When picking a topic for a descriptive essay, think of something well suited to this format. Ideally, that means the topic should be something that can be effectively explained using descriptive language. Good ideas for topics may include such things as taking a hike through the woods, making a sculpture or tasting new, exotic fruit for the very first time. Stay away from overly abstract topics. These can be difficult to talk about with descriptive language.
Even though you don't necessarily need to make an argument in a descriptive essay, you should still have a point. It could be as simple as the desire to convey what was beautiful, funny or horrible about your chosen subject matter. Understanding the goal of the piece you're writing can be helpful in crafting a story. It can help you decide what details are most important to emphasize and how best to convey them to the reader.
When writing a descriptive essay, bring your reader into the moment. The more descriptive words that you can muster, the better. Instead of writing something like "I walked down the road to the house," use language that incorporates all the senses. This leads to more engaging sentences such as " Slowly, I walked down the wet, gravel road to the old crumbling farm house."
Odds are that when you finish the first draft of your descriptive essay, there will still be room for improvement. Aside from the standard spelling and grammatical revisions, go back over the essay and see if you've made your essay as clear as possible. Make sure that the scenes you created with descriptive language are put together in a way that is logical and enjoyable to the reader.