(Silverdale, Washington; Sept. 30, 2019) – Draw a picture for your reader with images and metaphors that are juxtaposed for a jarring effect. Trust me; your prose will make a greater impact if you take the time to craft your words with all the care of a master sculptor spinning a lump of clay into a painting that could rival a Picasso. For example, this little beauty is from the novel I’m currently working on:
“A hint of cedar could be heard wafting past their noses as the grisly detail above them began lowering the recently deceased body to the bridge deck.”
Keep sentences active as much as possible, but don’t be afraid of a passive sentence if it truly does get you where you need to land. The phrase “could be heard” is passive, but consider the stark imagery that comes to mind when a phrase describing sound (“could be heard”) is used to describe the subtle scent of something under the characters’ noses. Readers do not normally encounter creative imagery like this. Pepper your writing with such word pictures. The spice such turns of phrase add to a story illicit strong reactions from the reader and entice them to continue reading.
# # #
Nathanael Miller’s Photojournalism Archives:
Instagram: @sparks1524
Flickr: https://www.flickr.com/photos/sparks_photography/
#nathanaelmiller #sparks1524 #guerrillaphotojournalism #guerrillaphotojournalist #explore #exploreamerica #GrandTourUSA #beautifuldestinations #journalist #journalism #photography #photographer #photojournalist #gramslayers #travel #explore #exploreamerica #writer #novelist #metaphors #writing #prose
Sparks1524 