4 Main Writing Styles: What They Are & When To Use Them

A writing style is what gives your writing its own character and largely depends on the audience you’re targeting and the purpose of your work. Across the millions of writing works from novels and poems to news articles and academic essays, each piece can generally fall into one of four main styles. Understanding these styles helps you match your writing to the needs of your readers and ensures that your message comes across clearly and effectively!

So let’s go over the four main writing styles and examine how to choose the right style for your work. 

What Is A Writing Style?

A writing style is the unique way an author uses words to express their thoughts and convey a particular tone or message. Think of it as the “voice” of a piece, influenced by vocabulary choices, sentence structure, tone, and overall approach. 

The Four Writing Styles

There are four main types of writing styles, each suited to a specific purpose, although more than one can be used in the same text.  Let’s explore each style and when to use it.

1. Expository

Expository writing is all about presenting information clearly and objectively. Its purpose is to inform or explain, making it the go-to style for textbooks, how-to guides, scientific writing, research papers, and news articles. Expository writing sticks to the facts and avoids personal opinions, focusing instead on giving readers a well-rounded understanding of a topic.

Best Used For: Educational materials, instructional guides, reports, and news pieces where clarity and accuracy are key.

• Be Concise: Stick to the main points and avoid unnecessary details. Clarity is key, so use straightforward language that makes complex information easier to understand.

• Organise Logically: Structure your writing with headings, bullet points, or numbered lists when appropriate. This helps readers process information in an orderly way.

• Avoid Figurative Language: Figurative language can make explanations confusing and lowers your credibility, so focus on being direct to help readers understand the information.

2. Descriptive

Descriptive writing paints a vivid picture for the reader, using rich language and sensory details. This style of writing is used to bring scenes, characters, or emotions to life, immersing the reader in a specific moment or setting. Descriptive writing isn’t just about telling – it’s about showing, helping readers to experience the world of the piece. This style isn’t focused on explaining the situation, but instead describes things just as they are. 

Best Used For: Fiction, poetry, journalling and any writing where you want to evoke a strong image or emotion in the reader’s mind.

• Use Sensory Language: Make your writing engage the senses by describing sights, sounds, smells, and textures. This immerses readers in the scene and evokes a strong emotional response.

• Show, Don’t Tell: Instead of stating how a character feels, use your writing skills to describe their actions or expressions to convey emotion indirectly. This allows readers to experience the moment alongside the characters.

• Avoid Overloading with Adjectives: While detail is essential, using too many adjectives can clutter your writing. Choose specific, vivid words that add to the imagery without overwhelming the reader.

3. Persuasive

Persuasive writing is all about convincing the reader to adopt a certain viewpoint or take a specific action. It combines facts with personal opinion, using emotional appeal, strong arguments, and sometimes even rhetorical devices to sway the reader’s perspective. 

 Best Used For: editorial articles, marketing copy, advertisements, speeches, letters of recommendation, cover letters, and any writing where you’re aiming to influence or persuade.

• Know Your Audience: Tailor your arguments to appeal to your audience’s beliefs and values. Understanding your readers makes it easier to craft persuasive points that resonate.

• Use Strong, Clear Arguments: Present a clear thesis or main argument supported by logical reasoning and evidence. Strong arguments keep your writing focused and impactful.

• Appeal to Emotions: Persuasive writing isn’t just about logic; it’s also about connecting emotionally. Stories, examples, or powerful language can create empathy and inspire readers to care about your point of view.

4. Narrative

Narrative writing style tells a story, complete with characters, a plot, and a setting. It’s the style we most associate with novels, short stories, memoirs or anecdotes. This style, whether used in fiction or nonfiction, usually follows a structured sequence of events, building up to a climax and resolution. 

Best Used For: Novels, short stories, memoirs, biographies, and essays that incorporate storytelling.

• Develop a Strong Opening: Start with a hook that grabs readers’ attention right away, whether it’s a striking image, a question, or an intriguing situation.

• Build Relatable Characters: Give your characters depth, motivation, and flaws. Readers connect with characters who feel real and complex, adding depth to the narrative.

• Keep a Consistent Pace: Balance scenes of action with quieter moments of reflection or dialogue. This keeps the story moving and maintains readers’ interest without overwhelming them.

Choose A Writing Style That Fits Your Purpose

Understanding the four main writing styles – expository, descriptive, persuasive, and narrative – is incredibly helpful for any writer. Each style has its own unique strengths and purpose, and knowing when to use them helps ensure that your writing resonates with your audience.

So next time you sit down to write, consider which style best suits your goal. Whether you’re aiming to inform, describe, persuade, or tell a story, choosing the right writing style will help bring your message to life and connect more deeply with your readers.