This September, we’re going to be doing something completely different!
We’re going to be getting lots of practice in writing DESCRIPTIONS. Over the rest of September, I will be giving you a different description assignment each week. (There are five Mondays in September, so there will be five assignments for you to do.)
This week, I’d like you to describe a room in your home, as if it were a scene in your current work in progress. Feel free to pick whichever room works best for you.
I suggest you sit in your chosen room for a few minutes, taking it in, imagining it in your novel, with the eyes of your protagonist, journal in hand. Closing your eyes for a minute can also help, strangely – it means you can bring out more than just the simple ‘look’ of the room – you can take in the scent, any noises you can hear, and the feel of the chair you’re sitting in – and allow the atmosphere you want to create here to seep in to your skin.
Here are some tips for describing a room:
- Start with the general, overall look and feel
- Pick out some features/people in it
- Go to the thing/person that really matters
- Use all the senses – or at least, some of them.
- Plus a bit of colour always helps 🙂
- Show not tell (if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you need to join the Write for a Reason Academy)
- Include the atmosphere that rings true for your novel. For example, the atmosphere will be very different if this is a crime scene, than if this is your protagonist’s safe space
- Write for the age group you are currently writing for.
Are you up for that? I hope so!
Do send me your descriptions: I always love to hear from you. 🙂
Janet