this picture, what do you see? Do you see a picture of a beautiful, but shy,
younger woman or do you see the old hag-like woman?
words in the sentences we write are similar to this illusion. The writer may
mean something totally different, but the reader’s mind paints another picture.
Same words; different mindset.
man’s eyes remained fixed on the table.
author did not mean to paint the picture of a man’s eyes laying on the table,
but some readers will see that image clearly. Other readers will gloss right
over it and realize that the man was staring at the table.
avoid painting the wrong picture in a reader’s mind, the words should be chosen
carefully. The man’s gaze remained fixed on the table shows a much clearer picture.
keeps in mind that a body part can do nothing without the person it is attached
to, these funny or sometimes horrifying word pictures can be eliminated from
prose.
examples you’d like to share? Feel free to do so. Doing so, will help other
authors to realize that the picture they wish to paint with their words isn’t
the picture the reader might see.
Happy editing.