In the middle of providing some C&C for a fic, I was caught wondering how important it is to provide vivid and accurate descriptions of a scene. More precisely, WHEN is it appropriate to give a good description of a scene? It's fairly obvious to me that you can't go around describing everything that happens in a story, but it's equally perplexing to me as to when is a good time to provide descriptions. For example, should they be included when a new character is introduced? Or a new scene/setting? How about at a crucial moment in the story? OTOH, are there times when a detailed description will hurt the story by boring the audience?
Answers are obviously appreciated, but please use common sense and DON'T repeat posts. I'd hate to get banned after rejoining only a week ago. :) Thanks in advance.
Regards,
Dokushinsha
http://www.freeyellow.com/members5/dokushinsha/index.html