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sallyduchessUse Your Senses
October 27th 2006 06:05
Whether you're writing non-fiction or fiction, bringing your senses into your writing will help make it real to your readers. Most of us will at least describe what we can see. However, using your other senses can create a more vivid image. What can you hear, taste, feel and smell?
While doing this, it is important not to just cram a whole lot of irrelevant information into one paragraph. Don't write a sentence for each taste. Instead, let your senses flow into the writing. It's also best to just pick one or two things, rather than describing everything you can see, taste, hear, feel and smell.
Compare these two paragraphs:
"Lillian sat in the park. She could see trees, a small man-made lake and a beautiful sunset. The scent of the flowers was beautiful. She could hear children laughing. She ate an ice-cream, enjoying the sweet taste."
"Lillian sat in the park, surrounded by trees. It was evening and the sun was setting. Despite the late hour, children were still playing. The sound of their laughter brought a smile to her face."
Neither paragraph could be considered great writing, but you can see in the second paragraph that the use of senses is incorporated into the text, rather than being an add-on. I have also omitted two of the senses that were described in the first paragraph.
Thinking about everything you can see, taste, smell, hear and feel, however, is a good way to get you started. When writing a piece, list all the ways that senses that be used. Then, pick the ones that seem most appropriate. Other ways to use senses is to describe something that doesn't seem to fit the mood or to repeat a certain sensory description (such as the scent of blood or the feel of cold steel.)
Don't get so carried away with wanting to include sensory descriptions that you add on a whole lot of stuff that isn't important to the story. Senses can bring a story to life, but they should still add something to what you are trying to say. The best rule of thumb is to use your senses to add a lot to your piece and then cross out what isn't needed.
While doing this, it is important not to just cram a whole lot of irrelevant information into one paragraph. Don't write a sentence for each taste. Instead, let your senses flow into the writing. It's also best to just pick one or two things, rather than describing everything you can see, taste, hear, feel and smell.
Compare these two paragraphs:
"Lillian sat in the park. She could see trees, a small man-made lake and a beautiful sunset. The scent of the flowers was beautiful. She could hear children laughing. She ate an ice-cream, enjoying the sweet taste."
"Lillian sat in the park, surrounded by trees. It was evening and the sun was setting. Despite the late hour, children were still playing. The sound of their laughter brought a smile to her face."
Neither paragraph could be considered great writing, but you can see in the second paragraph that the use of senses is incorporated into the text, rather than being an add-on. I have also omitted two of the senses that were described in the first paragraph.
Thinking about everything you can see, taste, smell, hear and feel, however, is a good way to get you started. When writing a piece, list all the ways that senses that be used. Then, pick the ones that seem most appropriate. Other ways to use senses is to describe something that doesn't seem to fit the mood or to repeat a certain sensory description (such as the scent of blood or the feel of cold steel.)
Don't get so carried away with wanting to include sensory descriptions that you add on a whole lot of stuff that isn't important to the story. Senses can bring a story to life, but they should still add something to what you are trying to say. The best rule of thumb is to use your senses to add a lot to your piece and then cross out what isn't needed.
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