Using Color in Your Writing

One of the five senses is sight. One way a writer can bring a visual image to readers is by the use of color. Years ago, all the movies were black and white. When color was first used in films, it was a glorious experience for those sitting in a darkened theater. 

We live with color. Some colors make us feel happy while others bring a bit of gloom. Take a look around the place where you are reading this post. How many different colors do you see? Which ones draw your eye first? Which do you like best? Which the least? 

When you're writing a story, a novel, a memoir, a personal essay or a poem, make use of color in the words you pen. Mention it. Describe it. Use it in the description of a person, place or thing (namely a noun!) Use the name of the color, one little word, to bring a visual to the reader. His blue eyes drew my attention. That's more interesting than if you merely said His eyes drew my attention. 

Or write about something like a dress a young woman was wearing. Her dress reminded me of sunflowers, the deep golden shade of their petals. It's a bit more interesting than saying She wore a yellow dress. In the first example, your mind immediately sees a field of sunflowers. In the second one, yellow could mean just about anything.

How about The geometric shape in the middle of his tie looked like an over-ripe tomato had fallen on it. In this one, the color name is not mentioned, but every person who reads the sentence knows that the shape on the man's tie is bright red. I'd rather read a sentence like this one than another that says There was a red geometric shape in the middle of his tie. Both used color, but isn't the first one more interesting?

Color lends itself to similes. Red as a ripe cherry or white like a wedding gown  As an exercise, write a phrase or sentence using a simile for each color below:

• blue
• purple
• green
• mauve
• yellow
• white
• brown
• beige
• black
• gray
• orange
• peach
• pink

Use Color in Your Writing

We've talked a number of times about the importance of using sensory details in our writing. Color isn't a sense like touch, smell or taste, but it's still a detail that can add some great visual images to your stories.

Our lives are filled with color, so why not incorporate that into your writing, as well. When I first began going to movie theaters, the films were mostly black and white. Only the musicals were done in full, blazing color. And what a glorious thing it was, too

Look at the following two passages that might come from a piece of fiction:

1.  Paul pinned the flowers onto her lapel. She grasped his hand and squeezed it gently. Paul's heart beat faster, and .....

3.  Paul pinned the violets onto her lapel. The deep purple of the flowers were a perfect match for her eyes. She grasped his hand and squeezed it gently. Paul's heart beat faster, and .....

The second example gives us a little more in our visual image than the first one does. It also tells us something we may not have known about the woman--the color of her eyes. (Wasn't Elizabeth Taylor known for her violet eyes, among other things!)

You can paint a spectacular word picture with color when describing things like a sunset, a mountain, a lake.

Saying that Johnny picked up a ball. is OK, but saying Johnny picked up the blue and yellow striped ball.gives us an even better mental picture of what the boy is doing.  You don't have to describe everything with colors but adding it here and there will perk up your writing, let the reader see more.

When you proofread your work, check for those important sensory details, but also look to see if you have color mentioned in any way. Find the spots where it might add something for the reader.