How to Become a Better Writer: A Wattpad Guide

TIP #1: Using More Descriptive Language

What I've learned by engaging in the Wattpad communities (clubs, profiles, etc.) is not so much that writers don't want to have more descriptive storytelling; they simply do not know how to go about achieving this. And, in some cases, fear that writing in this manner will be labeled as having too much "fluff" in the story.

This is how I see it: never become so descriptive that it takes away from the story (as a distraction), but be descriptive enough that it will add to it. Because writers have trouble accomplishing this, they often lean toward that tendency to "tell a story" rather than back it up with descriptive language that shows (via sensory detail) or supports the story. Let's look at an example.

You could write:

We drove to the mall. — TELLING

OR

You could write:

There was nothing more irritating than having to sit in rush hour when you are trying to get somewhere. Crazy drivers bobbing and weaving in and out of lanes. The occasional 18-wheeler blocking the view ahead. A trip to the mall that should only take ten minutes ended up being an exhaustive undertaking. Finally, yes, finally, we made it to our destination. — SHOWING