#141: Four Guidelines For Writing Dazzling Description

Description can enrich your story with layers of atmosphere and authenticity that drops the reader inside the world of your story. But sometimes writers assume that in order to create a world for the reader to inhabit, they must pile on loads of details.  You may be writing fantasy, or historical fiction, where the setting is unfamiliar or foreign to the reader.  So, description is necessary. But how much description is the right amount?  When does it become overwhelming to the reader? Too much description, especially when it's wasteful, can bog readers down and make them confused about what what they should pay attention to, and what's mere ornamentation. If you don't select what goes into your description, it will strike the reader as arbitrary or gratuitous. So, the question is...What goes into your descriptions? And what stays out?What's the criteria? In this episode, I'm going to give you four criteria to help you write dazzling descriptions that create vivid, lasting impressions on readers.Episode WebsiteStructure your story with this FREE 3-Act Worksheet. Go beyond outlining and write a story that keeps readers hooked from beginning to end.   Grab your FREE Worksheet here.