Texturing Your Novel
Several years ago, I had the great fortune to listen to a workshop by Kristin Hannah called Texturing Your Novel. She demonstrated how to take a good scene from a book and make it sparkle by using the five senses and by “upgrading” the language of the text. She is a true master, and I’ll admit to being spellbound over one of her recent books The Things We Do for Love. But it wasn’t the plot or characters that truly grabbed me (though I couldn’t put it down!–not unlike Julie Cohen’s recent books). No, it was her way of texturing the prose, of making it come to life.
She describes a character, the heroine’s mother, in terms of smell. The character smells like Aquanet and drugstore perfume. The writer in me practically squealed–Oooh! Good one! Because it goes beyond scent and moves into who the woman is. She’s a woman who cares about her appearance, but isn’t willing to spend too much money. Bam! Two scents, and she nailed the character. I am in awe.
But translating this into historical romance is tough. Truly, what else is a medieval knight going to smell like, but horse manure and sweat? Blech. 
Sensory detail is such a powerful element to good writing, and yet I have to balance it with reality. I love working with double-meanings, though. For example–instead of describing something in terms of one sense, I try to hit it on two levels. The color gray can be steel (strength), silver (sensual), cloudy (mysterious), mist-filled (haunting), or my favorite, the color of a gun (violent). 
Obviously, you can’t use the last one in an early medieval period, but you can play around.
A friend of mine, Suzanne McMinn picked up paint sample cards at a hardware store to get more colors for her books. I love that idea, though it’s awfully tempting to get silly with it. You know, the hero with jetstream eyes and so on. 
Anyway, I’m almost at the halfway point of my new book and I’m feeling the need to step back and see where I am. Time for texturizing. Of course, I’ll still need to do a second and third draft (it seems to be my pattern), but this will give my subconscious a chance to process everything. I think I need a kiss in there. 
It’s a romance novel, I’m on page 147, and they haven’t kissed. What’s wrong with this picture? Of course, the true question is–do they really need to? Are they ready for that? I’ll have to go back and see how it’s playing out.
Which authors do you love, who do a great job of bringing their “world” to life?
Michelle posted in Writing @ 7:43 pm | Viewed 2545 times
Crystal* Says:
This is interesting. When I first started writing, I was sensory deprived. And it took a couple of comments from a very brief CP to point that out.
Then all of a sudden, in the midst of a manuscript, it clicked.
I’m not saying that I’m a master of description. I’m still a work in progress, myself, on that one. But I find it easier the more I rock along.
I don’t like to be bogged down in prose. It irritates me. I need the bare minimum. I would rather have clever dialogue and kickin’ plot. But hey, that’s just me.
I do remember…not the book…that would be too easy, but the description of one of Nora’s heroes. He had bottle-green eyes. And that one stuck with me.
As for historical, you’re right. I tend to think of powdery wigs, brandy, and horseflesh. Depending on the timeframe, there are rushes. Warmed bricks in beds. But those characters back then didn’t quite have the same hygiene that we enjoy today.
Sorry to ramble. :blahblah::blahblah::blahblah:
Grins*
Rene Says:
Somebody did just knock me over with their sensory use of language but I forgot, I’ve read so many books lately. “The Historian” is filled with beautiful texturing, but it does tend to bog down the action.
In my historicals, I use a lot of color. In my one WIP, the setting is in a creepy little village in Derbyshire. I use dark grays and dull greens to describe the area and supply the atmosphere. In my other historical, it takes place on the grand country estate of a rich viscount. The colors are bright and vivid, a contrast to the rotten behavior going on within.
Bonnie Ferguson Says:
Lisa Kleypas, Julia Quinn, Kathryn Smith, Kimberly Logan . . . to name but a few
Bren Says:
Dean Koontz is one that knocks me over with his vivid descriptions, something that is needed in powerful novels such as he writes. Diana Gabaldon would have to be my favorite, though. She writes with such sensory that I feel I am right there with the characters. I only dream of writing like she does.
I loved this post, Michelle. I’ve struggled with description in my writing. I am great at dialogue and characterization, but my description often falls by the wayside.
I think this will help me a lot. Thanks!
beth Says:
She’s not a romance author - BUT the series that comes to mind in particular is fantasy and, like a lot of fantasy, in a medieval type of setting - but even in her futuristic works, she’s awesome at sensory descriptions - Elizabeth Moon. The trillogy I’m thinking of I have in one of those all 3 in 1 books called The Deed of Paksinarrion. But singly they’re called something different and I’m not sure what the titles are.
I do think you can take this too far - and it’s going to depend on each reader, cause Crystal mentioned the “bottle green eyes” thing from one of Nora’s books and, well, I remember it too - but only because I said to myself, “What the heck color is that? Who has green bottles?” The only green bottle I could come up with was the plastic 7-up bottles and, well, not my idea of a sexy eye color. So…maybe it’s just me.
kacey Says:
I TOLD you you’d love Kristen Hannah’s work. Another writer who is great at this is Inglath Cooper. She got a Rita last year for a Superromance she wrote.
I just love writers who can find a short phrase that just nails the character or settting without getting all flowery and verbose.
Peggy Says:
I’m still working on descriptive without overwhelming the reader. I once read a historical and the author simply described the hero arriving in the slums of London with the foul smell of the sewers. I thought it was brief and brilliant.
As for the kiss, I don’t think it matters when you put it in as long as the sexual tension continues to mount.
Kelly Says:
I love Lisa Kleypas and Mary Balogh for using subtle descriptions that really paint the scene and characters for you. But if I’m writing western and I need inspiration I switch to Maggie Osborne and Cheryl St. John.
I also have a book called the Descriptive Word Thesaurus that is REALLY helpful when I get stuck.
And oddly enough, that’s the point I’m at now. I’m about 50 pages to the end of the book and my prose seems to be falling flat. I know the last section of the book is going to need some serious texturizing in the edit to bring it to life.
Tori Lennox Says:
Description is something I still need to work on. A lot.
Emma Sinclair Says:
I can’t really think of any authors or descriptions off the top of my head, BUT I love the feeling of rereading something I wrote and seeing something that deep.
It makes me want to get up and do a little dance, lol!
Good luck with edits.
Michelle Says:
Beth and Chrys–you’re right that you can overdo description. I’m more of a dialogue-heavy author and I have to consciously think about description. There’s a fine line there!
Thanks to all for the author recommendations!
Melissa Says:
Great post, Michelle. I love the concept of using texturing with the novel. I have a sticky note on my monitor that says, “Use the five senses!”
Amy K. Says:
My mind is blank on sensory details right now but you made me want to read a Kristin Hannah book. Love her, but it’s been a while!
Melissa Mc Says:
I still have Kristin Hannah’s Texturing Your Novel tape. I love it! And it’s always something I need to remind myself of when I go back to polish. It’s amazing how writers can just nail a character with a word or two. I wish I could do that!