Description Part 1: 3 Elements of Good Description

Description allows the reader to visualize the people, places, settings and objects in your story. Description is important because good, effective description paints a vivid picture that immerses the reader into your story, which allows for a deeper experience for the reader. A well written description moves the story forward and adds to characterization. There are 3 main elements of good description.

1. Specific well written detail- Be specific about what you want to say. Less is more, so find the right word or words to show detail. Stay away from ambiguous descriptions like suddenly, look, like, good. These words aren't giving you the biggest bang for your buck. (For more about words to avoid check out Grammar Guru: Words to Avoid.) Also go a little deeper and use sensory detail. The use of sensory detail detail is a key element in good description. Try to use all when writing; sight, sound, smell, touch and taste.

Note: Do not rely too heavily on sight itself, instead try to use some of the other four for variety and depth.

Grammar Guru: The LY Rule

It's a habit that the budding writer is apt to make. In fact, many writers can put years into writing without learning a very important rule of a proper writing technique I like to call the ly rule. Have you ever noticed how saturated yours or others works are with words like gladly, fairly, or brightly? I know my own writing for years was a place were all ly words went to die slow and agonizing deaths. It turned into a real grave yard that hit just about every sentence in my writing. You  might be wondering what's the problem. I mean writing is about being descriptive. Someone says that a piece needs to piece more descriptive then you just add a few more ly words, right? Well, not so much.