"How do you write immersive descriptions?" |

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Welcome back to Ask Abbie​, where I answer YOUR writing questions and help you make your story matter! Today I'm answering a common writing question: How do you write immersive and colorful descriptions? How do you find the happy medium between "purple prose" and "beige prose"? In this video, I share my best advice for writing immersive, character-based description that will pull your readers into the story and make them forget they're even reading a book.
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Пікірлер: 191

  • @KeikoArukara
    @KeikoArukara Жыл бұрын

    Okay, Abbie, this is getting scary: do have premonition or something? Every time I'm struggling with something you load up a video on that topic. I'm literally right now struggling to find the best way to describe my protagonist's organization's compound and people in it trying not to write an info dump by my character or in "purple pros" filling 5 pages with description 😂

  • @toastedbabybuns1000

    @toastedbabybuns1000

    Жыл бұрын

    I just finished a similar chapter and boy was it hard. My general rule of thumb was just to have super simple descriptions for the time being, and only introduce them when the main characters interact directly. It's certainly my least liked chapter, so I'll have to go back to it later and see how to fix it more lol!

  • @lillydevil2486

    @lillydevil2486

    Жыл бұрын

    I'm having a weirdly coincidence thing happen, but with books. I'll be reading and have a plot point happen in one book and then I'll pick up another book (I read more than one book at a time, from vastly different genres) and usually within a page or two I'll see the same plot point occur in the second book. Or with a game and book. Or a movie and book. It's strange, because these plot points are semi-unique and usually just small things that wouldn't be SO common as to be in every or every other book XD

  • @AbbieEmmons

    @AbbieEmmons

    Жыл бұрын

    Haha maybe I do have a sixth sense... 🤔 I'm so glad this video came at the right time for you!

  • @ReedemedServantOfChristJesus

    @ReedemedServantOfChristJesus

    Жыл бұрын

    Nope that's just your unfriendly google and goverment watching your every move 🤠

  • @82dorrin

    @82dorrin

    Жыл бұрын

    Flesh it out when it matters for your character.

  • @christianknickerbocker604
    @christianknickerbocker604 Жыл бұрын

    Actually this an incredible concept for all writing. I always assumed a characters voice was only useful when writing first person, gonna experiment with this right away.

  • @AbbieEmmons

    @AbbieEmmons

    Жыл бұрын

    It definitely works in third person too! 👍

  • @daviddevlogger
    @daviddevlogger Жыл бұрын

    If you are reading this. Know that everything you ever wanted is on the other side of fear❤️

  • @AdamCollings
    @AdamCollings Жыл бұрын

    Your purple examples were hilarious. I tend more toward the beige end of the spectrum, especially in first drafts. I have to consciously add character-based descriptions when editing.

  • @The_Lost_Jams
    @The_Lost_Jams Жыл бұрын

    I actually thought that I was weird because when I wrote my novel, I basically tapped into my MC. Were like totally the same person, but she's probably the better side of me. And I can also relate to her so much.

  • @AbbieEmmons

    @AbbieEmmons

    Жыл бұрын

    That's awesome!! 😍

  • @hungariangiraffe6361

    @hungariangiraffe6361

    7 ай бұрын

    Oh, same here. (Apart from the tonns of trauma I have dumped on the poor guy, we are quite similar.😅 Probably too similar.)

  • @EmmarainePink
    @EmmarainePink Жыл бұрын

    I was like, "How much is too much description?" And then you showed the example and I'm like, "JFC yeah that's too much". Thanks for this!

  • @neofulcrum5013
    @neofulcrum50133 ай бұрын

    This is definitively the toughest part of writing. I’m always learning new words when I read

  • @ProfessorBurlingame
    @ProfessorBurlingame Жыл бұрын

    This is a very interesting question and response. Love how Abbie focuses on the advice to write to make the reader feel something and to write using a character's voice. It makes me think deeper about the writing I read and the writing I do. At the same time, though, I wonder if the difference between "purple" and "beige" prose is in the eye of the beholder and might also has something to do with the author's writing style. Hemingway is famously known for his "beige" prose that is spare and likely influenced in part by his career as a journalist and his 20th century Midwestern upbringing. Poe, in contrast, is known for his comparitively "purple" prose that is ornate and likely influenced in part by his career as a poet and his Victorian East Coast upbringing. Not everyone likes either author and people tend to point to their writing style as the reason. Personally, I prefer Poe to Hemingway in part because I like the Victoriana better, but I know people who disagree with me. I'm wondering if writers should also stay true to their own writing style and not worry too much about how others may label their writing. The people who like it probably won't label it either "beige" or "purple" - they'll just enjoy it.

  • @naomiuchiha0906

    @naomiuchiha0906

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes💕

  • @ProfessorBurlingame

    @ProfessorBurlingame

    Жыл бұрын

    @@naomiuchiha0906 💗

  • @srinivastatachar4951

    @srinivastatachar4951

    9 ай бұрын

    Absolutely! Also, it's not always that simple or straightforward to determine which to use to describe a given situation... You'll probably end up overthinking it and getting frustrated! Instead, just focus on writing what comes most naturally to you in the moment. Then, when you review it, you will, in all likelihood, see flaws in it that will need to be corrected and revised. These flaws will include some or all the points mentioned this video, viz., narration being uncharacteristic of the character (not being consistent with the character voice), much too fancy language (purple prose), vapid descriptions with inadequate punch (beige prose), in addition to the usual, like too much info dumping, errors in logistics (inconsistencies with the other parts of the story), grammatical errors, spelling errors, etc. Sometimes reviewing it after a day or two will make a huge difference in whether you catch all these points or not! The bottom line is that every situation in the story will be suited to a different style of writing. When you're describing a leisurely event (like the MC exploring her college campus for the first time, for example), more flowery, poetic prose might fit the narration better than, say, the climax, when the villain has the MC in their power and is about to deal the final deathblow... This is no time to launch into a description of flitting butterflies and warm summer breezes caressing hollyhocks in the well-manicured garden outside as fluffy, cotton-candy clouds laze across the azure sky... Highly inappropriate language for the situation! A telegram-style approach would convey the urgency and direness of it far more effectively! What do you think? ===============================================================================================================

  • @ProfessorBurlingame

    @ProfessorBurlingame

    9 ай бұрын

    @@srinivastatachar4951 Use the writing style most appropriate to a given situation? Yup. Couldn't agree more.🙂

  • @bencressman6110

    @bencressman6110

    7 ай бұрын

    I think it’s relative to the writer. Maybe Poe’s “beige” is at the same level as Hemmingway’s “purple”. I think it’s still a good idea to evaluate your prose based on your own tastes and make sure you’re hitting your own true North.

  • @taytaythehufflepuff8532
    @taytaythehufflepuff8532 Жыл бұрын

    I swear, the purple prose is so terrible, unless your character totally DOES view every day like that. (I could see the purple prose being such a VIBE for a character if done right... totally not thinking the character would have to be a type 4, but I'm /just/ saying)

  • @elizabethb.c.5014

    @elizabethb.c.5014

    Жыл бұрын

    I have a character that uses purple prose. The whole book is themed around flowers so the "flowery" prose thing is a fun joke for me. I do agree, though. Over the top prose without a purpose makes reading pretty difficult, sometimes.

  • @snaining2054

    @snaining2054

    Жыл бұрын

    this comment immediately made me think about fischl from genshin impact

  • @queenoforeos3057

    @queenoforeos3057

    Жыл бұрын

    @@snaining2054 I didn’t notice at first but you’re 100% right

  • @AnastasiaCreates

    @AnastasiaCreates

    Жыл бұрын

    Haha, definitely does NOT have to be type 4 🤫

  • @billyalarie929

    @billyalarie929

    Жыл бұрын

    I think purple prose is an overrated concept. I think people are just afraid to indulge in understanding the nuances of their story, so they relegate it to this thing that is BAD and call it “purple prose”. There’s not really that much purple prose. By all this, today’s classics are TERRIBLE form. Uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh?

  • @lachibolala1752
    @lachibolala1752 Жыл бұрын

    The only thing I wanna say is, Abbie, you saved my life! Thank you so much. I am a fetus writer I writer Fanfictions tbh, and since I found your channel, I'm more into writing. your videos not only help me with writing but also motivate me to write more and more and discover myself. I was struggling to write better descriptions for my story, and now I got it. I write more in 'beige' than 'purple', but I'll try to write more immersive descriptions. Thanks for the video.

  • @Yo5463
    @Yo5463 Жыл бұрын

    It may be because my narrators are always omniscient and never characters within the story but I really liked the beige prose. It was so easy to follow and kept up a nice pace. I tend to sprinkle in a few extravagant descriptions for emphasis or to imbue an emotion but never metaphors or similes. Metaphors are where my attention lapses even if I'm heavily invested in the scene

  • @najeeamurray323
    @najeeamurray323 Жыл бұрын

    Within the first few pages of reading Tessa and Weston's perspectives, I could tell how unique and distinctive their voices were! I keep coming back to them as inspiration to remind myself to write in my own character's voices. Thank you Abbie for writing such great characters!

  • @Morrell-uw3vn
    @Morrell-uw3vn Жыл бұрын

    I love the idea of writing descriptions from the character's point of view rather than the writer's point of view. Thank you so much for this writing advice. :)

  • @jasleensihra9754
    @jasleensihra9754 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you for answering my question Abbie!! I really appreciate your practical examples, I struggle with abstract advice and you hit the nail on the head all the time! Thank you very much 😄❤

  • @AbbieEmmons

    @AbbieEmmons

    Жыл бұрын

    This was a fantastic question, Jasleen! I'm so glad you found my answer helpful. 😊

  • @writerinprogress
    @writerinprogress Жыл бұрын

    A-HA! THIS is why I'm finding it so hard to create good descriptions for my first-person POV sc-fi story! She's had her memory wiped, but before that she lived on the streets, and has had no formal education. This means I can't use any 'fancy' words that she would've heard in a school English class, or use any terms or names for things that she, as a poor girl living on the streets, would never have owned or even seen. But I still have to get creative with the more basic vocabulary she *does* have, so it doesn't sound like an Early Learning book. Sometimes I can nail it, but other times it's pretty darn hard!

  • @AbbieEmmons

    @AbbieEmmons

    Жыл бұрын

    Oooh, this is an interesting concept to explore! 🤔

  • @ILoveZeke
    @ILoveZeke Жыл бұрын

    Thanks! I really like the topic of this video, because it’s what I’m currently dealing with right now.

  • @uglystupidloser
    @uglystupidloser Жыл бұрын

    uh. there are a few things that come to mind - for me. 1. purple prose is fine, but if it takes away from your intent or whatever particular vision you want to express, then it isn't helping you deliver. it is... dead weight. it's like too many explosions and you can't see what's going on in the scene. or too many slow motion shots and you get bored. if whatever line you give the audience is NOT helping you "set up" or "pay off"... you could be replacing that with something that actually DOES help. 2. jasleen seems to be asking more about "i'm not feeling very confident on my writing of what i think is important to me, and i was wondering what could help me do that without my writing going overboard." and i think abbie's advice of finding the character's voice can be helpful here, especially if you are writing in first person. uh, you COULD have your prose deliberately represent a particular character's mental and emotional state, their dialect and cadence of speech, how they judge the things that they are reacting to, etc. 3. but if jasleen is referring to third person, i would say that descriptive language... should really be used instead to provide TONE and PACING. uh, i don't really think that DESCRIPTIONS matter so much to an audience, unless they have a reason to be emotionally invested in it. so... i could describe a city for some procedural crime drama, but the story may not even need it. the important thing is that the audience sees the magic trick that you are setting up for them and will eventually pay off later. ... i would say... descriptions are like stage props... you can spend so much time finding the perfect prop for your scene, but, unless you have a specific story beat related to that prop, you are most likely wasting your time on extraneous detail. ... when you could be spending your energy on writing the story instead. just a thought. or three.

  • @anastazjamalczyk7683
    @anastazjamalczyk7683 Жыл бұрын

    Haha, thanks for the video and actual examples, Abbie! Is it bad that I actually liked the "purple prose" example of your book scenes? Of course it's overdone but with toning it down a bit, just a tiny bit, I would totally enjoy reading that!❤ Sure, it doesn't sound like a modern teen thoughts at all, but many novels from the 18th and 19th century actually sound like that! What can I say? I am a sucker for long, dramatic and poetic sentences, as in the old romantic novels. 😊 Anyways, thank you for the great advice about speaking from your character's perspective. It does make a difference and allows the reader to relate and put themselves in the characters's shoes.

  • @taz2906
    @taz2906 Жыл бұрын

    I am aware that what I write is very beige, and I sometimes try to write purple just to break out of that and end up in the happy medium. I should do it more often, but I oftentimes simply want to just get words on a page since I write so gosh-darn slow.

  • @Iram_Ali
    @Iram_Ali8 ай бұрын

    I hope that more writers watch this video! I'm currently reading an interesting story. The theme and plot are so good, but man, the prose is ultraviolet purple! There's a wall of text between each dialogue, with description after description of what anguish and mental torment the characters are going through. You're absolutely right, purple prose hurts!!

  • @worthfightingfor2299
    @worthfightingfor2299 Жыл бұрын

    LOL I have a feeling you enjoyed reading those beige and purple prose examples XDD Thank you for much for this!!!

  • @jakehumanay6669
    @jakehumanay66697 ай бұрын

    love the way you have presented the subject.

  • @emokekolumban2287
    @emokekolumban2287 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you Abbie. This was very helpful. I really appreciate it. I write in third person but sill from the main character's point of view so I struggle a little bit to avoid purple prose but now that I watched this video I know how to improve my writing.🙂

  • @eliseb20
    @eliseb20 Жыл бұрын

    I joined your channel recently and realized so many things; for the sake of making this short, that I tend to write beige and TELL...no wonder I feel something's missing when I re read the finished chapters. Will definitely work on balancing the equation, thanks for the advice!! 🤗

  • @carolinasantos5696
    @carolinasantos5696 Жыл бұрын

    God bless you, Abbie! You tips are so incredibly useful.

  • @sarafreitas6988
    @sarafreitas6988 Жыл бұрын

    This is great advice to find balance in description. Thank You Abbie!

  • @lillydevil2486
    @lillydevil2486 Жыл бұрын

    One solid, foolproof way to improve ones writing is to intake as many stories (or writing advice) from as many sources as possible. So, when you're making a story or trying to figure out how to word something a certain way, your brain will already have this blended mulch of all these different books (and writing advice) to pull from. Take notes on what you liked in a book, or didn't. What worked in a story and made you love the characters or what event brought some great emotion out of you and what took you out of the book. Also, read good books, but also bad ones. From all genres. Doing this is like putting a bunch of pins into a bunch of corkboards and gives you an idea of what has already done (in terms of story ideas and how stories are written/the words and phrases they use) and what works or what doesn't (SIDE NOTE: in defense of 'purple prose' and 'beige prose'--they do have their places. What I mean is 'over-complicated/colorful' or 'bare bones' prose.) (That second purple prose example, especially in her voice, sounds like it would fit a really smart, likely bookish female character. Someone who would very likely, when angry, rant internally and use larger words (likely to win whatever made-up argument she has in her head and using large words would be her way of gaining back some control in her made-up (or real) arguments.)) (Same goes for 'bare bones' (minus the excessive, boring telling.) I recall being blown away by Blake Crouch's 'Run' novel by just how lacking it was in vast paragraphs of description or giant words that didn't seem to fit the piece.) (Remember everything in moderation. And remember to use genre for your advantage. More 'colorful' prose might be desired for a romance (especially if it's a poetry-central romance like 'The Sky is Everywhere' by Jandy Nelson) while 'bare bones' might be desired for a thriller, so you don't trip your readers up on unnecessary stretches of words.) (It all depends what you're going for)

  • @yugimuto477
    @yugimuto477 Жыл бұрын

    OMG you're writing examples were great!!! I still feel like I'm stuck in biege pros but this was super helpful! Just need to keep practicing!

  • @ashleycentilles9938
    @ashleycentilles9938 Жыл бұрын

    Can you please make a study case in "tangled"? Just like what you've done with "pride and prejudice" like a solo study case pleaseee. Coz im writing an insta love rn just like tangled!

  • @TheChristianFangirl

    @TheChristianFangirl

    Жыл бұрын

    Ooo yes! I love that movie!

  • @AbbieEmmons

    @AbbieEmmons

    Жыл бұрын

    I love that movie too! I talked about how Tangled does "insta love" super well in this video: kzread.info/dash/bejne/nXVq2MajhMiTmrw.html (and I did a mini case study for it in this video: kzread.info/dash/bejne/Z6KYrNeKhcvRgcY.html)

  • @hellgast0
    @hellgast0 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for a great video as always! Even though i'm more of a fantasy reader/author, your tips are always insightful!

  • @atlantisfrost52
    @atlantisfrost52 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks for this, Abbie! The examples were enormously helpful.

  • @AbbieEmmons

    @AbbieEmmons

    Жыл бұрын

    Glad it was helpful! 👍

  • @LemonLimeKingdom3000
    @LemonLimeKingdom30003 ай бұрын

    Chapter 1: Echoes Of Childhood 35 years ago… In my playroom, I leaned out of the window, admiring the sweet sun, like a lively friend, welcoming the shivering sky by bouncing on marshmallow clouds; playing an endless game of tag. A warm, woozy summer breeze brushed against my face, softly moving my hair as if inviting me to join its dance. The trees and bushes waved left and right to me, saying hello. The cheerful chirping of singing birds was like music to my ears, making me giggle and clap my tiny hands with delight. Everything outside seemed like a magical playground, and I couldn't help but smile at the wonders of this amazing day, that was building up my excitement. Is this too much description? Is this a character-based description? Is this description enough to start my first chapter?

  • @honey_bee308

    @honey_bee308

    Ай бұрын

    Holy moly, that was pretty good to me but i dont know, i hadn't write for long. How do you achieve this level of writing?

  • @vff2786
    @vff2786 Жыл бұрын

    I love this! I was just reading some pages i wrote that just felt super stale and i didnt know why, but I think I see it now! It was full of beige prose xD i think in general i write a lot of beige, this helped me understand character voice more tho :D thank youuuu

  • @Missy04
    @Missy04 Жыл бұрын

    usually, I don't comment a lot o YT, but Abbie, I gotta say: you really save my writer's life. I discovered your channel only a few days ago but I have scribbled and took notes in a notebook while binging your videos and I have to say: thank you. thank you SO, so much. I am stuck iny my fantasy story for a while now and kept rewriting, adjusting things, but for some reason, it felt like I didn't even make anything better except for my writing style. And I had no idea why until I discovered your channel. your advice is so inredibly helpful and with every video I watch from your channel, I get a better view on what the problems of my story are and how to get rid of them. my notebook is halfway filled with notes of your vids (it's a big notebook) and I cannot express how much I adore your advice and the excellent, down-to-the-point explanations you give. 🥰 I can't wait for your new videos :) big thanks from Germany.

  • @daud0778
    @daud0778 Жыл бұрын

    This is honestly amongst your best videos, I must say. Loved the contrast between beige pros and purple pros

  • @AbbieEmmons

    @AbbieEmmons

    Жыл бұрын

    So glad you enjoyed it! 😁

  • @saracoutinho3139
    @saracoutinho3139 Жыл бұрын

    Great video. Thanks, Abbie!

  • @snorreproductions
    @snorreproductions Жыл бұрын

    Ive seen purple prose being used to an advantage is in Bret Easton Ellis' American Psycho. Where the voice of the narrator is very cold and descriptive about what everyone is wearing, but it helps setting up how out of touch the character is.

  • @trtlphnx
    @trtlphnx Жыл бұрын

    Love Your Eclectic Style: You're The GOAT~

  • @taytaythehufflepuff8532
    @taytaythehufflepuff8532 Жыл бұрын

    I've been having so much trouble writing descriptions recently. ...I've joked over and over to my family about my poor sentence "The air whooshed through the air". Yes, I'm a writer, yes a wrote that. (Yes, it's in a published fanfiction.) Any information and help I can get is much appreciated and helpful. As a further question: What if I'm writing 3rd person? Does the "character describing the scene" still apply to this?

  • @irumazam4016

    @irumazam4016

    Жыл бұрын

    I think so. Even in the third person, we do have the main characters.

  • @JoeMama-yd1ve

    @JoeMama-yd1ve

    Жыл бұрын

    I can really picture the air whooshing when I read that.

  • @taytaythehufflepuff8532

    @taytaythehufflepuff8532

    Жыл бұрын

    @@JoeMama-yd1ve I know right?! Lol

  • @Titere05

    @Titere05

    Жыл бұрын

    I noticed in the Dune series for example, which is all 3rd person, that the POV of the narrator switches along with whatever character is on focus on that chapter. It's not super blatant, just the adjectives used, the opinions being written, the way some facts are interpreted, etc. So yes, when you're writing in 3rd person, it (usually) is you the narrator and not the character who is writing the descriptions, but you can write them as if it were through the eyes and opinions of the character. That's also a good way of achieving an unreliable narrator, BTW

  • @writerinprogress

    @writerinprogress

    Жыл бұрын

    There's more than one type of third person, if that helps. 'Close third person' is almost the same as first person in terms of who's 'telling the story;' it's as if the anonymous 'narrator' is telling the story with a view inside the head of the 'chosen POV' (either THE protagonist for the whole book, or, if you have multiple POV characters, whoever's 'turn' it is to have the 'camera' turned on them.) This means that, like in first-person POV, the narrator will be seeing everything through that POV character's eyes, feeling the same responses and using the same language they'd use for their inner thoughts (the only difference is that you're using she/he/they instead of I.) At the opposite end is 'omniscient third person,' which is where the narrator is a whole, separate character themselves, telling the story like an observer, reporter or even a spy in the room. They can't express the internal thoughts of any characters or feel anything they feel (because they don't get to go 'inside the head' of any characters,) but they *can* (and often do) have their own, separate opinions about and responses to everything all the other characters say and do. Which means an omnisicient POV is in itself an entire POV just like the first-person or close third-person is - one who's WATCHING and REPORTING events as they happen, but not necessarily ACTIVELY PARTICIPATING themselves. Did you ever watch 'Desperate Housewives?' The Narrator Voice in that show was actually a housewife that was dead the whole time, talking about all the other housewives in the Close -- that's about the best example I can come up with right now that isn't a bit obscure.

  • @simona1512
    @simona1512 Жыл бұрын

    Woah! Thanks! This was exactly the video i needed right now!

  • @jamescarvey2133
    @jamescarvey2133 Жыл бұрын

    Thanks, points noted. Trying to avoid formal is very difficult for me when writing. 🙏

  • @jessi5401
    @jessi5401 Жыл бұрын

    Ok but I love purple prose though 😂

  • @LNRyen
    @LNRyen Жыл бұрын

    Your videos literally cure my writers block 💗 ily

  • @TheChristianFangirl
    @TheChristianFangirl Жыл бұрын

    Hiya Abbie! I love your vids. They have helped me so much in all of my WIPs. Do you think you could start a new series? It could be a weekly case study of different movies, books, and tv series, showing good examples verses bad examples.

  • @valeriaperedo1183
    @valeriaperedo1183 Жыл бұрын

    Thank you Abbie!!!

  • @marjiescott2302
    @marjiescott2302 Жыл бұрын

    Wonderful advice! You are awesome!

  • @sladewilson9718
    @sladewilson9718 Жыл бұрын

    Incredible video as always, extremely helpful❤. I’d just like to elaborate on how much of a difference writing a description from the characters perspective makes, one of the great things I learned from reading Neil Gaiman. For example in Stardust (I don’t know if this the exact wording) he writes from the perspective of a boy who works in a tavern; as such instead of saying things like sepia, dark brown or red, he instead uses colours the boy would know like nut-brown, Apple-red, etc. This was poorly explained but you get the point 😂

  • @zigaudrey
    @zigaudrey5 ай бұрын

    I was asking about if you will talk about these two prose and you already did it! The focus on story is the plot. The description has to be effective. As you say, some will do long sentence for slow pace or short for fast paced.

  • @natefialkoff8258
    @natefialkoff82582 ай бұрын

    HAHAHA I laughed SO hard at the purple prose example which was good because it was just so good at showing how it’s possible to make something WAY to descriptive. Thank you!!

  • @billyalarie929
    @billyalarie929 Жыл бұрын

    I would argue most “purple prose” (that is, prose deemed “bad”) is actually the most vivid of prose. Too much of it today wants to “get to the point”. That’s jarring, to me. I don’t understand what’s going on in a vast majority of scenes in popular books, because I’m not given the opportunity to really understand my surroundings. Now for a caveat: I don’t have this cinematic view a lot of writers have, when writing-or even that a lot of readers have, when reading. So even the most basic scenes are difficult to grasp. I think my concern mostly goes to: how can I avoid writing “purple prose”, while trying to make sure I get the scene detailed exactly as I see it, as someone who has a hard time visualizing what’s supposed to be the scene as written. (An interesting thing I would note: this is also in the family of problems I have trying to understand where we are in an action scene. I think this makes most action scenes bad, bc if you’re trying to immerse me, maybe spend a minute on what’s happening, rather than focusing on the pacing, which, ironically, gets destroyed by trying to do 50 things in the span of 60 seconds.)

  • @billyalarie929

    @billyalarie929

    Жыл бұрын

    Also, not focusing on one’s style, rather FAVORING the character’s voice, this seems like something only achievable once you have established the character’s voice. Which you can only do by figuring out your style.

  • @Im-Arii
    @Im-Arii Жыл бұрын

    So very useful, as always

  • @LorraineCareyAuthor
    @LorraineCareyAuthor Жыл бұрын

    Excellent examples here. I can't even read a book with purple prose. I'm going to practice immersive descriptives. Thank you!

  • @milomazli
    @milomazli Жыл бұрын

    I looooooove this! As I recently read your book (last week actually), this was one of the sections I highlighted. the writing her is just sooooooooooo goooooood!!! Loved it!!! Ahhh... can we have a third book with them? :)

  • @AbbieEmmons

    @AbbieEmmons

    Жыл бұрын

    Oh my goodness, thank you so much! I'm so honored :')

  • @hazelnut5084
    @hazelnut50846 ай бұрын

    This is amazing because I'm someone who doesn't even like writing the description of a characters appearance (when I read, I make up my own appearances so I like to write that way), but don't necessarily think that's a better way of writing. The story is about my characters, not me. Thank you for the wonderful advice!

  • @timbuktu8069
    @timbuktu8069 Жыл бұрын

    It would be a lot of fun to read a dialog between a beige and a purple.

  • @BruceWayne15325
    @BruceWayne153253 ай бұрын

    Joe Abercrombie helped me understand this. He said that as part of his editing process, like you said, he would think in the character's POV, how does the environment affect the POV character specifically? Does it spark any memories, or do they relate with aspects of it in some way, and if so, how? Ask yourself how the character is feeling in the moment. A shadow can be simply a shadow to some, but to someone that is traumatized of the dark, and is alone, it could be something ominous. It all comes down to putting yourself in your character's head. This is a skill that all actors, and writers develop. It takes a lot of time and practice to perfect.

  • @OokhEekh
    @OokhEekh10 ай бұрын

    I loved the purple prose, it has this cyberpunky noir flair to it :-)

  • @HasteWriting
    @HasteWriting Жыл бұрын

    100% this is the best answer to this question. Also always consider the character's knowledge level. Low-education characters should not describe with big words. But a pompous doctor of whatever SHOULD use extravagant language.

  • @AbbieEmmons

    @AbbieEmmons

    Жыл бұрын

    YES YES YES 👍 such a good point

  • @uchihaitachi01117
    @uchihaitachi01117 Жыл бұрын

    Hi Abbie!! It's disturbing how I never saw anyone say this but you're BLOODY GORGEOUS. Seriously, your visuals are so aesthetically appealing :)

  • @AbbieEmmons

    @AbbieEmmons

    Жыл бұрын

    oh my gosh you're too kind 🥰

  • @uchihaitachi01117

    @uchihaitachi01117

    Жыл бұрын

    @@AbbieEmmons HOLY CHALK SMOOTHIEEEE YOU SAW MY COMMENT ABBIE😭😭😭😭

  • @uncleanunicorn4571
    @uncleanunicorn4571 Жыл бұрын

    throbbing with eager anticipation, I moved my finger to click on Abby's latest video offering, wondering pensively what writing advice I might tentatively incorporate into my own, high flying space opera?

  • @AbbieEmmons

    @AbbieEmmons

    Жыл бұрын

    🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

  • @mythisto_
    @mythisto_ Жыл бұрын

    Why do I feel that the purple proses have a beauty? Like they are obviously overgrown, but just a little trim is what they need. I can't stand the beige ones though. Need some clarity🥲. Is it because i prefer third person narration over first person? PS: no offense to the actual prose.

  • @carmenalmonte6991

    @carmenalmonte6991

    Жыл бұрын

    I agree. I tend to write a bit of purple prose-ish and none of my reader friends complain. They like it but I do try to keep things to the point even if it's descriptive and metaphorical

  • @mahanhthr
    @mahanhthr Жыл бұрын

    Good one, thanks.

  • @Bennythesupersnooper
    @Bennythesupersnooper7 ай бұрын

    Soo soo helpful 😊

  • @nicodiangelo9810
    @nicodiangelo9810 Жыл бұрын

    Your purple prose example is exactly how I write!! 😂 called OUT.

  • @candle5676
    @candle5676 Жыл бұрын

    Abbie such a glow up!!!!!!

  • @Queennumen
    @Queennumen Жыл бұрын

    I need this video.

  • @elvenaubade
    @elvenaubade Жыл бұрын

    i think that it also depends a lot in the genre and specific scenes. for example, i love fantasy and specifically high fantasy so sometimes a little digression like the kind you find in Tolkien or C.S. Lewis is acceptable. Then again when scenes pick up pace or feel less understood by the character or are purposely meant to be concise for the sake of mystery and intrigue then simpler descriptions are better. I say, write! write and compare and let yourself tweak your work as you go :)

  • @DoulosEudoxus

    @DoulosEudoxus

    Жыл бұрын

    Agreed! I read a lot of classic Gothic, which is influenced by Romanticism. I feel like the lofty, colorful writing is appropriate at the times of high drama and emotion. It's part of the tone and atmosphere. But definitely doesn't have to be persistent throughout.

  • @muffincrumbss
    @muffincrumbss Жыл бұрын

    *Quietly erases my 5-page description of someone eating spaghetti*

  • @HannahMcElfresh

    @HannahMcElfresh

    Ай бұрын

    Bahahah frrrr 😂

  • @lilheartgirlthewattpader2945
    @lilheartgirlthewattpader2945 Жыл бұрын

    This video was good ❤🎉

  • @joshua376
    @joshua376 Жыл бұрын

    It’s REALLY clever to visualise ‘overly-embellished ’ and ‘painfully unsubtle’ writing as “purple” and “beige”. And to bring everything back to being about character and their voice. I’ve never looked at purple prose through this lens, only ever been told that purple prose can confuse the reader and lacks clarity. And that too much telling can be cringe worthy and lacks subtlety. Which is true.

  • @me_yessik
    @me_yessik7 ай бұрын

    The purple version of Tessa, realizing she has feelings for Weston feels a bit like VC Andrews. Lol. I think that's why I kind of like it. I suppose it depends what you're going for, if you really really want to write something that's a bit cheese ball, almost theatrical in its floweriness, freaking... have fun with it. Lol. I mean I agree with what you're saying, like as a general rule for serious writers, but there is definitely a place for over the top pros. Like, part of me would be totally stoked to have my book on the shelf of a truck-stop gas station, gathering dust like an unseen jewel, only to be found up by some random traveler to pass the long hours with extravagant cheesiness. 🤪

  • @linglingwannabe9135
    @linglingwannabe913511 күн бұрын

    actually, sometimes, i like to have hypothetical interviews of the characters, and see how they would fabricate or answer. i think that helps

  • @jimmyrolls37
    @jimmyrolls377 күн бұрын

    This definitely gave me a lot of much needed insight. But I do have a question...does having multiple possibilities in 1st person work, or is it best to do multiple pov in first person?

  • @satyestru
    @satyestru11 ай бұрын

    I use both beige and purple!! T_T ono. Thanks for the advice.

  • @maxvoroshilov3207
    @maxvoroshilov32077 ай бұрын

    You are the Saviour!

  • @yevki7606
    @yevki7606 Жыл бұрын

    The beige prose sounds the most natural to me and I’m not entirely sure why.

  • @georginakosi5411
    @georginakosi5411 Жыл бұрын

    9:41 I felt that🤣🤣🤣

  • @ElaineFoster101
    @ElaineFoster1017 ай бұрын

    Thanks. This was helpful. I don't think I could write this type of purple prose if I had a gun to my head. So flowery it's sickening. But your beige prose is wonderful.

  • @Nikisprincess-bw3bx
    @Nikisprincess-bw3bx22 күн бұрын

    while reading the purple prose the first thing that popped into my head was "What is insurmountable?"

  • @SimbaTvb
    @SimbaTvb10 ай бұрын

    I’m waiting for your book, Abbie, but the shipping from US to Europe is so sloooow 😫

  • @bethforseth5308
    @bethforseth5308 Жыл бұрын

    Abbie!!! I got one question. Are you going to write another Tessa and Weston book???

  • @kubok3596
    @kubok35968 күн бұрын

    Nice examples. I feel like purple is so much, it's actually painful to read. Beige obviously lacks character but I think it is useful for a first draft to maybe outline what will happen and how it affects the characters.

  • @LauraAmorim
    @LauraAmorim Жыл бұрын

    I laughed outloud at the purple prose examples hahaha

  • @arthurbusterbffl4928
    @arthurbusterbffl4928 Жыл бұрын

    Has any one heard of America's Next Great Author? The deadline to send in your submissions to be part of this reality competition starts very very VERY soon if anyone want to enter. Look it up, it's LEGIT! I have been wanting a reality competition show just like this!

  • @aleena_tariq7
    @aleena_tariq7 Жыл бұрын

    Hey abbie, hope you're fine ... Could you please make a video on journal writing ?

  • @ezraindustries6175
    @ezraindustries6175 Жыл бұрын

    That purple prose section gave me like a ptsd flashback to a beta read I did recently 😅

  • @annatheawesome1
    @annatheawesome1 Жыл бұрын

    So... taupe prose. Got it. ;)

  • @BigBlueSea
    @BigBlueSea Жыл бұрын

    The examples of purple prose made me laugh 😄

  • @michaelneerup
    @michaelneerup Жыл бұрын

    Beautiful bouquet

  • @dani.b.o.o
    @dani.b.o.o Жыл бұрын

    The purple prose for Weston made me laugh 🤣 so not him! And it made me want to re-read the book ❤️

  • @AbbieEmmons

    @AbbieEmmons

    Жыл бұрын

    I know right? I laughed a lot writing it 😂

  • @featherpenflamingink
    @featherpenflamingink Жыл бұрын

    The purple prose were honestly just very funny to hear you read

  • @jishin75
    @jishin757 ай бұрын

    I definitely find your correct "not purple/beige" paragraph not so likable too (personal preference, not writer's). And it makes perfect sense since I didn't read the book and don't know the voice of the guy, Weston, from the previous part of the book. It's pretty funny when think about it. I mean , WFT! Deathly silence? Can you be less dramatic, pal? 😂 Thanks for video.

  • @quasi8180
    @quasi8180 Жыл бұрын

    I think im starting to figure out character voice and prose

  • @iyanuoluwaolorode
    @iyanuoluwaolorodeАй бұрын

    Thanks for this. How do I achieve this writing in third person limited POV?

  • @jettash0720
    @jettash0720 Жыл бұрын

    This was interesting, however, it only covered how it would work in first-person when some people might be struggling with this but for third person, but I do think it could also be easily applied to third person if worked right?

  • @spacewhales2118
    @spacewhales2118 Жыл бұрын

    Would this work for a book written in 3rd person? I tend to think there’s a difference between narrative voice and character voice. If anyone can answer that’d be great.

  • @VideoGameRoom32
    @VideoGameRoom32 Жыл бұрын

    If I were writing in their perspective, shouldn't I pretend to be them when I'm writing about them in that chapter? When I write, I play it out like a movie I'm watching at that moment.

  • @kimmiekay456
    @kimmiekay456 Жыл бұрын

    I was wondering if you could do this when you are riding third person point of view? Maybe riding it in first person and then switching it to third person so that you kind of get what you are saying about the character's voice. LOL or maybe that's just me overthinking it. But I really enjoyed this video. Thank you!

  • @AbbieEmmons

    @AbbieEmmons

    Жыл бұрын

    Yes, I have done that exact trick! It's super helpful to first write in 1st person and then switch the pronouns to 3rd... after getting the hang of it, I can usually keep up the voice while staying in 3rd person. This definitely gives way more color to each individual POV. 😁

  • @kimmiekay456

    @kimmiekay456

    Жыл бұрын

    @@AbbieEmmons makes total sense! Thank you for taking the time to reply to my comment. I really enjoy watching your videos. Also really enjoyed your books especially the ending of 100 days of sunlight. I listen to it on audible. I think you did an amazing job with the audio and the emotions. You truly show through your writing on your books that you practice what you teach. Thank you!

  • @hikariaburame8483
    @hikariaburame8483 Жыл бұрын

    What is a good character profile template to use? And how to I write a book with more than one main character

  • @maliquelovell9093
    @maliquelovell9093 Жыл бұрын

    The purple prose is so good tho🤣