Detailed and Relatable Writing (Chapter 5)

            Chapter 5 was extremely descriptive and had a step by step format which made it easier to understand and think of how I could apply it to my own writing. The section titled Examining Visuals was very intriguing for my personally because I am more of a visual and hands on learner, so, I was able to relate to this section more than others. Because this section was more relatable, it was also more exciting to read about and see how I could use visuals in my own writing. This chapter also provided many examples with the writing pieces it provided which also made it more interesting to read as compared to previous chapters. Finally, another section that stood out to me was how to avoid clichés. I hadn’t really thought about how a writer could go to clichés to fill in or back-up what they are writing about, even when they are trying to avoid them. So, this section was interesting to read about in how to avoid them and the websites one can go to specifically for that purpose.

                Because this chapter was very engaging and detailed, a student will be able to relate better on how the author explains to be descriptive in witting. With that, students will more likely be able to organize their essays better as well as find the purpose of their writing with more ease. This chapter also provided websites specifically for students to go to in order to better their writing and closely look at the details of their writing. Therefore, overall chapter 5 aimed to help students take a closer look at each aspect of their writing and gave examples of what well-written pieces look like and what steps to take in order for students to get their writing looking like the examples in the chapter.

Works Cited: Morning Rituals of Successful People. Digital image. Gerilyn Hayes. N.p., 16

 Feb. 2014. Web.

By: Sydney Evans

Descriptions: What do They DO for Us?

Descriptions. Those important little bits of writing that bring our five senses to life. They paint images in and induce feelings in a way the author intends. For a writer, descriptions are like paint to an artist or chisels to a sculptor. Without them, reading would be like looking at a grayscale world.

Image Courtesy of ninjatic (Deviant Art)

A writer who uses interesting descriptive words can paint scenes like ninjatic's Man o War (pictured above) through our mind's eye, using descriptions like, "the waves lapped at the shore, beating against the tired man as he shoved the tiny boat further ashore, into the coarse sand."  It's astonishing how words can bring images to life.

Chapter 5 of "Patterns for a Purpose" gives me a closer idea in how to utilize words in a way I was unaware of until today. The chapter described satisfactory ways to use descriptions. Personally, I found the section on specific words intriguing and enlightening. Never before had I really understood the differences between words like 'show' and 'flaunt.' The word 'flaunt' is definitely more interesting than 'show' because 'flaunt' is specific in how it describes the given situation, where as 'show' gives a broader sense of the same scene and doesn't engage the reader's mind. The chapter also points out different sites to help spice up your writing, but one in particular caught my attention. OneLook Reverse Dictionary is a place to find words or phrases when you have the definition. Quite often when I'm writing, I get stuck in the middle of a sentence, knowing what I want to say, but not the words to convey it with. It will be a great help in order to avoid using words that just don't quite fit.

I will never look at descriptive words the same way. Through the enlightenment chapter 5 has given me, words have become a new medium to represent infinite wonder and intrigue.

By Sierra Baumann