Smell, see, touch, taste, and hear, and then translate those things into language. Dawn s story about what her character noticed when she walked into an unfamiliar apartment the odor of kitty litter, etc. Eleanor s character is oblivious to the extreme measures another character takes to avoid seeing him, so much so that his friends have to tell him what she s done. Turn the familiar toward the unfamiliar to make it engaging. Tell it how it feels, not just how it is.
Insight is more internal than external.
Open yourself and your readers to a deeper understanding. They should experience new emotions, thoughts, even worlds through their readings. Start noticing the peculiarity of everyday life. Present the unique qualities of through the mundane lives of characters. Insight is the difference between the book and the novel.