WHITE ROOM SYNDROME 🖊️ tips for writing description / writing tips | Natalia Leigh 

It’s amazing how powerful using all five senses can be. My earlier writing was so obsessed with how everything looked, and I couldn’t figure out why it still didn’t feel vivid and real 😅 Now I’ve started taking notes about all the sensory details of different locations in my story, even if I don’t always incorporate all of them into my writing. It’s been really helpful!

When I first started drafting out my first novel I noticed that description and dialogue were my toughest parts to expand on or heck even include. But now I've improved on that or I like to say that I did! This was a great video!

I was just sitting here working on descriptions when your video came up. Finished the first draft a couple of days ago and have decided to relax and work on the descriptions before plunging into the second draft. It's an autumn ghost story, so I can play with description quite a bit. I've also found RU-vid videos of nature helpful, as well as the many ambience videos. I looked up "scary graveyard sounds" and it really helped. Love the new office!

I didn't even know how much I would need this video! I realize now, listening to you describe it, that I do this. I am terrible at description and remembering to describe characters and I especially forget to do a detailed setting and weather is also hard for me too. Thank you for these tips and I am definitely going to put them to good use in the editing of my novels... Also the Pinterest board idea is a great one too and I've already begun to practice this from hearing you talk about it in another video. Thank you so much Natalia! Take care❤

I did not know White Room Syndrome was a thing. Thank you this was very helpful.

Your example for your own novel, which the first chapter was amazing btw, was so well done. It may not be that whimsical forestry setting but for me, I love being immersed in open skies and summer weather. May not be near mountains but it has its own appeal and that has been captured. Excellent video. Scene settings and immersion and struggles for me so these tips were golden.

I always have to deal with white room syndrome in editing. It's rarely something I realize when I'm drafting. Thanks so much for the tips on tackling it 🙂 also, your office looks great!

These tips are great, thank you :)

Nice video as usual Natalia :) Thanks for the effort. However, I think that sometimes you can even use the whirte room syndrome to your advantage. In all the years of writing I have learned that the POV decides how the atmosphere and the descriptions of an environment are written. When I'm in a room that my MC knows well, such as their room, it's quite unnatural for them to walk in and talk about their bookshelf and CD collection. Here the descriptions must be more subtle, such as: "Finally, the package of new JLo CD has arrived. I put my schoolbag next to the bookshelf... blah blah" You can create an atmosphere here, but it's more natural in this room to fall into the White Room Syndrome and that the character even lapses into thoughts without paying attention to their surroundings, which isn't bad in my opinion. Important details that the reader should know should be made important by involving them in the character's actions. The rest can stay away. But when my POV character is in a new environment, it's natural to insert the paragraph with the details, because that will be the first thing they see and here the details play a big role, for describing the MC and the second POV. So when a second POV goes into the room of the first one, they might describe the mess and dust on the bookshelf and a collection of very old books that have not been touched in years. An inheritance from his grandfather perhaps? Could this be the room that belonged to the big brother of the first POV before he moved to college? What I mean to say is that white room syndrome is not always bad and that it is even very natural sometimes. :)For Harry, Hogwards was a miracle of a place because it was new and exciting and so it was new and exciting for us. But if we read from McGonnagal's POV, the atmosphere would be much more mundane. For her, the castle would be nothing new. It would be her norm. She would probably notice the puzzling eyes of the children, but not necessarily the halls and ghosts and the food itself. Hope that makes sence XD Sorry for rambling.

Great video like always! Even though I knew this you always manage to teach me new elements to each subject, than you so much! 😊 As for video content.. I'd still love the advanced formatting you mentioned in your last video on formatting. How to insert interior designs in your word manuscript and that bleed function and other things you briefly mentioned. I'm also interested how you proofread, as in what errors you're looking for and how to spot them (if you have any tricks that is) that would be helpful for the day one hires a proofreader so I know what to expect :) Have a great weekend Natalia ❤

Thank you for addressing White Room Syndrome, Natalia. When I first heard this term, it really clicked and made sense to me. It's definitely an area I need to focus upon myself. I agree with you about first drafts. White Room Syndrome doesn't do any real harm here, as long as we are aware of the need to return to our White Room scenes, at the revision stage, and add those physical and sensory details, that will bring our fiction to life. It can often be the case that we ourselves have clear visual images of our settings in our minds, but if we fail to communicate these to our readers, we need to keep working to improve, in this respect. 😃💝

Have read the first chapter of Pistol Daisy and wow it was great so looking forward to the book Release xx

I have a bad habit of leaving setting description out and yet I find it so fun to write. Another helpful video!

Love the new office set up, and this video was perfect timing! Thanks for sharing it!

Love the new setup! 💛🌙

Another extremely helpful video, and I voted for it! Thanks for the consistently valuable content 👍😎 I also read your Pistol Daisy first chapter. It was excellent. I'm definitely buying a copy when it's available.

The very FIRST thing I do when I think of a new story is make a Pinterest board for it.

Just in time! I'm writing a scene whose background action just isn't working.

I love Pinterest setting boards! There was one location in my story that was just feeling dry, so I made a Pinterest board full of inspiration and was able to look at it and really FEEL the vibe of the setting and it helped me describe it so much better 💜

Your new office looks so cute! Great setup!

Love your office space!!

i thought white room syndrome was listening to the band cream too much while writing

Yes!! I struggle with descriptions with drafting so much, lol. It's just really inconsistent. So, thank you!!!

Decades ago, there were a lot of books that went overboard trying to use dialogue tags that aren't "said". They sounded kind of bad, even at the time. Now they sound kind of bad and really, really dated. "Use the character's five senses" is this year's version. When a private investigator is sifting through reams of evidence, they aren't reveling in the scents of cinnamon buns from the coffee shop next door and ink from the print-outs. They're not aware of any scents at all. Don't put broken glass in your story, just so that the moonlight can glint off of it. Unless someone is going to get cut, don't put it there.

Hi Natalia, this is something I never even thought much about. Another thing to look out for. Thanks.

Hey, sorry I'm finding you so late. Really enjoying your content. Do you have a Patreon or a e-tip jar somewhere?

Now I have to go back and fix all my white rooms. I'm to nearly 20K words and only 4 chapters. Gaaaaah! I'm going to end up with 7 books or a 500K word book.

I’m struggling with how to write in past/ present text and how to weave a story together - and be consistent throughout 😊

How do u format for B&N press?? Love your videos btw!!

Please please please make a video on copy editing vs proofreading!!! Thanks so much!

At first I thought, "Wow you don't look like someone who has a bunch of kids."

First like and comment :)

I have this problem big time .... white room ... talking heads ... yikes ... I have to make myself take an extra step to add even a few specific details in. Even knowing this about myself I still do it on my first writeup of a draft of a scene. It's pretty reliable. I like the list *time *season *weather I'd add: *lighting *architecure *decor *landscape You are right, it is about atmosphere. That does make it more interesting to think about. I also like your suggestion to use the POV character 5 senses. That shows character too. Cool!

Hello, first I love your videos and second, I love the current novel I'm writing so much but it even after two drafts and taking a break from it, it still doesn't make sense to me! I'm just having a hard time mentally in general and it doesn't help me with trying to figure out this book that I have been working on for the past two years. I did have a question but I don't even know how to phrase it so I may ask it in a different video that you post! Your videos are inspiring and helpful and they do inspire me to keep working on it. But I also have so many stories that I've started and I don't know what to work on because I love each idea!!!!!! I'm just confused with my writing and am having a hard time with everything right now!!!! But your video along with some other channels helped me to calm my mind before bed tonight so I thank you for that and I can't wait for Pistol Daisy!!!!! :) Hope you're doing well Nataliah!!!

best tips out

Love the office!!! It’s so calming. Can you do a video on book launches during this pandemic? Ideas for launch parties or advice? Thank you 😊

I've just started my first copyediting course through the EFA! I heard about it through you, so I just wanted to let you know you inspired me! I am really enjoying it already. My worry is I have a computer science degree, not an English degree, and I'm trying to switch careers and become a full-time writer and editor through my own business without going back to college. Do you have any tips or advice on how I can prove to indie authors they can trust me with their work even though I may not come with the "right" qualifications?

1ST 2ND AND 3RD PERSON POV

Hi , I am a new writer , I might need an editor , is there a possibility from your side maybe for that ?

Thanks Natalia!