How can we write more descriptively?
Characters? Setting? What gives "visual" to readers?
What is the point of description? - To enrich the readers understanding of a story, to move the story forward, and to help readers see a character. (Description by Monica Wood)
So how can we write great description without it sounding cliched, over-written or just plain boring? Listen up and we'll share all our best description writing tips from ourselves and from some great writing teachers.
We've compiled a few notes to give you ideas on how to use description effectively in your writing, without overwhelming or underwhelming your readers…
Describing Characters
Often descriptions of characters tends to be like "she had red hair, blue eyes and was of medium build."
Consider instead, "She tucked a tendril of red hair behind her ear, and gave me a cheeky smile. Her eyes sparkled with mischief as she took off on the trail ahead of me, her pack bouncing on her back."
Which one gives you more of a sense of who the character is?
Describing Setting
Put characters in uncomfortable situations
Setting can be an amazing way to put our characters into uncomfortable positions. Consider the fish out of water kind of scenario, that will amp up a boring scene. A billionaire walks into a dirty dive and, all suited up in an expensive outfit, his Rolex on show, orders a tap beer. Or a whiskey. Or a house wine.
Consider your infallible narrator
Describe the scene through your character's eyes (which you should be doing anyway, most of the time), but with an awareness of how they'd see it. Someone who was a neat freak would see a messy caravan set up on a ranch differently so someone who was used to dirt and disorder.
Only give a hint as to the setting
Readers like to spend time imagining the world for themselves. Beginner writers either describe nothing, and leave readers wondering where the action is taking place, or they describe everything, right down to the red pencil that's balanced precariously on the edge of the desk. If the red pencil is really important to the story, sure, mention it, but if it's not, don't.
Give a comparison
Using comparisons is a great tip when writing descriptive scenes. (Walking into that room was like walking into battle wearing a suit of armor.) Well you get the idea!
Use all your five senses
Taste, touch, smell, sound, sight. Use them all. Here's how...
For the rest of our show notes and more writing tips, visit SpaGirlsPodcast
