب (katib - writer), كتاب (kitab - book), مكتب (maktab - office) and مكتبة (maktaba - library).

Many of the ancient alphabets used in West Asia and North Africa were abjads, as are the Arabic and Hebrew scripts.

More information about abjads

Alphabets, or phonemic alphabets, are sets of letters that represent consonants and vowels. In some languages, such as Czech, each letter or combination of letters represents one sound, while in others, such as English, letters might represent a variety of sounds, or the same sounds can be written in different ways.

Here is an example of how the sh sound [ʃ] is represented in different languages and alphabets:

• IPA: /ʃ/ (unvoiced postalveolar fricative)
• Afrikaans : sj ampoe [ʃɐmpu] (shampoo)
• Czech : š plouchat [ˈʃplɔuxat] (to splash)
• English : sh ip, elec ti on, ma ch ine, mi ssi on, pre ss ure, sch edule.
• French : ch at [ʃa] (cat)
• German : sch ön [ʃœːn] (beautiful)
• Irish : mi s e [miʃə] (me)
• Lingala : c akú / sh akú [ʃaku˥] (African grey parrot)
• Welsh : si arad [ʃarad] (to speak)
• Armenian : շ աբաթօրյա [ʃɑbɑtʰoɾjɑ] (Saturday)
• Georgian : ბოდი შ ი [bɔdiʃi] (sorry)

The most widely-used alphabets are the Latin or Roman alphabet and the Cyrillic alphabet. They have been adapted to write hundreds of different languages and are used on every continent.

More information about alphabets

Syllabic alphabets, alphasyllabaries or abugidas are writing systems in which the main element is the syllable. Syllables are built up of consonants, each of which has an inherent vowel, e.g. ka, kha, ga, gha. Diacritic symbols are used to change or mute the inherent vowel, and separate vowel letters may be used when vowels occur at the beginning of a syllable or on their own.

The illustration below shows some of the letters and other symbols used in Devanagari , which is used to write Hindi, Marathi, Nepali and many other languages. The vowel diacritics are highlighted in red, and the consonant clusters are used when two or more consonants occur together without vowels between them.

Most of the writing systems used in South and South East Asia are syllabic alphabets

More information about syllabic alphabets

A syllabary is a phonetic writing system consisting of symbols representing syllables. A syllable is often made up of a consonant plus a vowel or a single vowel.

The illustration shows a selection of symbols from Japanese Hiragana and Cherokee. In Cherokee there is a separate symbol for each sound. In Hiragana most sounds have a their own symbol, but some sounds are written by adding extra marks to a symbol. For example ひ = hi, び = bi and ぴ = pi.

More information about syllabaries

The symbols used in semanto-phonetic writing systems often represent both sound and meaning. As a result, such scripts generally include a large number of symbols: anything from several hundred to tens of thousands. In fact there is no theoretical upper limit to the number of symbols in some scripts, such as Chinese. These scripts could also be called logophonetic, morphophonemic, logographic or logosyllabic.

Semanto-phonetic writing systems may include the following types of symbol:

Pictograms and logograms

Pictograms or pictographs resemble the things they represent. Logograms are symbols that represent parts of words or whole words. The image below shows some examples of pictograms from the Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphic and Chinese scripts. The Chinese characters used to look like the things they stand for, but have become increasingly stylized over the years.

Ideograms or ideographs are symbols which graphically represent abstract ideas. The image below shows a number of ideographic Chinese characters.

Compound characters

The majority of characters in the Chinese script are semanto-phonetic compounds: they include a semantic element, which represents or hints at their meaning, and a phonetic element, which shows or hints at their pronunciation. Below are a some compound characters which all share the element meaning 'horse' (馬 [马] mǎ), which is used both as a semantic component and as a phonetic component.

As a semantic component

• 驫 [骉] (biāo) = horses
• 駕 [驾] (jià / jiā) = to drive, sail, fly, a cart, carriage
• 驚 [惊] (jīng) = frighten, surprise, statle
• 騙 [骗] (piàn) = to cheat, swindle, deceive, get on (a horse, etc) by swinging one leg over
• 馮 [冯] (píng) = to gallop, assist, attack, wade, great
• 騎 [骑] (qí / jì) = to ride horseback, mount, cavalry
• 驅 [驱] (qū) = to spur a horse on, expel, drive away
• 騰 [腾] (téng) = to fly, gallop, run, prance, rise

As a phonetic component

• 媽 [妈] (mā) = mother
• 碼 [码] (mǎ) = number, numerals, yard, symbol
• 瑪 [玛] (mǎ) = agate, cornelian
• 螞 [蚂] (mǎ) = ant, leech
• 駡 [骂] (mà) = to accuse, blame, curse, scold

Source: https://www.mdbg.net/chinese/dictionary?page=chardict&cdqchc=%E9%A6%AC

Sometimes symbols are used for their phonetic value alone, without regard for their meaning, for example when transliterating foreign names and loan words.

More information about semanto-phonetic writing systems

Writing systems that have yet to be deciphered or have only been partially deciphered.

More information about undeciphered writing systems

• Alternative scripts - alternative scripts for English and other languages
• Phonetic alphabets - writing systems that can be used to phonetically indicate the pronunciation of any language
• Other notation systems - Braille, Shorthand, etc.
• Language-based communication systems - Morse Code, Semaphore, etc.
• Magical alphabet - Enochian, Theban, etc.
• Fictional scripts - writing systems used in books, films and computer games

Constructed scripts for: Ainu | Arabic | Chinese languages | Dutch | English | Hawaiian | Hungarian | Japanese | Korean | Lingala | Malay & Indonesian | Persian | Tagalog / Filipino | Russian | Sanskrit | Spanish | Taino | Turkish | Vietnamese | Welsh | Other natural languages | Colour-based scripts | Tactile scripts | Phonetic/universal scripts | Constructed scripts for constructed languages | Adaptations of existing alphabets | Fictional alphabets | Magical alphabets | A-Z index | How to submit a constructed script

Page last modified: 22.09.21

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When it comes to writing, there is no hard and fast rule about sticking to one genre. Continue reading the article to learn about the key writing styles and genres.

It’s not an easy task if you want to be an amazing writer, either for a job or fun purpose. Whether you are writing a short story, novel, article, blog or press release, understanding your intent stimulates the Writing. That’s where you need to learn about different types of Writing.

Your writing style reflects your uniqueness and how you present yourself to your target audience. Different types of Writing are used to serve different reasons. On the other hand, various types of writers also exist. Are all of them identical?

Must the art of words and where to use them be the most crucial step to becoming a professional writer? Meanwhile, most writers are only well versed in writing content on a specific niche such as business, technology, lifestyle, etc.

However, when you delve into the world of Writing, you are probably confused and have different questions. Without wasting any time, let’s look at the most commonly used types of writing genres.

Table of Contents

What is meant by the type of Writing?

An author’s unique way of communicating with words is called a type of Writing. You can easily create a style by applying tone and your voice to the text. The writing style depends on the type of Writing, the target audience, and who they are writing for.

Every writer has a unique style, which can vary from project to project. Listed below are different types of writing many successful writers opt for.

15 Different types of writing every writer should master:

In this article, we are going to have a glance at different styles of Writing and will explore them by taking the help of relevant examples. We will discuss each writing style rather than just giving you some boring definitions. The list of different writing types is as follows:

1-Business Writing

This specific writing type is used to write professional and business content. For example, letters, memos, emails and business reports. The main purpose of business writing is to provide relevant information to the target audience clearly, uniquely and concisely.

  Examples of Business Writing

Emails, Letters, Memos, Business Reports, Marketing Materials and Presentations

Traits of Business Writing

●     Keep in mind the focus of the reader

●     Maintain professional tone

●     Organised format

●     The language used is action-oriented

●     Clarity in Writing

2-Persuasive Writing

A certain opinion or idea is termed persuasive Writing to persuade the reader towards a particular fact. Persuasive Writing is one of the different types of writing, especially when the writer has a strong opinion on something. Persuasive Writing also motivates people to take certain actions regarding any situation or issue.

Examples of Persuasive Writing

Job Cover Letters, Product Reviews, Essays, Sales Writing or Press release in the newspaper

Traits of Persuasive Writing

●     Persuading tone

●     Written either from a first or third-person perspective

●     Personal point of view

3-Journalistic Writing

Journalistic Writing is used to write news-related content. You will experience this type of writing style in online and offline magazines, news content, newspaper and many more.

Examples of Journalistic Writing

Investigative Reports, Press releases, News articles, Featured stories and Op-eds

Traits of Journalistic Writing

●     Maintain a clear and concise language

●     Pyramid structure

●     Authentic quotes and sources

●     Using fair tone throughout Writing

4-Creative Writing

Creative Writing is one of the most important writing techniques where writers break boring writing structures and come outside their comfort zone to deliver something productive. Its main purpose is to surprise the target audience and story in a completely different way.

Examples of Creative Writing

Screenwriting, writing biographies, flash fiction and scriptwriting

The main trait of creative Writing is to make your content look as creative as it can be.

5-Poetic Writing

To convey the idea of the story to the target audience, writers use rhyme and rhythm, and this particular type of Writing works best for fiction. Meanwhile, it is also used in metaphor and simile in some cases.

Examples of Poetic Writing

Poetry, short stories, novels and dramas

Traits of Poetic Writing

●     Utilise different poetic devices

●     Offer rhythmic structure

6-Technical Writing

There are different writing genres, so Technical Writing is used for professional documentation and educational content. The main motive of Technical Writing is to provide content about specific points based on logic or sometimes on scientific terms.

Examples of Technical Writing

Textbooks, user manuals, whitepapers, medical articles or textbooks etc

Traits of Technical Writing

●     Dependent on facts

●     Content follows the proper structure

7-Diary Writing

Many individuals worldwide use diaries to express themselves, especially how they feel when encountering anger, grief, regret, fear, jealousy and sadness. You can also say diary writing is a form of personal Writing whose main intent is to keep a record of all events happening in a person’s life.

Sometimes it’s also the emotions that a person keeps track of. On the other hand, if you consider yourself a famous personality, one day, your diary writing can be a perfect resource for your autobiography.

Diary writing is cheaper than professional therapy sessions. It can lead you to a positive experience.

Marie Curie’s notebooks, the Diary of Anne Frank and Charles Darwin’s diaries

Traits of Diary Writing

●     Celebrate their milestones or achievements

●     Write down their goals

●     Express joy and unexpected events in life

8-Critical  Writing

To analyse a general piece of paper is what critics do, and this is called critical writing. The most obvious example is a book critic who reads a book and then explains in newspaper articles or online if the reader should read it.

Examples of Critical Writing

Famous forms of critical Writing include:

Game reviews, music reviews and film reviews

Traits of Critical Writing

●     Written from the reviewer’s point of view

●     Subjective not objective

●     Needs deep knowledge

●     Ability to entice readers with opinion

9-Review  Writing

As clear from the name, the main purpose of review writing is to write reviews for different things. These days, review writing is more common due to the advancement of technology. People nowadays first read reviews online and then buy anything.

Considering the types of writing techniques, review writing is completely different from others.

Examples of  Review Writing

Service Reviews, Product reviews or book reviews

Traits of Review Writing

●     Good description writing skills

●     Needs Persuasive Writing

10-Academic Writing

Academic style or Writing is particularly used in school, college or university-related publications. As a reader, you will experience this sort of Writing in books, school journals or academic research.

The academic style consists of two more types:

●     Expert academic Writing

●     Student academic writing

Expert academic Writing

Expert academic Writing is used for publications such as academic books, journals or other material. It also obeys proper writing structure but is different depending on the type of user.

Student academic writing

Students usually use this type of Writing to do paper research and assignments.

Examples of  Academic Writing

Conference papers, research papers, argumentative essays, case studies, thesis and dissertations  and Academic journal articles

Traits of Academic Writing

●     Follow proper structure and format

●     Maintain consistent tone

●     Proof based arguments

●     Formal language

11-Descriptive Writing

Since there exist different types of Writing,but in particular, descriptive Writing tells us all the aspects of someone’s personality, including events and places. It made us realise that as we were present there.

Examples of  Descriptive Writing

Poetry, Copywriting, Fiction stories and Narrative Nonfiction

Traits of Descriptive Writing

●     Follows detailed writing pattern

●     Maintain a consistent personal tone

12-Expository Writing

Expository writing is used to educate the target audience by talking about a specific topic. So you can’t use your own opinion in this type of Writing.

Examples of  Expository Writing

Recipe writing, Textbook, Scientific Writing Blogs etc

Traits of Expository Writing

●     Written from a third-person point of view

●     Objective tone

●     Static facts

13-Copywriting

A copywriter takes the help of words to sell products. They also produce copy for websites, email funnels and sales pages.

Professional copywriters can also fall into other writing styles, such as social media and content writing. Once you learn the art of writing copies, you can easily earn high five and six figures incomes by providing this service to international clients and digital marketing companies.

Examples of  Copywriting

Taking out a trial or buying a product opting in for a lead magnet.

Traits of Copywriting

●     Holds the attention of readers

●     Help the writer finish an article or blog post easier

●     Convince the target audience to act

14. Blogging

Blogging is considered a popular form of Writing. It started in 1997, and if you are planning to start a blog in 2023, you can expect a lot of competition here.

Thus, bloggers can easily achieve success if they write within a specific niche. They tend to write blogs and articles on topics people are searching for, and currently, there are about 600 million blogs worldwide.

The best blogs are hosted on WordPress, a content management system and are monetized through digital advertising, affiliate products and online promotions.

15-Content Writing

Content writing is just like copywriting, and a person who does content writing is called a content writer. A content writer writes articles, blog posts, ebooks and listicles for online companies or businesses.

Content writers either charge per word or per content piece. It depends on the complexity of the topic and has become more common for freelancers because most businesses nowadays need content to thrive.

Example of Content Writing

The website owner keeps publishing several SEO-optimised articles each month to grow traffic and increase revenue. It means the owner has a team of highly skilled content writers who can achieve the publication goals.                                                                                                                                            

Tricks to select correct types of writing skills

Here are some tips and tricks to choose the correct writing style.

●     Formal/ Informal Writing:

Writers should not swing between formal and informal Writing; in most cases, the writing style is kept formal.

●     Requirement:

The requirement is considered one of the most crucial steps to understanding which writing technique suits well with the content you are planning to write about. For example, if you want people to convince you of a certain opinion you strongly believe, others don’t go for a persuasive writing style.

●     Mood:

It refers to the environment a writer produces in their content piece. In most cases, the writer’s mood can be humorous, angry and sometimes optimistic.

●     Language compatibility:

For emerging writers working day and night to upgrade their skill set, it is advised not to use complex language and technical terms that only you can understand but not the reader.

●     Tone:

The tone is useful in figuring out how the reader feels after reading about something. It also helps us determine the subject the audience is interested in reading about.

●     Syntax:

It’s how words and sentences combine to form the text and are usually written in subject-verb-object order. Authors can also do experiments to figure out the rhythmic syntax of the text they are writing.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here we are going to have a look at the most commonly asked questions related to different styles of Writing.

1. What are the types of writing techniques?

Writing technique means the style or structure that the writer uses to convey a specific message to the reader clearly and concisely.

2. What is the most difficult style of writing to opt for?

Comedy is regarded as the hardest style of Writing to opt for. The main reason is that comedy writing is too subjective.

3. How to write in various types of writing styles?

Read examples of different writing styles if you want to learn. Take a closer look at how the writer grabs your attention, covering the pain points. Then practise regularly and, if possible, take feedback from a fellow writer.

4. How do I know the right writing technique for a content piece?

Consider the style guide and audience while you are all set to publish your content piece. Remember which type of writing the editor wants from you for a topic. Also, be careful how your content piece will educate, entertain or guide the reader.

5. What are the five major writing styles?

Five major writing styles include persuasive Writing, narrative writing, expository Writing and journal writing. These are writing styles into which almost every Writing falls.

6. How vital is grammar in Writing?

Perfect grammar improves communication in Writing. On the other hand, wrong grammar and spelling mistakes lead you to a confused state. For the target audience, poor grammar also reflects a lack of intelligence. So if you unintentionally use bad grammar to build a link with your audience, you should refrain from it.

7. What do you mean by different tones in Writing?

A writer may use different tones in Writing to deliver their feelings through Writing. On the other hand, the ten most common writing tones are optimistic, formal, informal, humorous, encouraging, curious, surprised, cheerful, cooperative and worried.

8. Is it necessary to stick to one writing style throughout the content?

You can always mix different writing styles, and using one particular style throughout the content is not compulsory. For example, you can use descriptive Writing to discuss a particular place. To tell a story, try to opt for a narrative style.

To produce maximum impact, you can blend descriptive Writing with persuasive Writing. Make the most of it no matter which writing style you use.

9. What are the different pieces of evidence in writing content?

Evidence in Writing is the information based on the facts in a text. It helps readers to build a certain conclusion or opinion about a particular text. Evidence can be anything: stories, statistics, propaganda, anecdotes, opinions and, yes, analogies.

10. Do you think using long sentences for quality work is important?

Some of the writers use complex words containing many clauses. While on the other hand, some of them don’t.

Complex and long sentences don’t always mean better quality work. So, there is no fixed technique to do it.

You can also classify your thoughts according to your requirements once you learn about writing style types.

So if you limit yourself to one writing style, you are neglecting your creativity. But if you want to explore the art of Writing, it is highly recommended to adopt different styles.

Thus don’t blind you with a single form of Writing, no matter if you are good at it. Learn in detail about different types of writing genres. The most important thing is to determine your target audience and which writing style will greatly impact them.

Want to know more about different types of Writing? Read this article to know more.

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Home » Purdue University » What Are The Two Types Of Writing?

What Are The Two Types Of Writing?

Table of Contents

While there are many reasons why you might be putting pen to paper or tapping away on the keyboard, there are really only four main types of writing: expository, descriptive , persuasive, and narrative. Each of these four writing genres has a distinct aim, and they all require different types of writing skills.

What are the two main type of writing?

Narrative writing is used for telling a nonfiction or fiction story. Descriptive writing creates an image for the reader in both fiction and nonfiction writing. Authors who want to convince readers of their point of view use persuasive writing.

What are 2 writing techniques?

English writing techniques

• Alliteration and assonance. Loved by writers and readers, alliteration and assonance are classic writing techniques in your toolbox.
• Hyperbole. Hyperbole is the best, most exciting literary writing technique authors can use.
• Personification.
• Foreshadowing.

What are the 3 types of writing?

As explained in the USC Rossier infographic, “There are three writing capacities: writing to persuade, writing to explain, and writing to convey real or imagined experiences.” These three types of writing are usually called argument, informative, and narrative writing .

What is writing and types of writing?

While there are many reasons why you might be putting pen to paper or tapping away on the keyboard, there are really only four main types of writing: expository, descriptive, persuasive, and narrative . Each of these four writing genres has a distinct aim, and they all require different types of writing skills.

What is story writing and its types?

A narrative is a way of presenting connected events in order to tell a good story . Whether it’s a narrative essay, a biography, or a novel, a narrative unites distinct events by concept, idea, or plot. Common types of narratives normally contain a beginning, middle, and an end.

What are the 5 types of writing?

The 5 Types of Writing Styles and Why You Should Master Each

• Narrative Writing. Narrative writing is storytelling at its most basic: it’s all about sharing something that happens to a character.
• Descriptive Writing.
• Persuasive Writing.
• Expository Writing.
• Creative Writing.

What are the types of creative writing?

Types of creative writing include:

• Movie and television scripts.
• Fiction (novels, novellas, and short stories)
• Personal essays.

What are different types of writing techniques?

There are four different types of writing techniques:

• Descriptive writing style.
• Narrative writing style.
• Persuasive writing style.
• Expository writing style.

What is literary writing?

Literary-writing definition Literary writing is defined as creating new creative work, such as poems or novels, and compilations or volumes of creative work . Composing a novel is an example of literary writing.

What are 4 types of expository writing?

Five of the most common types of expository writing are descriptive essays, process essays, comparison essays, cause/effect essays and problem/solution essays .

What is descriptive writing?

The primary purpose of descriptive writing is to describe a person, place or thing in such a way that a picture is formed in the reader’s mind . Capturing an event through descriptive writing involves paying close attention to the details by using all of your five senses.

What is formal writing?

Formal writing is written for an audience you do not know on a personal level . It is often the main style in academic writing (unless otherwise noted) and is more complex than informal writing. Formal writing is serious.

What is expository writing?

What is an expository essay? The expository essay is a genre of essay that requires the student to investigate an idea, evaluate evidence, expound on the idea, and set forth an argument concerning that idea in a clear and concise manner .

What is one of the most common types of writing online?

1. Article/Feature writing . This is perhaps the most common type of writing that comes to mind when people think about freelancing. Many freelancers work on an individual article basis, whether for print or online mediums or a combination of the two.

What are the two main types of short stories?

Short Fiction Forms: Novella, Novelette, Short Story, and Flash Fiction Defined

• Novella. A work of fiction between 20,000 and 49,999 words is considered a novella.
• Novelette. A novelette falls in the range of 7,500 to 19,999 words.
• Short story.
• Flash fiction.
• Short Fiction Challenge.

What is a narrative writing?

A narrative essay tells a story. In most cases, this is a story about a personal experience you had . This type of essay, along with the descriptive essay, allows you to get personal and creative, unlike most academic writing.

What are the 7 types of writing?

The 7 most common types of essay writing

• Narrative. Narrative essays are traditionally intended to tell a story based on the writer’s real-life experiences.
• Descriptive. Descriptive essays essentially paint a picture of something.
• Expository.
• Persuasive.
• Compare and contrast.
• Reflective.

What are 10 types of writing?

10 Different Types Of Writing Styles: Which One Do You Enjoy

• #1) Narrative Writing.
• #2) Descriptive Writing.
• #3) Expository Writing.
• #4) Persuasive Writing.
• #5) Creative Writing.
• #6) Objective Writing.
• #7) Subjective Writing.
• #8) Review Writing.

What are the 6 genres of writing?

There a six genres of writing: descriptive, expository, persuasive, narrative, technical and poetic . Compare and Contrast: you examine similarities and differences between two people, places, ideas, or things.

What are the types of functional writing?

The 4 writing styles. The writing styles do indeed fall into four types: expository, descriptive, persuasive and narrative . The main criteria here is, broadly speaking, the function of the text: the purpose the author has in mind and, perhaps, the context in which the text is presented.

By Paul Arnold

Paul Arnold is an education expert with over 25 years of experience in the field. He has worked in both public and private schools, as well as colleges and universities. Paul is passionate about helping students learn and grow, and he has written extensively on the topic of education. He currently works as a professor at a local college.

When he's not teaching or writing, Paul enjoys spending time with his wife and two children. He also likes playing golf and watching sports. Paul is a big fan of the Boston Celtics and New England Patriots.

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Dayton Aviation Heritage National Historical Park

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On April 8, 2024, much of the OWP teacher community will be near or in the total solar eclipse path. In partnership with the Dayton Aviation National Heritage Park and the National Writing Project, and the Wick Poetry Center, OWP teachers have created and collected classroom and community resources connected to the solar eclipse. These resources were inspired by the dual stories of Paul Laurence Dunbar and the Wright brothers. As classmates, Paul and Orville wrote in their botany sketchbooks and the Wright Brothers printed Dunbar’s first newspaper. Like the intersection of their friendship, the solar eclipse provides an intersection of writing and science. During his career, Dunbar wrote “A Madrigal” featuring the line, “all the world is in eclipse.” Explore the resources below and join us on April 6 at the Wright-Dunbar Interpretive Center, 16 S. Williams St., Dayton, OH, 45402 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. for OWP Eclipse Day, and make sure to join us for the total eclipse on April 8, 2024.

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