Texture in Writing

Okay, for those of you who don't know me let me explain when I say that I have a "thing" about texture.

Many of my decisions can be traced back to the texture of the items involved-especially when it comes to food.  There are many things that I just won't eat, not because I don't like the way it tastes, but because I really can't handle the texture of it in my mouth.  Seafood is my primary problem.  I like most seafood, but I dislike the way some of it feels like shrimp, scallops, and clams.  Shrimp has a very-uneven-feel and both scallops and clams feel rubbery and artificial. (My reluctance to cook, much less eat any of these things is a subject of friction between my husband and I).

But what does any of this have to do with writing?

Texture is all around us-from the food we eat to the type of toothpaste we brush our teeth with.  So many writers neglect to add any of this information in their work and thus the story ends up bland and flat.  Does your character have a favorite doll?  Describe the touch of its hair.  Or the cold, smooth porcelain of its face.  What of the dinner that your main character is sitting down to eat.  Is the coffee scalding?  The meat tough and chewy?  Are the noodles dry and sticky?  Describe the fabric of the dress your main character's love interest is wearing.  Not just the color or weight, but if it is smooth, thick fabric or thin and coarse.

You can use this as a way to move your story forward: give your characters an option and direction.  For example: Your main character is being hit on in a bar.  Nevermind the other details right now, just focus on texture.  The woman's dress is wool.  Thick, warm, scratchy.  She brushes against the man's arm as she sits down on the stool next to him.  He can feel the wool as it rubs against his skin.  The coarseness of this fabric makes his skin itch and he immediately associates this woman with something unpleasant.  What does he do?  Stay?  Get up and leave?  How would this affect your story?  Would the outcome have been different if the woman was wearing satin?  Or fur?  What is your impression of the woman by the texture of what she is wearing?  Does it imply that she, too, is coarse and unpleasant?

Of all the millions of things we come into contact with, we should be taking a closer look at what different textures each of the items actually possesses.  Each bite of food.  The keys on our keyboard.  Our shoelaces.  A mirror.  A leaf.  Sand.  Even the toothpaste we use.  Is it a gel?  Paste?  Gritty?  Creamy?  The imperfections in the paint on our walls.  Even the weave of the fabric in our jeans.  Each and every one of these things has the potential to influence our impressions of the situation, character, plot, and even the whole tone of the story.

The only other thing I want to mention is that if you are going to start adding texture to your story, play with it a bit first.  Take a washcloth.  Close your eyes.  Rub it in your fingers.  Feel the bumps in the fabric.  Think about how it makes you feel.  Is is nice, pleasant?  Rough and abrasive?  Next, take that same washcloth and put it to your lips.  Your lips are more sensitive and they will perceive things differently than your hands.  How can this be applied to your story?  Has someone been kidnapped and had a washcloth shoved in their mouth?  Is it rough or plushy?  Plushy can maybe infer a feminine influence in the place where your prisoner is being kept.  Use more than just the basics of color.  Tell the story through more than just one sense.

Is your character lost in the woods?  Describe the ground beneath their feet.  But remember that it might feel different on their hands.  How does a rope feel around someone's hands?  Is it smooth nylon?  Or natural rope with prickly fibers sticking out?  Don't just describe food as salty or sweet, but if the frosting is gritty with too much sugar or the way your teeth feel when you've just eaten something acidic like tomatoes (or with me, rhubarb).  (By the way, mine feel like they've been etched).

Sit in a room and feel your shirts.  Can you pick out which ones are which just by feeling them?

Can you tell each pet you have by the texture of their fur?

Unlock a new layer that you can add to your story to make it richer in character and perhaps in plot by using texture to affect how your main character reacts to certain stimuli.

Each character is unique and will react differently.  Play with yours to find out how.