Imagery is how a writer uses words as a tool to describe a character, a setting, an interaction between elements, in a way that paints a picture in the reader's mind. It takes abstract thought and puts it into concrete ideas, making them more tangible. Imagery doesn't apply just to objects - but can evolve into emotions, thoughts, ideas. When a character sees red, the emotion - anger - becomes an image. When thoughts are crowded - again, an image.

Stephen King's Dreamcatcher is an example of how thoughts in one character's head become concrete. The reader can see the filing cabinets in the character's head, spilling with all kinds of information, slowly filling up and having to be purged to allow more information to be stowed. It also captures the mind's evolution and maturation as more judicious decisions are required to be made as the character ages. Does he immediately reject the new information? Can he squeeze it into an already crammed drawer? Will he need to toss a few items out? Will his snap decision turn out to be costly?

Of course, the filing cabinet styled brain is an ongoing theme in much of Stephen King's books, and the imagery he's set in Dreamcatcher isn't his best and is highly criticized for lacking, so while there is clearly a way to fashion imagery to evoke emotions in the reader, there are also ways in which to repulse the reader, too. We'll delve into that in a bit.

So how do we capture and attach enough concrete details to help those details sprout memorable wings for the reader to see? Using the five - six if you're a paranormal writer - senses: sight, sound, touch, taste, smell; consistently - and appropriately, will greatly enrich our writing.

One of the best ways to learn how to do this is to read. Take a book and as you read, identify (you may want to use color coded sticky notes or, if you own the book, highlighter pens work nicely) when and how the author employs any one of the senses. Go back, reread those passages. Do they evoke an emotional response? And again. Does the writer actually tell what the emotion is or is it implied through the use of imagery? Not all authors are adept at this skill, so if you find that imagery is lacking, take note as this most likely isn't a trap you want to fall into, and move onto another author.

Which is where we look back at the Dreamcatcher example. One individual, who remained anonymous, points out here (http://www.sffworld.com/book/1275.html):

I have to respond to the "hype" (reviews) concerning "Dreamcatcher". ...I'm a little more disappointed in King than usual. How about this as an example of comparing the writing of King vs. Carraher: From Dreamcatcher: "Even his Perco don't help. His throat make sore and his body shakes and his belly make hurty kind of like when he has to go poopoo..." Good Lord! Is this writing? Or, also from Dreamcatcher: "Henry's heartbeat had doubled. By the time he stepped back from the window it had tripled. His eyes seemed to pulse from their sockets..." Is this the best King can do to put imagery into his books? Now some words from Carraher: From Saint Jack: "The wood floor of the saloon rippled like a moving tide at Jack's feet. A quick camera flash of bright light blinded him momentarily, then, sight returning, he saw something that took his breath away, a living quicksilver leaping up into sudden existence at his feet, a flaring wave of liquid light. Immediately it was on the move, spilling over itself...gleaming like a liquefied full moon as it rolled rapaciously toward the twisted and corrupted soul that was its destination." Or (again from Saint Jack): "Jack...had the sensation of standing again on a threshold separating two worlds, except this time the world beckoning to him from the other side of that threshold was offering him grinning terrors and grotesque horrors instead of the radiant glory of a sweet vision. The very pavement beneath his feet shuddered at the sights now passing him by." ...The imagery is much superior in Carraher's book to that which appears in King's "Dreamcatcher". I'm not even sure I picked the best examples of Carraher's writing. Reading King's book is like taking a roller-coaster ride. Fun in parts but you end up getting off exactly where you got on. The ride hasn't taken you anywhere. I think I want books from which I can learn, books which make me think a little bit (or a lot). King's books just don't do it for me anymore.

As with the anonymous reviewer's observations, there is clearly a difference in the imagery that King creates versus the much tighter, more succinct writing as exhibited in Carraher's book. And while King is wildly popular, the faults in his writing weren't until he rose in popularity and could publish much of anything. Which brings us to what makes bad imagery.

Anon. points out, the rather juvenile descriptions (the characters were all adults), such as "belly make hurty" and "poopoo" cheapened the book and ruined the images. Perfect for if you're reading about Super Fudge, Judy Blume's character, and you're 10 and in love with all things gross. Not so good for talking about a very frightening backwoods monster that involves men two, three, and four times older than Fudge and the reader is generally much older, too. Use an appropriate language. Draw images with your words befitting the tone of your book. Remember your audience.

Play with images.

Spend some time noting your surroundings. Does that bright pink knitted cap on the white haired elderly woman make her look regal? How about foolish? If foolish, is it because it's a failed attempt to reclaim her youth? Ask and answer your questions as you jot your notes and reshape the character, the setting, the object.

Become finite with your observations.

Is the car blue?

Royal? Navy? Midnight? Light? Sky? Peacock?

Is it a coupe? Sedan? Station wagon? Mini-SUV? Mini-van?

Is it a Ford? Toyota? GMC? Chevy? Honda? Kia?

Is it dusty? Muddy? Shiny? Rusted?

Jenny bit into the apple.
Jenny crunched into the bright green Granny Smith, then quickly swiped the sticky juices off her chin before they dribbled onto her pale angel-pink cowl neck sweater.

It may be more wordy, maybe even too many words at first, but your goal is to create vivid images. In rough drafts, go all out. Turn off the internal editor. Then, and only then, edit for perfection.

Jenny crunched into the Granny Smith, then swiped the sticky juices off her chin. Her angel-pink sweater remained picture perfect.

Write down a refrigerator magnet saying. Describe the refrigerator the magnet is stuck on - height, color, shape, age, condition. Open the door. Describe the smells, textures, colors. Name three objects you find. Name a fourth object you're surprised to find there. Look up. Here comes the person who the refrigerator belongs to. Who, walking how, wearing what, carrying what, with what facial expression? The owner says something. What? (Prompt adapted from Burroway, 20)

From a similar themed prompt, the actual one that appears in Burroway's book, check out the end results here: kathieleung.com/journal/ (available after 8:30 p.m. PDT, Wedesday, March 3)

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