Making Sense of Your Story

Writing from Your Senses
By Glenn White

Sensing Your Story

The writer’s greatest asset is the power of observation. But sometimes that power is limited to sight. As a writer you’re told, “Show don’t tell.” That is always sound advice but “show” implies relying primarily on visual imagery to tell your story. However, there are the other senses of smell, touch, taste, sound, and even a sense some people call them “sixth sense.”

In our high-tech, low-touch society you can offer your readers more than information in your story, you can offer them sensory information that makes your story and your characters come alive. Your reader will not only to visualize your writing but maybe even smell, taste, feel, and hear your story when you write from your senses.

The Six Senses

Take the following list of senses and immerse your imagination in them. Try a creative writing exercise and build a character using your sensory information. Or maybe even write a whole story involving as much sensory information as you can. Better yet, use sensory information to apply to a story you’ve already written and see what happens. Here’s a list of the senses and a few ideas for gathering sensory information.

1. Sight

Let’s start with seeing. But, let’s expand our vision to include color, geometric patterns, and dimension. Take a moment, think of your story, and then write down your first impression of the color, pattern or dimension of your story. For example, I imagine this article I’m writing is the color green with two dimensional muted stripes. The idea is to let your imagination flow and worry about logic and reason later

2. Sound

What does your story sound like? Does it sound like a trumpet blast, rolling surf, rushing wind, morning rain, or even dogs barking? Again, take a moment, listen for the sound of your story, and then write down your first impression. Put your analytical, critical mind on hold and record the sound you hear. For example, at the moment, I imagine this article sounds like chirping frogs in a pond.

3. Smell

What is the scent of your character or story? Does your female character smell like jasmine, gardenia, lavender or vanilla? Does your male character smell like leather, gasoline, gym socks or Old Spice? What other fragrances come to mind when you think of your character or story. For example, this article reminds me of the scent of whole wheat flour. Remember, you’re looking sensory information so put your logical senses on hold and let your imagination rip.

4. Touch

What does your story feel like? Does it feel like silk, wool, sand, grass, metal, wood, or water? What about your character? What tactile touch comes to mind when you think of your character? For example, while I writing this article I imagine feeling glass, particularly a mirror. Let your sense of touch explore your story and write down what you feel.

5. Taste

What does your story taste like? Is your story sweet, tart, sour, or loaded with spices? What kind of food does your story taste like? Does your story taste like Mexican, Chinese, French or Japanese food? Or maybe it tastes like Mom’s meatloaf or Aunt Mary’s chocolate chip cookies? I imagine this article tastes like a cup of hot cocoa with marshmallows. Explore the taste sensations in your story and write down what your story tastes like.

6. Heart

I believe the “sixth sense” in writing comes right from the heart. In other words, what is God speaking to your heart to write? Write down one word that you think God wants you to communicate in your story. My one word for this article is “joy.” Also, you can write down one word for your character and see who or what develops.

The Result

You have just read an article that is a green multi-striped two dimensional pattern with frogs chirping that has the aroma of whole wheat, feels like a mirror, tastes like hot cocoa with marshmallows, and wants to tell you about joy. Okay, it doesn’t make much sense to the logical mind. But it has given me a great idea for another story using those elements and in a very odd way says something about me and this exercise.

The real purpose of this exercise is not only to clearly define your story elements but also to jump start your imagination. It will help you think beyond what you see and write creatively. And when you finish then it’s really your story. Next time you write a short story, a novel, a non-fiction article or book, or conduct an interview then try engaging all your senses when you write. When you do, you just may find that you’re writing to inspire!

Glenn White is Editor of www.WriteToInspire.com and a freelance writer. Glenn’s email: editor@WriteToInspire.com