What are the differences between narrative and descriptive writing? These two writing styles are both forms of creative writing but you need to know the difference as many exams offer a choice between the two styles. You need to know which is which.
Psst! Check out my varied descriptive and narrative writing modules which are available to buy in my Hampton English Coaching store! https://courses.hamptonenglishcoaching.com
Narrative Writing
Narrative writing tells a story with a beginning, middle and end. Ideally, stories have 'the 5 part story mountain’ structure. The rising action builds up to the story's 'peak' or climax. Its falling action travels from the story's high point to a final resolution. The writer needs to take their reader on a 'story journey' from its start, to a rise, high point, and final stage.
Narrative 'story writing' tasks can be based on a picture OR they could ask you to narrate with a sentence they give you. You could be asked to carry on a story on from an opening sentence they give you or plan one back from a given closing sentence. Be prepared to plan! Picture-based story tasks are open...you plan the story your way but should include the image in one story section.
'Although Fred was typing up a great story, his plot plan was a total mess: it was more 'on-the-wall' than 'offthe-wall.'
Many of us find it harder to create a precise and structured story under timed conditions.
ALL stories need a clear section-bysection plan. Otherwise your story will probably fail as it will be confusing and unsatisfying. You need developed stages. Each should showcase different stages of the tale. It should follow the story mountain structure of:
Introduction Development Climax Twist and Resolution.
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Stories are narratives. The narrator can cut back and forth in time through flashbacks and flashforwards.
They can cut to a new scene and a new time period, such as the day just before or just after the main plot events.
Stories need convincing characters. Stories benefit from exciting character dialogue which 'sounds' like each of them. Each character should sound distinctive. Their dialogue should tell us more about their inner thoughts, secrets and true selves.
Stories have ‘a narrator’ who can address the reader in different 'voices' 1) From a first person viewpoint voice: ‘I looked in horror at the menacing monster.' 2) From a second person viewpoint voice: ‘You look in horror at the menacing monster’ 3) From a third person viewpoint voice: ‘She looked in horror at the menacing monster.' Third or first person is usually the easiest narrative voice . Readers can bore of being directly addressed as 'you'!
Unreliable Narrators You can also have an interesting but unreliable first-person narrator who doesn’t see the full picture and has strong but interesting opinions. How would a story told by Death, a ghost, a thief or an outcast be onesided and not 100% reliable?
Omniscient Narration Omni’ means ‘all.' Omniscient third-person narration is when the inner thoughts of the characters AND other 'outside' information like main events or weather are ALL handled by the allknowing and omniscient third-person narrator. They are 'all-knowing', like a God.
For example, a omniscient narration could be like this:
Instead of the boring sentence 'The cat sat on the mat', an omniscient storyteller would include more inner thoughts and outside details, like this: ‘Uneasily, the cat sat on the mat, realising his owners had still not returned. He was not to know that they were stuck in traffic. The uncertainty of not knowing when his next bowl of food would arrive! Nervously, he licked his paws. Realising that there was nothing else for him to do, he settled down on his favourite corner of the mat and fell asleep...
Descriptive Writing
Descriptive writing tasks give you a subject to describe in detail, such as a busy market, city scene or group of people. Always ZOOM IN on the
Many school exams give you an actual picture to describe in the exam which makes things easier. Zoom in on 4 or 5 different areas of the picture. Describe one area per paragraph.
Check out all my descriptive and narrative writing modules which are available to buy in my Hampton English Coaching store: https://courses.hamptonenglishcoaching.com
Summary Of The Key Differences Between Narrative and Descriptive Writing
NARRATIVE WRITING
DESCRIPTIVE WRITING
SHOULD IT BE PLANNED?
DOES IT SHOW OFF MOSTLY GREAT PLOT OR MOSTLY GREAT DETAILS?
YES, YES YES!
MOSTLY A GREAT PLOT
YES ,YES YES!
MOSTLY GREAT LANGUAGE CHOICES AND DESCRIPTIONS
CAN IT SWITCH SCENE OR TIME PERIOD?
HAS IT GOT CHARACTERS AND DIALOGUE?
HAS IT GOT THE 5 NARRATIVE STORY MOUNTAIN STAGES?
YES
YES
YES
NO: YOU HAVE TO FOCUS THE WRITING ALL ON THAT PICTURE OR WRITTEN DESCRIPTIVE TASK
NO: INSTEAD, GREATER USE OF A RANGE OF CREATIVE TECHNIQUES AND VARIED VOCABUARY ARE REWARDED
NO, ALTHOUGH YOU SHOULD AIM TO 'ZOOM IN ON' AT LEAST 4 ASPECTS OF THE SUBJECT YOU ARE DESCRIBING AND ONE PARAGRAPH COULD BE EXTRA DETAILED.
Here are two of my descriptive writing module topics: a busy fairground and a dark forest. Look at all the details to include...
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Descriptive writing does not need a complex structure or to go through 5 narrative stages.
Descriptive writing has a far higher amount of detailed ‘zoomed in’ descriptions of key areas of the picture.
However, you could still focus in on one 'high point' area of the description in a little more descriptive detail. Aim for a zoomed-in snapshot rather than a wide-ranging tale.
Descriptions do not cut to a new scene or a new period of time, such as the following day or the previous year.
Instead of a story narrator, descriptive writing has a ‘describer’ relaying information to the reader from a first or third-person view. For example:
‘Wonderingly, I gazed up at the dazzling greens and golds of the colossal Ghost Train ride. Was the sinister figure which loomed above the doorway looking at me? Its eyes had ruby-red irises which gleamed with a demonic glow. Behind it, I could hear screams and shouts. Were the train riders happy, terrified or both? I wasn’t sure. Bravely, I edged forward and bought my skull-shaped ticket.’
The 'describer' of the Ghost Train described lots of details, such as the sounds behind the Ghost Train entrance, the sign, its colours and the skull-shaped ticket. They expressed some feelings but they always relate back to the Ghost Train subject, stay in present tense and do not scene -shift.
A story's purpose is to entertain and engage us with a tale whereas descriptive writing's purpose is to provide us with a full 'picture' of one main thing, 'captured' in that zoomed-in snapshot. 'After reading his H.E.C guide to narrative and descriptive writing, Bob could visualise his main story character.'
I Hope This Guide Helped You. Keep Referring To It As You Continue On Your Writing Journey - And Also:
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