Young Writers Society

Whenever I write, I always forget to put in details. After I read my story, I realize that there aren't any details about the characters or their surrondings. So then I go back and put in details, but it doesn't really work out. Maybe I'm just really bad at writing details.

What should I do???

Practice!

Describing effectively takes practice, and, the first few times, it might take writing it, going back and adding details then coming back later and cutting half of them in editing. But, as you keep writing, the description will start coming on its own. So practice! And read! Oberve how other writers include detail.

Also, remember that adding detail isn't what makes description work--it's adding relevant, engaging details. Sometimes that's hard to do, but there are a few questions I keep in mind when I'm sorting through details that might help. How is this detail relevant? How does this detail characterize the setting? How powerful of an effect does this detail have on the reader's senses? How does my character react to this detail?

For instance, if I wrote a paragraph of description that told you the color of the walls, carpet, ceiling and furniture, that might be nice and all, but it may not be engaging! If I sort through the details and think about what is most effective and relevant, I may choose to describe the thick stench of smoke in the air because that has a huge effect on the reader's senses and because my character will have a reaction to it, which, in turn helps with characterization. I might also mention that there are shelves of books in the room, because that establishes what kind of room this is. And I might describe the worn paintings on the wall if they held some significance to the story. In comparison to that, the colors of every object in the room are insignificant and boring.

Basically, effective details are details with purpose. Keeping that in mind as you write description will help a lot. Practice! Hope that helps!

...or you can be like me, and use very little description, as is my general style.

Actually, I use narration sparsely, and love dialogue- which is pretty evident- and so any describing usually comes forth by how the chars behave. However, if there is something particular, I continue to show emphasis throughout the piece when needed. For example, my main character is described as burly, and not especially pretty-looking. Heh. So, I continue to discribe is build in such a way that I *think* the readers get the hint, as well as his *coughs* unattractiveness *coughs* (How he got a wife is beyond me, really).

Another trick is if you form a general outline, a picture in my mind, use the image to write "what you (the writer) see." Worse case senario, you'll eaither add-on or deleted the text in the second draft. For now, get your ideas on paper, that's what a first draft is for; don't expect prefection the first time.

Luck!

For characters, dont just describe there outward image, describe their emotions, actions, and thoughts in not just a surfacy way, but also tell why. Try to write something about there personaly, and once you've done that, think about WHY they're like that, or WHY the do those actions or think that way. Come up with mannerisms and such, like when a person is listening to someone talking, they usualy fiddle with something like hair or shirt. And for other mannerisms and actions, make sure it fits their personality, and their personality fits what may have influenced them to do it, like something that happened in their child hood.
And for surrounding just think of the basics. What does the charactar or narrarator see, hear, feel (emotionally and physically), smell, and things like does the surrounding bring back memories or does it feel like when you or the character .... (fill in the blank). And so on, also use thesaurus.com so your vocab is redundant, good vocab can make of for like 5% of bad details.
I had to do character development in school one time

For characters, dont just describe there outward image, describe their emotions, actions, and thoughts in not just a surfacy way, but also tell why. Try to write something about there personaly, and once you've done that, think about WHY they're like that, or WHY the do those actions or think that way. Come up with mannerisms and such, like when a person is listening to someone talking, they usualy fiddle with something like hair or shirt. And for other mannerisms and actions, make sure it fits their personality, and their personality fits what may have influenced them to do it, like something that happened in their child hood.
And for surrounding just think of the basics. What does the charactar or narrarator see, hear, feel (emotionally and physically), smell, and things like does the surrounding bring back memories or does it feel like when you or the character .... (fill in the blank). And so on, also use thesaurus.com so your vocab is redundant, good vocab can make of for like 5% of bad details.
I had to do character development in school one time

I take Show Don't Tell a little too far sometimes, and end up with scenes that are about 70-80% dialogue. However, fear not! Scott Westerfeld revealed on his blog that sometimes he drafts scenes with only dialogue. So description is important, but it's not the end of the world if you forget to put it in the first draft.