Descriptive Writing: Register

The ‘register’ of your descriptive writing relates to the style, tone, and choice of language you use to suit the context, purpose and audience of your writing.
Depending on the context, the register can be formal or informal, impersonal or personal, emotive or factual.
Always bear in mind the context of your writing. For example, if you’re describing a dramatic situation, the register should be appropriately tense and emotive. If you’re describing a tranquil scene, the language and tone should be calm and serene.
When choosing your register, think about who is going to be reading your piece. If the piece is being read by an older audience, you may want to use more complex language and a formal tone. If your audience is younger, consider using simpler language and a more engaging tone.
A change in register can be used to show a change in the situation or the speaker’s attitude. For instance, if a character in your piece is initially relaxed but suddenly becomes anxious, the register should change to reflect this.
If your writing includes direct speech, use a different register for each character to make them sound more realistic. The register you use for speech should reflect the character’s age, personality, and background.
You should also vary your register within the piece to keep your audience interested. Too formal a register can be boring to read, whereas if it’s too informal, it may not seem serious.
An appropriate register can also help ‘show, not tell’ in your writing. Instead of explicitly saying what the mood or atmosphere is, you can use the register to imply it.
Be aware that overly complex language can confuse the reader and detract from the overall impact of your work. Balance complexity with clarity to ensure your description is effective.
Practice experiments with register in different writing prompts. This will improve your control over language and helps you learn to adapt your style to different contexts.