Writing Prompt: No Sight

It’s time for a writing prompt! I gave this one to my creative writing students this week. It seems I’m always encouraging them to add more imagery to their writing; you know, those immediate, vivid details that make a reader feel like they’re living within a piece of writing.

If a character jumps into a swimming pool, that’s something we can see. But what if the character jumps into a swimming pool, and the chlorine stings their eyes and nostrils? What if the water fills their ears with a thrumming pressure, the way altitude does when an airplane is taking off? Now I can not only see the character in the pool, but I feel like I’m in the pool too.

Sight, to me, is an easy sense to describe. We see characters doing things the way we watch them on television. What television may lack and writing can boast, is the ability to ignite ALL the senses: Small, seemingly insignificant sounds, scents, tastes, and textures. These are also somewhat difficult to describe. These senses can be so personal, so unique, and that’s exactly why they help bring characters to life.

So, here’s the prompt:

For 10 minutes (or 20, or 30 - whatever you’ve got is perfect), describe a scene as if you (or your characters) had no sight. Instead, focus in on the remaining senses: Sounds (especially small, background ones), smells, tastes, and textures.

See how this limited view can actually bring a new richness to your descriptions. As they say, Life is in the details. It’s true in reality and in fiction.

Happy writing!

Leave a comment below! Tell me how this exercise went! I’d love to hear from you.

Thanks for reading.

Beth