Buzz
To truly immerse your readers in your essay or story, there's nothing more effective than crafting sharp, vivid descriptive paragraphs. Let your creativity guide you as you experiment with structure and content, using fresh and engaging phrases to captivate the reader. Whether describing a person, a place, or an object, your paragraph should make the reader feel as if they are right there, experiencing the scene with you and your characters.
Steps
Describing a Person
Begin the paragraph with a topic sentence that broadly introduces the character. A succinct introduction at the start of the paragraph will help capture the reader's attention and shift focus to the character you want to describe. Write the first sentence clearly and concisely, focusing on one specific feature of the character's appearance to avoid overwhelming the reader with too many details at once. You can also break the topic sentence into two sentences for clarity and flow. Start with a sentence like:
"I’ve never seen anyone as tall as Mr. Bixler."
"Melanie’s hair is the most striking feature about her."
"To understand John’s train of thought, all you have to do is look at his hands. They never stop moving."
Focus on the most prominent feature of a character's appearance. To draw the reader in even more, you can transition directly from a general introduction to the most intriguing or unusual trait of the character’s looks. Think about the first thing you notice or the feature that stands out the most. If it's a creative piece like a narrative, this can even serve as your opening sentence. For example, you might write:
- "Normally, I don't pay much attention to people's skin, but Natasha's complexion almost seemed to glow. Even when the night falls or the classroom plunges into darkness, I can still catch a glimpse of her faint light from the corner of my eye."
- "His arms seemed unnaturally long for his body, and they were so muscular, almost like a pair of pythons squeezing their prey."
Highlight features of the character’s appearance that reflect their personality. By carefully selecting your descriptive words, your passage can paint a vivid portrait of the character while also giving the reader a sense of the character's essence. Look for strong, vibrant words that convey the intended meaning and establish the right tone for the character.
Convey personality through physical descriptions.
Friendly or approachable: "He has a habit of leaning in, looking me in the eye, and smiling."
Arrogant: "He stood taller than everyone in the room, looking over their heads as if searching for something more interesting."
Ambitious: "She strides confidently, as though the energy in her legs is transmitted all the way up to her sleek ponytail, bouncing with every step."
Incorporate final details to create a clearer portrait. Ensure your readers have a clear idea of the most important physical traits of the character. At the very least, mention key features like body shape, attire, and facial expressions, as these are the things readers are most curious about. Continue using vivid and descriptive language, challenging yourself to portray the character in unique ways.
- For describing the face, for example, you might write: "Her nose and front teeth were slightly crooked. She kept pushing her long hair forward, then tossing it back, occasionally brushing the bangs across her eyes as though she didn't know why they were there."
- For body type or clothing, you might write: "The guy was tall and broad, but his posture seemed to apologize for his own physique. He hunched over, phone pressed to his ear, and the grey outfit he wore blended seamlessly into the walls around him."
- Even when you're describing an overarching feature, it should only be mentioned if it helps the reader form a clearer picture of the character's personality or impression. For example, if eye color doesn't hint at deeper character traits, there's no need to mention it.
Use literary devices and descriptive words throughout the passage. Metaphors, similes, and vivid descriptors will help paint a detailed picture of the character without losing the reader's interest. You should portray both the character's spirit and appearance concisely, selecting words with care for maximum impact. Challenge yourself to use phrases you've never encountered before, or assign new meanings to familiar words, creating fresh perspectives for the character.
Apply literary devices
Simile: A comparison between two objects using "like" or "as."
Example: "The baby's ears were tiny and fragile, like two pieces of seashells."
Metaphor: Using a word or phrase to refer to an object, action, or person in a way that isn't literally true.
Example: "During class, Ms. Sherman truly becomes an actress. She moves around the room, voicing the characters in our stories with different tones and facial expressions for each role."
Conclude the paragraph with a striking description or conclusion. The ending of a paragraph leaves a lasting impression on the reader. Choose the best idea for your closing sentence, whether it's a surprising final description or a unique summary of the content. For example, you could write:
- "I’ve known Lulu for years, but I’ve never seen her wear shoes. In the summer, the soles of her feet are dark and calloused, from the tar on the roads that heats up in the sun and sends waves of hot air. The road burns, but she just tiptoes and smiles."
- "Dú has a booming voice, strong shoulders brimming with confidence, and a bright smile. Herry, however, is the saddest person I’ve ever met."
Describe an object
Start by discussing the size and shape of the object. The best way to begin describing an object is to immediately let the reader know its position and size. How much space does it occupy? Is it small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, or does it cover your whole body? Has it been sitting there for years, collecting dust, or is it constantly in motion? You can break the subject sentence into two parts for clarity and flow. For example:
- "She’s been wearing that necklace for so long that it seems to blend into her skin. The chain is thin, and the pendant is tiny, sitting just beneath her collarbone."
- "The bottle lies discarded in the dust by the side of the road, so bent out of shape that it’s impossible to tell what it originally looked like."
Describe sensory details such as color, texture, or taste. Strong sensory details can help readers visualize an object they’ve never seen before or shed new light on something familiar. Condensed details that touch on the senses of touch, smell, taste, or sight will make the object come alive. You might describe how heavy or light, hot or cold, firm or soft the object is, or how it smells or tastes. Let your creativity flow!
Using sensory details in description
Vision: 'The bright lightbulb emitted rays of light that were almost purple.'
Hearing: 'The bag rustled when I opened it.'
Touch: 'The rough bark scratched the girl’s hand, leaving a mark when she brushed against the tree.'
Taste: 'The pizza had such a strong garlic flavor and was so salty that after one bite, he immediately downed a whole glass of soda.'
Smell: 'When they opened the box, a pungent, musty smell of old paper wafted out.'
Describe the function of the object. What do you use this object for – or do you avoid using it altogether? Why? Why not? Vivid descriptive words highlighting the function of the object can take the reader’s imagination even further, allowing them to picture themselves using it. For example, you could write, 'It was her lucky pencil, the one she only used for taking tests and always kept in a special compartment of her backpack. She sharpened the pencil slowly with a hand-held sharpener and carefully discarded the shavings into the trash.'
End with a sentence that emphasizes the significance of the object, depending on your writing style. If you dedicate an entire paragraph to describing it, let the reader know why it matters. You can say it directly if your style is concise and straightforward. If you prefer a more subtle approach, try adding related details about the object or the way it’s cherished. For example, you could show its importance with a sentence like, 'Every night, he took off his watch before entering the bathroom, gently wiped it with a damp cloth, and placed it on a small piece of cloth on the nightstand.' Or you could state directly, 'The diary passed down from grandmother to Katie's mother, and now to her, is the oldest thing she owns and her most treasured possession.'
Write a paragraph describing a place
Start with a sentence that describes the first thing that catches your eye in the place. What do you notice first when entering a house, an office, or walking down the street? Is it a building, a sign, a window, or even a group of people? Anything that makes the place interesting to you—whether real or imagined—will likely captivate your reader. Consider focusing on traits that you will describe in detail later in the paragraph. You may want to break the main idea into multiple sentences for clarity and flow. Try writing sentences like:
'These buildings are not just tall – they soar, rising from the ground straight into the clouds, seemingly stretching for miles—and they are so impossibly clean, almost transparent. The towers rise into the sky, so high they appear to be made of air rather than steel.'
'The beach is deserted, but you can tell it’s usually not like this. Trash is scattered everywhere, towels left behind, coolers tipped over, and even an umbrella still stuck in the sand.'
Emphasize small details to make the description more interesting. Everyone pretty much knows what a bedroom, classroom, or grocery store looks like. By focusing on unique details that make the bedroom, classroom, or store stand out, you will engage your readers and help them visualize the place. For instance, you could write:
- 'The river has risen, flowing over its banks, the muddy water spilling onto the streets, but no one seems to mind. I see a man riding his bicycle along the wall, pedaling through large puddles on the road.'
- 'This is a typical suburban area, but it’s located next to a two-lane road, with cornfields stretching as far as the eye can see, their green waves rippling in the wind. Scattered here and there are crooked farmhouse houses.'
Use unexpected and unusual words to bring life to the place. Even the most mundane locations can become vibrant and captivating when described with powerful language. Look for words that capture the essence of the place, whether it’s an old quirky house or a teenager’s bedroom. Try using words you wouldn’t typically choose to see what effect it has in your writing—you might be surprised by the result.
- For example, in Margaret Atwood’s novel 'The Handmaid’s Tale,' she describes a room with lines like 'A chair, a table, a lamp. On the ceiling, a relief carving of a wreath, with a blank spot in the center, filled with plaster that looks like the face of someone who has lost an eye.'
Add sensory details that evoke smells, sounds, and tactile sensations. Help the reader vividly experience the place, from the breeze on their face to the barking of a dog or the rush of a passing car. Can they smell anything? What are they looking at? What do they hear?
- For instance, you could write 'He couldn’t remember the last time this house was quiet. There was always the thudding of footsteps running up and down the stairs, the sound of the fridge door opening, the blaring radio narrating a basketball game, or someone yelling to turn it off.'
Describe how you or a character reacts to the place. Long passages describing a location can bore even the most patient readers. To maintain the reader's interest, inject some action into the scene. Placing a person in the context, even using the vague pronoun 'you,' can immerse the reader into the setting and make them interact with it, while also creating a unique and engaging tone. For example, you might write:
- “Standing at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, seeing them for the first time, I felt as though the whole world had been compressed around me, especially myself. It overwhelmed me, making me feel small and insignificant.”
- “The rain poured down around them as they stood at the bus stop in the dim glow of the yellow streetlight. She pulled her coat tight, feeling the chill in her fingers, and watched him struggle to speak over the sound of the rain.”
Include only the most crucial details to avoid overwhelming the reader. A scene description should consist of just 3-4 sentences or only highlight the most essential aspects. Don't bombard the reader with unnecessary information! Focus on the sharpest details of the picture, contributing to the overall tone of the work or becoming an important part of the story or essay later on.
Advice
- Try to help the reader feel what you're describing by using sensory words instead of directly telling them.
- Review your writing and check for spelling, punctuation, and grammar errors. You can also ask someone to proofread it for you.
