Generally speaking, I am good at description in that I'm able to make the reader "see" what I see going on in my head. To create a really 3-D world, I attend to all of the senses in my scene building.

Gradually, however, I feel that some of my descriptions are flat or not as strong as they could be. Aside from me just needing a better dictionary/thesaurus, can anyone recommend some "tools" of the trade that would help me rejuvenate my narrative?

Thanks for the insight!

That said, I can offer you some suggestions I've heard from others who do enjoy writing description.

One of your best tools can be what is referred to as "the telling detail." Instead of making a list of things that are sitting there being described (and stopping the story, by the way), if you can select one or two representative details to describe that will bring the whole mood/scene/whatever into focus, you will, I think, produce more interesting and elegant descriptions.

An example that comes to mind is from the movie, THE GREAT GATSBY (if I remember correctly), in the opening credits part. The camera is panning a room and pauses to focus on a partly-eaten sandwich with a fly crawling across it. It hints at all kinds of things that just panning the room doesn't show.

Another tool, speaking of panning, is a kind of camera panning description. If you start at one end and move along, implying that this is how an observer would experience the scene, you create a natural, being-there feel for the reader.

Describing characters the way someone first sees them, eyes, then face, then hair or hair covering, then body, then clothing, then stance, is similar to panning (or, as it has been called, "the movement of the eye").

For a character approaching, the eye may see the way the character moves and the color of the clothing first, then notice the face and expression as the character gets closer, and finally the look in the eyes.

To me the most basic rule of description is to ask yourself what your point of view character is going to notice. In spite of the rule often expressed about using all five senses on every page, I beg to exclaim that people don't think about how things taste all the time, nor do they notice smells unless there is something particularly smelly around.

If you are going to do an omniscient point of view description, then go with the all five senses rule, but remember that such descriptions risk distancing your readers instead of pulling them into the story.

Describe from the point of view you are using. Mention only the things the point of view character notices and reacts to. You can include things that are not consciously noticed, if you want to include red herrings and sneak in clues, but then be sure to emphasize the things you want the character (and reader) to be consciously aware of.

Another thing to think about with description, and something that I have found I enjoy when a writer does it, is dynamic description. Instead of that list of things just sitting there being described--no motion, no action--consider trying to describe things in motion somehow. I've seen this in COLD MOUNTAIN by Charles Frazier and loved it. Instead of mountains and so on just sitting there, he has mountains that loom or march. He also describes scenery as his point of view character is moving through it, so it is changing and moving with him. Avoid static (was) description if at all possible, and let the things being described move.

We like Tolkien because his writing draws you in and feeds your imagination. Some people are annoyed by it, but what kind of reader do you want?

Two types are available:

Gimme the action, gimme the dialogue, quick, come on! I've got a dinner in the microwave and I've got such a tight schedule. Come on, get to work, I need my quick fix. Right thats it quick fix got, coat on, out of the door, busy busy busy. What book was I just reading? Cant remember, busy me, anyway cant stop to chat!!!

No2:

Right thats it, phone off the hook, bottle of wine by the sofa, no-one gets to speak to me for the next five hours at least. Now into this book, what book? I forgot I was reading one, wow!! I thought I was really there, it was just so vivid!!

Your choice:

fast food for the fast food generation. Fast in and fast out. What do you remember about your last McDonalds?

Good long evening meal that was made with time and effort and heart felt care. Do you remember your last really good meal?

I know which one I remember and which one I look forward to repeating.

So really the best thing you can do is develop your own unique style of descriptions. Specifically, writing practice that focuses on descriptions. Maybe just start by writing about a particularly vivid memory. That should help in the long run.

As for a quick fix, maybe just more "insperation" would help. Though for the most part, if you don't feel like writing the descriptions (or feel that the descriptions you do write are forced) then the reader will feel that way too.

Personally... I usually start of a particularly large clump of descriptions at scene changes (if there, not all scenes need extensive detail) with a sort of movie-ish camera zoom. Start out far away, describe things in general that is, then as I get more specific I also "zoom in" on the main character of that scene and right before things take off (action, dialogue) I'll usually jump inside the character's head and describe things from their pov. Like thoughts they have of maybe a setting sun, or whatever works.

As for quick or long descriptions. A description should only be as long as is needed. Like all things in writing, when you're ready you'll know how long is the right length. Oooo, I sound like some mystic or something. "There is no spoon".

Hope that helps

Just a helpful