How to write a description
When you decide to write a description or a portrayal, then you probably decided to mark a pause in your narrative. A description often serves to prepare for the action to come by giving indications about the place or the character of the characters. They can also be used to create an atmosphere, to build up the suspense, etc. You may want to write a descriptive text as part of a course or you may decide to do it just for fun. Either way, here are some tips on how to write a description.
1) When you write a description: get your tenses right
When you want to write a description, the verb tense is in the present or imperfect tense of the indicative. The use of verbs about something or someone’s condition (to be, to appear, to seem, to become, to stay, to remain, to look) should be avoided, as the overuse of these verbs can make the text boring.
2) Start with a general impression
Stick to this global overview when choosing details. Do not hesitate, however, to create contrasts while avoiding confusion. There are often a good number of adjectives and adverbs to give details about people, places and objects. However, it is important to keep only the details that are meaningful, as too many details can clutter the description.
3) When you write a description: adjectives are your friends
To describe, use precise, even technical terms, when the subject lends itself to it (e.g., architectural details, anatomical or clothing details); noun phrases enriched by precise qualifying adjectives (shapes, colors, materials…), noun complements, relative clauses; in other words: expansions of the noun.
4) Feelings matter
You must choose the subject to describe: a place, a character, an animal, a face, an object, a landscape, a situation. The vocabulary is then organized into lexical fields, i.e. around the same theme. E.g.: if we choose to describe the night, the terms of the lexical field will be: moon, stars, milky way, dark, fear, black, nightmare, dream, sleep, etc. You also need to know what feeling you want to convey to the reader
Some people have problems when they want to write a description. It is a fundamental part of the writing process. However, it is not a subject to be afraid of. It’s your world that you want to share. Take your time and introduce it to us calmly.