The writing prompt about 'describe a room' that my critique partner hated but totally fixed my story

Last month my critique partner said my opening chapter had no sense of place. She told me to do that classic writing prompt where you describe a room using all five senses. I thought it was too basic but I tried it anyway. Turns out adding the smell of mildew from the old carpet and the sound of a dripping faucet made the whole scene come alive. Has anyone else had a simple prompt like that turn out way more effective than you expected?

2 comments

2 Comments

morgan.nancy1mo ago

Used to roll my eyes at stuff like that, but tried the five senses thing on a scene set in a dusty old garage and wow, totally changed how real it felt on the page.

emma_perry1mo ago

That dusty garage smell thing got me too, used it for a rainy bus stop scene and it clicked immediately.