Grant it, I’m not an expert on this but I do have some experience when it comes to writing about animals and animalistic characters. In order to covey the way, you want the scene to play out depends on how many details you use in your writing. I will go over some techniques I use when it comes to writing animals. You can take this guide in any way you want but using these techniques is completely up to you in the end.
1. Description when writing about animals is a key point!
- Description is key in any type of writing format you use when writing something. The best way to go about this is to use the thesaurus in the document program you are using. You can find many words that covey how to describe fur, movement, and personality. Make sure when you use descriptive details when it comes to writing that you do not overuse them. You want the story to flow from start to finish when the reader reads your story. This is something that needs to be stressed because there are times when people use too much detail which can kill your stories chance of being fully read by readers.
2. Give the animal a personality when writing
- Now, I’m not saying give the animal a human personality if you are describing a regular animal. I mean give the animal some personification by talking about how the animal reacts to certain obstacles it runs into, how the animal interacts with others animals, also how the animal reacts to humans. Give it a mannerism that matches how the animal would naturally react to you being in their territory. It’s best to research which animal you are trying to write about.
3. Research is a writer’s best asset that you should use!
- Research is another key component when it comes to writing. It’s why that information is readily available for you to use. Now, this is just a writing rule I stick to the most because I do not like to portray something wrong when I write. So, I always look up references to use as a guide for writing animals. Most times, I find a picture of that animal which I keep close so that I can get a good look at how the animal looks. I watch videos to see how the animal reacts in a wildlife setting or city setting even.
4. What to do when stuck on writing about an animal?
- So, if you are ever stuck when it comes to describing animals or even the setting of where that animal is in your work then I would suggest reading books about animals. Watch movies, wildlife documentaries, and animated shows based on animals. If you are still stuck even after doing everything listed then take step back from what you are writing. It’s best to just do something that will refresh your mind so that when you go back to the scene who will be clear-headed.
5. Giving an animal a human personality
- This can be a tough part to do because giving animals a human personality can go either way when writing. It’s always best to research what you want that animal to behave like. You will need to use many details when it comes to personifying an animal. Work with the surroundings in your scene. Always come up with multiple ways the character says or does in that same scene until you are satisfied. Improvement is always a skill that will keep growing for you the more you write. Brainstorming over different outcomes gives you more experience when it comes to getting the right setting plus personality for the animal.
These are some tips on how to write about animals in a book, short story, essay, or any other type of writing format. The biggest thing I can tell you is to use research and lots of details when writing but be careful to not use too many details. When it comes to writing there is really no masters just those who have sharpened their writing skills because they are still learning as well when they write as well. There is always room for improvement. I hope these tips help anyone out when it comes to writing about animals. If you need help then please by all means make a post on this thread so that I can help you. This thread is mostly dedicated to writing about animals but I will make another thread for those who need help with writing in general later this week. Good luck with your future endeavors!
I’m adding a site I found to this post. It can help you find good words to describe anything.
