|
1 • Use the five senses in your descriptions
We experience the world through sight, smell, touch, sound, and taste. However, many new writers only use descriptions based on sight. Use all five senses and your writing will be far more vivid. For example, a description just based on sight: The kitchen was old and dirty. A description using more of the senses: The dirt on the kitchen floor crackled under my feet and the smell of burnt bacon left the taste of old grease on my tongue.
2 • Use original detail
Part of a writer’s job is to keenly observe the world around them and find new and interesting ways to describe it. A lazy writer depends on cliché and phrases that have been used over and over again. For example, as hard as a nail. Boring! Push beyond the banal and think of details that are fresh and reflect the way that you see the world.
3 • Be specific
A good writer helps a reader create clear images in their minds eye. The more specific you are with your descriptions, the easier it is for the reader to picture the action. For example: if you wrote The dog ran into the room and knocked a vase off the table, then the reader is left without knowing what kind of dog it is, how big it is, etc. However, if you wrote The black Labrador ran into the room, his long tail wagging so wildly that it knocked a vase off the coffee table, then the reader can picture the dog and the action clearly.
4 • Show don’t tell
You may have heard this maxim before, but it is a very important idea to grasp if you want to write engaging fiction. It means putting your characters in scenes using dialogue and actions rather than just dryly explaining the story. If you hand everything to your reader on a plate, then they don’t have to do anything to engage with the story or the characters. However, if you gradually give them information in a dramatic form that makes them think and feel, then you will awaken their curiosity and they will want to read on. For example, if you wrote She was angry then the reader will get the base information, but will not feel the character’s anger. However, if you wrote,
She slammed the heel of her hand against the desk.
‘I don’t care what you think,’ she hissed. ‘I’m going to do it anyway.’
‘Then you’re an idiot,’ I said.
Her eyes narrowed. ‘I may be an idiot, but least I’m not a coward.’
As you can see, a whole lot more information and emotion can be conveyed in a far more interesting way by using the show don’t tell method.
5 • Read your writing out loud
Find a quiet place where you can be alone and read your work out loud. Listen to the rhythms of your writing. If you run out of breath, you may need more punctuation. If you stumble over a few words, take another look at them. Think about how fast your writing is making your read – do you want that much pace, or do you want to slow the reader down? Remember, short sentences make the pace faster, longer sentences slow it down. Reading your work out loud is a good way to start the all important rewriting that every author must do to make their work as strong and effective as possible.
