Stylistic techniques are an “assortment of tools which will help [children] add variety and interest to their writing.”1 It gives students very practical guidelines to encourage their creativity of expression, while reinforcing elements of grammar.
Here is an example of what a student is able to do with stylistic techniques. The writing sample below is taken from one my former students (5th grade).
First draft:
Nature in Narnia grew faster than anywhere else. When the Lion sang his song, grass grew out onto the valley. Higher slopes grew dark with heather and trees sprouted up at the rate of an inch every two seconds. Then daisies and buttercups covered the grass. Willows grew, and currant, lilac, wild rose, and rhododendron closed them in. Plants grew everywhere and made it feel like spring.
After editing with stylistic techniques:
Nature in Narnia, a magical land, grew faster than anywhere else. As the Lion beautifully sang his song, fresh green grass grew out onto the valley. Higher slopes grew dark with heather while trees sprouted up at the rate of an inch every two seconds. Lightly, daisies and buttercups covered the now fresh grass. Willows grew increasingly, and flowering currant, lilac, wild rose, and rhododendron closed them in. In Narnia, plants grew everywhere, making it feel like spring.
Here’s another example from a 4th grade student:
Before:
Alice was very tired of sitting next to her sister by the bank. All of a sudden a rabbit runs right in front of her and says, “Oh dear! Oh dear! I am late!” Then the rabbit took out a watch from his waistcoat pocket and looked at it! Alice got up on her feet. The rabbit surprised her when he took out a watch from his waistcoat-pocket. She burned with curiosity and followed the rabbit under the hedge through the field and popped into a hole.
After:
Alice was very tired of quietly sitting next to her sister by the bank. All of a sudden a rabbit, who was sweating, runs right in front of her and exclaims, “Oh dear! Oh dear! I am late!” Then the rabbit took out a watch from his waistcoat pocket and looked at it! Alice got up on her feet because the rabbit surprised her when he took out a watch from his waistcoat-pocket. She burned with curiosity and followed the rabbit under the hedge through the field and popped into a hole.
These students were armed with a list of techniques they could use to embellish their paragraphs. After about 10-15 minutes of editing, they were able to make small adjustments in word choices and sentence structure that enhanced their writing style.
Even as a doctoral student, I often find myself subconsciously applying these techniques in my own writing, as I attempt to construct paragraphs that will smoothly and precisely convey my thoughts. These stylistic techniques will stay with the writer for the rest of his or her life.
1Andrew Pudewa, Teaching Writing: Structure & Style, (Atascadero, CA: The Institute for Excellence in Writing, 2000), 15.