An Open Invitation

 Our niece got married yesterday. The service was lovely, the bride looked radiant and the dress was stunning. And because we’re in the middle of December, the church was beautifully decorated with twinkling lights and a Christmas tree. It was a very moving experience and we were delighted to be able to celebrate with them. 

Except, of course, this is 2020. In any other year, we’d have been dressed in our best clothes, waiting in a church filled with friends and family for the bride to arrive. Instead, we sat at home and watched our niece say “I do” via a computer screen.

 

What has this to do with writing? Well, it strikes me that good writing will not leave the reader observing at a safe distance, but will transport them into the heart of the scene. A great way to do this is to involve the use of our senses. If I’d been physically present at the wedding I’d have been able to tell you how the fragrance of pine permeated the atmosphere (and maybe set off my hay-fever). I could describe the hardness of the pews, and how I had to hug my mother-in-law carefully so as not to crush her corsage.

 

Sight and hearing would also have been enhanced had I been in the room rather than dependent on the camera operator’s view of the ceremony. The subtle rustle of the bride’s dress as it trailed across the tiled floor. An elderly relative surreptitiously reaching for a tissue as the happy couple were pronounced husband and wife. (I’d also have been able to moan about how uncomfortable my smart shoes are, and how I had to balance on my toes during the photos in order to stop my heels from sinking into the rain-softened ground outside the church.) 

Good non-fiction makes use of this technique, too. It’s much easier to get a point across if the reader is invited into the narrative. I think of Brennan Manning in The Ragamuffin Gospel recounting his experiences at an AA meeting, or Liz Carter describing a hospital stay in Catching Contentment. And have you ever noticed how many charities make use of a detailed story to promote their work rather than simply relying on facts and figures?

 

So, whatever we’re writing, let’s invite our reader into the scene along with us rather than leaving them to observe at a distance.

 

Would you like to join in?

Fiona Lloyd is Chair of the Association of Christian Writers and is married with three grown-up children. Fiona is the author of The Diary of a (trying to be holy) Mum, published by Instant Apostle, and is currently working on a sequel. Fiona has also written for Woman Alive, Christian Writer and Together Magazine. Fiona works part-time for Christians Against Poverty.

Twitter: @FionaJLloyd & @FionaLloyd16