Teaching students to use the inspiration of great writers in their own creative compositions.

1. Standing on the Shoulders of
Giants

2. Once you have acquired the skill of close reading,
you can use this ability to ‘harvest’ the stylistic
features of successful descriptive writing you
admire, and use it to ‘seed’ your own original work.
This is NOT cheating – writer’s call it RESEARCH!

3. This is NOT acceptable!

4. Be on the look out for striking use of words,
imagery and sentence structures. Keep a note of
those elements that you feel might have a home in
your own writing.
The history of literature is your playground, should
you wish to use it!

5. The Picture of Dorian Gray

6. The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light
summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through
the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of
the pink-flowering thorn. From the corner of the divan of Persian saddle-
bags on which he was lying, smoking, as was his custom, innumerable
cigarettes, Lord Henry Wotton could just catch the gleam of the honey-
sweet and honey-coloured blossoms of a laburnum, whose tremulous
branches seemed hardly able to bear the burden of a beauty so flame-like as
theirs; and now and then the fantastic shadows of birds in flight flitted
across the long tussore-silk curtains that were stretched in front of the huge
window, producing a kind of momentary Japanese effect, and making him
think of those pallid, jade-faced painters of Tokyo who, through the medium
of an art that is necessarily immobile, seek to convey the sense of swiftness
and motion.

7. The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light
summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through
the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of
the pink-flowering thorn. From the corner of the divan of Persian saddle-
bags on which he was lying, smoking, as was his custom, innumerable
cigarettes, Lord Henry Wotton could just catch the gleam of the honey-
sweet and honey-coloured blossoms of a laburnum, whose tremulous
branches seemed hardly able to bear the burden of a beauty so flame-like as
theirs; and now and then the fantastic shadows of birds in flight flitted
across the long tussore-silk curtains that were stretched in front of the huge
window, producing a kind of momentary Japanese effect, and making him
think of those pallid, jade-faced painters of Tokyo who, through the medium
of an art that is necessarily immobile, seek to convey the sense of swiftness
and motion.

8. The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light
summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through
the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of
the pink-flowering thorn. From the corner of the divan of Persian saddle-
bags on which he was lying, smoking, as was his custom, innumerable
cigarettes, Lord Henry Wotton could just catch the gleam of the honey-
sweet and honey-coloured blossoms of a laburnum, whose tremulous
branches seemed hardly able to bear the burden of a beauty so flame-like as
theirs; and now and then the fantastic shadows of birds in flight flitted
across the long tussore-silk curtains that were stretched in front of the huge
window, producing a kind of momentary Japanese effect, and making him
think of those pallid, jade-faced painters of Tokyo who, through the medium
of an art that is necessarily immobile, seek to convey the sense of swiftness
and motion.

9. The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light
summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through
the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of
the pink-flowering thorn. From the corner of the divan of Persian saddle-
bags on which he was lying, smoking, as was his custom, innumerable
cigarettes, Lord Henry Wotton could just catch the gleam of the honey-
sweet and honey-coloured blossoms of a laburnum, whose tremulous
branches seemed hardly able to bear the burden of a beauty so flame-like as
theirs; and now and then the fantastic shadows of birds in flight flitted
across the long tussore-silk curtains that were stretched in front of the huge
window, producing a kind of momentary Japanese effect, and making him
think of those pallid, jade-faced painters of Tokyo who, through the medium
of an art that is necessarily immobile, seek to convey the sense of swiftness
and motion.

10. The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light
summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through
the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of
the pink-flowering thorn. From the corner of the divan of Persian saddle-
bags on which he was lying, smoking, as was his custom, innumerable
cigarettes, Lord Henry Wotton could just catch the gleam of the honey-
sweet and honey-coloured blossoms of a laburnum, whose tremulous
branches seemed hardly able to bear the burden of a beauty so flame-like as
theirs; and now and then the fantastic shadows of birds in flight flitted
across the long tussore-silk curtains that were stretched in front of the huge
window, producing a kind of momentary Japanese effect, and making him
think of those pallid, jade-faced painters of Tokyo who, through the medium
of an art that is necessarily immobile, seek to convey the sense of swiftness
and motion.

11. The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light
summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through
the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of
the pink-flowering thorn. From the corner of the divan of Persian saddle-
bags on which he was lying, smoking, as was his custom, innumerable
cigarettes, Lord Henry Wotton could just catch the gleam of the honey-
sweet and honey-coloured blossoms of a laburnum, whose tremulous
branches seemed hardly able to bear the burden of a beauty so flame-like as
theirs; and now and then the fantastic shadows of birds in flight flitted
across the long tussore-silk curtains that were stretched in front of the huge
window, producing a kind of momentary Japanese effect, and making him
think of those pallid, jade-faced painters of Tokyo who, through the medium
of an art that is necessarily immobile, seek to convey the sense of swiftness
and motion.

12. The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light
summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through
the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of
the pink-flowering thorn. From the corner of the divan of Persian saddle-
bags on which he was lying, smoking, as was his custom, innumerable
cigarettes, Lord Henry Wotton could just catch the gleam of the honey-
sweet and honey-coloured blossoms of a laburnum, whose tremulous
branches seemed hardly able to bear the burden of a beauty so flame-like as
theirs; and now and then the fantastic shadows of birds in flight flitted
across the long tussore-silk curtains that were stretched in front of the huge
window, producing a kind of momentary Japanese effect, and making him
think of those pallid, jade-faced painters of Tokyo who, through the medium
of an art that is necessarily immobile, seek to convey the sense of swiftness
and motion.

13. The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light
summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through
the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of
the pink-flowering thorn. From the corner of the divan of Persian saddle-
bags on which he was lying, smoking, as was his custom, innumerable
cigarettes, Lord Henry Wotton could just catch the gleam of the honey-
sweet and honey-coloured blossoms of a laburnum, whose tremulous
branches seemed hardly able to bear the burden of a beauty so flame-like as
theirs; and now and then the fantastic shadows of birds in flight flitted
across the long tussore-silk curtains that were stretched in front of the huge
window, producing a kind of momentary Japanese effect, and making him
think of those pallid, jade-faced painters of Tokyo who, through the medium
of an art that is necessarily immobile, seek to convey the sense of swiftness
and motion.

14. The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light
summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through
the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of
the pink-flowering thorn. From the corner of the divan of Persian saddle-
bags on which he was lying, smoking, as was his custom, innumerable
cigarettes, Lord Henry Wotton could just catch the gleam of the honey-
sweet and honey-coloured blossoms of a laburnum, whose tremulous
branches seemed hardly able to bear the burden of a beauty so flame-like as
theirs; and now and then the fantastic shadows of birds in flight flitted
across the long tussore-silk curtains that were stretched in front of the huge
window, producing a kind of momentary Japanese effect, and making him
think of those pallid, jade-faced painters of Tokyo who, through the medium
of an art that is necessarily immobile, seek to convey the sense of swiftness
and motion.

15. The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light
summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through
the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of
the pink-flowering thorn. From the corner of the divan of Persian saddle-
bags on which he was lying, smoking, as was his custom, innumerable
cigarettes, Lord Henry Wotton could just catch the gleam of the honey-
sweet and honey-coloured blossoms of a laburnum, whose tremulous
branches seemed hardly able to bear the burden of a beauty so flame-like as
theirs; and now and then the fantastic shadows of birds in flight flitted
across the long tussore-silk curtains that were stretched in front of the huge
window, producing a kind of momentary Japanese effect, and making him
think of those pallid, jade-faced painters of Tokyo who, through the medium
of an art that is necessarily immobile, seek to convey the sense of swiftness
and motion.

16. The studio was filled with the rich odour of roses, and when the light
summer wind stirred amidst the trees of the garden, there came through
the open door the heavy scent of the lilac, or the more delicate perfume of
the pink-flowering thorn. From the corner of the divan of Persian saddle-
bags on which he was lying, smoking, as was his custom, innumerable
cigarettes, Lord Henry Wotton could just catch the gleam of the honey-
sweet and honey-coloured blossoms of a laburnum, whose tremulous
branches seemed hardly able to bear the burden of a beauty so flame-like as
theirs; and now and then the fantastic shadows of birds in flight flitted
across the long tussore-silk curtains that were stretched in front of the huge
window, producing a kind of momentary Japanese effect, and making him
think of those pallid, jade-faced painters of Tokyo who, through the medium
of an art that is necessarily immobile, seek to convey the sense of swiftness
and motion.

17. The Picture of a ‘Nobody’

18. A delicate film of perspiration appeared on the upper lip
of the old lady, as she struggled under the burden of her
innumerable shopping bags. She paused for a moment
for a short rest, and her tremulous hands pushed back a
few flame-like strands of hair that had fallen across her
face. There was a sudden knock from the window joined
to the ledge on which the lady was sitting, and an
annoyed face appeared above a body that was telling
her to move along.
As the autumn breeze danced amidst the crisp packets
and other rubbish on the ground, the weary woman
once again gathered her bags. A look of disillusionment
with the world flitted across her pallid face as she
walked towards her unknown destination.

19. Spot the influence!

20. A delicate film of perspiration appeared on the upper lip
of the old lady, as she struggled under the burden of her
innumerable shopping bags. She paused for a moment
for a short rest, and her tremulous hands pushed back a
few flame-like strands of hair that had fallen across her
face. There was a sudden knock from the window joined
to the ledge on which the lady was sitting, and an
annoyed face appeared above a body that was telling
her to move along.
As the autumn breeze danced amidst the crisp packets
and other rubbish on the ground, the weary woman
once again gathered her bags. A look of disillusionment
with the world flitted across her pallid face as she
walked towards her unknown destination.

21. A delicate film of perspiration appeared on the upper lip
of the old lady, as she struggled under the burden of her
innumerable shopping bags. She paused for a moment
for a short rest, and her tremulous hands pushed back a
few flame-like strands of hair that had fallen across her
face. There was a sudden knock from the window joined
to the ledge on which the lady was sitting, and an
annoyed face appeared above a body that was telling
her to move along.
As the autumn breeze danced amidst the crisp packets
and other rubbish on the ground, the weary woman
once again gathered her bags. A look of disillusionment
with the world flitted across her pallid face as she
walked towards her unknown destination.

22. Pruning words

23. A delicate film of perspiration appeared on the upper lip of
the old lady, as she struggled under the burden of her
innumerable shopping bags. She paused for a moment
momentarily for a short rest, and her tremulous hands
pushed back a few flame-like strands of hair that had fallen
across her face. There was a sudden knock from the
window joined to adjoining the ledge on which the lady was
sitting resting, and an annoyed irate face appeared above a
body that was telling gesticulating for her to move along.
As the autumn breeze danced amidst the crisp packets and
other rubbish detritus on the ground, the weary woman
once again gathered her bags belongings. A look of
disillusionment with the world flitted across her pallid face.
She walked trudged towards her unknown destination.

24. A work in progress…

25. A delicate film of perspiration appeared on the upper lip of
the old lady, as she struggled under the burden of her
innumerable shopping bags. She paused momentarily for
a short rest, and her tremulous hands pushed back a few
flame-like strands of hair that had fallen across her face.
There was a sudden knock from the window adjoining the
ledge on which the lady was resting, and an irate face
appeared above a body that was gesticulating for her to
move along.
As the autumn breeze danced amidst the crisp packets and
other detritus on the ground, the weary woman once
again gathered her bags belongings. A look of
disillusionment with the world flitted across her pallid
face. She trudged towards her unknown destination.

26. Descriptive writing checklist

27. Imaginative comparisons which
overlay with descriptive details
Use of rich vocabulary
Use of the present participle
Use of contrasting images
Use of anthropomorphism

28. Structure
Point of view
Strong verb choices
Appealing to the senses
Similes and metaphors

29. Variety of sentence structures
Concrete details
Human activity to contextualise the setting
Mood or atmosphere