In a new post, Mary Carroll Moore says the trick to writing great descriptions is finding the details that matter. “Some people love lots of sensory detail in writing. I’m one of them,” she says. “But I’ve learned over the years that detail only works if it’s relevant to what’s happening.”
We can also call these salient details. “In other words, if the character or narrator isn’t experiencing shifts because of the detail, it’s irrelevant to the reader,” Moore explains. If a character is trying to escape a locked room, they’ll take notice of anything that will help. Don’t describe the art on the wall or the carpet unless your hero is going to make use of it.
Moore suggests taking a scene or few paragraphs of your writing and identifying the sensory details you chose. Consider those details and ask if they are relevant:
- Is the detail being directly experienced by the narrator in that moment?
- Does the detail have an important meaning for the narrator, opening up more of the inner story just because it’s present?
- Is the detail tactile, sensory, strong?
If any of your description feels generic or out of place, rewrite to make them strong and relevant.
