Do you like walking in nature, watching team sports, or hanging out with your friends? When doing so, how much attention do you pay to what’s happening around you?
If you want to be a good writer, staying present in the moment and making careful observations can greatly enhance your writing skill.
Observation leads to description, which is why it’s so important to observe.
An observation journal is a very useful tool for you if you’re a creative writer, since you must write compelling descriptions to make your story come alive in the imaginations of your readers. Writing your observations through all your senses (taste, touch, smell, sight, hearing) creates a sense of presence in them, for when they read what you’ve written, they actually see the story in their mind’s eye as it unfolds.
You can keep your readers hooked into reading more and more by adding environmental sounds and developing realistic dialogue that stimulates their sense of hearing. You can evoke their visual imagery through careful descriptions of your characters, acting as you if you’re an artist painting your characters’ portraits on canvas, getting down the descriptive details of their facial expressions and what their wearing. Or imagine yourself as a film maker recording their gestures, the position of their bodies, even the way they move.
And don’t forget to use touch, smell, and taste. These are the sometimes forgotten senses, which can add so much to making a scene real. If you’re writing from the viewpoint of a main character, for example, you can include their body sensations to evoke a sense of touch, or describe what they smell in the air or how their mouth savors the taste of something.
Including all the senses will not only create a 3-D effect, it will make your writing pulsate with life!
How do I start my observation journal?
I suggest that you get a pocket-sized, lined, spiral notebook from an office supply store, grocery story, or dollar store — one that you can slip into your coat pocket or hoodie. Find a short stub of a pencil for writing notes.
And as you begin to journal your observations, look for convenient times to take notes. These will probably be times when you’re momentarily alone. Maybe that will only be before you go to bed. Or you might even talk into a little digital tape recorder before you fall asleep.
This is a great to end your day — with a wrap up of the day’s events. Sweet dreams!