Part 1: A Forest
Sometimes we struggle with how to describe a particular subject, don’t we? Be it a setting in a story or even the setting in a recount or a diary entry, it can be quite difficult to ensure that the place described is good enough for the amazing piece of writing that you have in mind. Today, we have chosen a setting that is quite common in most genres – a forest or woods.
Most common descriptions would be like this:
The trees stood as tall as the sky. Golden, amber, olive, chartreuse and shades of deep green hung above me like clouds. The azure sky was almost covered, and the path that I walked on was dark and hardly visible, lit only by firebugs. The leaves shook and a cold chill ran down my spine. I could feel the air getting colder as I walked deeper into the forest. Different smells filled my nose as I walked further and further into the forest. The ground was crispy from all the dried and dead leaves that had been shed from the towers.
Do you think the paragraph above is good? It is, isn’t it? Somewhat. It has some relevant figures of speech, a few adjectives to describe the leaves and the sky and a few sensory words. But do you think that it stands out from your run of the mill description about a forest? If you look closely, it is actually quite dull, only pretending to be interesting because of the literary elements. It doesn’t quite have anything unique about it.
To make something stand out, you must think out of the box. Don’t only focus on the big things; you must also include the smaller things that make a forest different from, say, a park. Include more sensory details, with examples. Make this part more detailed and creative. So, if you are to describe a forest, what are the different elements or aspects you need to cover to give a holistic and graphic picture that is engaging and unique – trees, the forest floor, the darkness, different sounds, the weather, birds/animals, the general atmosphere and finally your feelings. Without these elements, the picture would be incomplete. Wouldn’t it?
Let’s take a look at how an ordinary and common description can be elevated:
Walking under the canopy of the lined oaks, I could hear them whisper to each other. They seemed to have become alert to a stranger trespassing through them, trying to become privy to their centuries long-held secrets. Like a room full of people who stop talking when a stranger enters and then begin talking again in hushed tones, the swishing shushes of the leaves, after a brief and sudden silence, passed the message down the tunnel of towering trees, branch by branch, till the entire forest seemed to reverberate with my presence. But it wasn’t trying to oust me like a foreign body. In fact, it was curious about who I was. It opened itself out to welcome me. It began to drizzle down tiny flowers from above and sent a sentry of firebugs to escort me. A bed of dried and decayed leaves carpeted my path – a library of memories of the past perfectly preserved in the soil forever. Scented air enveloped me as if it was creating a path for me to follow and experience the peaceful beauty in which it resided.
Do you see the difference? Figures of speech used but detailed ones. Adjectives used but with feelings. Sensory descriptions added but with examples.
For the next few posts, we would be focusing on describing a variety of subjects in creative, unique ways. There will be some common as well as some uncommon topics.
That’s all folks! Stay tuned for the next topic.