Setting the Scene

How do you write and describe your scenes? Do you picture the scene like a movie where you lay out the whole setting and details of the background then bring in the characters? Depending on what type of book, article, or scene you are writing this might be the best option. I don't believe there is a right way to do this. It depends on what you want to convey. In fact, depending on the scene in my books, you might notice that I mention the scene as the characters enter it, but then in another scene I might just talk about the characters and not about the area around them. I guess that's one thing that makes the scenes in books and the ones in movies, TV shows, or ads, different. In books, the writer can give as much describing as they want to for the clothes and setting, or leave it up to the readers imagination. In a movie, TV show, or ad, the watcher can see the scene, so that takes away the element of surprise in that case.

Have you ever read a book where you picture the scene one way, then find out that another reader sees it a different way? That has happened to me with my own books! That's one reason I get my editors involved. They can't see what I can see, they can only go by the words on the page, so if they have a question, most likely I didn't describe enough.