Imagery

Imagery is a concept in writing that helps you (the writer) convey sensory details to the reader. Browsing online for articles, as I have done previously, I found several references to "the senses".

Take a moment and think about what senses we have:

See - Sight
Hear - Sound
Smell - Aroma
Taste - Flavor
Touch - Texture

All of these details will create a vibrant experience for your reader. The language itself is meant to be poetic. Not the "be direct and straightforward" writing which many DIY authors and publishers alike enjoy.

Adding these sensory details allows your reader to relate to the character directly. This is a way you can 'show' your reader the scenery rather than 'telling' your reader about it.

Is this figurative language? By itself, no.

But, take a moment, and think of how you might apply those sensory details in writing. How would you create a 'image' for your reader? Let's say your character was looking outside of a window. Without knowing anything else, what you write, gives the reader an impression of time, location, geography, and so much more.

Describing the scenery, is just that, description. (I'll make a post about that later.)

Then, how can imagery, which is rooted in the senses, be written so that it is not description? The answer: use other types of figurative language i.e. metaphor, and simile.

The wind, frigid and silent like a black winter night, brought no comfort.

That is one example of combining figurative language with imagery. Can you think of a way to do this?

Learn More:
A Short Guide to Imagery
Create Powerful Imagery in Your Writing
Definition
How to Use Imagery Effectively
How to Write Imagery


Wanting even more, watch the video below: