“When I create, I try to bring the five senses forward into the setting so that readers can just feel like they’re living in that world and forget that they’re reading.”
– Paulette Stout
AUDIO
VIDEO
Paulette Stout is the 17-time award-winning author of fast paced—and spicy—contemporary women’s fiction that tackles social issues often ignored. Her stories feature brave characters finding their voices and transforming into their best selves. Paulette is also the co-host of The Best of Book Marketing Podcast and works by day as the Director of Brand Marketing at a global software company. Her fourth novel, What We Give Away, releases next February.
SHOW NOTES
What we talked about:
Paulette talks about her current novel. (6:58)
What is the book about? (8:46)
How Paulette creates a scene including the senses. (11:45)
How does Paulette work with the senses without bogging down the writing? (12:40)
The problem of focusing on one sense. (15:28)
What about common areas or settings in our books? (18:40)
Struggles with senses? (21:45)
Focus on your characters experience with the setting instead of the setting itself. (25:55)
What about touch? (29:10)
Favorite sense to write? (31:20)
The problem with smells. (35:25)
Using senses to establish time of day. (38:12)
What kind of feedback does Paulette get about her sense filled writing? (39:00)
How do you incorporate senses into intimate moments? (43:00)
Free yourself from the confines of your experience. (47:20)
Sex advances the story! (51:00)
How do you write settings that you’ve never been to? (55:00)
LINKS
Things We Mentioned:
Thesaurus of the Senses by Linda Hart
Have thoughts, questions, other examples? Join the conversation at the Story Works Writers Facebook group.
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About Your Hosts
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
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