As a screenwriter, your words have one job: connect. While you control what hits the page, professional writing demands purpose. Every screenplay balances different styles beneath your unique voice.

When you’re not writing screenplays, you still have to consider writing styles. For instance, when writing a persuasive document, do you convince someone in the same way as you explain something to them in an instructional document?

Remember: casual or formal, indie or blockbuster, your writing style should serve a purpose. So today, let’s go over different writing styles and how they can be used.

What Are Writing Styles?

Writing style is the distinct approach a writer adopts to communicate their message.

Think about writing styles like the different outfits in your closet. You’ve got your own unique fashion sense (that’s like your voice), but you’ll dress differently for a big TV pitch with execs versus a late night of work in the writers’ room.

The purpose behind your writing determines what style you’re using.

What Are the Types of Writing Styles?

Writing can be broadly classified into four styles:

1. Expository Writing

Expository writing is one of the most basic writing styles. Most pieces will have some sections of expository writing.

As the name suggests, expository writing aims to expose a topic objectively, describing or explaining something without injecting any opinions. For instance, a topic like “how to edit a film” uses expository writing.

The action lines in screenplays use varying amounts of expository writing, too, to establish characters and locations.

When Writing in the Expository Style:

Assume that the reader knows very little to nothing about the topic. This will help you structure your content and cover all angles.Keep it simple and focus on giving information, not opinion. Address all the 5Ws and 1 H clearly(who, what, when, why, where, and how). Back up your information with data when necessary. It can be helpful to cite or link to sources. Decide the tone of your write-up based on the target audience.

2. Narrative Writing

When you write in the narrative space, you’re sharing information through storytelling.

Narrative style brings fiction and non-fiction to life by weaving information into stories with characters facing conflicts that eventually resolve. You’ll spot this approach in novels, short stories, screenplays, and poetry. When you watch films or TV shows, you’re experiencing narrative writing through dialogue that pulls you through the storyline.

When Writing In Narrative Style:

Try to keep a consistent point of view and tense. Focus on character arcs, plot points, and conflicts. Incorporate descriptive writing to create visuals for your audience. Get comfortable with various literary devices like similes and metaphors to enhance your work.

3. Persuasive Writing

Persuasive writing style is a powerful approach that aims to convince readers by changing their thoughts or triggering their interest in a particular subject.

Since effective persuasion requires moving someone’s perspective, this writing typically incorporates compelling data, emotional hooks, or logical arguments as supporting evidence. You’ll encounter various shades of persuasive writing in everyday life, from advertisements tailored to target audiences to cover letters and newspaper editorials.

When Writing In Persuasive Style:

Study your target audience’s wants and pain points beforehand. This will help you choose the right tone, hook, and call to action for your piece. Create an engaging opening that also doubles up as a hook for the reader. Keep it “you”-centric—it’s all about the audience and their benefits. Back up your claims with data and sources. Position a call to action at the end of your write-up, nudging the audience to make a move.

4. Descriptive Writing

Descriptive writing style is an approach that creates detailed mental images by engaging all five senses, essentially painting pictures with words.

This technique rarely stands alone but instead weaves seamlessly with narrative, persuasive, and expository styles to enhance reader engagement. When crafting descriptive passages, skilled writers carefully incorporate what can be seen, heard, smelled, tasted, and touched, transforming abstract concepts into concrete experiences that readers can explore.

When Writing In Descriptive Style:

Focus on creating imagery for the reader. For instance, “It was autumn” is narrative writing, but “The yellow leaves rustled in the wind. Thankfully, the trees didn’t feel the crisp chill in the air” is descriptive writing. Engage all five sense organs through your words. For instance, “The infant was wearing a pink onesie—he had eyes like shiny buttons and no teeth. His fingers curled as she held his hand tightly.” Experiment with literary devices to create more vivid pictures with your words and engage your audience.

Credit: Glenn Carstens-Peters

How to Pick a Writing Style?

Only very few pieces use a single writing style. If you’re unsure of what style best suits your content, always go by the purpose of writing.

For instance, if you’re trying to sell a product, you would use a persuasive writing style, but if you’re introducing a character in your screenplay, you would use a descriptive writing style.

That being said, your writing style and your voice as a writer are independent of each other. You can be formal, cynical, curious, or observational in your tone, but your writing style will be determined by your purpose.

As a writer, you might have to master more than one style. Mixing different writing styles can help make your writing more versatile and engaging.

Sometimes, we as writers find comfort zones in a certain writing style and tend to stick to it. I’ve had such an attachment to descriptive and narrative styles for quite a long time.

What’s your go-to writing style?