Ken Webb Author of "Shadows of Time"  ISBN-10: 1937182088
ISBN-13: 978-1937182083 Dip Publishing House, available through Amazon or at http://www.dippub.com/#

Retired Military Fire Officer and world traveler, 28 years studying and reenactment sword combat, runs a small shop creating replica movie props

There is absolutely nothing that you can write that will be the same for every reader. Nothing you can describe will be the equal of the reader's imagination. As worldly as you may be you will never feel the same way the reader does.

The best you can do is covet the readers mind and strive to help them write the story with you. Allude to things that are common or can be expected to be common.

Does the reader know the pain of hell fire? Probably not. Odds are though that the readers has been burned to some degree in their life time, and odds are that they have known remorse, suffering and hatred.

Milton tells us of remorse when he says "Any place which is not Heaven is Hell."

Poe tell us of suffering when he says "Nevermore"

Melville tells us of hatred when he says "For hates sake I spit my last breath at ye"

It's not about the description, it's about finding the common elements of being human and playing them like a harp string.