Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
The power of a scene lies not just in the actions that unfold but in its ability to transport the reader into the heart of the narrative. Enhancing descriptions is about more than just adding detail; it's about choosing the right details and presenting them in a way that resonates with the reader. Vivid, sensory-rich scenes linger in the memory, turning a good story into a great one.
Here are five things to consider for your scenes.
1. Show, Don't Tell… Usually
It’s age-old advice, but it bears repeating. Instead of telling readers that a character is frightened, show their quickened breath, the goosebumps on their arms, and the darting glances. Let the environment reflect their emotional state, with shadows that loom large and silence that grows oppressive. Beware, though. Sometimes, telling is preferable to showing! Read your work critically, with an eye toward pacing and the flow of information. Sometimes, when it serves the narrative, it’s perfectly fine to tell.
Take Action: Rewrite a paragraph of your work, replacing emotional tells with physical or environmental shows. Does it read better?
2. Employ the Five Senses
Engaging all five senses is the most immediate way to enrich a scene. We usually default to sight, describing how a scene looks. But what about the sound of gravel crunching underfoot, the scent of rain on dry earth, the taste of salt on the wind, or the roughness of an old stone wall? In Dune, Frank Herbert doesn't just show us the desert; he makes us feel the scorching heat, taste the spice in the air, and hear the whisper of sand across the dunes.
Take Action: Create a checklist of the five senses for your next scene and ensure you include at least three in your text.
3. Use Metaphors and Similes, but Wisely
Metaphors and similes can turn the mundane magical, drawing parallels that illuminate and expand the reader's understanding. The power of a good metaphor or simile lies in its novelty and relevance, though. A clichéd simile can do more harm than good, pulling the reader out of the story. When used creatively, they can convey complex emotions and settings succinctly and vividly.
Take Action: Identify a straightforward description in your writing and replace it with a metaphor or simile that adds depth and interest.
4. Vary Sentence Structure
The rhythm of your prose can significantly affect how a scene feels. Longer, meandering sentences can create a sense of languidness or reflection, while short, sharp sentences can heighten tension and urgency. You can set the scene’s pace by varying sentence length and structure, guiding the reader's emotional response.
Take Action: Experiment with sentence length in a high-tension scene to enhance the feeling of suspense.
5. Incorporate Character Perspective
Every character perceives the world differently, influenced by their backgrounds, personalities, and current emotional state. Describing a scene through the lens of your character's unique perspective adds depth and relatability. A soldier might notice strategic details in a landscape, while a painter sees the artistic effects of light and shadow.
Take Action: Describe a scene from the perspectives of two different characters, focusing on what each would notice and how they would interpret it.
