If you want to become a strong writer for a job or fun, this isn’t an easy task. If you think this is as easy as writing anything on paper, you’re wrong. However, there are different types of writing styles that are used for different types of purposes.
On the other hand, there are many types of writers. Are they all the same? Of course not. As a result, different writing styles are used for different situations, and where to use them is the most important step to becoming a professional writer.
Most writers find themselves writing a specific niche like poetry, novel, non-fiction, etc. Well, this will happen because you might relate yourself to it.
However, if you get into writing, you are probably confused, and you have different questions in your mind like, What are the different types of writing styles? Which one is more used in writing? How are they different from each other? And many more like that.
Without wasting any time, let’s find out What is Writing style? And then we move to its types.
Table of Contents
What is Writing Style?
The author’s unique way of communication with words is called writing style. The author usually creates a style with the voice and tone that they apply to their text. On the other hand, the type of writing depends on the type of writing, the audience, and who they are writing for. Each writer has their style, which may vary from project to project. However, you will find some authors that maintain a cohesive writing style. Below are the different types of writing styles that a writer uses.
13 Different Types Of Writing Styles That You Should Know (With Examples)
In this blog, we cover 13 types of styles used in writing with suitable examples. We gave you an example for each writing style because it’s easier to understand something new than to read its definition, which might be boring sometimes.
List of different types of writing styles as follow:
- Narrative Writing
- Expository Writing
- Descriptive Writing
- Persuasive Writing
- Creative Writing
- Technical Writing
- Review Writing
- Poetic Writing
- Objective Writing
- Subjective Writing
- Academic writing
- Journalistic writing
- Business writing
What is Narrative Writing?
The main aim of narrative Writing is to tell people what happens somewhere or with someone. If you just started working as a writer or if you’re writing your first book, then narrative writing is the writing style you want to focus on. On the other hand, narrative Writing includes both fiction and non-fiction. Whereas non-fiction is based on real events, fiction writing is completely made up.
Example of Narrative Writing:
- Novel.
- Diaries.
- Short-story.
- Presentations
- Speeches, and many more.
Supreme Features of Narrative Writing:
- Written in the first person.
- Storytelling in written form.
- It requires great imagination by the writer.
This is the first writing style on the list of 13 different types of writing styles.
What is Expository Writing?
Expository writing is used to educate or explain a particular topic to its reader. So the main goal of expository writing is to teach the reader about something rather than entertainment—questions like when, who, what, where, and why are answered in the expository writing.
This writing style is used to educate something to the reader, so no personal opinion of the writer is used in this type of writing.
Example of Expository Writing:
- Scientific Writing.
- Textbook.
- Technical Writing.
- Recipes writing.
- Blogs, and many more.
Supreme Features of Expository Writing:
- Objective tone.
- Written in the third person.
- Static facts.
This is the second writing style on the list of 13 different types of writing styles.
What is Descriptive Writing?
In this writing, the author writes about every aspect of the person, place, or event, describing all aspects in detail. Descriptive writing makes the reader feel as if they are present there.
Example of Descriptive Writing:
- Poetry.
- Copywriting.
- Narrative Nonfiction.
- Fictional Stories.
Features of Descriptive Writing:
- Personal tone.
- Use Detail-oriented Writing.
This is the third writing style on the list of 13 different types of writing styles.
What is Persuasive Writing?
Persuasive writing is used to convince the reader about something, a certain opinion or idea is the best one. This type of writing is written when the author has a strong opinion on something or encourages people to take action regarding any issue.
Example of Persuasive Writing:
- Essay.
- Cover letter.
- An opinion piece in the newspaper.
- Reviews.
- Sales writing.
Features of persuasive writing:
- Personal opinion.
- Written in the first or third person.
- Persuasive tone.
What is Creative Writing?
Creative writing is the style of writing where the author breaks the boring writing structure and thinks outside of the box. As a result, the main aim of creative writing is to surprise the reader and storyteller in a completely different way.
In other words, creative writing is the art of making things up. Any Writing that requires imagination comes under the type of creative writing.
Example of creative Writing:
- Screenwriting.
- Flash fiction.
- Biographies.
- Script-writing.
Main features of creative writing:
The main feature of Creative Writing is that you make your content as creative as it can get.
What is Technical Writing?
Technical writing is mainly used for educational texts or professional documents. Technical writing is all about writing on a special point that is more logical or on scientific purpose.
Example of Technical Writing:
- Medical articles,
- Textbooks.
- User-manuals of any kind, etc.
Feature of Technical Writing:
- It is totally based on Facts-Driven points.
What is Review Writing?
As the name suggests, the main aim of this type of writing is to write reviews for various things.
Nowadays, this type of writing is more popular due to the digitization of everything. People rarely shop for anything without reading reviews online.
Example of Review Writing:
- Service reviews. For example, washing service, car service, basically any service.
- Book reviews.
- Product reviews.
Feature of Review writing:
- It requires persuasive writing and good description writing skills.
What is Poetic Writing?
In this type of writing, the writer uses rhythm and rhyme to convey the story of the idea. This type of writing is broadly used for fiction. However, it is also used in metaphor or in similarity.
Some examples of Poetic Writing where it is used: This type of writing is mainly used in
- Short Stories.
- Novels
- Poetry.
Features:
- Used to provide Rhythmic structure.
- Uses various poetic devices.
What is Objective Writing?
Objective writing is a type of writing where the writer is supposed to prove something, any facts or evidence. In this writing, the writer must remain unbiased about the topic so the reader can form their own opinion. It is mainly used for presenting a neutral point of view toward a specific idea and for formal writing.
Example of Objective Writing:
- Assertive texts.
- Mostly text that is written for educational purposes.
Features:
- Use a neutral tone.
- Evidence-based idea.
- Pure factual.
What is Subjective Writing?
Subjective writing is used to showcase the author’s feelings, opinions, and preferences on things. In other words, this type of writing style originated from the writer’s personal experience. In this writing style, the author need not bother about the accuracy and correctness of the writing.
Example of Subjective Writing:
- Blogs.
- Opinionated pieces.
- Travelogues, and many more.
Features of Subjective Writing:
- It is mainly written in the first person.
- It shows the personal thoughts and opinions of the author.
What is Academic Writing?
The type of writing used in school or university-related publications is called the academic style. You will find this kind of writing in school journals, books, or academic research.
It is of two types,
- Student academic writing
- Expert academic writing
Student academic writing
Students use this academic writing style for their paper research, assignments, etc.
Expert academic writing
This is used for publications, for example, academic books, journals, study material, etc.
These writing styles follow the same structure and standards but differ only depending on the user.
Examples of Academic Writing:
- Research papers
- Essays
- Case studies
- Literature reviews
- Theses and dissertations
- Academic journal articles
- Conference papers
Features of Academic Writing:
- Formal language
- Objective tone
- Structured format
- Evidence-based arguments
- Correct and consistent
What is Journalistic Writing?
This type of writing style is used for news-related content. You will find this type of writing style in newspapers, magazines, online news content, and many more.
The main purpose of this writing type is to provide information to the people in a clear and concise manner
Examples of Journalistic Writing:
- News articles
- Feature stories
- Editorial pieces
- Op-eds
- Investigative reports
- Reviews
Features of Journalistic Writing:
- Objective tone
- Inverted pyramid structure
- Clear and concise language
- Quotes and sources
- Timeliness
What is Business Writing?
This type of writing style is used for professional and business content, for example, emails, memos, reports, etc. This is the purposeful writing style that is used for providing relevant information to the reader in a clear, effective, and concise manner.
Examples of Business Writing:
- Emails
- Memos
- Business letters
- Reports
- Proposals
- Presentations
- Marketing materials
Features of Business Writing:
- Clarity and concision
- Audience focus
- Professional tone
- Structured format
- Action-oriented language
Different Types Of Writing Styles – Tabular Form
| Type Of Writing | Example | Features |
| Narrative Writing | Novel. Diaries. Short-story. Presentations Speeches, and many more. | Written in the first person. Storytelling in written form. It requires great imagination by the writer. |
| Expository Writing | Scientific Writing. Textbook. Technical Writing. Recipes writing. Blogs, and many more. | Objective tone. Written in the third person. Static facts. |
| Descriptive Writing | Poetry. Copywriting. Narrative Nonfiction. Fictional Stories. | Personal tone. Use Detail-oriented Writing. |
| Persuasive Writing | Essay. Cover letter. An opinion piece in the newspaper. Reviews. Sales writing. | Personal opinion. Written in the first or third person. Persuasive tone. |
| Creative Writing | Screenwriting. Flash fiction. Biographies. Script-writing. | make your content as creative as it can get |
| Technical Writing | Medical articles, Textbooks. User manuals of any kind, etc. | It is based on Facts-Driven points. |
| Review Writing | Service reviews. For example, washing service, car service, basically any service. Book reviews. Product reviews. | It requires persuasive writing and good description writing skills. |
| Poetic Writing | Short Stories. Novels Poetry. | Used to provide Rhythmic structure. Uses various poetic devices. |
| Objective Writing | Assertive texts. Mostly text that is written for educational purposes. | Use a neutral tone. Evidence-based idea. Pure factual. |
| Subjective Writing | Blogs. Opinionated pieces. Travelogues, and many more. | It is mainly written in the first person. It shows the personal thoughts and opinions of the author. |
| Academic Writing | Research papers Essays Case studies Literature reviews Theses and dissertations Academic journal articles Conference papers | Formal language Objective tone Structured format Evidence-based arguments Correct and consistent |
| Journalistic Writing | News articles Feature stories Editorial pieces Op-eds Investigative reports Reviews | Objective tone Inverted pyramid structure Clear and concise language Quotes and sources Timeliness |
| Business Writing | Emails Memos Business letters Reports Proposals Presentations Marketing materials | Clarity and concision Audience focus Professional tone Structured format Action-oriented language |
5 Most Used Tips to Choose Correct Writing Style
Formal/Informal Writing
The writer should not switch between Formal and Informal tones of writing. Basically, most writing styles are formal.
Language Compatibility
For the beginner writer who is still working on upgrading their writing skills, it is advised that you do not use complex language that not only your reader could not understand but also don’t have any idea about what you are writing.
Requirement
It is the most important step to know what writing style will go best with the idea that you wish to write. For example, if you want to share your opinion on an issue that you believe others should too, go for a persuasive writing style.
Tone
The tone determines how the text makes the reader feel about the topic while reading the text. The tone is an important feature in determining the kind of audience interested in its subject. Hence the writer must set the tone according to their need.
Mood
It refers to the atmosphere that the writer creates in their work. The mood of the written work can be humorous, angry, optimistic, etc.
Above all are the five tips used in different types of writing styles
Conclusion:
You can easily categorize your thoughts according to your needs once you know the different types of writing styles.
If you stick with one style of writing, then you limit your creativity. But if you want to expand your limit, it is advisory to work with a different academic style.
Lastly, you don’t have to bind yourself to a single form of writing, even if you are good at it. The most important point is to identify what your audience wants and know what will create the biggest impact on them.
Also, Read: Types of Tones in Writing
Frequently Asked Question?
What is the most difficult writing style?
Comedy is considered the most difficult style of writing. The main reason behind that is this type of writing is too subjective.
What are writing techniques?
The writing is meant to be the style and structure the writer uses to give his or her message to the reader in a clear and meaningful way.
FAQs
What are different types of writing styles explain with examples? ›
| Type Of Writing | Example |
|---|---|
| Persuasive Writing | Essay. Cover letter. An opinion piece in the newspaper. Reviews. Sales writing. |
| Creative Writing | Screenwriting. Flash fiction. Biographies. Script-writing. |
| Technical Writing | Medical articles, Textbooks. User manuals of any kind, etc. |
Your audience and writing purpose will determine your writing style. The four main types of writing styles are persuasive, narrative, expository, and descriptive.
What are the 5 major writing styles? ›- expository writing.
- descriptive writing.
- narrative writing.
- persuasive writing.
- journal and letter writing.
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.
What is the most common writing style? ›Expository Writing – This is the most common type of writing. This blog post is an example of expository writing, as I'm explaining a concept and providing information. However, expository writing often doesn't include the author's opinions.
What are the common types of writing? ›However, there are four main categories into which every writing types fall, namely, narrative, descriptive, persuasive, and expository.
How would you describe your writing style? ›Your voice is your unique personality—the “special sauce” on the page. Your style is how you write—the way you string your words together on the page. Your voice includes the thoughts and quirks that make you unique. Your style, on the other hand, is how you deliver those things to the world.
What are the six ways of writing? ›The Six Traits of writing are Voice, Ideas, Presentation, Conventions, Organization, Word Choice, and Sentence Fluency. It creates a common vocabulary and guidelines for teachers to use with students so that they become familiar with the terms used in writing.
What are the 4 types of academic writing? ›The four main types of academic writing are descriptive, analytical, persuasive and critical.
What are 7 types of directed writing? ›- Speech/Talk.
- Report.
- Informal letter.
- Formal letter.
- Article.
What are the 5 types of writing PDF? ›
- Expository essays: An expository essay is an informative piece of writing, ...
- Narrative essays: A narrative type of essay refers to a written composition. ...
- Descriptive essays: A descriptive writing is a style of writing which focuses on. ...
- Persuasive essays: Persuasive writing is a type of writing which contains.
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 are different 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.
What is an example of descriptive writing? ›Descriptive writing: The colorful flowers brought life to an otherwise lifeless sidewalk. The different shades of the green stems and leaves were the perfect backdrops to the yellow, orange, and red petals that seemed to sway softly with the breeze.
What is an example of expository writing? ›Some common examples of expository writing include academic essays, textbooks, instructional guides, and news reports. Good expository writing should be factual, objective, and clear. To better understand what this term means, think about the difference between a scientific article, a short story, and an advertisement.