To start a story with this scene, I’m going to repeat an exercise I used in some writing prompts a couple of years ago. Look at the scene and imagine what you as the character see, hear, feel, smell, and taste. Make a list like the one below.
- Sights–Dark, the full moon throws weird shadows and odd silver light
- Sounds–hushed, still, creepy quiet, drips from soaked pine trees
- Touch–cold, damp, no wind
- Smells–dampness, maybe musty, cold enough to make your nose run, pine
- Taste–?
Now that you have a list of sensations, you can select which ones you want to build into your description to set the scene as you start your story. Here’s mine.
My steps sounded like thunder claps as every time I broke a stick on the dirt path. The air was still. Not a breath of wind. The woods were eerily quiet too. No scurrying animals or bird calls. Only the steady drip from the drenched pine needles.
The light of the full moon was eerie too, layering a silver light over every edge that made the entire forest look not quite real.
No wonder a full moon night was supposed to be the only night the castle appeared.
Your turn. How would you start a story with this scene?
