At this week’s Story Works Round Table, Alida, Robert, and Carlee discuss using all of your senses in writing. We focus so much on the movie in the mind, that we can lean too heavily on the visual in our scene building. But a well-chosen sensory detail can make a scene memorable, even surprising. Focusing on a sensory detail, especially the least obvious of details will shape your reader’s experience in powerful ways. Tuning in to your own senses while you write can invite insights from your subconscious mind to come forward.
VIDEO
AUDIO
SHOW NOTES
Why should you think about all your senses when writing? How do you describe things like smells or sounds? And why should you make it specific. We talk about using sensory detail as a symbol within your story, and how it can help you to show, not tell!
What we talked about:
Why are we talking about writing with all our senses? (1:35)
How do you describe smells? (6:15)
Don’t go outside of your senses! (8:50)
What if you took a character’s sense away? (10:50)
Specific sensory details can stick with your reader. (11:55)
How sensory detail explains show don’t tell. (13:55)
When do you focus on external versus internal senses. (16:33)
Create sensory symbols for the reader. (22:30)
When do we focus on your sensory detail? (26:55)
LINKS
Things we mentioned:
Silence of the Lambs
Outlander
Want more about these topics? Check out:
SWRT 180 Traits that Define a Character
Have thoughts, questions, other examples? Join the conversation at the Story Works Writers Facebook group.
Do you enjoy the show?
Do you learn something every week?
Do you feel like you have company on your writing journey?
About Your Hosts
Alida Winternheimer is an award-winning author with an MFA in writing from Hamline University. She pursues her fervor for all things story as a writing coach, developmental editor, and teacher. Two of her short stories were nominated for the Pushcart Prize. She is the author of The Story Works Guide to Writing Fiction Series. Alida lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota with her Golden Retriever, Seva the Wonder Dog. She camps, bikes, and kayaks in her free time. Unless it’s winter, in which case she drinks chai by the fire. You can find more at www.alidawinternheimer.com.
Kathryn Arnold writes fantasy and anything else that sparks her creativity from her home in Kingston, Washington. She currently earns her living as an insurance underwriting assistant, where she also creates marketing and web copy. When not writing, she plays (and teaches) piano and keyboard in a band (or two), and is working on starting a ministry team with her husband. You can find Kathryn at www.skyfirewords.com.
Robert Scanlon was born in Australia, but whisked off to England when only a baby. After many years complaining about the weather, he did the sensible thing and moved back to Australia. Despite a career in the music industry, followed by decades teaching public speaking, Robert is an introvert who adores reading. Robert grew up on a diet of sci-fi masters, eventually discovering he had read the library’s entire science fiction section. Now he has to write his own. Robert is the author of Constellation, book one of the Blood Empire space opera series. Find out more at www.RobertScanlon.com