Tips To A Successful Story

Detailing (part 2)

Most people get the wrong idea about describing what the characters are doing when they're doing it. The key to being desciptive is to deal with people's five senses without needing to be straight forward. Sounds confusing?

Imagine reading a book like this:

"Don't touch me," she screamed. She pulled away from Jack. Jack felt betrayed. She felt bad but couldn't help herself. She had to.

You get the picture. Sometimes it's okay to be a little mysterious and maybe not appeal to ALL senses as long as you still leave enough room for the reader to understand what you mean to say while leaving room for them to view things their own way.

Instead of writing the way above try this: "don't touch me," Amber screams as she flinch away from Jack. No longer able to bear his touch. Despite the betrayed look earned in return the feeling of disgust won't leave her. Better to stay away than be burned by a touch so dangerous it could make any girl crumble to her feet.

See what I did there? Withouting having to put "she" or "he" so much I was still able to indicate that the boy is dangerous and leave room for the readers to think Jack is either a ladies man, player, really attractive, or all three. Plus I was able to have more words.

Even simply saying 'long branches slap against golden skin in an angry assault. Red liquid cascading down long arms as the strong scent of copper mix with the cold night air' instead of saying 'the tall, skinny girl ran through the woods. It was cold and night time. The branches cut her arm. She was now bleeding' shows that you are a mature author and that you know what you're doing-even if you don't.

No one wants to read a book with a good plot that sounds like it was written by a middle schooler. It turns readers away very quickly, myself included.

Now if course this is optional. I understand that some people just can't write like that and it is hard to do it throughout the whole story but just more that it does make you seem like a more experienced writer.

P.s. when describing people try to give your characters distinct descriptions so that readers are able to tell who is who and separate the characters. For instance you could give one character a large mole and the other green hair. Of course it doesn't have to be this dramatic but you get the point