How can you improve description in your writing? Don’t leave it to adjectives. Avoid adverbs. Instead, dig deeper.
My favorite exercise for descriptive writing comes from James Scott Bell’s book Revision & Self-Editing. It kicks up creativity, especially for describing characters’ emotions. Here’s Bell’s two-step exercise:
1. Brainstorm three nouns that could be associated with an emotion.
2. Write a sentence using a strong verb that connects one of the nouns to the emotions.
Here are examples I’ve written, using this exercise:
Emotion: Fear Nouns: Coffin, Cave, Corpse
1. A coffin of fear slammed its lid. He couldn’t breathe.
2. My fear deepened into a cave without end.
3. Fear danced on the corpse of my courage. I screamed.
Here’s another example from my book, I Be Brave, which I’m currently writing.
Emotion: Jealousy Noun: Poison
Mother rested her palm on Henry’s shoulder. I tried to shield my heart, but the poison of jealousy pulsed hard and black through every vein. My chest ached. Would she ever touch me like that again?
This simple exercise also works as a writing prompt. It’s quick and easy. Go ahead…dig up your own descriptions. Happy writing!