Before I get all wrapped up in my latest “writerly”
escapades, let me say how very proud I am of our country’s celebration of its
238th birthday!
I’ve been reading Diane Gabaldon’s numerous books of
Historical-Adventure-Scottish-American-Pirating exploits. She spent numerous
hours painstakingly researching the mid 1700’s in Scotland, France, and the
America’s before she wrote her novels. She continued the research as she wrote
her masterpieces – and, since I’m in no way affiliated with her, other than as
a fan – let me plug that Starz is making her first book Outlander into a series. Don’t we all wish that for our novels? I
can see it now Flocked: Birds of a
Feather, a Starz series . . .
Pardon me, I’m taking a break as I daydream . . .
Ok, I’m back now. Not only does Gabaldon write exquisitely,
she captures the imaginations of both men and women readers with her word
craft. She is one of the examples I follow when writing. Not to say I write
like her, but she has a talent for descriptions and a way of dialog that
inspires me.
So now we are to the confession: “Her eyes, the color of
chocolate . . .” Oh, how horrible. Surely I can do better than that? How many
of you have used a phrase – a description that you know should be better? Could
be better?
Here’s my July goal – use other names/descriptions for the commonplace.
Examples I’ve come up with (using eye color):
The color of malted hops.
As bright as rain on a wren’s back.
Caviar eyes.
Eyes the color of North Atlantic storms.
Eyes as dark as his soul, tainted with rot.
His eyes were like a shark’s, cold and deadly, without
emotion.
Okay, you get the drift. I have a little notebook I’ve
started, with descriptions – different ways to say something other than the
usual. How do you keep track of your ideas? I certainly can’t remember my brain
illuminations. I have to write them down.
Go ahead and try new ways of saying something. Send me your
description of the eyes in the photograph. Have fun with it – I won’t tell my
daughter-in-law, the model. Let your imagination soar!
Imagining the possibilities,
Peggy
