I like the word
“styles” because it implies some sort of craft, some sort of decision-making
process on the part of the writer. When reading a nonfiction text, it’s
important for students to think about the author’s purpose and how that purpose
influenced the way he/she chose to present facts, ideas, and/or true stories. Remembering
that the author is a person with a distinct point of view will help young
readers think critically and spot potential biases. And that’s not all. Recognizing
how other authors craft their manuscripts can help young writers communicate
their own thoughts and ideas more effectively.
Okay, I’ll get down off my soapbox now.
If you google
“nonfiction writing styles,” you’ll pull up a gazillion different articles.
Some of the ideas in them overlap, and some don’t. Like I said last week,
classifying nonfiction can be a messy process.
After reading
dozens of articles on this topic and thinking about the children’s nonfiction
books being produced today as well as the kinds of writing that twenty-first
century learners should be able to craft, I see these three style categories—expository,
narrative, and persuasive.
Expository writing explains, describes, and/or informs. That’s the author’s
purpose in crafting the piece.
Narrative writing reads like a story because the author has worked hard to
create that effect.
Persuasive writing argues a position because the author wants to convince
the reader of something.
I’ll
be talking
more about each of these three style categories over the next few weeks. Stay
tuned.
I'll look forward to reading more as you explore these various NF writing styles. Thanks!
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