How To Write Vivid Descriptions
and
Get Closer To Your Readers

Another thing you can do to be more descriptive is to give "life" to inanimate objects, abstracts, or animals in your story or essay. Give them human characteristics. Onomatopoetic words come in handy. These are words whose sounds imitate the sound they describe. Examples are buzz, whir, sigh, bang, and murmur.

Use fresh words in your descriptions. 

Forget about writing something vague like: "They walked slowly to the park." 

Just how slowly did they walk? 
Did they trudge? 
Did they slog along through mud washed out by a recent rain?
Did they drag along with chins drooping and eyes moping hopelessly?

Remember, if you want your reader to experience the same thing you've experienced - or experience something you've imagined - write and describe it well.

Now it's your turn.

Turn these bland sentences into sentences that ooze with description people can see, hear and touch. Make your descriptions so vivid your reader see, feel, taste, hear or smell them just by reading what you write.

1. The song began.
2. A police car went by.
3. The pie was tart.
4. A little boy stood still.
5. Her hands were rough.

Now try writing a paragraph or two using these prompts to guide you. Remember, Be descriptive.

1. Look out your window. What do you see?
2. Describe yourself when you were between 5 and 8 years old.
3. Close your eyes and imagine you're in a room full of people. You're the only blind person there. 
Describe the room and the people in your mind.
4. You've gone to a carnival before, right? Write what it looks like. Imagine you'll read your description to a blind child.
5. Choose 12 small objects in your house. Put them all in a box. Without looking into the box, touch each object one by one. Hold each object for 3-5 minutes, then describe what that object is.

Copyright 2003 Shery Ma Belle Arrieta
Shery is the creator of WriteSparks! - a software that generates over 100,000 Story Sparkers for Writers. Download WriteSparks! Lite for FREE from http://writesparks.com  Editor's note:  WriteSparks Lite is a great tool for writers wishing to improve their writing skills and stretch their imaginations.