So I recently watched some writing-related livestreams, and in them the instructor included a couple writing exercises to help practice writing descriptions.
Describing scenery is probably my greatest weakness in writing. I'm not all that good at descriptions in general, but I think I do marginally better with character descriptions.
Anyway, I thought I'd share what I wrote, if for no other reason than so I can look back on it in the future when my writing (hopefully) has improved.
Task: Write 150 words of pure description (no character thoughts, feelings or actions)
The beach stretched for miles along the shore. Wind scuttled the sand to reveal dozens of shells buried beneath, their edges sharp enough to puncture skin. The sun's rays barely touched this part of the earth. Everything was cold, and there was just enough light for it to still be considered day. Seagulls glided over the still water, its surface too dark to eye any fish that may lie beneath. The forest surrounding the water stood eerily still, with no birds to shriek or squirrels to scurry. The only sign of life in the trees themselves were the rich green leaves scattered across their branches. Patches of grass poked out from beneath the sand. On them, colonies of ants marched back and forth, carrying whatever morsels of nutrients they could find in the desolate land. A wolf shrieked in the distance, its sound startling the seagulls, prompting them to soar over the water and trees and find somewhere else to feast.
Notes:
• They had a picture on the screen to use as inspo for the scene. It was a beach with slightly eerie vibes.
• They had a 20 minute timer and I finished it in about 18 minutes
• I'm not super proud of the description itself, but it did force me to pay more attention to detail than I usually would on my own.
Same task, different reference picture
(This one was an attic with an owl perched on the window)
The attic was coated with dust that served as a reminder of a family long gone. The boards shrieked in response to the rustling of wind from the outside, and the window at the far end of the room seemed so brittle it was a miracle it didn't break. In front of it sat an owl, its wide talons resting on a sheet of thinly woven rope. Its legs, frail and stiff, gave to an egg-shaped body fit with wings bigger than the body itself. The long slits in its eyes carved a sharp angle into its hollow face, and its beak, pale as bone, was small enough to be missed if one didn't search for it. The feathers on its belly were coated with black spots, like freckles formed with black sesame seeds. It was smaller than a human child, smaller than one might expect an owl to be. It stood stiff, as if guarding the secrets of the family who once lived here, threatening everyone who dared disturb their peace.
Notes:
• They had a 15 minute timer this time, and this one took me about 10 minutes
• I'm significantly more proud of the way this one turned out
Aaand that's it! They had a similar livestream geared specifically toward describing characters, but I'll save my writing from that for after I actually make posts about my characters 🤧
Comment