Writing Details

Full lesson title: How I learned to write details and tips for being the master of writing your own.

Tiny break from genres because I realized that I haven’t given the foundation lesson for why my examples are so incredibly detailed and realistic. (Reason for why I didn’t give examples from my own writing yet.)

When asked throughout school in essays – specifically by one teacher during my first creative writing class – what kind of writer peers we (peers and I) wanted to be, you’d end up with a lot of people listing genres. I, despite the desire to be master of blank genre, chose a more complex answer. In short, I decided I wanted to be a master of details and realism despite my adoration for suspense, mystery, fantasy, and science fiction. Despite that answer, I still set out on a journey to learn how to write in every single genre known to the English language. Being over educated in the subject doesn’t hurt. Right?

How I learned to be a details writer is a funny tale. In some ways it is going to bad. Actually, scratch that. It IS going to sound bad.

I learned methods for detail writing by first learning how to write erotica. Yes, that’s right. I discovered the secret to detailed writing by learning erotica. Specifically, I learned from Stacia Kane’s book titled “Be a Sex-Writing Strumpet.”

Ms. Kane’s best piece of advice (related to said topic at hand) when referring to setting is to treat it as a third character in the room.

Makes sense, so much sense it’s that “doh” moment because it is so simple. When there are a specific number of characters in a room, we don’t neglect one. To ignore a character’s dialogue and reactions to what’s going on is extreme neglect and that’s what happens to a lot of writers when it comes to setting. Setting adds to what’s going on in a scene or a chapter. Knowing that there’s a storm changes how the reader is imagining the volume of the character’s voice, knowing there’s poisonous gas in the room justifies the scene’s pacing, and knowing there’s a bridge crumbling beneath the character’s steps pumps up the risk and emotion of the following dialogue. It doesn’t just make a well-rounded scene; it gives a texture to the genre of your choice. Texture that may be a style signature to every story you write that makes readers know it is you without having to look at the author’s name. In translation, your style signature is that artistic signature in the bottom corner of a painting.

Details writing is taking setting and giving it a dose of steroids. To make an example let’s do a simple writing exercise:

Imagine a sentimental item in your home, an item that has been handled a lot be it by you or another person. Could be that classic piano, grandma’s quilt, or antique books. Now, I want you to list all of the characteristics that make that item unique. The tiny chip on the piano’s middle C, the initials of all of grandma’s family members, indention of fingers on the book’s leather book cover – search for as many characteristics as you can and write them down.

To show the example of how it’s done, I’m going to write the details of a family heirloom – my father’s ABC book.

     The cover is a very faded blue and worn. The spine has been handled so many times no baby blue remains on the corners. The shelf wear doesn’t entitle the repair of the book but rather respect, respect for having survived three different owners– respect for surviving sixty-something years.

Four names are written inside, “From Arthur, To Richard. From Adrian, To Laura.” Lean in and there’s a nagging feeling that behind the smell of old parchment is the aroma of Hong Kong and Chicago. The smells of rich Asian teas and incense clash with the scent deep-dish pizzas and grandpa’s cologne on specific pages. Never mind the smell of ink and parchment, it smells like home.

Now take note of how many details I mentioned. For my writing style, I hit what I call a sweet spot. That spot between giving the basic info and droning on. When writing details you have to be careful on how much to pack into a paragraph. Too many details and the reader is going to lose track of where the scene is going and the dialogue that is being said. Whenever possible, use your character to give subtle hints to the extra details either through dialogue or actions.

An example of character subtlety in details is in my story S. Holmes #1. In a big reveal of a mystery character I used a soft mention of actions where the character on the other end of the phone line saw Sheryl’s every move.

     Sheryl toed off her shoes and walked over to the nightstand. With a silence that otherwise was thought impossible, she opened the drawer and then a false bottom that held a gun. Once her firearm was out of drawer and in her hand, she glanced out the window.

“Who is this?” Sheryl asked.

“Ooo which gun do you have out this time? Ah, the German.” The voice chuckled. “You always did love that one. What was the reason you gave me? Ah yes, “The heat of battle has made it fit my hand like a glove.” You are such a naughty girl when you bring that one out to play.”

Sheryl’s gaze fluttered over the street and the buildings that could see directly into her room.

“Who are you?” Sheryl demanded.

“You must have stayed with MI6 a lot longer than I thought, Ms. Holmes. Your every move screams agent.”

So let’s break this second draft example of mine where I focused solely on details and pacing. First of all, actions hinted to only a section of the setting while dialogue gives the missing pieces of information. Not only that, it gives readers a suggestion that they can imagine. I could have written, “well used gun” instead of merely saying gun but the extra mention by the mystery caller gives the information that 1. Sheryl is used to her firearm 2. That she’s comfortable holding it and 3. The wear patterns on the gun fit her grip which means many-many hours and years of use. By having the mystery caller comment on Sheryl’s agent-like movements, I spared myself going into details that would have taken away from the suspense that someone had broken into her home to leave a message then decided to call her. Every viewer of crime and mystery have a different idea on what stealth looks like, best to let them conclude what the motions are instead of giving it as a play-by-play.

So in summary, detailed writing is not giving a play-by-play of what is happening in the setting. Detailed writing is slipping in texture and depth where it’s needed.

So play around with details. You can’t go wrong with them.

Next up: Realism (Ann’s writing foundation #2)