Sensory Writing

Writing is most often viewed as a visual medium. It consists of printed words on a page or a screen and we experience it with our eyes, so we think of it as visual. But viewing writing in this way is one-dimensional and misses some of its most critical attributes. Writing is also aural. When we read something, we not only visualize the words we're reading, we also hear the sounds of the words in our minds. We hear the rhythms, nuances and cadences of written words. We hear the music of language. Writing is also tactile. Good descriptive detail allows us to vicariously experience touching, smelling and tasting. Our sensory neurons fire in response to good writing and we feel the experience being described as if we were actually there. We can actually hear the sounds, smell the odors, taste the flavors and touch the textures the writer is describing. We can feel the emotions, even to the point of having physical reactions such as sweating and tingling and startling. This vicarious experience is real. When a writer writes well, we are transported into a different realm, a different sensory experience, a different slice of reality. To really understand the power of language and be able to use it effectively, we must view it in all its dimensions and appreciate the multi-sensory impact it has on readers.