Hello friends!

We’re about a week in—how’s everybody hanging in with their writing, Nano goals or otherwise?

As of this writing (I do sometimes manage to get these done ‘ahead’ of schedule), I’m keeping on top of my word count and having fun taking the idea of a scene (from my outline), which is usually one or two sentences long, and translating it into hundreds or a few thousand words. I’m remembering what it is like to inhabit a new MC’s head, when they are frequently surprising you, not only by the things they say and do, but by the little things like gestures, facial expressions, and learning how they interact with the world around them.

Are you having fun? I hope so! Much as it sometimes feels like we do this to torture ourselves, the act of creation is exhilarating and deeply satisfying. If you’re able to find this joy, savor it!

This week I want to talk about one of the most underrated aspects of writing (imho)—using sensory details.

It’s easy for this kind of writing to get lost because we can rightly get focused on bigger issues of plot and character development. So why am I talking about it now, when a main focus of this month is to translate the big ideas we have and churn out words to bring them alive?

Well, because starting from a sensory detail can be a great way to spark your imagination and bring new life to the page.

Listen to the way that Diana Gabaldon describes getting unstuck, by thinking about the way the light is hitting an object and what that tells her. This particular moment is at about 9:29 in, but I highly recommend listening to the whole thing—it is a gem, packed with all kinds of writerly inspiration! (Big ups to my friend Kimberly, who did an amazing job getting all this juicy info from Diana.)

Obviously, the act of writing—and reading—is one big exercise in visual stimuli. Writers and readers are viewing the world through the eyes of the character(s). But I’ve found similar assistance, and moments that have delighted readers, by taking the time to think about our other senses as well.

Hearing/Sound

• What is your character hearing in this moment or in this scene? If they are alone, what sounds are generated from their environment? Do they notice them and if so, how do they affect the character?

• If your characters are engaged in dialogue, think about the volume and pitch of the voices. People don’t speak like automatons and we interpret all kinds of information from level and tone.

Touch

• Skin is the largest organ on our body, so this doesn’t have to be limited by things that are felt by fingers or held in hands (though there is a lot that can be done there too!). I loved describing how a bead of sweat tickled as it trailed down my MC’s back.

• Think about the ways that different types of touch make your characters feel. A tactile experience that is pleasant or pleasurable for one person might raise the hackles of another.

• Don’t forget how characters experience their environment—whether a space is hot or cold, what the weather is, etc.

Taste

• This, along with smell, is one of the most underused senses in writing and yet it can be so incredibly evocative. Yes, it can be obvious when writing about food or drink, but think about other places it can be deployed. Can your character(s) taste the acrid bitterness of smoke in the air, or the tang of a floor freshly washed?

• Because this sense is relatively rarely deployed, it can make a big impact, especially when you create a unique juxtaposition. For example, we’ve all read the description of blood tasting like copper or pennies. There’s nothing wrong with that; it’s still pretty striking in its way. But what about describing it as thick and spicy, like good dark chocolate? That makes you stop and think for a second, doesn’t it? (And maybe wonder if the character describing the blood is a vampire? 😜)

Smell

• This sense is intimately tied up with taste, as anyone who has ever had a cold will likely recognize—have you noticed that food doesn’t taste nearly as complex or interesting when you can’t smell it?

• Smell can also be associated with setting—what does it tell you (or your characters) about who or what is or has been in a particular place? What is the quality of the air? Does a certain character linger in a place, even after they’ve left, because of their distinctive smell? Does your character have certain associations to particular smells because of their lived experiences, even before the novel started?

When you’re deploying sensory details, think about what kind of reaction you might want to evoke in your reader. Do you want something to feel cozy or familiar? Or do you want them to see something in a new and unexpected way? There’s no ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ answer per se; it depends on your intent. But don’t be afraid to experiment and play with stretching the boundaries of what you can do with sensory information.

Another reason to incorporate these kinds of details into your work, at any stage: they are what makes a novel come to life for the reader.

Take the opening paragraphs of The Honeys by Ryan La Sala:

My sister wakes me with a whisper.

“I love you, Mars.” Her voice crumbles in her throat. In the moonlight from my window I can see the gleam of tears streaked over her jaw. She hovers so close I can smell her. Not her usual shampoo, but an unright odor. The rich sweetness of decay, like molding flowers.

“Caroline? You’re back?” I’m confused. The summer night swells with cricket song and the curtains billow against her hunched form, like the outside is trying to take her back. I used to leave that window open all the time when we still snuck out onto the balcony connecting our bedrooms. On nights like tonight, I used to wait for Caroline to tap tap tap on the glass, a book and a flashlight ready. But Caroline and I haven’t met on our balcony in a long, long time.

Delicious, right? La Sala has deployed sight, sound, touch, and smell to draw us into the scene. And with more than a hint of creepiness, which is appropriate for a horror novel with the tagline “Sometimes the darkest secrets lurk in broad daylight.” (Highly recommend, btw!)

Cheers ♥️

Kerry