Writing Visually

I tend to see scenes playing out like little movies when I write, which means I'm highly visual. When I sit down in front of my computer, I tend to describe are colors and facial expressions, little gestures and mannerisms. It’s an effort for me to remember to welcome my other senses into the scene. So now after I write, I go back over my words and search for spots where I can inject sounds and tastes and the feel of certain objects. If my protagonist is sipping a glass of wine, instead of just having her lazily circle a fingertip around the rim of the glass, I try to describe the sweet burn of the wine sliding down her throat. If my character is stressed and upset, instead of having them always unconsciously clench and unclench a fist, I imagine their muscles tightening, their breath coming quicker, and their cheeks growing hot.

One of the things I constantly remind myself to do is to read through my manuscript with different lenses. Pulling in all of the senses helps make my scenes spring off the page.

Are you a visual reader or writer, too?