Description: How to engage readers and keep stories moving by creating vivid, believable depictions of people, places, events and actions

Description is most powerful when it's visible, aural, tactile. Make your descriptions fresh and they'll move your story forward, imbue your work with atmosphere, create that tang of feeling that editors cry for and readers crave. Monica Wood helps you squeeze the greatest flavor from the language. She segments description like an orange, separating its slices to let you sample each one. You'll learn about: Detail, and how you can use description to awaken the reader's senses of touch, taste, hearing, smell and sight Plot, from advancing story using only relevant description--and how to edit out sluggish, reader-stopping writing Style, and the use of description to create a mood that matches your story's content Point of view, how selecting omniscient, first person or third person limited narrative influences the descriptive freedom you have Creating original word depictions of people, animals, places, weather and movement Wood teaches by example, developing stories with characters in various situations, to show you how you can apply description techniques. You'll also see samples of work by such noted writers as Mark Helprin, Anne Tyler and Raymond Carver. And you'll find the dos and don'ts, lists and descriptive alternatives to common verbs and nouns, and tips for editing your work. Monica Wood is the author of two novels, My Only StoryandSecret Language. Her frequently anthologized short stories have appeared in such publications as Redbook, The North American Review, Yankee, Tampa Review and Manoa. Her stories have been read on public radio, nominated for the National Magazine Award, and won a Pushcart prize. A native of western Maine, she now lives in Portland. Make your descriptions fresh and they'll move your story forward, imbue your work with atmosphere, create that tang of feeling that editors cry for and readers crave. Monica Wood helps you squeeze the greatest flavor from the language. She segments description like an orange, separating its slices to let you sample each one. You'll learn about detail, and how you can use description to awaken the reader's senses of touch, taste, hearing, smell and sight; advancing story using only relevant description - and how to edit out sluggish, reader-stopping writing; style, and the use of description to create a mood that matches your story's content; point of view - how selecting omniscient, first person or third-person limited narrative influences how much descriptive freedom you have and creating original word depictions of people, animals, places, weather and movement. Wood teaches by example, developing stories with characters in various situations, to show you how you can apply description techniques. You'll also see samples of work by such noted writers as Mark Helprin, Anne Tyler and Raymond Carver. And you'll find dos and don'ts, lists of descriptive alternatives to common verbs and nouns, and tips for editing your work. Monica Woods helps you squeeze out the greatest flavor from the language. She segments description like an orange, separating its slices to let you sample each one. Wood teaches by example, developing stories with characters in various situations, to show you how you can apply description techniques. You'll also see samples of work by such noted writers as Mark Helprin, Anne Tyler and Raymond Carver. And you'll find the dos and don'ts, lists and descriptive alternatives to common verbs and nouns, and tips for editing your work. For more than 10 years, this successful series has helped writers improve their work -- one element at a time. Featuring quality instruction from award-winning authors, each book focuses on a key facet of fiction writing, making it easy for writers to find the specific guidance they're looking for Details how to use the element of description properly in fiction writing and different ways to apply description techniques. Includes samples of work by such noted writers as Mark Helprin and Anne Tyler