All Questions
Tagged with description word-choice
25 questions
2
votes
5
answers
5k
views
Is it considered vulgar to use "massive" to describe female breast size?
I’m currently working on the outlines for my main characters, and my female lead has very specific features and measurements. Breast size and buttocks shape and size has always been the most difficult ...
- 21
1
vote
2
answers
299
views
How do you describe someone who's talking while brushing their teeth?
I don't think there's a specific word for that, so how would you describe it?
The scene is that someone shouts something while they're in the bathroom, brushing their teeth. It's still intelligible, ...
- 11
3
votes
5
answers
946
views
Trouble describing people standing around three of four sides of a rectangle?
As the title says, I am having trouble describing a group standing around 3/4ths of a rectangle. This is what I have written The students stood along the sides and far side of the stage, creating a ...
- 133
1
vote
1
answer
266
views
Describing light like water
I am currently working on writing a storyline for a text-based videogame. I am trying to describe how there is very little light coming into the room that the character is entering, as the window is ...
- 11
-1
votes
1
answer
1k
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How to describe types of hum a character uses to convey their thoughts and opinions
I have a character who struggles to put his thoughts, feelings and opinions into words - he finds words somewhat too contained and specifically defined to adequately convey what he wants to say. He ...
- 607
2
votes
2
answers
2k
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How to describe someone whose eyes sparkle mischievously?
I've been told that I'm telling instead of showing when I say my characters' eyes sparkle 'mischievously.' How do you describe something like that? I've been looking it up and trying different tricks ...
- 33
1
vote
1
answer
562
views
How do you describe the sound of a body being dragged through the snow? [closed]
How to describe the sound of a body bring dragged through snow
- 11
1
vote
1
answer
368
views
Does anyone know any specific words that can be used to describe a character flying?
I feel like I've used words like "floating" and "hovering" too often, to the point of tedium.
1
vote
5
answers
333
views
I want to explain something in a novel that shouldn’t exist in it
In my novel, the world is made entirely out of islands, but I don’t know how to explain this without using the word islands. In that world, there are only islands so they are just called countries. ...
- 11
2
votes
2
answers
127
views
In an action scene, what is it called when a flying/thrown object changes rotation quickly after hitting something?
I am writing an action scene in which a character is thrown/falls and while they are flying through the air either the top or bottom half of their body hits an immovable object mid air, causing them ...
- 235
3
votes
2
answers
46k
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Words use to describe racing heartbeat
I think that it is too simple just to use "my heart pounded." I prefer something a little bit more elaborated. What sentence can I use besides from "my heart pounded?" Maybe you ...
- 745
26
votes
12
answers
6k
views
How do I define smells I have never experienced?
I am a lifelong writer, who was also born without an ability to smell. I have been trained to engage the reader by applying the five senses, or as many of the five as is practical without becoming ...
- 397
4
votes
1
answer
167
views
A pulse, a throb, and a beat
I wrote a passage where one of my characters heard beats, (i.e., the sound) then he found the beating object and, when he held it in his hand, it started throbbing like a heart, (i.e., the feeling). ...
- 367
5
votes
3
answers
1k
views
A flower's head or heart?
I’m currently writing a story and one of my characters is a butterfly. In one of the scenes, she manages to run away from a bunch of hungry lizards and hides into a flower; let’s say a Zinnia.
When ...
- 367
3
votes
2
answers
164
views
How to incorporate figurative language into a simple statement [closed]
Suppose you have a simple statement like:
We should not run away from problems but face them and overcome them
What, in general, is the way to go about expressing a simple, direct statement like ...
- 31
1
vote
3
answers
451
views
What is the best description for this particular kind of building (and apartment arrangement - Central European style of building)?
I'm looking for the word to describe of a particular type of apartment building. I attached a picture to illustrate it.
It is a building that has several apartments on each story with an exterior ...
- 11
6
votes
4
answers
1k
views
How do you use adverbs properly in fiction writing?
How do you use adverbs properly in fiction writing?
In a related question, a reply states:
When to use [adverbs]? When your alternative would be pretentious. There are strong nouns and verbs, that ...
- 245
3
votes
6
answers
5k
views
What are good words to refer to the condition of objects?
In RPG games objects such as weapons or armor have a certain durability represented by a number. For example a sword has 100/100 Durability. After it becomes 0/100 it means the object is broken.
I ...
- 41
2
votes
1
answer
232
views
What's the name of this gesture? [closed]
Imagine yourself driving a car and and spotting someone on the sidewalk. You stop the car beside him and want him to get in the backseat. You say something like "Hey, get in." with a nod of ...
- 83
3
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Should I use he, she, or it when referring to a bird as a metaphor for my cell phone?
I'm writing a descriptive essay about a bird, which is a metaphor of my cell phone.
So far, I have been using the pronoun "it" when describing the bird/cell phone; however, it feels awkward as the ...
- 131
0
votes
2
answers
250
views
Is it best to make a description metaphorical, or upfront?
Background
I've had this question for a really long time. A lot of my work seems quite 'floaty' and 'old style' because I describe things in a very metaphorical and surreal way. For example:
Her ...
- 4,439
21
votes
7
answers
10k
views
How much detail is too much?
I've read a few amateur stories online and sometimes the author will include so much detail that the reader gets a little bored or distracted and forgets what the actual story is talking about. How do ...
- 419
7
votes
2
answers
538
views
How do I get rid of overused words in my story?
I did a word frequency analysis on my story. Unsurprisingly, the most over-used words often corresponded to passages where I was lazy with my description.
I'm tackling my over-used words "laughed" ...
- 631
11
votes
3
answers
6k
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How to describe a diverse set of characters without falling into purple prose or exoticism?
In my setting, a city was founded by people from all over the world, and developed in almost complete isolation (long version here). The story in itself starts several generations after the foundation....
- 984
2
votes
6
answers
10k
views
Describe person attempting but failing to suppress a laugh
There is a scene where a character is trying to be level-headed and professional. However, something happens that is funny to him. He lets out a satisfied chuckle but tries with partial success to ...
- 631