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I myself have built a variety of areas for about three years now, each with a style that does not remain constant with all the others. Currently I am working a Noble's Mansion, and it is chalk-full of flowery descriptions working with the elegant--and expensive nature of the area.
Personally each area that I build is based on a set of general guidelines--as guidelines can be strayed from when needed.
First off: Depending on your codebase and requests by Admin staff, you may not have to create--or allowed--extra descriptions. When I write a description, I think of the room, and almost blur it, as to focus on main details, leaving the rest for player interpertation. I find it most interesting to see several people using the same interpertation after seeing what the others thought.
Secondly: The description must have a good 'stick to your ribs' kind of size. This means no meager one-liner or a heafty fill-your-buffer-twice kind of deal. I go for the happy medium.
Next: Get your direction straight! If you're in a room and saying that the road goes east and south while code shows that it goes east and west, you've got a problem... I believe (I might be out on a limb here) that code and description should compliment each other.
Neutrality: I find it much easier to write a description when it is in a neutral voice. With no forcing a person to look this way, smell this perticular smell or have a perticular type of hatred. I find it also works best when describing directions...a way to go may be infront or behind you...
-Corhean
Post Script: who here uses a map to help them build their area?
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