Painting With Words

A student recently asked me if she could use a diagram to illustrate her essay and refer to it in her discussion. I told her I wanted her to paint pictures with words instead of using visual illustrations. Decidedly frustrated, she set about her task of creating images using only words as tools; and as a result of this challenge, her essay was much stronger. How do writers paint with words? They use the same technique as photographers use in framing a photograph within the lens of their cameras. They notice the details that others often overlook. Where the average person might see a tree, the writer sees the shadows it casts on the ground, the way it seems to reach skyward, the tangle of its branches, and the way its leaves catch the sunlight. And then the writer describes the tree using these details so that readers see what she sees - not just a tree, but a collection of sensory details that together create a tree. There is a world of difference between telling readers that a tree is beautiful and showing readers that the tree shimmers the golden light of sunrise through its emerald leaves. Readers will remember this picture. They will see that tree in their mind's eye and it will stay with them. Paying attention to details and painting what you see with words will keep your writing vibrant and relevant, and for readers - unforgettable.