Write the Senses

We tend to focus on the visual in descriptive writing. But we have at our disposal the powerful senses of touch, sound, smell and taste. When describing, we should use all of the senses to create the kind of rich detail that readers will remember. The rainy day may be gray and chilly, but what does it smell like? What does the rain taste like? The wind may be howling, but what does it look like? Does it smell? What does a shabby room sound like? What does a frightened child smell like? Looking at these unusual dimensions of the things we're describing can bring new experiences and new perspectives to ordinary phenomena. It can turn our descriptive writing upside down and make it memorable. Will you remember a description of a reddish brown horse or a horse that smells like autumn leaves? Will you remember a description of a loud train or a train that blurs the trees like green butter? The senses that we don't expect are the ones that will resonate the most deeply with us. Give your readers the richness of our sensual world by using all the senses available to us. Begin to look at and write about your world in ways you haven't considered before. Your description will flourish and your writing will deepen.