Why is it so important to detail out each scene and still leave a little left for the imagination? As I have said in previous blogs, your own imagination is much better than almost any detailed description. Therefore, my job as a writer is to provide just enough background to allow the reader’s imagination to flow.
This is usually based around the setting – what decade and what level of poverty? Let’s face it, a rich house in the 1920’s would have a hidden liquor cabinet, maids and cooks and their hallways would smell like lemon wax. A poor home in the 1920’s would be very cluttered by family members who were just making ends meet. There would be no signs of maids, or high polished floors. The smells would probably include body odor and dirt, even in homes where adults were trying hard to survive. That would be the difference – living and surviving.
If too much detail is given to the room, the reader can only fill in a little bit, so a fine balance must be found. I try not to over emphasize every detail of my characters as well. I leave a little bit for the reader to fill in. Perhaps something as simple as high cheeks bones (not mentioned in the description but supplied by the reader’s imagination), will make the character come to life for the reader.
When writing, don’t forget to use all the senses. The sun’s “rays on a bare shoulder” is something most readers have felt. What kinds of feelings are associated with that? Is it warm feelings – not just of the actual heat, but perhaps a hope that somewhere in the character’s chaotic life, God is putting His hand upon the character’s shoulder. Is it a warm feeling that masks the true drama of the character’s situation? Is it associated with hard work in the hot sun and therefore brings in bad memories – like working on a chain gang? Whatever it suggests, that’s the reader’s job to understand it and the writer’s job to make sure they do.
Smells are fantastic references. Write pumpkin pie and most Americans think of Thanksgiving. They remember their own Thanksgivings, good or bad; but they remember. Lavender may bring them back to that “time we went to England” or even a grade school teacher whom they loved. It’s a great frame of reference and should not be overlooked.
Sounds can also be powerful. Think thunderstorm. Can you see it? Where are you on the plains of the Midwest, or in the forests of the redwoods in California? Are you in a vineyard in Italy or on a Greek island watching the lightning bounce off the ocean? Thunderstorms can also be associated with temperament and therefore imply what the character is feeling. As a reader, you’ll enjoy the mix and as a writer, you’ll enjoy the challenge.
Tastes like sour, bitter, sweet – just simple words which also bring with it a plethora of emotions. The reader may instantly be hungry; mouthwatering sensations may occur. The reader may make a face, as a small child squeezes the lemon juice, remembering the tartness of their own experience. What readers want is to relate to the book. This way, it carries them into the story. This should be the goal of beginning writers.
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