Anyone got tips on descriptive writing?

[Testaccount]

Descriptive writing can be hard, but I feel it's important to imagine yourself in the scene you're trying to write.

Often my readers will say I'm too descriptive, but that's because I like to capture every one of the fives senses.

Think of touch, taste, sight, smell, and hearing. Just doing that will enhance your writing.

[dawgofdawgness]

thank u so much aaaa

[darkone4587]

The way I say it is try describing an anime fight to your friends without saying just see it. Try doing that and you'll get a hang on it in no time.

[Navi.Hog]

I forgot where I read it, but use as little words as possible and let the reader's imagination take over.

Let me explain

Before the age of moving pictures people don't get to see sights like waterfalls or snow-capped mountains. So writers tend to get very verbose in describing them.

Now, in the age of content overdose, all you need to do is say "waterfall" and the mental image automatically fills the reader's mind. Its more economical to save the words on the story itself.

...I hope I answered your question..

[parkcathedralgrace]

Navi.Hog's got the right idea for the most part. Purple prose isn't really necessary to paint a vivid picture. I'll also add that HemingwayApp.com is a great way to see if you're being too verbose.

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"Now in the age of content overdose all you need to do is say 'waterfall' and the mental image automatically fills the reader's mind. It's more economical to save the words on the story itself."

While I agree with the idea that purple prose doesn't really help, I think certain types of stories do warrant a higher level of description than just plain language on its own. It's the kind of thing that is somewhat dependent on intent and audience.

Plus the kind of people who read books regularly aren't necessarily going to be put off by more verbose descriptions.

[melindemari]

Even then though it can be boring if all you do is "waterfall" and let the reader's imagination takeover just because of the idea - oh movies they've told people lots about waterfalls!

But instead describing it with slight words it can be interesting and can grab a readers attention! Remember not everyone that watches movies likes the books the movies are based off of and vise-versa!

So describing a waterfall:

The waterfall was just a ways further into the forest... - that sounds boring! All we get is that they are going towards a waterfall, we don't know the climate, we have no sense of "adventure" either even though the character(s) clearly out and about!
But...
We were already deep in the forest, swallowed by the humidity when the roaring sounds of the waterfall told us we were close... - that allows the ready to try and feel what the characters might feel, it can drive them to wonder why are the characters heading towards a waterfall???

So going with "economical" isn't always the better option out! But getting to descriptive... Not even books from years before the 1st films were cryptic in details, they used the very same senses we do today, by using emotion before visuals - because connections with the characters establishes a greater understanding of the world they live in.

[Testaccount]

You are using many "water" examples in your post lol.

You are helping me thinking of ways to improve my story =)

[melindemari]

Well what can I say... I love water so it's the first thing I think about, and being a diver who hates surfacing; after an hour's dive the world above just never pleases me with as much wonder and peace as the ocean's floor!

[Testaccount]

It's always good to be passionate about what you love. I still appreciate the feedback you left on my story. I'm hoping to improve the story ten folds with my rewrite^^

Thanks again for taking the time to beta read for me. Despite popular belief, I'm always trying to improve my craft.

[melindemari]

That's great! I'm glad could inspire you! Hope to see the re-write really soon and see what wonders you pulled off

Improving is something that never ends! So long you remember perfection also doesn't exist! As the saying goes - Beauty is in the eye of the beholder - you can't please everyone but you can work towards something greater!

[Navi.Hog]

Possibly because my preference leans towards light novels more. I like the tempo of two sentence descriptives.

As an example:

A roar.

The splashes of a waterfall.

John visibly grew worried.

The speeding raft he is on only fed his growing panic.

He gripped tighter.

He may well have jumped off.

The chances were just as optimistic.

---

So I think more context would be necessary for a verbose vs brief decision. Less is more, but depends on the context.

[Navi.Hog]

I'm on the fence of this view. Probably because I'm one of those who have been spoilt by moving pictures. In fact, the only book I ever picked up after a long while was Terry practchett. For some reason his satire could keep me focused.

[joe_galindez]

[Meta] The Ruthless Writing Guide Part 1: DESCRIPTION • r/HFY

Unpack, unpack, unpack.

[melindemari]

Quick sentences as such are great if already established the connection with the environment or the situation "John" has found himself in which would already be when just before this scene...

Darn-it!!! I just got more ideas in my head now!
I so want to use what I wrote and together with what you did just now...

Even in light novels though there's more connection between words than short 5 word sentences, no matter the form a story takes every detail from future scenes are build in past chapters so if you couldn't establish that imagery in a readers thoughts before getting to these short sentences, it would just feel like "plotlines" or ideas rather than something your supposed to read in a novel.

So if to stick with what you did in short sentences it would look more like this if it was the start of the novel - before anything has been established yet..

The roar! The groans of the waterfall.
John grew worried, the speeding raft only fueled his growing panic!
He gripped tighter; he may well jump off!
Either way, the chances were just as optimistic...

But that's just prove more on the various styles of writing so really I'm not proving myself right nor you wrong only enforcing different means to the same end and that is story-building.

[Navi.Hog]

It feels more like pulling out even more ideas than to flesh out on how to do descriptive better... :3

My personal philosophy of storytelling is to treat your reader like your lover.
Here is my thing.
I want to take you by the hand to see my thing.
Look at this thing!
How great is this thing!
Shock!
I push my thing down a cliff!
Etc etc you get the idea.
It's basically bringing them on a journey, and you decide how the reader engages with your story.

(Apologies if it doesn't make sense... I probably should not reply posts with only 3 hours of sleep..)

[joe_galindez]

I push my thing down a cliff!

So do you normally keep it rolled up, like a fire hose?

[melindemari]

It does, doesn't it... Reason # 1 I like forum topics like these - plenty of inspiration!

No! It actually made perfect sense to me!
It actually brought a whole new set of (more) ideas to mind ~LOL~

But that philosophy is correct; when writing you should think of how to bring a reader into you mind where the whole play is being imagined (like a movie) and finding that balance of how to engage with readers is important because you're not using pictures or sound... you're using words!

I good idea is not to just 'study' other novels, but instead to read poetry; I've found that poetry can read like a mini-mini short story and yet it doesn't use a whole lot of words yet it can contains the same whole worlds of ideas, emotions, philosophy, stories, etc. in it!

[Navi.Hog]

I usually keep my thing slung over my shoulder. XD

[Navi.Hog]

Yes it is, isn't it.

Sentences doesn't have to be like this.

It can take different forms.

Shapes.

Bring to life certain ideas.

Inspire.

Sometimes you need a paragraph. And sometimes all you need is

whitespace

[melindemari]

And the "white space" is something I'm not really great at... With Strokes that is... with poetry it comes a whole lot more naturally!