Tips for Fiction Writing
The right details can make your characters and settings seem more real, more alive, even more interesting. But loading your story down with detail can put your reader to sleep.
How do you decide what details to use and when? Here are some tips to help you:
1. Use details to show emotion-Think of how your viewpoint character is feeling at the time, and then choose details that fit that emotion. For instance, if your character is feeling depressed, she might only see the grey of the pavement, or the cold of the day, rather than the flower blooming in a garden near her or a bird singing from a tree
2. Use details that will stand out to the reader, or that describe an object, setting, or person in a specific way. Try to pick details that will stay with the reader. For instance, maybe your character notices that her friend's lipstick is on crooked, or that her hand is trembling.
3. Use details that will make your story seem believeable- Details that are accurate, that show the writer knows the subject, can give the story credibility and can keep the reader in the world of the story.
4. Use details to bring the reader more into the story- Instead of saying "It was a stormy night," show the rain pounding on the pavement and pinging against the windows, let the reader feel the air gusting through the streets, let them see how dark the sky is, how the air smells.
5. Use details that rely on all of your senses; don't just use details that rely on sight. Incorporating details that are described by touch, taste, sound, and smell, as well as sight, gives your writing a richer flavour and makes your writing stronger. You can also incorporate the lack of a sense as a powerful story detail—the lack of sound or smell or sight can evoke strong emotion.
How do you decide what details to use and when? Here are some tips to help you:
1. Use details to show emotion-Think of how your viewpoint character is feeling at the time, and then choose details that fit that emotion. For instance, if your character is feeling depressed, she might only see the grey of the pavement, or the cold of the day, rather than the flower blooming in a garden near her or a bird singing from a tree
2. Use details that will stand out to the reader, or that describe an object, setting, or person in a specific way. Try to pick details that will stay with the reader. For instance, maybe your character notices that her friend's lipstick is on crooked, or that her hand is trembling.
3. Use details that will make your story seem believeable- Details that are accurate, that show the writer knows the subject, can give the story credibility and can keep the reader in the world of the story.
4. Use details to bring the reader more into the story- Instead of saying "It was a stormy night," show the rain pounding on the pavement and pinging against the windows, let the reader feel the air gusting through the streets, let them see how dark the sky is, how the air smells.
5. Use details that rely on all of your senses; don't just use details that rely on sight. Incorporating details that are described by touch, taste, sound, and smell, as well as sight, gives your writing a richer flavour and makes your writing stronger. You can also incorporate the lack of a sense as a powerful story detail—the lack of sound or smell or sight can evoke strong emotion.
posted by Kevin @ 11:38 PM
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