Has your writing ever felt boring, lifeless, or just a little off? And when you tried to fix it, it didn’t help, or it felt overly dramatic?
Boring writing is not something to worry about in the first draft. As I’ve mentioned in this article, just let your writing exist. But when you go back and edit, make sure to add sparkle.
What do I mean by sparkle, and why is it important? Sparkly writing is fun, memorable, and enchanting. It draws the reader in and makes reading a magical experience.
Boring writing can still convey information. But have you ever enjoyed reading a car manual or an insurance policy? Boring writing can destroy your reader’s trust and attention. Readers will assume you are a boring writer, or they will slog through your book out of loyalty without absorbing it or recommending it to friends.
Sounds terrible, right? So how can we avoid boring writing?
Consider trying these ten tips to add some sparkle!
1. Redo Descriptions
Find all the places where you describe people, places, or anything else, and make the descriptions more vivid. Consider these two descriptions:
The dragon threw its head back and roared deafeningly.
The dragon drew its massive head back, lifted its head to the sky, and roared. The ground shook, the trees swayed in the blast, and a flock of birds burst from the thicket and fluttered away.
Place your reader in the scene by describing everything as vividly as possible. Always ask yourself, “Is there a better way I could describe this?”
2. Focus on the Five Senses
What are the five senses again? Sight, hearing, touch, taste, and smell. Writers, the visual creatures we are, often overuse sight. We forget that readers are not in the moment with us and cannot imagine the exact same scene. If you want to ground your reader in the moment and forget reality, immerse them in a medley of senses. What does the scene smell like and sound like? Be detailed and compelling.
3. Use Your Thesaurus
Let’s check on your nouns. Can you find words like “house,” “car,” “dog,” or “lamp”? Generic nouns are just placeholders for precise, descriptive words that will immerse your reader in the story. “House” could mean a light blue beach cottage or a brick Jacobean mansion. “Car” could mean a glossy black Jaguar or a puttering Volkswagen Beetle. Instead of a plane, call it a Boeing. Instead of a sword, call it a katana. Be as precise as possible.
4. Burn Your Thesaurus
If your character is “sad,” do not hunt for a synonym such as “mournful” or “heartbroken.” In fact, cut out every single emotion noun (happy, sad, angry, betrayed, lovestruck, etc.) and replace each with a description. Is your character happy? Or is she beaming as she spritzes on her favorite fruity perfume and twirls in front of the mirror? Is your character lonely? Or is he coming to a stop in the city park where they had their last date, and closing his eyes to hold back tears? Bottom line—cut out all those emotion nouns. Put your readers in the moment, show them what sorrow looks like, and let them feel it with your characters.
5. Check the Weather Forecast
In your scene, can the reader tell what the weather is like? Is it cold or warm, sunny or cloudy, dry or humid? What season does your book take place in? Be sure to ground your book in a certain season. If it is winter, describe the glittering icicles, the roaring of snowstorms, and the icy sludge on the roads. If it is summer, describe the whirr of cicadas, the shimmering heat waves, and the smell of backyard barbecues. Remind readers throughout the story about what season it is and describe the change of seasons if your book spans several months.
6. Vary Your Sentence Lengths
Vary the length of your sentences and paragraphs. Some can be long and meandering, while others will be curt and brief. For example, fight scenes are often written in short, choppy sentences, while romantic scenes use longer, flowing sentences and paragraphs. Reading each sentence out loud will help you find the musical rhythm that works best for your scene.
7. Reward Your Readers
What scenes have your readers been anticipating? Is it the final showdown, where the hero finally brings the villain to justice? Is it the big reveal, when the solution to the mystery or the truth about a family secret is explained? Whatever the big moments are, read them again and see if they are long enough. Adding descriptions and explanations can help readers enjoy these satisfying, clarifying scenes. You can use this same technique on fun, lighthearted scenes that reward readers for enduring scary or sad parts of the story.
8. Add More Backstory
As the author, you know everything about your characters. You understand their backstory, their traumas, and the nuances of their personality. But your readers don’t know all this information. As you read back through your story, consider adding details or more hints of your character’s backstory. Do the same thing with worldbuilding. You may know a lot about the fantastic creatures or unique magic system in your world. Reveal these details to make your story sparkle.
9. Be Poetic
Similes, metaphors, assonance, consonance, alliteration, onomatopoeia…the list goes on and on. Poetry is a beautiful communication tool. It can take some practice to use it gracefully, but you should keep it as a handy tool to enrich your writing. Check out this incredible website for an exhaustive guide to literary and poetic devices.
10. Get a Haircut
Not literally, of course. But think about how a simple change like a haircut can transform your appearance and the assumptions people make about you. Similarly, you can use a small twist in your story to add dramatic flair. For example, switch your character’s name. Going from Mackenzie to Luna adds a different flavor to her personality. You could also try changing their magic. If Luna goes from being just an assassin to a mermaid assassin…that’s quite the twist, isn’t it?
Remember that, like glitter, a sprinkle of these tips can go a long way, so use your discretion and your personal style while adding them to your story. Sparkly writing is unforgettable and unique. It brings readers back time and again to visit their favorite fictional worlds.
Keep practicing these techniques, and your writing will sparkle like a galaxy!
Sending love,
Anastasia xoxo