Here are a few clichés I’ve seen a few times too many: “Snow-capped mountains”, “sparkling blue water”, “green and verdant parks”, “steamy jungles”, "charming xxx", "quaint village",“pristine beaches”, “a kaleidoscope of colors”, “seething masses of humanity”, “bustling markets”, “twisting alleys”, “a land of contrasts”, “half-forgotten byways”, “where old meets new”, “et cetera”. The use of clichés can reduce your story from an absorbing read to a hackneyed piece of limp lettuce in a few agonizing paragraphs. Often we get lazy and utilize overused phrases, or clichés, instead of working a little harder when choosing our words. It takes some time to dig deeply and express what you experienced in a place. Deciding which words to use is an important Time to describe a scene is important to creating a sense of place andĪmbiance in your stories. Geysers erupt from boreholes in the barren rock”. Overpowering smell of sulphur assaults my nose, while plumes of white Steam and mist escape from jagged rents in the earth’s narrow crust. “Moving on, I walk along white gravel pathways that meander past scenesįrom what I would imagine hell to be like. Here’s a description from my article about Rotorua, New Zealand, also in Australia & New Zealand Magazine:
Beyond Diamond Lake in the foreground, lush green farmland meanders across the valley, dotted with white specks of sheep and rows of jagged tooth massifs in the distance.” Another paragraph from the same article: “Further on, pink and magenta lupines provide a curtain of bright color against the green marshlands and a gray mountain backdrop.” Read them and see how these descriptions manage to give the reader a sense of place: From my article about Queenstown, New Zealand, in Australia & New Zealand Magazine: “The sweeping view across the Glenorchy basin can’t be absorbed in a quick glance. Do the descriptions take you there? Can you imagine being in the place just by reading the description? Can you feel the heat, hear the sounds, or imagine the scenery? Here are three good examples from my travel articles. Pick up any travel magazine and read through the descriptions of the places in the stories. Here are two things to do - and two things not to do - to do to make your articles more unique and enjoyable for your readers: Helping the Reader Feel a Sense of Place There are a few techniques that are particularly effective in helping your reader feel a sense of place, and they all have to do with carefully choosing your words. How would you describe this scene to make a reader feel like they are there?
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