You’ve all heard it: use the five senses to describe your world. However, it’s not enough just to jot down a quick list of sight, sound, smell, feeling, and maybe even taste.
Here are some tips to really make your writing “pop” with sensory detail.
Sight – Don’t just monologue about what the character is seeing. Pick a couple of details that show your readers something they won’t forget. Choose something specific that makes your setting unique.
- The moon-path glittered before me on the lake, and I wanted to follow it to a better world.
- She watched the orange ball sink behind the white stone face of her mountain.
- Mirrored walls cast rainbowed shadows on the sidewalk.
Sound – Use sounds to move your action along and add depth to a scene. But, as I read in a recent writing article, for goodness’ sake, be creative with your onomatopoeia!
- She had to yell her reply over the chuffing of the helicopter rotors.
- He dozed in the hammock to the buzz of hummingbird wings.
- The pock, pock of the horse’s hooves echoed from the canyon.
Smell – Don’t just go for the obvious. Pick something that doesn’t immediately evoke the idea of scent, and create a memorable detail for your reader. Pay attention to scene changes, too, because the new setting probably smells different.
- The sharp, copper tang of overheated electrical wires made the hairs on the back of my neck stand straight up.
- He held back a sneeze as she drew near. She must have bathed in Chanel No. 5.
- The sky was black and purple, and the scent of the storm lifted her mood.
Touch – Again, avoid the obvious. Your entire body is covered with sensory organs, so your characters should feel many things besides what their hands are touching.
- The wind cut through his thin jacket like a thousand needles.
- Sweat prickled and puddled at her hips.
- I leaned against the cold stone of the bank and wondered where I could find the money.
Taste – Yes, this is more difficult to work into a story. You can’t always have your characters eating things, or licking them to see how they taste. However, there are ways to use this sense to give your readers that unforgettable sense of your universe. Remember that it doesn’t have to be food to be tasted – and it doesn’t even have to be a literal taste at all.
- The acrid smoke left a bitter taste at the back of my throat, and I coughed and sputtered.
- She let the bourbon evaporate in her mouth, leaving only the stinging aftertaste.
- He remembered the melancholy taste of Fall in New England.
What is the most memorable detail you’ve ever read?