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This is (mainly) for Ant, as he asked me how I write descriptively, and wanted some pointers. Before I start I'd like to just say that I'm not a preffessional author, not do I pretend to beyou may not find this tips helpful, as everyone writes differently. Also, there are a number of people on here that can write better then me. Because of this, if anyone has any other tips or advice, about writing generally, please add them.
Ok, I'm going to describe how to write a paragraph or so about someone wealking down a country lane.
Initially, with no description, you would have this:
Ant walked down the country lane.
Which, let's face it, is pretty boring. So you have to add bits in. It sounds obvious, but picture the scene in your mind before you start writing. It's difficult, if not impossible, to describe something if you don't know what it looks like. It's like saying what an apple tastes like.
So, firstly, what time of year is it? Winter? Spring? It may have a direct beaing on the story, so you need to decide. What is the weather like? Sunny? Raining? Again, this may have to be set, if the story needs the car to leave a tire print in the mud, then obviously it has to have rained reasonably recently.
Once you've chosen the weather, you can also get little information about your character across as well. If the ground is wet and muddy, do they step cafeully, to avoid getting mud on their clothes? Or splash right through, uncaring?
Once you've decided about your scene, you have to write it so it is interesting for the reader. Write about about what he's thinking as he's walking along, for example.
Initlay we had:
Ant walked down the country lane.
But we don't want to go to this:
Ant waled down the country lane. It was summer. The sun was shining. There were a few puddles still about.
Because that just lists things, and is boring as hell to read.
I've written a couple of different parts, all about you walking down the lane:
Ant walked down the lane. The sun was shining brightly, but the thick layer of leaves over head gave everything a green tinge, and kept the air cool. He could hear the occasioanly "drip", as the remnants of yesterdays rain finished making it's way to the ground. The lane was littered with puddles, Ant stepping carefully over or around each. As he he continued, he was thinking about last night. What had he done? Where did he go after leaving the pub? He left that trail of thought as he got to a puddle that was nearly as wide as the lane itself, having to find a way around. After a minute of looking, he could see no way of not getting his feet wet, so he stepped as daintly as he could around the edge. e continued thinking. Why had he woken up in this lane? Where was he? Etc etc....
OR:
Ant walked down the country lane. It was getting difficult to see. The sun was going down, and the braches of the trees on wiether side blocked out the weak winter light. He splashed through another puddle, uncaring. Feeling his jeans get wetter annoyed him even more. He had to get back before it got completely dark, there was no way he could spend another night out here. He heard the distant bleating of sheep. Hmmmm, he thought to himself, Grix is still out having fun then. Why had he agreed to this in the first place? He hated the outdoors- He suddenly slipped on the mud, and went sprawling into another puddle. NOW he was annoyed..... etc etc.
Hope that helps. If you've got any questions, or if anyone spots something I've missed, please add it in.
Ok, I'm going to describe how to write a paragraph or so about someone wealking down a country lane.
Initially, with no description, you would have this:
Ant walked down the country lane.
Which, let's face it, is pretty boring. So you have to add bits in. It sounds obvious, but picture the scene in your mind before you start writing. It's difficult, if not impossible, to describe something if you don't know what it looks like. It's like saying what an apple tastes like.
So, firstly, what time of year is it? Winter? Spring? It may have a direct beaing on the story, so you need to decide. What is the weather like? Sunny? Raining? Again, this may have to be set, if the story needs the car to leave a tire print in the mud, then obviously it has to have rained reasonably recently.
Once you've chosen the weather, you can also get little information about your character across as well. If the ground is wet and muddy, do they step cafeully, to avoid getting mud on their clothes? Or splash right through, uncaring?
Once you've decided about your scene, you have to write it so it is interesting for the reader. Write about about what he's thinking as he's walking along, for example.
Initlay we had:
Ant walked down the country lane.
But we don't want to go to this:
Ant waled down the country lane. It was summer. The sun was shining. There were a few puddles still about.
Because that just lists things, and is boring as hell to read.
I've written a couple of different parts, all about you walking down the lane:
Ant walked down the lane. The sun was shining brightly, but the thick layer of leaves over head gave everything a green tinge, and kept the air cool. He could hear the occasioanly "drip", as the remnants of yesterdays rain finished making it's way to the ground. The lane was littered with puddles, Ant stepping carefully over or around each. As he he continued, he was thinking about last night. What had he done? Where did he go after leaving the pub? He left that trail of thought as he got to a puddle that was nearly as wide as the lane itself, having to find a way around. After a minute of looking, he could see no way of not getting his feet wet, so he stepped as daintly as he could around the edge. e continued thinking. Why had he woken up in this lane? Where was he? Etc etc....
OR:
Ant walked down the country lane. It was getting difficult to see. The sun was going down, and the braches of the trees on wiether side blocked out the weak winter light. He splashed through another puddle, uncaring. Feeling his jeans get wetter annoyed him even more. He had to get back before it got completely dark, there was no way he could spend another night out here. He heard the distant bleating of sheep. Hmmmm, he thought to himself, Grix is still out having fun then. Why had he agreed to this in the first place? He hated the outdoors- He suddenly slipped on the mud, and went sprawling into another puddle. NOW he was annoyed..... etc etc.
Hope that helps. If you've got any questions, or if anyone spots something I've missed, please add it in.
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Ooooohhh, thanks YH!! It was of great help!!
Time to get writing...
Time to get writing...
POP for Mr Ant.
Your Honour wrote:
Was it?
Yup
My first post was in the Meka
> court case.
I'm not being funny but I really can;t remember that
> far back!
Oh alright, just to be on the safe side!
*Bows down
> on one knee*
Are you proposing?!?!?
RBS teach me, RBS guide me, in yuor wisdom I am
> humbled. In your strength I strive. I live only to serve. My life is
> yours.
... You've done that before haven't you.
That better?
Yeah.
:-D
Was it?
Yup
My first post was in the Meka
> court case.
I'm not being funny but I really can;t remember that
> far back!
Oh alright, just to be on the safe side!
*Bows down
> on one knee*
Are you proposing?!?!?
RBS teach me, RBS guide me, in yuor wisdom I am
> humbled. In your strength I strive. I live only to serve. My life is
> yours.
... You've done that before haven't you.
That better?
Yeah.
:-D
RastaBillySkank wrote:
Pah! Just remember that it was ME who
> welcomed you here!
Was it?
My first post was in the Meka court case.
I'm not being funny but I really can;t remember that far back!
Oh alright, just to be on the safe side!
*Bows down on one knee*
RBS teach me, RBS guide me, in yuor wisdom I am humbled. In your strength I strive. I live only to serve. My life is yours.
That better?
:-)
Pah! Just remember that it was ME who
> welcomed you here!
Was it?
My first post was in the Meka court case.
I'm not being funny but I really can;t remember that far back!
Oh alright, just to be on the safe side!
*Bows down on one knee*
RBS teach me, RBS guide me, in yuor wisdom I am humbled. In your strength I strive. I live only to serve. My life is yours.
That better?
:-)
Your Honour wrote:
That was
> (almost) amusing.
I've been training you well.
:-)
Pah! Just remember that it was ME who welcomed you here!
That was
> (almost) amusing.
I've been training you well.
:-)
Pah! Just remember that it was ME who welcomed you here!
Strafex wrote:
> So YH, going to teach English after your degree?
After finishing my degree in Electronic Engineering? I had thought about it.
:-)
> So YH, going to teach English after your degree?
After finishing my degree in Electronic Engineering? I had thought about it.
:-)
So YH, going to teach English after your degree?
RastaBillySkank wrote:
> POP for Ant (mainly) :-D
That was (almost) amusing.
I've been training you well.
:-)
> POP for Ant (mainly) :-D
That was (almost) amusing.
I've been training you well.
:-)
Yeah! Once you POP, you can't stop. CLASSIQUE!!!
POP for Ant (mainly) :-D
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