If you want to captivate your readers in your essay or story, there's no better way than through vivid and vivid descriptive paragraphs. Descriptive paragraphs are a great way to go if you want creativity to take over your writing, experiment with structure and content, and use striking and unusual phrases to grab the reader's attention. When describing a person, place, or thing, the paragraph should make the reader feel that they are in that place with you or your character, and experiencing the moment firsthand.
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Method 1 of 3: Describing Humans
Step 1. Begin the paragraph with a general topic sentence that introduces the person
A short introductory sentence at the beginning of a paragraph will grab the reader's attention and direct the focus to the person being described. Write this first sentence clearly and concisely, focusing on one aspect of appearance so that readers don't get confused by too many descriptions at once. The topic sentence can also be divided into two sentences to make it easier to digest. Start with a sentence like this:
"Mr. Bagas is the tallest person I've ever seen."
Melani's hair is the girl's greatest pride.
“To understand Johan's thoughts, just look at his hands. The two never stop moving.”
Step 2. Focus on the parts of your appearance that stand out the most
To keep the reader engaged, immediately proceed to the general introduction to the most interesting or unusual part of the appearance. Think about the part that you noticed first, or that made the biggest impression the first time you saw it. For creative writing, such as narratives, you can also use it in the introductory sentence. As an example:
- “I usually don't pay attention to people's skin, but Natasha's skin was shiny. Almost like an alien. Even at night, or when sitting in a dark classroom, I can still see it out of the corner of my eye, giving off a golden tinge.”
- “His arms seemed too long for his body, and disproportionately muscular, like two albino pythons.”
Step 3. Focus on physical details that hint at personality
Be careful when choosing descriptive words, paragraphs can give a clear picture of a person as well as a clue as to who he is. Look for strong and influential words that convey your point and create a picture that fits the person.
Showing Personality Through Physical Description
Kindness or hospitality:
“He has a tendency to lean forward to smile while looking into my eyes.”
Rudeness:
"He towered over everyone else in the room, looking over their heads as if looking for something more interesting."
Ambition:
“He walked with energy that seemed to start at the tips of his feet, striding steadily, all the way to every strand of hair neatly tied in a ponytail.”
Step 4. Fill in the last details to give a good picture
Make sure the reader recognizes the most important part of the character's appearance. Touch the main aspects of the body and clothes and face because that is the most interesting part for the reader. Continue to use strong and descriptive words, challenging yourself to uniquely describe.
- For example, to describe your face, you might write, “The nose and two front teeth are slightly tilted. She always pulls her long hair forward to toss it back, brushing the bangs out of her eyes as if she doesn't know why they're there.
- To describe your body or clothing, you might write, “The guy is big, but his demeanor implies he wants to apologize for having such a big body. He hunches his shoulders and tilts his neck to clamp the phone, in a gray shirt so it fits against the wall.”
- General details should only be mentioned if adding information about the character's impression or personality. For example, if eye color is unrelated to personality, there is no need to mention it.
Step 5. Use figurative language and strong adjectives throughout the paragraph
Interesting metaphors, similes, and descriptive language will give a picture of the character without losing the reader's interest. Show your passion and appearance without words, and it's best to use strong, carefully chosen language and phrases. Challenge yourself to enter a phrase you've never used, or insert a word another way to bring a new dimension to your character.
Using Figurative Language
Similes:
a comparison between two things using the words "like" or "like".
For example, “The baby's ears are small and fragile like seashells.”
Metaphor:
the use of words or phrases to describe objects, actions, or people that are not related to their true meaning.
For example, “In class, Ibu Santi is an actress. He floats from point to point in the room and brings the stories we read to life with different voices and facial expressions for each character.”
Step 6. End the paragraph with an interesting description or conclusion
The end of the paragraph is the part that will stick in the reader's mind. Try to make the last sentence the most compelling, either with an unexpected final description or by summarizing the material in a unique and surprising way. As an example:
- “I've known Lulu for years, but I've never seen her in shoes. On hot days I saw the soles of his feet blackened and callused from the friction of the asphalt, which burned in the sun until it steamed. It must be hot, but he just tiptoes and laughs.”
- "Despite his strong voice, straight shoulders, and big smile, Henry is the saddest person I've ever known."
Method 2 of 3: Writing about Things
Step 1. Draw the general size and shape of the object
The best way to write a description of an object is to directly tell the reader its position and size. How much space does it fill? Can the object be inserted in the palm of the hand, or hang on the body? Is it lying somewhere until it's dusty, or is it constantly moving? Please divide the description into two sentences. You can write a description like this:
- “He's been wearing the necklace for a long time, the chain is almost fused to the skin. The necklace is thin and the gemstone is very small, sitting right in the middle of the hollow of her collarbone.”
- “The water bottle rolled over in a pile of dust, out of sight, dented until it was impossible to tell what it was like.
Step 2. Describe sensory details, such as color, texture, or taste
Strong sensory details help readers understand things in another way, or see something familiar from a new angle. A concise description of the senses of touch, smell, taste, or sight can bring an object to life. Talk about how heavy it is, how hot or cold it is, how strong it is, how it smells, or even tastes. You are free to use creative means.
Using Sensory Details
Vision:
"The bulb was so bright, it gave off a light so bright it almost looked purple."
Hearing:
"The bag jingled when I opened it."
Touch:
"The trunk was rough, almost biting, scratching his hand when he accidentally rubbed the tree."
Taste:
"The pizza was thick with garlic and so salty that he finished a whole glass of soda even if he only ate a piece."
Smell:
"When the box was opened, there came out a musty and pungent smell typical of old paper."
Step 3. Talk about the use of the object to tell its purpose
How do you use this thing, or have you never used it? Why, or why not? Showing the function of an object through strong, descriptive adjectives can help readers visualize the object clearly, or even imagine what it would look like if they used it themselves.
For example, “That's her lucky pencil, the one she always uses for her exams, and keeps it separate in her backpack. He sharpened the pencil carefully with a special sharpener, then slowly threw the remnants into the trash.”
Step 4. Finish by telling or pointing out the importance of the object
If you ask people to read a whole paragraph about just one thing, describe why that object is so important. The trick is to tell right away if your tone of language is short and concise. For another, more subtle option, try to show its significance by including relevant details or the way the character treats the object.
- For example, the significance of an object can be demonstrated by writing, "He takes off his watch in the bathroom every night, cleans it carefully with a damp tissue, and places it on a small cloth on the bedside table."
- For a more straightforward option, you might write, “The diary was passed from her grandmother to her mother, and finally to Karin. It was his oldest possession, and the one he loved the most.”
Method 3 of 3: Writing a Descriptive Paragraph about a Place
Step 1. Start by describing the first thing that catches your eye
What's the first thing you notice when you walk into this house, this office, or this street? Is it a specific building, signs, windows, or a group of people? If that makes a place interesting to you, whether real or imaginary, maybe readers will be hooked too. Consider focusing on one attribute that will be developed further in the paragraph. You can divide sentences to make them easier to read. As an example:
"Not only because the building is tall- indeed high, rising from the ground to penetrate the clouds-but because it's so clean, it's almost transparent. It looks like the tower extends so much that it's more like air than iron."
“The beach is empty, but we can tell it's usually not that empty. There must have been trash everywhere, towels lying around, an overturned drink cooler, even a beach umbrella that had swelled up and stuck solidly in the sand.
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Step 2. Highlight small spot details to create a compelling description
Almost everyone has seen a bedroom, entered a classroom, or a grocery store. Focus on a specific aspect that makes a room, class or shop unique and different, it will captivate the reader and visualize the place. As an example:
- “The river swelled up to overflowing from its sides, spilling brown water onto the road but no one saw it as a warning. I noticed a man riding his bicycle along the road, only accelerating the pedals when crossing a large puddle.”
- “The neighborhood is typical of a suburb, but it sits on the side of a two-lane road from a cornfield that stretches for miles, green expanses filtering the wind, and here and there you can see the broken roofs of farmhouses from between them.”
Step 3. Use surprising exotic language to bring the place to life
Even the most boring locations can be made alive and charming when described in strong language. Look for words that represent the uniqueness of the place, whether it's an old house or a teenager's bedroom. Try descriptive words that you don't normally use and see how they turn out when put into paragraphs.
For example, in the novel The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood describes a room with the following description: “One chair, one table, one lamp. Above, on the white ceiling, ornaments in the shape of a flower circle and in the center of empty space, lay plainly, like a hole in the face of someone whose eyes have been gouged out."
Step 4. Add sensory details to create an impact on the senses of smell, touch, and hearing
Make readers feel what it's like to be in the place, from the sky on their faces to the sound of a dog barking or a speeding car. Can they smell something? What did they see? What did they hear?
For example, “He can't remember the last time the house was so quiet. There must have been someone going up and down stairs with heavy steps or light running around, opening the refrigerator door, the sound of a baseball game on the radio, or a scream telling him to turn it off.”
Step 5. Write how you or your character reacted to the place
Long descriptions are sometimes boring, including for the diligent reader. To keep their attention, add a little action. Placing someone in a location, even if it's just “me”, can invite the reader to become the character and interact with the place, also creating a unique and interesting atmosphere. As an example:
- “Standing there at the foot of the mountain, seeing Merbabu for the first time, it was as if the world was shrinking, especially me. My head is spinning, in the realization of how small I am around this majesty.”
- “The rain slapped them, who were standing at the bus stop in the dim yellow light. He pulled the jacket closer, felt the chill on his fingers, and watched the man try to speak over the sound of the rain."
Step 6. Include only the most important details so readers don't get bored
Limit descriptive paragraphs to 3-4 sentences, all of which are the most important aspects. Don't overwhelm readers with information they don't need to know. Provide details that give a sharp picture of the place, that give nuance to the whole place, or that will be important later on in another part of the story or essay.
Tips
- Try to show the reader what you're describing, through sensory language and phrases, not just telling.
- Check the writing again by checking for spelling errors, use of punctuation marks, and grammar. Ask others to read and proofread your writing.
