Natural:
Walnut shell
Papery or scaly skin
Dried mud puddles/riverbeds
Lightning
Disintegrating leaves
Marble…
Man-made:
Burnt timber (charcoal)
Manufactured electricity
Static electricity
Old, peeling paint
Antiqued paint technique
Mummified remains…
Synonyms: fissure, crackle, splintered, fracture
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.
Nice work! I like your thesaurus-ing!
Oh god, the dreaded wrinkle cliche. Crackled is the perfect way to kick it to the curb. Love it!
Crackled is such a neat word :o)
Fantastic!
Love this one! Thanks for the examples too. They’re always helpful:)
I like to use this word as a verb. It’s very “crackly.” 🙂