Words are not just words laid down on a page to a writer and paint is not just paint to an artist. Paint and words are the mediums used to create the story. And it is much more difficult than many realize.

Color and light is important to interpret what the plein air painter sees before them. A writer makes every attempt to create a vision of color and life for their readers by choosing the right words which helps the reader clearly understand the picture and invest in the story.

When I set out on my daily walk sometimes I do mental gymnastics. Maybe I’ll look at an abandoned house or a stonewall or a field of flowers trying to make up a scene about what I am seeing. What was life like inside the house? What is the history behind a stone wall that has been there for many a decade? What is a skittering squirrel doing while running through a field of flowers all full of activity? It may sound very strange, but a writer is always composing stories.

When I get caught up in the story and haven’t noticed I am walking is when I think I might be onto something.

If you were the writer, what words would you use to create a story around this scene?