Story Elements: The Sense of Taste

The sense of taste is closely related to the sense of smell. Both are chemical reactions that send messages to the brain, where the different flavors and odors are identified. When there’s a problem with the ability to smell, the sense of taste is also affected. Age, smoking, certain medications, head injuries, illness, and chemical exposure are among the things that can affect a person’s sense of taste.

Taste is difficult to use in many stories as quick-paced plots don’t allow much time for enjoying a meal. When the character gets a chance to eat, take advantage of it to include sensory details that will make the reader relate to what is going on. They can associate their own experiences with what the character is eating.

For example, if a truck driver sits at the counter eating chili, the reader knows he likes spicy food. Adding extra hot sauce may suggest he’s older, or a smoker, and has lost some of his taste buds. If he orders apple pie à la mode he’s a guy who has fond memories of his childhood (that’s my interpretation, not necessarily accurate). Even if you don’t mention the actual taste, reading about familiar foods will invoke a reaction in the reader’s mind.

To give a character an extra flaw, you could show the loss of taste affecting the person’s ability to detect spoiled food, or causing them to add so much extra salt for flavor that people think they’re weird—and it gives them uncontrolled high blood pressure. Lots of opportunities for taste to spice up a story. (Lame attempt at humor, I know…)

One of my favorite books, A Christmas Carol, by Charles Dickens, is rich with details that bring his characters and setting to life. It has wonderful descriptions of the food for sale in the market. The following excerpt goes against the writing advice we read nowadays, but I love it:

“There were pears and apples, clustered high in blooming pyramids; there were bunches of grapes, made, in the shopkeepers’ benevolence to dangle from conspicuous hooks, that people’s mouths might water gratis as they passed; there were piles of filberts, mossy and brown, recalling, in their fragrance, ancient walks among the woods, and pleasant shufflings ankle deep through withered leaves; there were Norfolk Biffins, squab and swarthy, setting off the yellow of the oranges and lemons, and, in the great compactness of their juicy persons, urgently entreating and beseeching to be carried home in paper bags and eaten after dinner. The very gold and silver fish, set forth among these choice fruits in a bowl, though members of a dull and stagnant-blooded race, appeared to know that there was something going on; and, to a fish, went gasping round and round their little world in slow and passionless excitement.”

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What foods do you crave when you are worried or depressed? Which foods do you associate with happy memories? If you were stuck on a deserted island with only one type of food available, which food would you hope it would be? (My answer for all of those: butter pecan ice cream)

Story Elements: The Sense of Smell

Using smells is one way writers can influence the images people form in their minds while reading. People encounter odors wherever they go, and associate their own experiences with the descriptive words they read. Certain ones will bring back fond memories while others may make readers feel sick. They can make a subtle statement about the characters, hint at the scenery, or clarify the setting.

If you write that the air was laden with the scent of jasmine, readers will envision a spring or summer evening in a warm climate, as jasmine release their scent after the sun goes down. Mentioning acrid or pungent odors will invoke different impressions than sweet or minty smells.

Characters might display an extraordinary sense of smell, as seen in the recent movie about Sherlock Holmes (which I liked) and also in one called The Book of Eli (that one was too violent for me). As some people have hyposmia, the reduced ability to detect odors, or anosmia, the complete inability to smell anything, you might use one of those medical conditions as an interesting flaw for a character in a story.

As with any description, you’ll want to be careful not to overload your story with unnecessary sensory details. However, sprinkling them throughout the story to give a richer picture of the setting or characters can be very effective.

Take time to smell the flowers

 

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What odors do you associate with pleasant memories? What about those that are unpleasant?

Angels (Book Review)

Angels, by Dr. David Jeremiah

The title of this book says exactly what it is about, and the content reveals what the Bible says about them. There is no doubt the author has thoroughly researched the Bible and many reputable sources to arrive at his conclusions about the nature and purpose of angels.

The book begins with an overview of the Biblical references that mention angels. Dr. Jeremiah then proceeds to interpret the possible implications for us today. I liked the way he explains the basics about angels: their existence as created spiritual beings; their purpose as servants acting according to their master’s will and with his authority; their appearance in times of need; their job as messengers and also as warriors.

Dr. Jeremiah shows that the typical image we have of angels is not based on the Bible’s teachings. Through time, people have formed an image fitting their vision of what an angel should be rather than of what God created them to be.

Dr. Jeremiah has an engaging writing style that keeps the facts from sounding like a textbook. He explains his views and supports them with quotes from other sources. Though there is no way to prove his conclusions, his beliefs are well thought out and explained. This is a thought-provoking book, and I highly recommend it.

If you’re interested in buying this book, this is the link to see your options:

http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9781601422699&ref=externallink_mlt_Angels_sec_1208_01

 

Angels, by Dr. David Jeremiah

This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

 (Normally I don’t put reviews on the main page of my blog, but I accidently posted it here and sent this link to the publisher–so it’s staying here.  I also posted this review on my Book Reviews page so it will be easily accessed later.)

Story Elements: The Sense of Touch

The sense of touch can be used in writing to help draw readers into the scene. By describing physical sensations that most people will recognize from their own experience, we can help them to vicariously feel what the characters are feeling.

If there is a battle scene, we can describe the sensation of blood trickling down the hero’s side as he valiantly rescues the heroine from danger. Or a romantic kiss might send tingles of delight shivering through the lady even as she pushes the rogue away. The burning sand might shift between the toes of the castaway as he struggles up the beach toward the shelter of a grove of trees. Most readers can relate to the sensations of trickling blood, kisses, and hot sand. Personal experiences will enhance the imagery of the story.

The sense of touch can describe more than just the obvious things—like a handshake or a kiss. In the picture below, I sense the softness of rose petals, the sleekness of the silk suit, the warm texture of the velvet dress, and the smoothness of the manicured nails. Not all those details would be necessary or desirable in a story, but mentioning one or two in a scene might be useful.

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Descriptive details, when used judiciously, can strengthen a story. Remember, though, that the amount of exposition can affect the story’s pace, and too much detail can slow it down. You’ll want to include enough sensory description to give readers a feel for what’s going on, but not bore them or bog down the story.

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How can you use the sense of touch to develop characterization or setting? Don’t you wonder how someone can do dishes with such dainty-looking nails? (answer: she can’t, and is happy to have an excuse to let me do them instead)

Story Elements: Show Instead of Tell

You’ve probably heard the admonition that writers should “show, not tell,” meaning that we should allow readers to visualize what is happening rather than flat out telling them. One way to help make a story come alive is to appeal to the readers’ five senses. Let them see, hear, touch, taste, and smell the story.

Whenever I hear that, I visualize a child’s board book with those touchy-feely-smelly inserts that teach them basic science. The same concept applies to written words: let readers interact with the story through their own experience. Hint at things rather than painting the full picture and the reader will fill in the details based on the ideas your words invoke.

I find it hardest to appeal to the sense of sound. There are obvious images, like a dog barking to indicate an intruder, or someone crying to show sadness. Those are so well-known, though, that they’ve become clichéd, and therefore unoriginal. So what’s a writer to do?

Think about the sounds you hear as you go about your day. Take notes on how they make you feel, or how someone else reacts. Perhaps a ringtone reminds you of your first boyfriend, or a train whistle makes your gut clench with fear because your best friend was hit trying to cross the tracks ahead of the freight train and his car stalled at the crucial moment. Insert such sounds into the story and, with appropriate use of backstory, it can enrich the setting and characterization.

In a future post, I’ll talk about some of the other sensory details you might consider. The main purpose of this one, however, is to allow me to use the word tintinnabulation.

Noun: tintinnabulation – the sound of a bell ringing; “the distinctive ring of the church bell”; “the ringing of the telephone”; “the tintinnabulation that so voluminously swells from the ringing and the dinging of the bells”–E. A. Poe

(Definition from:  http://www.tfd.com/tintinnabulation  )

Whenever I hear that word, I think of the poem by Edgar Allen Poe called The Bells. The use of sound in that poem focuses on the different messages a ringing bell can have, and how it affects those who hear it. From the tinkling of sleigh bells to the sorrowful tolling of iron bells, the noises portray a scene most readers could envision. It’s an excellent example of how sound can be used to touch the emotions of readers.

http://www.readprint.com/work-1295/The-Bells-Edgar-Allan-Poe

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Can you think of other examples where sound might be used to enrich a story?  Do you have a favorite “sound” word? What “sound” really grates on your nerves?

What Does It Mean: Foil?

In addition to being the shiny silver stuff you use in cooking, or the verb meaning to thwart, there is a literary term called a foil. It refers to a secondary character that contrasts with one of the main characters in order to highlight certain qualities of that person.

Often a foil is the opposite in personality or attitude, but there can also be a contrast in appearance. If one character is self-confident and attractive, the foil may be timid and plain. A person who is logical and pragmatic may have a partner who is impulsive and daring.

Foils tend to emphasize the main characters’ good qualities, and can help give readers a better understanding of them as they interact with those who are their opposites.

Sidekicks, a term referring to close friends who accompany the main character on adventures or activities, are an example of foils. Famous ones I can think of off-hand are Batman and Robin, or Lone Ranger and Tonto. For 3 Stooges fans, Larry and Curly might be considered foils for Moe; or is Moe a foil for Curly? (I love Curly!)

What are some other famous foils or sidekicks? Do you use foils in your stories?

 

What Does It Mean: Flash Fiction?

Flash fiction is shorter than a traditional short story. There doesn’t seem to be a universal definition of the length, but it’s generally considered to be stories that are less than 1,000 words. Some definitions say it’s stories less than 1,500, words, and a few places mention it’s under 2,000 words. There are even subcategories of flash fiction, such as drabble, which is a story that is exactly 100 words. If you plan to write and submit flash fiction, be sure to check the publication’s guidelines to find out which length they are interested in receiving.

Just like all stories, flash fiction needs a plot with a beginning, middle, and end. These stories drop the reader into the action, which often takes place in one scene, with very little backstory. There isn’t room for much character development, and the tension must build quickly. Since there isn’t time to gradually build up to a climax, twist endings are common.

Flash fiction has been around for years, but has become more popular with the growth of online magazines. The pay for these stories isn’t usually a lot, and the market is highly competitive, but selling them to reputable magazines may help beef up your author’s bio on a query.  

Here are a few sites I think are helpful:

http://www.fictionfactor.com/guests/flashfiction.html Gives tips for writing flash fiction

http://www.writing-world.com/fiction/flash.shtml Describes flash fiction

http://www.statemaster.com/encyclopedia/Flash-fiction  Explains the term and gives a history of flash fiction

Do you write flash fiction? Is it easier or harder for you than writing a typical short story?

Characterization: Contrariness Creates Conflict

Writing fiction is hard. I can’t make my characters do what I want. They keep coming up with their own ideas and messing up my plot, and I’m getting pretty tired of it. I’m having to re-write a whole bunch of scenes because they didn’t like what I told them to do.

If anyone else told me that, I’d think they were nuts. How can characters talk? How can they do anything at all when they aren’t real? I know that, yet I still get mad at the way they behave. It’s like I’ve gotten to know them well enough that I know what they would do in a situation, but it isn’t what I want them to do. I gave them certain personalities when we started this story, and don’t you know they went and changed!

They can’t be allowed to do things that don’t fit their personalities, or the story won’t be believable. Yet, the changes were necessary to develop the plot. So now the plot doesn’t fit the characters anymore.

This is frustrating. I did not want to write a romance. This is supposed to be a suspense novel. Somebody needs to be punished for this and I think it’s going to be the main character. She has it way too easy, and the guys just love her. It’s not that I’m jealous or anything. Lorraine is though, and I’m going to whisper something into her ear that will really make her hate Danni.

Oh, sorry. Here I am rambling about my characters when you haven’t met them and probably don’t care about them. But you’re supposed to care about the characters in a novel. If readers don’t care, they stop reading. And giving them problems and making them dislike each other, or love each other, or fight each other, builds tension and conflict.

No one wants to read about perfect people, unless it’s to see them get tormented and brought down a peg. Peg! That’s another character in my story. It’s a conspiracy. They want to take over my mind and keep me typing this story forever. They want to live forever and ever, and all I want them to do is go:

To sleep—perchance to dream. Ay, there’s the rub!
For in that sleep of death what dreams may come,
When we have shuffled off this mortal coil,
Must give us pause—there’s the respect
That makes calamity of so long life.

(William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act 3, Scene 1)

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Do your characters take on a distinct personality? Do they change as the story progresses, or are they the same at the end as they were in the beginning? Do you enjoy stories where the characters are perfect, or do you prefer flawed characters? Aren’t you glad we don’t talk like they did in Shakespeare’s time?

Seizing the Day

Today I’ll be working on my submission for the Editor Unleashed “Why I Write” contest. Remember, if you’re entering, the deadline is January 31. Let me know if you post an entry so I can make sure I read it. Rankings will take place in February.

Also, anyone interested in voting for a story in the Reader’s Choice Poll on the Mad Utopia blog, polls close on January 23.

Since I don’t have the time (or mabybe it’s lack of motivation?) to write a blog post today, I’m sharing one of my favorite songs with you instead. This is “Seize the Day,” by Carolyn Arends. Its message is worth remembering.

 

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What dreams are you working towards? What songs motivate you to strive for your goals? What does “seize the day” mean to you?

Thoughts on Being a Professional

Today’s post will be short because I have an important business meeting tomorrow and I need to cut my hair and do my nails. I also want to look over last year’s contract so I’ll be able to recognize any changes the management might try to slip into the new one. Not that there’s anything I can actually do about it. The guy in charge makes his decisions based on what he thinks is best for his company, and who he personally likes or dislikes.

So why do I bother thinking about my looks and doing research? Because I know my competition and want to make the best impression I can; because I know my appearance reflects the type of person I am; because I can’t know if signing a contract is the best decision for me if I don’t have a basis for comparison. I represent my business, and its success or failure depends on how I handle the opportunities I’m given.

Those principles apply to writing, too.

1. We need to know our audience and our competition.

If there’s no market for what we’re writing, we have little hope of selling it. If the market is flooded with similar stories, we have little hope of interesting an agent or publisher in ours. If we’re writing strictly for our own enjoyment, we don’t need to worry about what other people think.

2. We need to be (or at least appear) professional and competent.

It’s human nature to favor the people who impress us with their looks, skills, talents, or whatever it is we’re using as a criteria for choosing one over another. Our queries and manuscripts represent us (which is probably why so many writers take a rejection personally), so we need to make them as attractive as possible before we send them out. That means they should be properly formatted, free of grammatical errors, concise, yet thorough.

3. We need to do our research.

Sending a query to agents or publishers who don’t represent the type of writing we do, or failing to follow the guidelines they give, is not showing we are professionals. It’s a waste of their time and ours. If they accept our work and we later find out we aren’t getting what we thought out of the deal, we’ll have to live with the consequences. Maybe we can break the contract, maybe we can re-negotiate the terms, maybe we’ll get out of it without damaging our career. We’ll be gaining experience but wasting time.

Are you writing strictly for pleasure, working towards a career in writing, or somewhere in the middle? Do you research the market before starting a project, or do the writing first and the research later?  Would my use of semi-colons in the second paragraph be considered a grammatical error, or a stylistic choice?