Creative Writing

I approved a really cool comment today, and I’m glad I did as this comment got me to thinking about my own writing abilities. Now, normally, I’d post a link to the comment, but I have to be honest and say that I’m not pleased with the fact that this person used an affiliate link to a “pay-me” site, but the words that this person left were pure gold.

Anyone who has ever done any fictional writing can tell you that one of the keys to making a good story better is by adding just the right details. The comment left on the site said something to the effect of creating a scene as though painting a picture, and called it “landscape writing”. I love it. The words hit me like a bullet. Of course, create your scenes as though planting a garden or putting in some new trees. But in this case, let the words create an aura that will keep your readers wanting more.

I remember that there used to be a guy on PBS that did some of the coolest paintings I’ve ever seen. I believe the man’s name was Bob Ross, and I was always mesmerized by the way he could just paint and entire landscape scene, start to finish, in half an hour. When I heard the term “landscape writing”, I immediately thought about this gentleman and the way his brush danced across the canvas. And that’s what the words should do in creative writing. They should seem flawless, magical, as though painted into the scene.

I’d love to take credit for this cool term, but sadly I can’t. However, I can use it in all my future writings, and hope I can do justice to the term “landscape writing”.

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