As I wrote in “Lessons from my Dogs: Writing Detail“, incorporating detail into your writing will bring your book and/or story to life, enabling readers to vicariously experience what you’re writing about. Unfortunately, most of us chase through our days, causing the few details we do notice to blur into an abstract collage. But as I discovered when my brother asked me to capture any details that struck me during my trip to New Orleans, applying a photographic eye—and a camera—to one’s surroundings can be surprisingly revealing.
Although writing details span the sensory gamut, I obviously couldn’t capture sounds and smells in my photos. But I sure brought home a vivid sense of place. Can’t you just imagine how damp and humid the New Orleans climate is when you see all the moss and rust, to say nothing of the ferns growing out of cracks in buildings and cemetery tombs. Did I notice any of that during my previous trip? That would be a no.
How about mushroom growing on the branch of a tree?
Art pieces and architectural details stand out so much more when you have a camera in hand and are snapping picture after picture.
And then there’s the food and drink. Now those are some tasty details.
Now that’s what I call detail.
I’d love to vicariously experience any or all of this in everything you’re writing.
Thanks for that in advance.
Sorry, comments are closed for this post.