How do i write effective description?

[Lucarimew2]

I need help with writing descriptions, i can do them but they are not effective and it doesn't help with my story telling. Anyone got any tips for writing descriptions?

 

[SerenadeSP]

While I can't really say how to improve descriptions, since there are plenty of people here that are far better at it than me, I can say that if you're really stuck on a description and just want to continue with the plot, continue. Just stick something there like [Insert Description of X] so you won't lose momentum while you're writing and go back to the description when you have a better idea of what to say. As long as you return to it eventually, it shouldn't make a huge difference to the overall story once it's posted/published.

But if a piece of description is important to the plot, that's a different story... /badpun

 

[Avenger Angel]

Descriptions are like baseball. Touch all the bases, but don't stop for too long. In other words, make sure people can visually imagine what you're describing looks like, but keep the story moving along and don't dwell on any one little thing for too long. When describing something new that hasn't appeared in the story yet, give it a good paragraph of description, but not more than that. And don't go describing too many things in one batch. Things you could probably pay most attention to are:

Size - How big or small is the thing you're describing? Is there anything about it that would seem unusual?
Condition - It is old or new? Is it broken or well-maintained?
Colors - Is what you're describing full of color, consists of a very distinct color, or has mostly dull colors because of age?
Sound - Does the thing you're describing have any sounds, or are there any sounds nearby that paint a clearer picture of the kind of place this thing exists in? If it's a person, what does their voice sound like?
Comparisons - What is something the object could be compared to? Is it a rusty old car that's just as useless as a neglected, rusty bucket, or is it an old woman that's got the look and personality of an angry, impatient buzzard? The key here is to follow this scheme: <Your target of description> is like a <adjective> + <adjective> + <metaphor>.

Hopefully that helps a little.

 

[Lucarimew2]

Thanks for the comments, i will consider your advice in my fanfiction

 

[Dilasc]

The best descriptions are the ones that don't disrupt the flow of the story. If you must describe something, do so dare I say it 'subtle' such as 'The spiked wall infuriated Humphrey but its bloodstained color terrified him to his core.'

If it stops the story, it's a lull and readers may lose interest. If it takes paragraphs to describe something, it's bad. If said thing is a character, it might be a Mary Sue.

 

[bobandbill]

The best descriptions are the ones that don't disrupt the flow of the story. If you must describe something, do so dare I say it 'subtle' such as 'The spiked wall infuriated Humphrey but its bloodstained color terrified him to his core.'

If it stops the story, it's a lull and readers may lose interest. If it takes paragraphs to describe something, it's bad. If said thing is a character, it might be a Mary Sue.

Although I agree that description shouldn't interrupt the flow, I don't think a lot of description of a character implies that they may be a mary sue, but rather the nature of the description (what it says rather than the amount) as well as how the character 'works' in the story and events would determine that.

I'd suggest with description not yet mentioned to consider the good old 'show don't tell'. As in, if you for instance want to tell the reader, consider other methods than 'he was very tall' which is somewhat boring in itself (e.g. 'He towered over Sam'/'He was as large as a giant', the latter being a case of a comparison like Neo Pikachu's post, although I do think you don't need to follow the same format all the time with adjective + adjective + metaphor...), and incorporate description into actions which helps with the flow of the story.

(So for instance with characters... there's no need to stop for a bit to tell us for instance their hair colour the moment they are introduced; instead you can, say, mention their hair as they scratch their head while thinking about something, and continue including details as something happens in the story. That keeps the story moving (something is happening) and spreads out the description as well, and makes it more interesting for the reader as well without slapping them in the head with the fact that 'they are tall!'.)

 

[Gelatino95]

As other people have said already, an effective, formal method of description is "showing, not telling" meaning you don't explicitly state traits but reveal them through actions or something like that.

Example: "Scrooge never paid overtime," as opposed to, "Scrooge was a cheapskate."

 

[Lucarimew2]

Thanks for all the comments i will incorperate this into my fanfiction

 

[Dragonfree]

Negrek made [post=8439524]an epic post on this subject[/post] a few years ago; I'd suggest you read that. (Technically it's about describing Pokémon specifically, but the advice it gives applies to all description.)

 

[shengar]

Hmmm
That epic post seriously open my mind. Is there any fics that can help me developed my writing skills?

 

[bobandbill]

Negrek made [post=8439524]an epic post on this subject[/post] a few years ago; I'd suggest you read that. (Technically it's about describing Pokémon specifically, but the advice it gives applies to all description.)

Dang, I forgot about this post until you mentioned it. I also suggest reading it. (Not to just the TO but everyone in general, that is).

Is there any fics that can help me developed my writing skills?

I'd argue that all fics can help you develop writing skills - the fics that do description well (and/or other aspects of writing well) can show you how to do it, and the ones that do not show you, well, how not to do it.

 

[Lucarimew2]

Thanks for leading me to that post it has really helped me

 

[Monster Guy]

I generally avoid descriptions unless it's important to the story at that moment.

Does the fact the character is sitting at a round desk, as opposed to a square one make a difference to the plot right now? Usually no. If I'm introducing a new character, then it probably does matter, but I don't need to go into every minute detail of their appearance.

 

[Psychic]

I generally avoid descriptions unless it's important to the story at that moment.

Does the fact the character is sitting at a round desk, as opposed to a square one make a difference to the plot right now? Usually no. If I'm introducing a new character, then it probably does matter, but I don't need to go into every minute detail of their appearance.

That pretty much is the point of description, really. Describing every detail of each little thing is pointless and boring to read. However, if a character notices something in particular, and spends some time examining or gazing at it, then that should be reflected in the narration. This is both an excuse to let the reader see, hear and smell what the character sees, hears and smells, while also showing the thing being described from that character's perspective.

For instance, a trainer leaving on a journey will likely be excited to be travelling on their own and seeing the world for the first time, so they would really be taking in their surroundings with a fresh gaze. A new city holds all kinds of excitement and wonder for them (shop windows full of interesting gadgets, exotic Pokemon with their trainers, buildings that reach the sky, etc.). On the other hand, it can also be interesting describing a city from the perspective of character who has known the city their entire life and might even be a little sick of it. This can also create interesting description; because their point of view is different from the newbie character, they would notice different things (the pollution, the city vermin, the exhaustion of the passer-byes, etc.). This would flavour their perception, and thus the narration as a result.

So hey, a character who works at at desk every day might not care about it, but another character who's interested in interior design or furniture from a certain time period might note the way the mahogany of the desk clashes with the oak chair, or how the shape of the table legs are reminiscent of their favourite style from that century. It's all a matter of perspective.

~Psychic