One exciting aspect about writing is sprinkling in details. Usually on the first draft, the story is bare-bones with just the main ideas laid out. It not until the second or third draft when the details get sprinkled in. They could be about the character’s appearance, personality, history, or about the environment they’re living in.
The details give authenticity to the characters and the world, making them believable and coherent. The details must be important, however. They cannot be random, such as the character’s shoe size or the brandname clothes they wear. They must be details that are pertinent to the narrative, or details that reveal something about the character’s thoughts, actions, or motives.
One example could be a character who is heroic and brave, yet, they are afraid of their own mortality. Another could be someone who is on the verge of bankruptcy, yet, they present themselves as confident and successful. Knowing these details give us an insight into who the characters are. We know what they’re going through, what their struggles are.
Details are especially important for science fiction and fantasy stories, which are layered with descriptions about the scenery as well as how things function in a futuristic or magical world. When we read stories that are layered with details, they expand our imagination, as well as bring us closer to being in those worlds.
Fallton Havenstonne 