Natural:
Pollen
Dust
Dirt
Mildew
Butterfly/moth wings
Ashes…
Man-made:
Chalk
Cocoa powder
Flour
Baking soda/powder
Cement mix
Icing sugar…
Synonyms: chalky, dusty, filmy, pulverous, pulverulent
Describing texture in a story creates intimacy between reader and character, and can even cause an emotional trigger for both. To anchor the reader in the scene, make sure comparisons and contrasts are clear and relatable, and within the scope of the narrator’s life knowledge and experience.
Textures are a powerful tool for pulling readers into the narrating character’s world, so don’t skimp.
Looking for ways to encourage that shared empathy bond between your readers and the hero? You’ll be happy to know that this thesaurus has been expanded by 60% (many new entries to explore!) and integrated into our online library at One Stop For Writers. With One Stop’s cross-referenced searchability, adding texture to your writing has never been easier, so if you’re interested in seeing a free sampling of the updated Texture Thesaurus and our other collections, head on over and register.
Angela is a writing coach, international speaker, and bestselling author who loves to travel, teach, empower writers, and pay-it-forward. She also is a founder of One Stop For Writers, a portal to powerful, innovative tools to help writers elevate their storytelling.
Yep: powdered sugar beats chalk dust any time for icky dryness. I tried to think of a negative dust reference that wasn’t soil related and failed entirely. And yet chalk dust has been so much a part of my life — I’ve probably blocked it out of my mind…
This is funny that you posted this. I just cleaned up a bunch of baby powder on the tile floor. (I put it along the base of the kitchen floor because it is supposed to be a nontoxic ant barrier.)
It’s like when I’m dusting cookies with powdered sugar. Yummy!