Ten Tips for Getting Through NaNoWriMo without Losing Your Mind (Part IX)

9. Visualize your scene. Don’t skimp on detail. Some of the most beautiful prose is that which sets the stage so well that the reader feels like they’re watching a film. Do this in your own mind. Give us all five senses. What do you see, smell, taste, hear, touch? How does the season affect the weather? Is it autumn? Is there the subtle scent of wood burning in the air? Is that something you can almost taste as you move through the space? What is the light doing? If you’re feeling really stuck here, go outside (or go to an interior space that’s similar to the one you’re describing), and do a freewrite on every detail around you. How do shadows play against the walls? What is the exact color of the sky at the horizon? At the uppermost part of the sky? What is the sun or moon doing? Are there animals anywhere? How does the carpet feel under your hands or your feet? Is the room dusty? What if you were describing the room as part of a police investigation? What does the room tell you about its inhabitants and their lives? Don’t be stingy. Let it all flow and continue to be in this habit of noticing everything so that when it comes time to inventing these details in fiction, you’ll have a wealth of things to draw from.