Descriptive Writing With Intention
By Mary Kole
Mary Kole is a former literary agent, freelance editor, writing teacher, author of Writing Irresistible Kidlit, and IP developer for major publishers, with over a decade in the publishing industry.
Believe it or not, you don’t have to use the most impressive imagery and descriptive writing to tell a good story. I’ve worked in publishing for over a decade, including years as a literary agent, so this advice might surprise you, coming from a publishing insider. But I mean it.
While similes, metaphors, and other descriptive writing techniques can be used to create vivid impressions on readers, you don’t need to rely on a literary device (or a hundred) to convey characterization and emotion. Or to impress people with your writing. Whether that sounds like a relief or a surprise, read on to find out my take on descriptive writing.
Descriptive Writing Has a Time and Place
In fact, descriptive writing in the slush pile can sometimes mark a writer as a rank amateur in the slush pile. Why? Because it can convey insecurity or trying too hard. We’ve all heard of overwriting or purple prose. Well, descriptive writing is generally what slants a project into these categories.
Simple and clear writing is something to aspire to, and is actually quite difficult to do. Look at poetry. It is spare on the page but extremely evocative. I’d much rather read prose that gets an interesting point across without a lot of bells and whistles, rather than feeling like the writer has an ax to grind or wants to impress me with what they think is fancy (but what reads like excessive description).
Descriptive Writing Forgets Plot and Conflict
Too often, writers will spend so much time worldbuilding and describing the elaborate setting of their stories that they forget about the plot and characters. When this happens, readers are left feeling unengaged because they aren’t able to connect with the characters, or bored because there aren’t scenes and events to focus on. Page after page of beautiful descriptive writing can be fun to create, but it’s often deadly dull to read.
When crafting your story, make sure that plot and characterization come first, before getting into any sort of descriptive writing. (In fact, when you’re drafting and self-editing, I recommend that you forget about the sentence level writing until the penultimate draft. Don’t fall in love with your individual turns of phrase too soon, as you will be less likely to kill your darlings, if need be, when a scene becomes obsolete or a character needs to go.)
Descriptive Writing With a Purpose
Descriptive writing isn’t just about making things look pretty—it should also serve a purpose. And when it comes to expressing yourself through writing, it’s important to find the human truth of your piece. If your character feels fake or you’re having trouble using interiority to make your reader care, the most beautiful descriptive writing descriptions in the world won’t save you.
For example, if your character is an experienced surfer who loves spending time at the beach, then you should use language that conveys their experience with surfing as well as the emotions they feel while there. Don’t get sidetracked with pages of prose about the ocean itself, or try to capture the many shades of blues and greens. Let descriptive writing support your story, not the other way around.
Although it can be tempting for writers to use telling vs showing techniques when creating a story—especially when using descriptive writing—this approach can leave readers feeling bored or condescended to if all you’re doing is telling. To keep your audience engaged, use all of your non-descriptive-writing tricks, like action, dialogue, and scene. This way, readers will be able to visualize the scene more clearly while connecting more deeply with the characters' emotions. Then, once the framework is up, you can decorate the “house” of your novel with some descriptive writing, if you feel it’s necessary.
By prioritizing plot and characterization before getting into any sort of descriptive writing, you can craft stories that are engaging without being overly verbose or self-conscious. Believe me when I say that simplicity is key—you can develop a stylish writing voice, but anything above and beyond that could hurt you. When style distracts from substance, you’re in trouble with your descriptive writing. The good news is, it’s never too late to get back on track with a story. You just need to trust that you are getting your message across, and that your readers are following. This kind of trust takes time, but writing is a learning journey.
Click here to purchase Writing Interiority: Crafting Irresistible Characters, my book on interiority and character creation. Explore your protagonist’s thoughts, feelings, reactions and interpretations, expectations, and inner struggles to create a rich, immersive experience. This guide will empower you to create characters who live and breathe on the page, fostering an unbreakable bond with your audience.