Writer's Café

descriptions.

Long time no see, bootiful hoomans!

As the title suggests, we are gonna talk about descriptions feat. POVs.

I'll admit this at the start, I'm not an expert in writing. I'm still learning, especially when it comes to descriptions and writing style. If anyone has read any two books of mine, I'm sure you will notice a difference. If you actually compare my first book to my latest one, there is a huge and I mean, big as an elephant gap. At least, that's how I feel.

I think y'all know what description means but to clear up any misunderstandings or confusion, here is the definition:

Description is the pattern of narrative development that aims to make a place, object, character, or group vivid. Description is one of four rhetorical modes, along with exposition, argumentation, and narration.

(Yes, I copy-pasted from wiki.)

To put it simply, drawing a picture with words. It can be a picture of a person or place or just some scenario.

Is it difficult?

Extremely.

Now, let's go back to, say third grade and describe your day. Very simple and I'm sure we all did it once upon a time. The below is an example of how a third-grader would describe their day.

I wake up at seven o'clock. I brush my teeth and go to the toilet. I take a bath. I go downstairs. I eat breakfast. I get dressed for school. My mom does my hair and gives me kisses. She drops me at school. I meet my friends and teachers. I study. I come home.

You can't imagine how hard it was for me to write this seriously. And I can't tell you exactly how many times I've seen Wattpad writers write like this. Seriously, no lie, there are books like this. But let's not start the dissing session right here.

The point is, there's a difference between a writer and a kid learning to make sentences in a way they understand. We are just old enough to understand more than just simple sentences and we have a good enough vocabulary too.

So, let's go back to describing your day in the first person point of view first, fit for a book more importantly.

I wake up to the sound of the alarm clock blaring, the sound an irritating noise in my ears. Sitting up in the bed, I run a hand over my face, rubbing my eyes to chase away the last vestiges of sleep. Moving to my hair, I bury my fingers in my hair, giving my scalp a good scratch.

After spending a few more minutes on the bed in an attempt to prolong greeting the new day, I move on with my usual morning routine. Dressing up quickly in the school uniform I make my way downstairs to have my breakfast.

I think that wraps up the description of waking up. This particular scene is common enough in Wattpad books but should be avoided unless it's of any significance to your character. I touched on that topic previously, so I won't elaborate. This is just an example.

Similarly, we can write the same scene in a Third person point of view as well. But here, I will take a different scene or say picture to depict in words because that's all description is about.

It was a hot summer day. The sun was high overhead, showing no mercy to the beings living down below. He ran his hand over his face, wiping off the sweat gathered on his brow, lest it fell on his glasses. He huffed as he continued to walk in the blistering heat, seeking the comfort of some shade. But there was none to be found on the coconut tree-lined dirt path. He could walk on the right side of the road though, where the foliage was dense but he was scared of the beings hidden in the greenery. Alas, he tortured himself walking in the heat, the wind not of any aid as he made his way home.