Writing Tips for Writers With English As a Second Language

Engage the senses

You want to draw the reader in.
You want them to keep reading, eager to know what's happening (note I could have used "going on" but I've harped on weak verb go and weak participle going)
Now my descriptive writing skills are weak (pun intended) and I must drag them kicking and screaming out of my brain, my heart, my soul.
Here's advice I'll pass on:

Imagine yourself in the scene. Close your physical eyes and open the mental ones. (DianaTheThird o0eliza0o little-nemo AnastasiaThomas089 kv_wilson donovanandrea and the rest of the Eyeball Army) . Keep your eyes in your skull but look around your scene you're creating. What do you see? Write it down . What do you smell? If distinctive or relevant, write it down. What position is your hero's body in? Describe it. Remember to keep him/her moving , even a little. We aren't stiff as statues IRL. Is touch important? Write it down.

Remember: mind dump it all down and refine later .

For example, from @lionobsession wonderful book, Unite:

Aferilon wiped his hands on his jacket, removing the sticky substance from his skin. He shivered, touching his wrist and finding comfort in the leather bracelet he found there. It had become a habit now for his fingers to find the strap, woven by his mother, whenever he needed assurance. It focused his mind and comforted his fears, allowing him to think straight

See how the author used touch and then cleverly linked it to the character's mental state? Brilliant.

Here's another donated example by loveX3Jen

She slowly moved forward, as if savoring the tingling beneath her soft feet from contact with polished wood. Her fingers ran over the creamy white walls, cool to the touch and somewhat mystical. Slow, mysterious music played in the back of her head as she climbed the stairs further, childishly imagining herself as a protagonist in a horror movie.

See how this author used both touch and the memory of music which evoked emotions with it? Brilliant again! 

*****

Dedicated to:

Jesuis01 who inspired me to write this chapter, in a good way. She remembers touch very well

EGTczarzenskawitz book Transformation has lavish detail
DianaTheThird book , Betrayal of the Guardians, she remembers to write scent, touch, visual details
AnastasiaThomas089 she remembers all the above

Don't worry eyeball army, I'll mention your lovely books in positive ways as I reach them ! (Notice I didn't say get to them, although that's an idiom)

Don't worry, those who use eyeballs correctly! I'll mention your strengths as well as I write the relevant chapters