We use our senses to perceive how rich (or dull) the world around us is, and they play a very similar role in copywriting. Writing that does not touch upon sensual imagery (pun intended) comes across as flat and lifeless, while stories that tingle across the senses can seemingly build the most vivid worlds. Having already gone through touch, taste, smell and sound in our previous articles, we’re left with the most popular (and powerful) member of the sense family: sight.
Visual voracity
Our ever-increasing appetite for visual stimulation is a likely culprit as to why the entertainment industry is accused of valuing stunning CG and special effects over good storytelling (*cough* Michael Bay). Just as moviegoers from the mid 80’s thought Back to the Future had revolutionary effects as a DeLorean blazed into a streak of lighting and hurtled through time, we’ve since grown to expect much more.
However, writers across the ages have always had the tools they needed to crank out stimulating scenarios. William Shakespeare for example, had nothing but a keen imagination and a dreary 1500s English backdrop to serve as his muse – yet, he managed to write some of the most (if not overly zealous) visual descriptors in history. Consider this periodic sentence from Shakespeare’s Richard II:
“This royal throne of kings, this sceptre’d isle,
This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,
This other Eden, demi-paradise,
This fortress built by Nature herself
Against infection and the hand of war,
This happy breed of men, this little world,
This precious stone set in the silver sea,
Which serves it in the office of a wall,
Or a moat defensive to a house
Against the envy of less happier lands…”
The excerpt goes on for another dozen or so lines, but you get the idea that he was describing an island nation (England to be precise).
Writing for the sense of sight is more straightforward than writing for the other senses – we just need to describe what we want readers to see! In celebration of the new Terminator movie that’s airing, let’s describe how the T-800 cyborg (Arnold Schwarzenegger) makes his first appearance in the classic scene of Terminator 2: Judgement Day.
In a litter-laden parking lot of a biker bar, a sudden burst of lightning crackles between two parked trailers. The explosive energy sweeps away the discarded debris. A sphere of dark energy appears – engulfing the area and melting away at the surroundings. As the sphere dissipates, a male figure emerges from the blinding light – naked, emotionless and of perfect physique.
Crafty poets and writers can use figures of speech (like personification, similes or metaphors) to add further depth to their copy. Reusing the opening scene from above, let’s see how we can give it a boost:
In a litter-laden parking lot of a biker bar, a sudden burst of lightning dances and leaps between two parked trailers. The explosive energy swats away the discarded debris like dust in the wind. A sphere of dark energy appears – swallowing the area like a ravenous black hole and leaving behind a smouldering crater. As the sphere dissipates, a male figure emerges from the blinding light – naked, emotionless and of Adonis-like physique.
Clever use of figures of speech lets you paint a more descriptive picture without altering the meaning. When you humanise certain elements or compare them to something the reader is familiar with, it’s a quick and easy way to create stronger visual imagery!
More than meets the eye
Apart from its obvious uses, did you know that writing for sight can also signal deeper and more intimate responses? David Chitty from Thanet Writers explains more in-depth here and quotes an excerpt from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet:
“Two of the fairest stars in all the heaven,
Having some business, do entreat her eyes.
To twinkle in their spheres till they return.
What if her eyes were there, they in her head?
The brightness of her cheek would shame those stars.”
As the reader, we’re placed into the perspective of Romeo and we empathetically feel his great attraction towards the fair Juliet (without explicitly saying “I think she’s pretty”). Given that sight is a highly subjective trait, Chitty notes our visual attraction towards something or someone to differ from person to person – meaning that although Shakespeare may want you to envision Juliet as a beautiful woman, his description may or may not resonate with your idea of beauty. When it does work though, “this can be an incredibly powerful tool in your writing to show how your characters perceive the world and how they feel about certain things,” writes Chitty.
Beyond empathy, a simple scene can portray a number of emotions – like in John Steinbeck’s novel, Of Mice and Men:
“Lennie went back and looked at the dead girl. The puppy lay close to her. Lennie picked it up. “I’ll throw him away,” he said. ‘It’s bad enough like it is.’”
For context, Lennie is an immensely strong but mentally handicapped farmhand. Although he has a deep affection for small and soft things (like mice), his lack of restraint causes more harm than good – often crushing the small critters in his hands – just as he did here with the flirtatious and provocative wife of his employer’s son (who offered to let Lennie stroke her hair). Chitty explains that Steinbeck intentionally provided a lack of details into the scene to create a sense of shock and loss (almost as if Lennie was struggling to believe what he had done). “By leaving out the detail in a scene that should have more in it, Steinbeck jars us with abruptness,” he writes. “This helps to foster an emotional response from us.”
Despite sight’s straightforwardness, it has much more potential to create compelling copy than just simply describing a scene – especially when it’s tied in together with the other senses. We hope this series of articles has been helpful to your writing, and we’re sure your readers will appreciate how engaging a sense-tingling story can be!