Give Me Some of That Old Time Description
The sunset was like a bright beam of orange spun cotton candy dancing on a fiery mound of... oh screw it. So description.... yeah... Even though I draw, my writing has always been weakest when I try to describe things. Objects in a room. A sunset. Clothing. Faces. Still, I didn't think that my description was that bad until I encountered the view that historical novels should immerse you in the period, fully fleshing out the world to make you feel as if you were there. See, for example, The Crimson Petal and the White . I don't immerse. I describe and move on. Now and then, I'll mention a detail if I think it's important. Or I might give a thorough description of a character if that character matters. But I don't linger. I rarely paint a scene. I never thought that lessened my readers' enjoyment, but maybe I've been depriving them. Maybe I should take the time to really sketch out the surroundings. After all, it's not as if