As a teenager, I read a number of Alistair MacLean novels. He wrote 'Guns of Navarone' among many others but the first to stick in my mind was a WWII epic called HMS Ulysses. The story is good but the word pictures of the sea conditions stayed with me and encouraged me to read more of his stories. So the power of description must never be underrated.
It is the compelling story of Convoy FR77 to Murmansk – a voyage that pushes men to the limits of human endurance, crippled by enemy attack and the bitter cold of the Arctic.
In fact, the blessed interweb has a plethora of suggestions on how to paint with words. I picked out the following, not because I thought it was the best, but rather it gave the advice to consider writing as an art form.
1. Treat writing as an art form.
2. If you don't feel that you have the right word keep looking.
3. Emphasise action words.
4. Strike a balance between description and prompting readers' own imaginations.
5. Seek opportunities to improve your writing skills.
Not a definitive list but generally good advice. In the last point, I suggest writing poetry because in doing so you are using description and emotion to express yourself. Both are excellent ways of engaging with any reading audience.
The act of translating our experiences into words helps release pent-up feelings, giving us valuable insights into ourselves and opening the flow of creativity.
God Bless
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