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How to Use the Five Senses in Fiction

Make use of the five senses -- hearing, sight, touch, smell and taste -- in your narrative. These helpers will enhance everything you write. Make all of them count. You don’t have to use each one of them in every scene; one or two in any given situation will bring an otherwise drab sequence to life.

Instructions

    • 1

      Use the five senses liberally to add impact to your writing. Consider the following examples:

      The gunshot echoed off the brick walls of the filthy alley.
      Bill’s last awareness was a blinding light.
      Susan reached into the opening and felt something soft. Then – searing pain.
      Jennifer walked into her husband’s study. She stopped short. The faint scent of a woman’s perfume lingered in the air.
      Detective Haggart wet his finger and touched the white powder. He put it to the tip of his tongue. He tasted pure cocaine.

    • 2

      Expand each of the examples above by adding one or more lines of narration. Add variations of the senses while maintaining the overall concept of the situation:

      The gunshot echoed off the brick walls of the filthy alley. An explosion of burning pain drove Chuck to the ground.
      Bill’s last awareness was a blinding light and the sting of his torn flesh.
      Susan reached into the opening and felt something soft. Then – searing pain. She heard the cracking of bones as her fingers were ripped off.
      Jennifer walked into her husband’s study. She stopped short. The faint scent of a woman’s perfume lingered in the air. The fragrance had a hint of ginger and was mixed with the spice of Tom’s cologne.
      Detective Haggart wet his finger and touched the white powder. He put it to the tip of his tongue. He tasted pure cocaine. Haggart’s knees cracked when he bent down to examine the body.

    • 3

      Employ sensory suggestion to increase the reader’s perception:

      George left the party and drove to the airport to pick up Liz.

      George left the party, jumped into his bright red Mustang and fired up the engine. The roar and power gave him the usual thrill. It always reminded him of Liz. He drove to the airport to pick her up.

      The first description has all the excitement of a bowl of oatmeal. The second jumps off the page.

Fiction

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