“Light” is an important word to describe.
Light is often an integral part of what you are describing; this is particularly true when describing colors or lighting effects.
So, when writing about light, it is vital to use the word accurately.
There is an infographic floating around, and I’ve included it in text form because I also alphabetized it and split some of the words that were separated by a forward slash.
Anthropomorphic Traits
- Alert
- Beckoning
- Comforting
- Concealing
- Dancing
- Depressing
- Erratic
- Fickle
- Forgiving
- Frugal
- Gentle
- Harsh
- Intimidating
- Inviting
- Kind
- Lively
- Lonely
- Longevity
- Mean
- Mysterious
- Nostalgic
- Offensive
- Optimistic
- Overpowering
- Patronizing
- Pessimistic
- Powerful
- Relentless
- Restrained
- Revealing
- Ruthless
- Searching
- Secretive
- Somber
- Superficial
- Suspicious
- Unrelenting
- Welcoming
Light sources
- Aurora
- Beacon
- Bulb
- Candle
- Daybreak
- Fire
- Firefly
- Flame
- Floodlight
- Lantern
- Limelight
- Moonlight
- Prism
- Spark
- Spotlight
- Starburst
- Starlight
- Sunbeam
- Sunlight
- Sunrise
- Sunset
Physical behaviors
- Beam
- Bend
- Brighten
- Burn
- Burst
- Cast
- Crowd
- Diffuse
- Downpour
- Enduring
- Filter through
- Flare
- Flash
- Flicker
- Flood
- Flow
- Glare
- Gleam
- Glimmer
- Glint
- Glitter
- Glow
- Illuminate
- Inflame
- Kindle
- Lighten
- Lower
- Meld
- Melt
- Probing
- Radiate
- Reflect
- Refract
- Rise
- Scatter
- Seep
- Settle onto
- Shine
- Shower
- Shut
- Sit onto
- Sparkle
- Spectrum
- Spill
- Split
- Wave
- Wavelength
Physical descriptions
- Ablaze
- Aglow
- Angled
- Aspect
- Blinding
- Bright
- Brilliant
- Burnished
- Clear
- Cloudless
- Cloudy
- Cold
- Colorful
- Concentrated
- Confined
- Contained
- Curved
- Dark
- Deep
- Dense
- Dim
- Distinct
- Divided
- Dull
- Dusty
- Faint
- Fast
- Fractional
- Fragmentary
- Fresh
- Ghostly
- Glossy
- Hard
- Heavy
- High
- Hot
- Indistinct
- Lambent
- Linear
- Long
- Long-lived
- Low
- Lucent
- Luminous
- Luster
- Lustrous
- Mild
- Moderate
- Musky
- Neutral
- Obscured
- Parallel
- Pitch
- Polished
- Pulsing
- Quick
- Ray
- Refulgent
- Resplendent
- Rich
- Scintillated
- Sectional
- Segmented
- Sepia
- Shadow
- Shallow
- Sharp
- Sheen
- Short-lived
- Single
- Slant
- Slight
- Slow
- Smooth
- Soft
- Sparse
- Spectral
- Splendor
- Strong
- Sunny
- Swift
- Thick
- Thin
- Tidal
- Unclouded
- Warm
- Weak
Types
- Fluorescent
- Highlight
- Incandescent
- Lowlight
- Luminescent
- Phosphorescent
- White
- Yellow
It’s the 21st century, and we’ve come a long way since the invention of the light bulb.
So think about it: what does the color temperature of light do to the overall feel of a room?
Apply that thought to your story.
How can light – or dark – change the story that you’re attempting to tell right now?
Let’s connect!
I’m here to help you on your creative journey. So ask me anything.
You can connect with me on Discord during the week, email me directly, or book your FREE 15-minute consultation.
I promise to respond within 24 hours.
If you’re so inclined, I invite you to subscribe to my mailing list for downloadable writing resources and weekly emails from me about the writing life.
Select from the options below:
