Hi, I am having some trouble writing descriptively, my story is in 1st person so I am having a hard time trying to figure out where I should put the descriptions. I would love my work to reflect imagery and have poetry in the way it is written but I feel so restricted in 1st person. Any advice? I would love to write elegantly but my work doesn't seem to flow. Thanks in advance guys. ^-^
What's always worked for me is reading more things that are like what I want to write. I don't think there is an easy way to fix the flow of things or just make your prose sound more poetic. But by exposing yourself to good literature that does this, you're bound to pick up a few things and gain a better understanding and relationship with the written word. Also, our writing develops with practice. It can be a slow progression, but if you really work at this, things will get better. I don't think first person has to dramatically change the way you write compared to third person. With first person voice is important. You just have to make sure your descriptions sound like that's how your MC would perceive things. As far as where to put description, that's really impossible for us to help with without seeing your work. But the description should feel like part of the story and not tacked in as an afterthought because you realized you needed more description. Try to think about what your MC would notice. When would she notice this? What does it look like to her? Also, fiction is not poetry and should not try to be such, in my opinion. Some authors do write poetic-like prose, but I would say most don't
Some things are for everyone. Some things are for yourself. I have made it rule to underwrite characters' appearance. Those things are for yourself. I like to put effort into the scenery. It is for everyone.
So, description is not my strong suit AT ALL. However, one trick I do use to differentiate characters (in my case multi-POV third-person limited) is to make sure that descriptions are based on the POV character's personality and interests. For instance, my main character spends a lot of time describing people's faces and behavioral tics (she's a news reporter who probes everyone like an interview subject) - but when I'm in her best friend's POV, she notices things like what people are wearing, how rooms are decorated, and especially what music is playing - down to the level of noticing the particulars of the sound system (she's a music-industry journalist and part-time DJ - she focusses on the atmosphere and how it effects the people in it). You're a step farther than me in the sense that you're writing in first person - but the principle is the same. Firgure out how the world looks to the narrating character, what things do they notice and not notice, which aspects of their world do they gravitate toward. Use that as a lens to decide how THEY describe things they see.
Thank you all for your help, I think I have to have a think about some of the advice given. @deadrats - I will definitely try and read more, I think it will just increase my vocabulary in general. So I will work on that. Even though it sounds obvious I didn't realise I will describing things as I saw them as oppose to my character. I think this will improve my writing. Thank you! @aaronsmith - I also underplay character descriptions, how do you write them in then? I am having some difficulties writing them in otherwise. @commondantelemming - Again seems obvious when you say but I didn't think of the characters personalities coming into play when observing, I will incorporate this into my work. Thank you. Thank you all for your help.
I briefly describe the protagonist (age, sex, notice able feature. e.g: "He was an old man with a tooth-gap..."), and all other characters I describe as they make my main character feel. This way the reader will draw their own image of the character specific to what appearance they associate with the emotion.
Yeah, that's a good tactic. I'm also not great at this but one of the things I'm learning is to decide which aspects of that character you want to set in the reader's head for the sake of the story. You know that your reader will never picture them the same way you do, so the question is what details are necessary and what doesn't matter if the reader draws their own ideas. For some characters, it's important to know hair color, for others, it's irrelevant and it doesn't matter if the reader sees a blonde or a brunette. JK Rowling infamously did this with Hermione so that it literally didn't matter if the reader filled in a white character or a minority. I don't describe my main character's clothes in much detail, I do describe the fashionista character's clothes because they're relevant. Not everyone gets skin-tone descriptors, but I do have two characters where it's really important - an Indian-American character where I need to make clear that her skin is too dark for anyone to ever assume she's white, and a white character where I need to make really clear that her complexion is SO pasty that it's obvious she's adopted even though her mother is also white. It's all about which pieces are relevant.
How many books have you read written in first person, whose writing you admire? Read those books again and see how those authors did it. Personally I loved Suzanne Collins' writing in Hunger Games - it was very poetic for me and it is written in first person - worth a look. The opening to the first book is all description and Collins not only conveys the image but also the mood and the state of Katniss' life, all in around 2 paragraphs. It's nicely done. If after some practice and studying you still find it difficult, perhaps try writing the same thing in third person. Is there a particular reason you chose to write in first person? Unless there is some importance to it, perhaps just write in a POV that you find easier to write in! Sometimes our personal style lends itself to writing from certain POVs. I have a friend who would benefit from writing in 3rd person rather than first, for example - her writing is so descriptive and she's trying so hard for poetry that the voice just doesn't lend itself well to first person. I am sure there's a way, but in her case it just isn't working. Perhaps consider this too. Descriptive writing is possible in both first and third person, but it is written differently. See which one suits your own writing more and write in that POV, is my advice, unless there is a good reason to force it or if you are doing it to practice.
Another thought is to change away from first person, if you're finding it limiting? (Though I'm not clear on why first would be limiting in this way.)
I think that's not a bad suggestion, but from a technique-building perspective it might be better to keep it in first precisely BECAUSE it requires learning new skills.
@Mckk - No there isn't any reason I have to write in 1st POV so I think I will try 3rd POV to see that is easier for me. I did enjoy how Hunger Games was written, I think I will go back and have a read of the writers that I enjoyed. Personally I love Louis de Bernieres and CArlos Ruiz Zafon, especially the latter. He is really inspiring, I will have to go back and have a read to see how they did it. @ChickenFreak - Yeah I think I will try 3rd POV. Will let you know how I get on. Thanks.
