White Room Syndrome.
I'll be honest: this is a relatively new writing term to enter my vocabulary, though when I Googled this idea blog posts came up from more than a decade ago. (Go figure.)
It makes perfect sense, though.
When a scene doesn't include enough description to paint a clear picture in the reader's mind, it's as if the character is standing in a white room--they could be anywhere (floating in space, for all we know).
With White Room Syndrome there's some action occurring, but the text is mostly dialogue, with zero sense of place.
When we're writing, we have to remember that the reader doesn't know what we know. We might have a clear mental image of our story backdrop, but our reader doesn't. Not until we impart the details.
So how can we avoid White Room Syndrome?
Think about where the story is taking place. Think about the time period. Think about the mood you're trying to establish within the reader.
Then, consider pulling the character out of the setting and freewriting a page of nothing but the physical details of the location. Once this is complete, try to merge the action into the setting, thinking about what your character is seeing and hearing as they act and react.
When writing, try to use all of your senses. Describe what someone might see, smell, taste, hear, and feel in the scene.
For example, what does the sky smell like on a hot summer day? What does it sound like when you're walking through a forest in the early morning? What does it feel like when you're holding hands with someone you love?
(Here's more on description, and here's a strategy I like to use.)
One caveat: don't overdo it. The reader doesn't need to know every single detail, just what's important to the story. It only takes a few key facts to establish a sense of place and ground the reader.
White Room Syndrome is something you will likely address in a later draft. When the words are flowing (the dialogue always arrives the quickest for me) just focus on getting them onto the page. You can come back later to flesh out your scenes and descriptions.
But to avoid "White Room Syndrome," the reader needs to be able to visualize the setting. They need to have that sense of what it might feel like if they were there.
It's the fastest way to a lasting impression.
Be Brilliant!
~Katie~
