30 Writing Prompts For November 2022

Writers Write shares writing prompts and writing resources. Use these writing prompts for November 2022 to get you writing.

This year we are using our daily prompts to improve our writing. This month I want to focus on description.

Let’s Practise

We all have had these moments while reading when you read a sentence so beautiful that you have to stop and stare at the wall for a little bit before you can go on. We’d all love to write those lines. Some writers simply have a talent for descriptions. The rest of us need to work at it.

Must It Be There?

Not all descriptions are created equal. Knowing what to add to a scene or what to leave out is a skill every writer must master. I am sure you’ve heard the saying ‘kill your darlings’? Well that means, even if it is the most beautiful line you’ve ever written it is not guaranteed a spot in your book. It must serve your story. There must be a reason for it to be there. Why does the reader need to know this?

How To Write Good Descriptions

Sensory Details

Let the reader experience the story through their senses. Identify the viewpoint character and use their senses to convey the events. What does your character see, feel, hear, taste and smell. Only use the details that are important to the scene.

Pacing

Description can slow a story down. Make sure it is the right place to do that. If you are racing toward your climax it may not be the best time, but if your characters finally kiss or we confront the villain for the first time we need to slow down and savour the drama. Then description will help you to do that.

Adverbs And Adjectives

We were taught to use adverbs and adjectives, but you will strengthen your descriptions by using strong nouns and verbs instead. It helps you to be specific when you write and it’ll make your sentences sing.

Read this post to learn about description.

Craft:

Read The Visual Storytelling Workbook by Anthony Ehlers.

Homework:

Look at the prompt. Choose a character or setting. Describe the character or setting in as much detail as you can. In the first draft write down everything. Use all the senses. Indulge in those glorious sentences. Once you have filled the page take a break and leave it for a few moments. Now read what you have written. Find the scene goal and establish how it relates to the character or setting. Eliminate all the descriptions that do not contribute to the scene goal(and of course the story goal). What’s left? Practise this again and again with different characters and settings.