Exploring Imagery

7 Exercises to Practice Vivid Description

⋙ Master the Fundamentals, Keep the Streak Alive ⋘
Bookmark these daily “streak savers” from Writing Streak.

Imagery might be the heart of writing. The world presents us with almost limitless information. The human eye reduces this into manageable packets of data that it can process. The pen further distills these perceptions into a set of symbols with even less information. But through writing we see can things that have never existed and can make them real in the reader’s mind.

This week we’ll fly over five main focal points before diving in for a closer look in coming weeks. What makes a great image? We’ll cover five features that can inject imagery with significance.

• Physical Phenomena: How do natural forces shape perception?

• Composition & Framing: How are elements arranged?

• Subject & Juxtaposition: What’s in the image, and how do elements interact?

• Psychological & Symbolic Meaning: How does the brain interpret the imagery?

• The Human Touch: Are there signs of a human touch?

This Week’s Streak Savers 🪦

⋙ Monday, Mar 03: A Scene Snapshot

Setup: A character is doing something in an ordinary place

Goal: Paint a clear picture to use as a baseline for analysis and comparison.

Constraints:

• Stick to what we can see, hear, smell, taste, or touch

• Keep the action simple—no conversations or deep thoughts

• Write until the scene feels complete.

Reflection: Which details jumped out as most vivid to you? Do you see any areas where you want to improve?

⋙ Tuesday, Mar 04: Physical Properties

Setup: Choose a small object you can examine closely in your mind or directly.

Goal: Write a description using only the object's physical properties.

Constraints:

• Focus on color, light, texture, weight, temperature, and movement

• Avoid naming the object or its parts

• No comparisons to other objects

Reflection: Which physical properties proved most essential to your description?

⋙ Wednesday, Mar 05: Scene Frame

Setup: Choose a scene that can be framed and composed.

Goal: Write a description that captures how the elements are arranged within your chosen frame.

Constraints:

• Decide if your frame is tall, wide, or square

• Either draw a frame or imagine it

• Position the main elements before you begin writing

• Include only what fits within your frame

Reflection: How did choosing a frame shape influence which details you included?

⋙ Thursday, Mar 06: A Web of Associations

Setup: Start with any subject, dull or otherwise—an object, place, or person.

Goal: Follow a trail of associations until you find something compelling to describe in detail.

Constraints:

• Write down words that connect to your starting point

• Turn abstract words into specific examples

• Choose one subject to describe, weaving in related elements

Reflection: What made you stop and focus on your chosen subject? Did the associated words give you a wider base to work from, or did they distract?

⋙ Friday, Mar 07: Coloring Perception

Setup: Choose an ordinary scene that seems mundane.

Goal: Describe the scene through the eyes of someone who has strong feelings about what they're seeing.

Constraints:

• Write in first person, present tense

• Choose either love or hatred as the lens

• Show feeling through description, not direct statements

Reflection: Which details revealed the most about your narrator's perspective?

⋙ Saturday, Mar 08: Traces Left in Spaces

Setup: Choose a room or building at some point in its lifecycle—being built, lived in, or abandoned.

Goal: Show human presence through the marks and changes left behind in the space.

Constraints:

• No people in the scene

• Focus on signs of activity and use

• Include details that suggest actions or past events

Reflection: Which details best revealed the human stories in this space?

⋙ Sunday, Mar 09: Character in Detail

Setup: Choose someone whose presence fills a room and demands to be noticed.

Goal: Create a detailed portrait that captures their essence through vivid imagery.

Constraints:

• Begin with their physical form

• Write from an all-seeing perspective

• Build outward to show their impact on their surroundings

• Layer in details that reveal their inner nature

Reflection: Which details best captured both the outer and inner presence of your character?

3 Alternate Exercises 🫰 (Paid Content)