By Barbara Mariconda                                                                                                               

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We hear a lot about the traits of good writing, and certainly, all good writing, across all genres, shares certain characteristics.  However, knowing the differences in audience, purpose, and organization – in other words, a clear understanding of genre is just as important to the success of a piece of writing.

Imagine a student is asked to respond to a prompt or assignment such as this:

Think about your favorite season.  Write a story explaining why this season is your favorite.  Be sure to provide specific examples and to elaborate on your ideas.

There are some conflicting “cues” in this prompt.  “Write a story” suggests a narrative response, probably in the first person.  Yet, the cue “explaining why” seems to suggest an expository piece explaining what the favorite season has to offer.

In fact, a student could respond with a successful, entertaining personal experience narrative, which, through the plot, illustrates by way of example, why summer is the best season.  The story would move through a beginning-middle-ending organizational sequence, and would be entertaining to the reader. 

Another student might use “summer” as her topic and craft piece of exposition around a number of main ideas and supporting detail that explains and provides straight forward information about the important, appealing attributes and characteristics of summer.  Either response would be appropriate, if executed well.

The problem is that unless the student author is clear about the genre she/he intends to pursue, the resulting piece of writing will often be an unsuccessful “hybrid” with some characteristics of both narrative and expository writing.  The reader becomes confused – is this piece written to entertain or to inform?  What is the author’s purpose, and what is my purpose in reading it?  What am I supposed to take away from this piece?  If the author is unclear, so is the reader.  And, if the author is unclear, chances are the organizational framework will be weak as well.  So, even if the piece has some of the traits of good writing – powerful elaboration, for example - the piece will still miss the mark.

Attributes of Good Writing that all Genres Share*

So, what are the attributes all good writing shares?

• The piece must begin in a way that immediately grabs the reader’s attention and establishes author’s purpose.   (Therefore, the techniques and craft involved in accomplishing this vary genre to genre.)

• When providing details and description, SPECIFIC detail is always more powerful than GENERAL detail. 

• Always SHOW rather than TELL.

• Authors must ask themselves specific, productive questions in order to generate powerful writing.   (The productive questions also differ genre to genre to best reflect author’s purpose.)

• Sentence variety is important. 

• Authors use “word referents” (synonymous words or phrases) as a means of developing powerful, vivid word choice.

• Correct grammar, mechanics, spelling, and conventions enable the reader to better  understand and enjoy the writing.

• Voice and tone invite the reader to connect with the writing and help establish and reinforce author’s purpose.

• The ending of a piece must leave an impression on the reader.

*TIPS:  Common pitfalls to AVOID in any genre: 

            •  The “Broken Record” -  avoid redundant sentence structure –

            ex.  “There is....There is...There is...  “You can...You can...You can...”

            •  The “Grocery List” -  avoid simply listing details:

             ex.  “The beach was dotted with shells, stones, beach chairs, blankets, coolers, and sunbathers.”  Instead, place each detail in a separate sentence.   

*(For a more detailed explanation of these common characteristics see article titled:

            Common Characteristics of Good Writing for Content Area Teachers

What are the Specific Attributes of Each Genre?

 Here, we compare the author’s purpose, salient characteristics, and organization of three of the most broad, common genres:  narrative, expository, and persuasive (argumentative) writing.  We’ll also point out the similarities in terms of skills and concepts that apply to all genres (good writing is good writing).

In order to clearly recognize each of these genres, students need to see and analyze powerful examples of each.  An annotated example of a narrative, expository, and persuasive piece has been included for use in this way.  Notice that the annotation focuses on the salient characteristics of the genre.  Another way to look at these pieces is through the lens of the traits all good writing shares.

Good writing will always illustrate the discrete, specific characteristics of the genre AND the traits all good writing shares.   For wide-ranging information, examples, lesson plans, and skill work in genre-specific writing (narrative, expository, persuasive) see the Empowering Writers Comprehensive Guides and support materials.

Barbara Mariconda is the author of over 20 children’s books and numerous professional books for teachers.  Her middle grade novel, “Turn the Cup Around” published by Delacorte Press was nominated for an Edgar Allan Poe Award by the Mystery Writers of America for best children’s mystery.  Her latest, a picture book titled “Sort it Out,” was published by Sylvan Dell Publishing in the fall of 2008.  She has presented programs on writing to thousands of teachers at workshops and conferences across North America.