Friday, April 5, 2013

Do you include food descriptions in your stories?

So far for all the stories and books I have written, I mention just the name of the dishes the main characters are eating. I always feel that a little food info is sufficient. But for the Middle Grade Fantasy Fiction (that is currently been revised and resubmitted to a few Indian Publishers) I have included a few lines for the food.

While world-building, I felt it was important to show the readers how different the new world was in every way: from the animals, plants, behavior of the people, clothes, to the food. I have mentioned a line or so about the food: both the raw ones in the form of fruits and the cooked dishes which included baked food in unusual shapes, with stuffing and exotic names.

I thought children would enjoy reading about the unique dishes and it would make the new world more realistic if it had food that could not be found elsewhere in the world.  Now that the manuscript is sitting in the editor’s inbox, I am assailed by all kinds of feelings. Though I have ensured that my descriptions don’t tread into heavy duty description territory, I am still enveloped by anxieties.

 The descriptions just sate the reader’s curiousity. I felt that when I show canteen and dining room scenes, I do need to describe some food on the table.

I keep thinking and of course hoping that the food descriptions should remain intact, that they should not be brutally axed when the book passes through the submission process and I sign the contract. I know it’s all too premature, but one can hope, right?

Do you all add food descriptions when you write, especially if it’s a new world that involves all kinds of unusual things in it? Do you feel I should not have created any food at all? How do you manage the food descriptions in your stories and books? Any food description tips that you all want to share with me?



26 comments:

  1. I include food descriptions if I feel the food is important - if it's not what the character would usually eat for example. There's actually quite a lot of food in my books ... wonder what that says about me?

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  2. No description is complete without a description of food! I still remember the days of reading Enid Blyton and Billy Bunter( Frank Richards) and the books dwelt so much on food to my delight:)

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  3. I think it helps to think in POV terms. If the character is noticing the food then the reader should too.

    mood
    Moody Writing

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  4. I always have at least one cool meal scene in my novels. I love food and love to describe food, so if it fits, I put it in.

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  5. I think food description, especially in the case of world building, is vital.

    Eating is something almost everyone has to do to live, so it seems just natural to include -how- they go about doing it.

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  6. I did more in my second book, since it was set on a planet that was new to the main character.

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  7. Food can be cool, but always remember, do the details you insert add tension or not? Or perhaps add a sense of irony. In word building, the details you leave out are as important as the ones you leave in:)

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  8. If it's another world and the food is different, definitely describe it a bit, just don't go overboard, especially if it's not key to the plot. I don't describe food much in my books, but if it's a sandwich, I'll say it's swiss and cheese or whatever. Or maybe I'll mention the unfortunate guy who always gets the liverwurst :)

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  9. I have not described food in my books, but only when they are directly related to something that's happening, like someone getting choked on his juice, or trying a very hot chili when tasting Mexican food for the first time. Something like that.

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  10. It depends on the context of what I'm writing, but I do have descriptions in the WIP.

    Have a great weekend! :)

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  11. I don't write Middle Grade, so I don't know those guidelines. I write about food a lot - maybe that's why I'm always hungry - LOL. I don't give recipes, but sometimes I mention the name of a dish, or an ingredient, or action, like 'She melted butter for the mashed potatoes.'

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  12. I feel it's one of those things that's all part of world building and also character building. What someone eats can tell a lot about them, whether they grew up in poverty or not, or even whether they enjoy cooking or just eat takeaways and ready meals. I like any description to be there for a reason, but I wouldn't include a blow for blow recipe, lol. :)

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  13. You're definitely right with the child - food connection! That has to be a winner.

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  14. I do include food and food preparation and descriptions in my stories. Food is so much a part of setting, when you think about it. A kitchen can tell a lot about a character. So can the dining area.

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  15. I include food descriptions in my writing. I like seeing them when I read, too.

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  16. I think food is definitely an important part of world building. In one of my urban fantasies I made up all sorts of paranormal cocktails. So, I think you're safe :)

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  17. I have a time or two, if it seemed important to the scene.

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  18. I talk about food and some preparation details. You can communicate a lot about a family by how they interact around the table. I avoid heavy detail since it's not a cookbook, but give enough to show real life.

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  19. I don't go big on food description, but I do describe the smells now and then, depending on the story.

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  20. Hi friends, I am happy to see that all of you agree with me that a little food description goes a long way in world building. A few words, maybe even a line or two of food descriptions I don't think will hamper a story flow.

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  21. Yes I do, but I tend to try and keep the description to a minimum so that I can keep the focus on the action or character development.

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  22. Enjoyed reading your post.. Thank you for sharing..

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  23. I write a lot of books set outside of North America, or with characters originally from elsewhere in the world, so I think it's important to include at least cursory descriptions of food for cultural flavor.

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  24. Rachna, I like to include small details about the smells and tastes of food. I do think kids notice food a lot, especially if it's something they don't like! But also if it's different from what they'd normally eat or maybe their favourite.

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  25. Food and smell descriptions add life to any story. Reminds me of Enid Blyton.

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  26. I love to have food scenes in my stories. Taste and smell are so fundamental to our psyche, it's a great way for a reader to sink into the story and lap it up, so to speak!

    Jai

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