writing hard

Take advantage of this site, it’s super helpful when looking for similar and different words or phrases. Yes, you can type whole phrases and get alternatives. Way to spice up your creative writing 😉

Hint, click on any word to get its definition.

Full disclaimer that my advice is never gospel. These are just things that have helped me improve my descriptions and so I thought I'd share if other people want to as well. I also think these can be employed regardless of writing style.

Be intentional with your word choice. Know when you want to use red or scarlet or carmine and don't be afraid to use unconventional words if you think they fit. Sometimes saying "the blood is red" is all that's needed and perfectly acceptable. But carmine might provoke a clearer image. You can also use word choice to show off character and setting. One character might pay particular attention to the family crest on someone's cufflinks while another might gloss over such details.

Expand on your premise. If we're meant to be in an opulent manor then referencing the intricate iron balustrade on the grand staircase gives the house much more character than simply saying "the manor was opulent." You can do the latter but the former gives us something a little extra to chew on and, in my opinion, brings us much more into the scene.

If you don't know how to describe something, look it up. I do this often with clothes, objects, and architecture. For example, I search up "vases" on websites like 1stdibs and study the descriptions and word choices used and employ them in my own words to make sure I'm using the correct terminology. Also searching "anatomy of the...." is another good way to bridge the terminology gap. Obviously not everyone is going to know what ribbed vs embossed vs chased means but they can always look it up themselves and they might learn something new!

Study art and images for inspiration. If you're someone who has a lot of trouble visualising things yourself then using aids is perfectly fine. Try a trick of finding an image you like and placing it by your word doc or simply pasting it inside while you're typing so you have something to refer to. I like to call this "word tracing". If I want to conjure the image of a pretty garden then studying the image of a garden and seeing what makes it pretty helps. Perhaps there's an elegant copse of willow trees or tumbling garlands of wisteria, etc.

To avoid static descriptions, be dynamic. General rule of thumb is don't just write paragraphs and paragraphs of descriptions as it'll cause the eyes to gloss over. But try to make descriptions come alive as much as possible to bring people into a scene. If someone is taking a seat on the chair then how does the chair feel? Is it upholstered in silk or velvet or leather? Does it creak from age? Does it smell of varnish? Is there a notable pattern of the fabric or engraving on the wood?

Me: At a random hour unknown to even me I will be possessed by an angry vengeful writing spirit and will fall into a spiraling madness that can only be cured by writing without rest until most of the life energy has been drained from my body.

Other writer: Oh cool I’ve heard of that. I write in the early mornings before my roommate wakes up.

Not write

Daydream

Cry over fictional characters

Complain about my book not writing itself

Wait for inspiration

Write a sentence

Scroll through Pinterest

Delete a sentence

Daydream again

                My stories always have holes. I used to get so frustrated with the fact that almost all of it worked except one or two points that just didn’t quite line up. Then I’d replan/rewrite and something else wouldn’t fit, or the problem couldn’t be solved without completely changing the narrative.

                I’ve come to accept that stories will always have plot holes—that they’ll never quite work perfectly. The good news is, readers also know this, and they don’t care.

                We can talk endlessly about “why didn’t character A just blah” or “how did the antagonist figure this out” or any other little problem your plot has—or we can suspend our disbelief and just enjoy the story. Often that’s what I find myself doing for others’ stories, and what I hope others will do for mine.

                Plots are big, tangled, complicated things with a lot of moving parts. The chances that everything will tick just right is pretty low. I think as long as the story isn’t completely falling apart, you can get away with a few holes in your narrative. Just write a good story, one that you enjoy, and it’ll be enough.