How to Craft Highly Descriptive, Expressive Writing

Have you ever watched a young child painting her picture? The brush strokes may be large, the colors blindingly bright, the strokes bold and immediate, but the intense expression and level of focus on that child's face can be spellbinding! As authors, speakers, presenters and website providers, we too get to have our own version of such fun.

Likewise, we really can paint a kind of picture using words. How: look at how an artist paints an eye-catching picture. She makes use contrast, variety, bravery in color, individuality, and so on. Writers can achieve similar results using a balanced mix of tools including: words, sentences, phrases, layout and design.

In fact, whenever we read something that captures our attention - even for a short time - our minds naturally try to turn those word impressions into some kind of visual imagery. You too can work with this rhythm and write in such a way that your reader can more easily create mind pictures from your writing.

How? Consider the following tips:

• Describe in rich detail. Use the senses: think of sights, sound, smells, touch and taste, and use whatever is relevant.
• Imagine yourself as an artist "word-painting" the scene.
• Relate to what is familiar to your reader using examples as much as possible.

In that same spirit, below are some examples of highly descriptive text. Consider how each can conjure up fertile, familiar imagery within the mind:

• Melt-in-the-mouth pastries.
• A swathing ribbon of pristine white sand.
• The soft haze of a spring day.
• Her bright eyes glowed reflecting the warmth of the turf fire that welcomes friends and strangers alike.
• A land of sun-kissed beauty.
• Skye - an ancient, beautiful island-jewel, peppered with idyllic, coastal Edens. Miles of rolling green hills dotted with picturesque white-stoned cottages that seem to burst forth naturally out of the earth.
• A place of ancient mystery, myth, magic and majesty; of lore and of legend; of romance, heroism, of stubborn pride, tragedy and loss.
• A people that time forgot.
• As free as the eagle in summer. See how skilfully he dances in the warm thermals to soar and dive and glide through the high peaks.

Developing the Art of Good Judgment

Although using a highly descriptive technique can help you craft wonderful, expressive sentences, I do recommend that you don't overdo the effect. For example, Shakespeare gave us superb, crisp phrases like:

• "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?"

Yet instead, he could have written something like:

• "Shall I compare thee to a fine, sunshine-rich, balmy summer's day?"

However, I think most people might agree that Shakespeare developed wonderfully accurate skills of:

• Knowing how to choose the right word or phrase, and
• When to stop writing.

Key tip: Don't be afraid to enrich your piece if the topic can benefit from eloquent language. If highly descriptive text is for you, practice this kind of writing regularly to develop your skill. Rearrange words and sentences for best effect. Before release, always re-read your work later to re-evaluate with a fresh eye.

And have fun!