Description is really important to me and I thought it was about time I started an article. I'll probably add to this over time and people can feel free to throw the link at anyone who needs a helping hand.
Characters
You need to describe your characters. When we're reading books, the characters are our window into your world and the more we can visualise them, the more we'll start to think of them as real people, to connect with them on a deeper level and be sucked into your creation. Some people tell their readers the eye and hair colour and that's a solid start but there's a long way still to go. You need to make these characters so real that your reader can see them too, can hear them and even smell them. A reader can't relate to a character if they have no idea what that character looks like.
First, decide on the details. Are they tall or short; fat or thin? Do they have a long, drawn face with grey, lifeless eyes and sagging cheeks? Consider what features distinguish your character from the average person, perhaps they have a nose piercing with a small, white gem or a triangle of freckles under their left eye? It may help to make a profile for your character that you can refer back to later - please check the bottom of this article for a template. If you struggle to fill out the details, try looking more closely at your friends or family and think about how you would fill out the template for them.
Next, you need to slot these details into the story. Don't just list them in one blocky paragraph as that's what the industry calls an info dump. Instead, add a sentence here and there. Have a few sentences when you first introduce them and then add further details in later scenes. You can tag them on after dialogue or as part of a character's body actions and movements. Here's a few example sentences:
"Paul, can you lend me a hand?" Alice tucked a lock of tangled, brown hair behind her ear and then gave a rare Alice smile. Her pink lips parted and Paul could see the uneven, yellowed teeth and black fillings which made her so self conscious.
"Daniel? Where are you?" Max pushed the door open with an ear-splitting creak and stepped through into a small, dark room. His deep green eyes squinted through the dim, foggy light that cast his gaunt, freckled face into shadow. He brushed a skeletal hand against the dusty wall and wrinkled his nose at the foul smell. "Hello?"
Setting
The next piece of essential description is setting. If you don't tell your reader what the room looks like or at least where they are, the action can feel very disconnected and you might lose their interest. Think about lighting: is the room dark or is it light? Artificial light or natural and if artificial what colour? Then, is it cold or warm? Is it big or small? Narrow or wide, high ceiling or low? What's in the room? You need to pick a few key objects and describe them to add a little flavour. A blue, chipped china vase sounds much more interesting than simply a vase.
Next, think about the decorations in the room: curtains, carpet/ wood flooring, wallpaper. You don't have to mention every detail and too many could bore your readers but add at least a little description. It's best to describe the room at the beginning of the piece or upon entry, before you get too caught up in the action. You can add more details as you go along but it makes for an excellent introductory paragraph and can set the tone for the whole scene. Here's an example:
The library was dark, lit only by the feeble shafts of moonlight that spilled through the cracks in boarded up windows. It was damp. It was cold. The sort of cold that seeped through clothes, that slipped through open mouths, making the breath in your lungs turn to ice. The ceiling was out of sight, somewhere high up, beyond the shadowed depths and as Charlotte approached the rows of old, crumbling bookcases, her footsteps echoed: thud thud thud. She shuffled more quietly, scared to disturb the cobwebs of the past. There were many books to search and her eyes began to feel sore as she strained to read each spine.
Characterization
But wait, I've already covered characters, haven't I? No, not quite. Characters have to be deeper than their surface appearances. A character's personality and emotions can be shown through the way they speak, through the way they move and through many little, imperceptible actions. When they're nervous, they might bite their lip. When they're happy they might smile or laugh. If they're a neat person, it might be seen through their ironed clothes and manicured nails or they might brush a little dust from a chair before they sit down. If they're nervous, they might avoid meeting other people's eyes with their own or clutch the sleeve of their jumper to calm themselves. Think about who your character is and how you may be able to convey their personality by describing their body actions.
More than one sense!
This is the point I iterate most often and it is a common mistake I see. When writing, people seem to forget that there are five senses to consider. Whenever a character enters a new location, quickly jot down a few details for each one:
Sight: What can your narrator see? Landscape, objects, people. What do these sights mean to the narrator, how do they make them feel?
Sound: What can they hear? Is there music in the distance? The sound of a tap dripping or a stream flowing? Does the person they're talking with have an interesting accent? Is a fly buzzing around the room, the echo of footsteps, the relentless tapping of keys?
Smell: Is something burning? Is there the smell of sweat or sweet perfume? The smell of sewage or fresh air? Can flowers be smelled or oil or alcohol?
Touch: When your person picks an object up, how does it feel? If they brush against another person, can they feel the heat of that person's body or maybe the soft texture of their fleece coat? Is an object smooth or rough? What material is it? Is it squidgy or hard? Cold or warm?
Taste: This is the hardest to include but remember you can be metaphorical: is there the taste of tension in the air? Does the air taste of pollution or the ocean? If your character eats or drinks, how does the food taste? Is the water refreshing or is it warm or revolting? Don't push too hard to include this one in every scene but don't forget about it either.
Profile Template
Name:
Age:
Occupation:
Gender:
Hair colour:
Hair length/ style:
Eye colour:
Body type/ shape:
Height:
Ethnicity:
Facial features: (beard, wrinkles, face shape etc.)
Body features: (moles, length of nails, tattoos, missing/ replacement limbs etc.)
Best feature:
Noticeable quirk/ body gestures: (bites lip, pulls on hair, straightens hat regularly, rubs neck when thinking, taps fingers on surfaces etc.)
Clothes/ Style:
Accessories: (glasses/ jewellery/ watch/ bag/ hat/ braces etc.)
*thumbs up*
I hope I can remember them!!
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