Details - Part 1

When Writing a novel, details is what helps our writing go from bland to captivating.  A good story is in the details.  Let’s consider some important ways we can add details to our novel that will help hold our audience's interest.  Consider the possibility of someone looking for online novels and they have hundreds to choose from.  Maybe the books are free, can you imagine them wanting to read online a novel without any details?
If we are wanting to write about a location we have never been to, we may feel blocked from the beginning.  So what can be done?  Take some time to search on the internet or through encyclopedias or travel books.  These resources will give you a clear picture of the surroundings.  What the buildings or architecture is like.  The landscape can be deciphered which helps if you want to put the story in a certain climate; maybe your romance novel needs winter cold to help it stay cool, or some smoldering heat!  Taking the time to look at this research will help in writing clear details to describe what the rooms are like, what the buildings are like, what the streets look like, and how the city feels.  These details help put the reader in those rooms, streets or countryside.
Realistic details will require doing some research.  It may be best to stick to what you know, base your first novel in your town, or one just like it.  But what if the location is not the problem?  If we are writing in a certain era it is important to know specifics.  What was the transportation like? What did the women wear for clothing? What about the men?  Furnishings in the houses, or in the shops?  Once we gather all these details we can write concise sentences - and accurate ones also.
Now let's discuss the description of these details; for instance to say they drove up in a blue car could be better written if we described it with more details.  If we are writing a novel set in the 1960s we can say they drove up in an Oldsmobile baby blue white top convertible.  The chrome rims added pop to the white walled tires.  If we were writing about a farmer then we need to consider would they be driving such a fancy car or would a farm truck be more suitable?  They drove up in a midnight blue side-step short-box GMC pickup.  Taking the time to do clear research will provide the reader with a clear picture to your novel.  Did they have GMC pickups the year you are writing about?  Was blue an available color choice?  If you are not sure, you had better look it up.
Think about the places your characters will be going to.  Will they be inside a cafe? What does it look like inside?  Would there be smells of coffee or baked goods?  How did it feel when they sat down in the large sofa facing the window?  Maybe your romance novel have the characters going out of town, what will their accommodations be?  If it is a B&B do you want it to be kitschy? Or will it be surprisingly modern without the doilies and cluttered ornaments.  If they meet for breakfast at the establishment will there be a porch they could go out to? If so, what does it look like outside? With our previous research of the landscape we will be able to write about the trees in the area, birds we may hear, animals that may pass, and whether or not the sun would be shining.
The clearer the picture we can paint with our words, the more enjoyable the experience will be for our readers.  This is what makes it literature, not just someone writing.  So remember to always do your research and get the feeling of the surroundings you want to write about.  Even if you don’t use every detail you found it will help you write a well rounded novel.