Forum imagery

As my writing progresses one thing that i've found is that i cannot, cannot, cannot write a description to save my life. everything that i've ever written has been narrative driven and deals solely with the characters and their interactions/emotions/dialouge. if anyone can give me any tips on how to write imagery i'd be much appreciative.

i would say, focus not on the ouytward appearances of the scene or object you are describing, but on the feelins, emotions or mood of the piece and let those color the picture you paint. weave in metaphore, exagerate slightly. dont be afraid to take risks, use words that may seem out of place or make u new words occasionally. have fun with it

to learn how to write it, you only need to READ it!... study the work of the best writers of the
genre you want to write in and see how they do it...

Seek books relating to the writing craft. (if you haven't already). These will help you improve the craft.

Do you have an example we can work with in order to provide you a more adequate assistance?



Concrete and specific trumps Abstract and General.
Incorporate the senses in the descriptions, especially the scents. These seem to be the most overlooked description.

Provide the goods and we can help.
or try to.

What Randall said is the key. Put yourself in your writing not outside of it. It is "Method Writing" like method acting. Be there and you will take your reader along.What are you feeling, tasting, smelling, seeing? Pay attention to your surroundings. Things can appear or actually become more than one form. ex. water is ice, snow, steam, rain, a lake, a pond, a sea, an ocean.... many variables but one axiom, one truth. Leaves aflame does not mean they are burning, it means they are turning, it is autumn. You don't have to tell me it's autumn because I know when the leaves are "aflame" I hope this helps.::biggrin::

When you're walking along, or sitting in a room, or whatever, try to observe everything and think about what you associate with it, what it reminds you of etc. Practise describing really mundane items, like stuff on our desk.
Definitely read as much as you can, for inspiration from whoever you consider to be the gods of imagery.
Who gets you seeing the stuff the way they want you to see it?

Study what they do.

I hope this will be helpful. Writing is in itself a sound. The reader can imagine with their senses the situations, scenery etc...
Try this, seriously... Imagine yourself at the beach during sunset. What color is the sky that you are looking at? Are the waves small or large? Are there other people playing about or is there a couple walking barefoot holding hands? I know that this might not be your ideal image or thought, but the exercise of the process is what really gets you going. Hey, If you ever want me to give you exercises to help you, I will. I was in a writer's Group for along time where we would have a list of first sentences and then we would have to write the imagery behind it. I find it successful when you have some type of inspiration...
Good Luck

I have much the same problem. The way that I've been working on it is to do a series of exercises in descriptions. I go out to a place that I only pick when I get there (gettign off the bus at a reandom location) or to a public place like a mall. When I get there I observe a person, animal, plant or thing for about ten minutes (with my note book out and a very, very carefully spaced-out expression on my face so that people just think that i'm lost in thought). Once I do that, I try to write 300 words about who (or what) I studied, but i don't let myself use the name of the object. So if i were to do this with a dog as the object, I can't use the words dog, canine, lupine, hound, mutt, etc. People can't be named or have cop-out descriptions like Latino, Caucasian, thin, tanned (unless the tan lines are rediculously visible). Focus on motion, attitude or reactions to the environment, and then this exercise becomes a lot easier.