In most stories and novels, food is an after (or never) thought. We assume characters eat, but other than the occasional reference to meals, the author doesn’t go into any great detail. However, in some stories, food is central to the author’s vision and the narrative. In an article for Writer’s Digest, Amanda Elliot talks about the importance of food in her novels and how to incorporate it into your writing.
“What you eat doesn’t just literally keep you alive, it can say so much about who you are, where you’re from, and more,” Elliot says. “Even if you’re not writing foodie fiction or lavish descriptions of every meal, you can still use food to help readers learn about your characters.” Food choices can help you depict a character’s joie de vivre or unique tastes, their heritage or cultural background, or the importance of their relationships.
To incorporate food her her novels, Elliot starts her character creation process by describing the character entirely through food. When writing about food specifically, it’s important to engage the reader’s senses. “Try and avoid words that are general and can make it hard to envision something specific,” Elliot says. An apple may be delicious, but is it crunchy or soft? Sweet or tart? Juicy or not? The more specifically you describe food, the better your reader can taste it.
