The holidays are a treat for the senses, from sparkling lights to the crunch of newly-fallen snow, from fragrant pine branches to the downy softness of a warm blanket and a hint of peppermint in a cup of hot chocolate.
As you enjoy the sights, sounds, scents, textures, and flavors of this time of year, don’t forget to include all those things in your journaling. Including descriptive phrases that evoke your five senses can really bring your writing to life and allow your family and friends to experience the wonder of the season through your words and photos.
Here are some things to remember when writing about your five senses:
Don’t feel like you have to include all five senses in your writing. Remember our post last week about creating a dominant impression? Sometimes including all your senses would mean including a bunch of irrelevant details. Instead, include only those details that really help to more fully describe the person, place, or object you’re writing about.
On the other hand, don’t focus solely on the sense of sight. Because this is the most common way we make sense of the world, it’s easy to include these details but leave out phrases that help to evoke sounds or scents. If you find yourself relying too heavily on sight images, make it a goal to write only about one of the other senses instead.
Make every word count. When you are focusing on descriptive writing, you want all of your words to have an impact. Strong verbs, in particular, really help to make your descriptions stand out. If you have trouble thinking of an alternate term, consult an online dictionary; it’s quick and easy to look up a better choice.
Aud Neal is sharing her stories and advice each week with us as Simple Scrapper’s featured guest writer for Capture the Season.
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