adhdwannabewriter

[adhdwannabewriter]

I may or may not be in the bushes, watching you through binoculars. And I see you scrolling, instead of writing.

[adhdwannabewriter]

I may or may not be in the bushes, watching you through binoculars. And I see you scrolling, instead of writing.

[adhdwannabewriter]

How to Write Better Descriptions – Method 1: The Five Senses

If you're like me, sometimes you really struggle-bus your way through descriptions. You have an image in your head, but translating it into words is a whole different thing. Let's be real, it's not easy.

One method that genuinely helped me is the Five Senses Method. So how does it work?

When you’re building a scene pause and ask yourself these five questions, based on your character's current experience.

Sight – What does your character see?

The most obvious one is sight. But don’t stick to the basics, consider what makes this space unique. Is there sunlight casting dust motes through the blinds? Is the paint chipping? Is there an ominous shadow hovering in the hallway?

Smell – What can they smell?

Scent is underrated but can be hella powerful. It’s directly tied to memory and emotion. Is there a hint of cinnamon in the air? Mildew? Blood? Cigarette smoke clinging to someone's jacket?

Touch – What do they feel physically?

Texture, temperature, pressure. Are they gripping cold metal? Is sweat clinging to their back? Is the air muggy or crisp? Describing touch helps ground your character in a real body, reacting to a real world.

Hearing – What sounds fill the space?

Is it loud or quiet? Is there chatter, birdsong, the hum of fluorescent lights? Is it silent? Is their heart pounding in their ears?

Taste – What do they taste, if anything?

This one’s the least common, but great in certain scenes. Are they drinking bitter tea? Is there a metallic tang of blood in their mouth after a fight?

Of course, you don’t need to use every sense in every paragraph.

That could be doing too much. Instead, sprinkle them naturally based on the scene’s tone and what your character would realistically notice. In a fight scene your character might not notice the smell of roses growing nearby—but they will notice the taste of blood in their mouth or the smell of sweat on their opponent.

To expand on that, once you’ve described the sensory elements, think about how they affect your character emotionally. Do they feel comforted? Uneasy? Sick to their stomach? Sensory detail combined with emotion is the sweet spot where your descriptions start to come together to paint a full picture.

[adhdwannabewriter]

don't fall into the research abyss!

get out before it sucks you in

[adhdwannabewriter]

The camera on your device isn’t covered.

I see you scrolling when you should be writing.

[adhdwannabewriter]

Do you ever write and suddenly are like:

'Is this stupid?', 'is this weird?'

[adhdwannabewriter]

‘Am I too old to try this? Am I too old to start?’

The fuck you’re not.

Are you a plant lover? Or have you ever lived with one? I have.

We had this plant for years, it never flowered. Franky, I had no idea it even could. And one day it did—small white flowers sprouted. The way this person’s eyes lit up when they saw it. They were so happy, excited, hell, even proud. Anybody they were friends with heard about it.

They didn’t think ‘you took too long’, ‘a bit late, mate’. No, they celebrated.

So listen to me, dear Flower. It’s never too late to bloom.

[adhdwannabewriter]

I'm curious

[adhdwannabewriter]

Different sentence structures and the vibes they can achieve

1. Short, choppy sentences

Excellent for creating tension, urgency, or drama because they speed up the pacing and convey intense emotion.

She said no. I didn’t listen. I should have.

2. Long, flowing sentences

These are great for descriptions, adding detail, and explanations. They can create an intellectual or reflective vibe—or even a dreamy one. You can also use them to evoke a sense of being overwhelmed. They slow the pacing, add complexity, and help build tension. But once you're in the thick of a tense moment, it's often better to switch back to short sentences to keep the energy up.

As the sun dipped behind the horizon, casting a golden sheen across the cracked pavement, she stood there, unsure of what she was waiting for—only that something, anything, had to change.

3. Fragmented sentences

These give off a casual, stylized, and emotional tone. They're perfect for internal monologue and mimicking the way we actually think or speak.

Not the way I planned. Not even close. But here we are.

4. Repetitive structure

They add drama, rhythm, and emotional intensity. It's a powerful stylistic tool that can drive a point home.

She wanted peace. She wanted quiet. She wanted to forget.

5. Inverted or unusual word order

If you're aiming for a formal, archaic, or poetic tone, this structure will get you there.

Gone was the light from his eyes.

6. Interruptions (em dashes or parentheses)

If you're going for a conversational, conflicted, or stream-of-consciousness vibe—even something humorous if used right—interruptions are your friend. They mimic how we speak and think in real time.

I was going to tell her—God, I really was—but I couldn’t.

7. Questions

Questions are fantastic for showing uncertainty, anxiety, or inner conflict. They can also give off a philosophical tone and invite reflection from both the character and the reader.

What if I never make it out? What if this is it?

[adhdwannabewriter]

my ADHD brain be like

[adhdwannabewriter]

Did you write today? No? Okay, not a problem. Just open a doc and write a sentence. One sentence, that’s it. Just one. One, dude, just one. I know you can do it. One. One sentence. Just one.

[adhdwannabewriter]

The fuck are you supposed to do with the semicolon ; ?

We’ve discussed the comma and the dash brothers—finally, the time has come for the less sexy relative: the semicolon. But how do we use it?

1. To link two related independent sentences

He didn’t believe in fate; she made him reconsider.

The forest was silent; even the wind held its breath.

Slap a semicolon between two complete sentences that are closely related but not joined by a coordinating conjunction (like and, but, or so). This creates a subtle pause—somewhere between a comma and a period—and it shows the relationship between the two sentences.

2. To separate items in a complex list

She packed her bags with care: a red silk dress, delicate and expensive; an old photograph, creased and faded; and a knife, sharp as her resolve.

As you can see, semicolons help with clarity. If the items in your list already contain commas, use semicolons to avoid confusion.

3.  To balance contrast or comparison

He spoke in riddles; she answered in truths.

The sun warmed their backs; the storm waited ahead.

Here we have a slightly sexier use of semicolons. They can elegantly balance two ideas that contrast or reflect one another.

4. Before a conjunctive adverb when connecting two independent sentences

First, what are conjunctive adverbs? Conjunctive adverbs are transition words used to connect independent clauses or sentences by showing the relationship between them - Grammarly

These are some examples: however, therefore, moreover, nevertheless, meanwhile, for example

Use with a semicolon:

She wanted to continue exploring the ruins; however, the sun was beginning to set.

Notice that you use a semicolon, paired with a comma, here. In this instance, they are a package deal—the lovers that sandwich the third (the conjunctive adverb) in between them in this grammatically correct ménage à trois.

You slip that semicolon before the ‘however’ AND then you slap a comma after it.