How to Basically: Write

The Routine

I'm wondering if you'll be able to get this.

Stretching as I yawned, I woke up to a new day. I spring out of bed and realize, I'm late for school!

Quickly I run to my closet and look at all the clothes I have. I grab my grey sweatshirt that says "i hate mondays" and pick some black leggings to match. I slip on my black nikes, and curl my long platinum blonde hair before I run out the door. But wait! I almost forgot my sparkly messenger back that has a leather closure.

Okay, so I see this a lot in stories. I used to do this too when I was younger, I felt I needed to describe what the character is wearing, when in reality it isn't pertinent to the story whatsoever and gives us pretty much no information besides, she's late for school and she hates Monday's. If you still feel the need to insert some sort of description, Here's a re write.

"Ya know, you didn't have to drive like a maniac this morning, I thought we were gonna die," Lara sighs, poking at her lunch with a fork.

Confused, Millie's brows furrowed as she leans across the table, her wrapped straw in her mouth.

"Don't you live, like, 10 minutes from here?" She laughs before blowing the paper across the table, coincidentally landing in my food.

"Come on," I grumble, pushing my tray away from me. Though it's not like I planned to eat it.

"By the way, it isn't Monday," she chuckles, before getting up to dump her tray.

I look down at my sweatshirt and roll my eyes.

"We all hate mondays," Lara responds in agreement.

"And who could argue when it's written on this years favorite 'agreeable gray'?" She laughs again.

*

Okay so two different types of voice can be heard here. Also it's all about showing vs. telling. Honestly there's not a lot of reasons to list off how your character gets ready in the morning. In the rewrite you can tell she had to rush to school, she also takes someone else to school with her, she has two obnoxious friends, and she doesn't even know what day it is, that's how out of it she is currently.

To put it bluntly, stop narrating your characters day and start narrating their story. The more you use description to do more than explain, the more you'll grow as a writer. Each piece should have a purpose.