by Sandy Vaile

Writing fiction that immerses readers in the setting and actions is a subtle skill that transforms mediocre narratives into memorable stories. But what kinds of descriptions make a story world feel real without slowing the pace?

In The Art of Fiction by John Gardner, he argues that appealing to multiple senses rather than just visual description draws readers into a scene more fully, and they get to experience the world firsthand, so the narrative becomes more dynamic.… Read the post

Descriptions are some of my favorite things to do. But they're not easy to write well.

Descriptions have changed over the years.  Stienbeck's The Gapes of Wrath was published in 1939. Here's the beginning: 

Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge Steinbeck fan, but that was before TV, Netflix, apps, and Xbox.… Read the post

By Sharla Rae

When I first started writing, the one thing my critique partners complained about most was my lack of descriptions. I hated doing them. Only the action and characters interested me. Who cares what color the sky is? Who cares if the river was muddy or sandy?… Read the post