Filed under: descriptive writing | Tags: vignette, writing details, deadline, colorful writing
One of the first tips many seasoned writers will suggest to help jazz up a story is to add “more color” to it.
I remember contributing several short vignettes for a news story about festivities on a horribly rainy New Year’s Eve several years ago. Gannett Co. at the time was on a big push to insert “more color” into every story, and the misinterpretation of this demand quickly got out of hand.
I called my editor to phone in a vignette on deadline as I slowly drove through a blinding downpour, mentioning how dangerous the conditions were on the road. Twenty minutes away from the event I’d just left, I finished reading from my soaked reporter’s notebook while trying to pull off the road. The editor asked, “That lady you quoted — what color dress was she wearing?”
I told her I couldn’t remember. “Turn around and go back. We need more color in this.”
Here’s the thing. Many stories could, in fact, benefit from more “color.” But that doesn’t necessarily mean using an adjective to say something is red, green or yellow.
Rarely is there a strong reason to mention the color of an item in your writing, unless you’re using the color to make a meaningful point. (“Surgeon John Malik works the scalpel with rhythm and purpose. The blue veins pulse in his hands as he works among a sea of red.”)
It’s more effective to focus on the tiny details that make life colorful by their essence. Look for quirks, nuances, subconsciously driven gestures which the average person might not notice. As writers, it’s our job to keep our eyes open for these little tidbits that add another layer of depth to a story.
Sometimes you’ll see them in fleeting glimmers. Other times they’ll seem like day-to-day stuff, but they’re not.
Consider: The head of an atheist group who blesses you when you sneeze. A champion cage fighter who sips coffee with his pinkie sticking up. Or this guy…
…who’s arranging his next roping competition using his BlackBerry.
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Corey,
I’m loving your blog so far. It’s insightful for every reporter, amateur or professional, as well as enjoyable to read. I won’t miss that squirrel, and I’ll keep an eye out for the dress color.
Comment by jeremyrudy February 5, 2009 @ 1:03 pmThanks very much!
Comment by Corey Schubert February 5, 2009 @ 4:14 pm