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Adding Sensory Details to Writing: Elevating Your Prose Through Vivid Description
Author: Dr. Evelyn Reed, PhD in Creative Writing, Professor of English at the University of California, Berkeley, and author of "The Art of Evocative Prose."
Publisher: Scribner, a leading publisher of literary and academic works known for its high editorial standards and commitment to quality.
Editor: Margaret Chen, experienced editor with over 15 years of experience in publishing literary and academic works, specializing in creative writing and rhetoric.
Keywords: adding sensory details to writing, sensory details in writing, descriptive writing, vivid writing, evocative language, show don't tell, sensory imagery, descriptive language, creative writing techniques
Summary: This article explores the crucial role of adding sensory details to writing, emphasizing its impact on reader engagement and the overall quality of a piece. It delves into the five senses – sight, sound, smell, taste, and touch – providing practical examples and techniques for effectively incorporating sensory details to create immersive and memorable narratives. The article further discusses the significance of sensory details in various writing genres and offers strategies for overcoming common challenges writers face when attempting to add richer sensory descriptions to their work. Ultimately, it argues that mastering the art of adding sensory details to writing is essential for any writer aiming to create compelling and impactful prose.
1. Introduction: Why Sensory Details Matter in Writing
Adding sensory details to writing is not merely a stylistic choice; it's a fundamental technique that transforms ordinary prose into captivating narratives. When we read, we don't just passively absorb information; we actively create mental images and experiences. Adding sensory details to writing directly fuels this process, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the world you create. Instead of simply telling the reader what's happening, you are showing them through vivid descriptions that engage their senses. This creates a more powerful and lasting impact, leaving a deeper impression on the reader than a purely factual account ever could. Mastering the art of adding sensory details to writing is a crucial skill for any writer, regardless of genre.
2. The Five Senses: A Writer's Toolkit for Vivid Description
Effective writing utilizes all five senses to create a multi-layered experience for the reader. Let's explore how each sense contributes to the richness of your prose:
Sight: Avoid generic descriptions. Instead of "the room was messy," try "sunbeams slanted across a room cluttered with overflowing bookshelves, discarded clothes strewn across the floor, and a half-eaten sandwich resting precariously on a stack of papers." Notice the specificity and the evocative imagery.
Sound: Go beyond simply stating "it was noisy." Describe the specific sounds: "The rhythmic clang of the blacksmith's hammer echoed through the cobbled street, punctuated by the shrill cry of a hawker selling his wares and the distant rumble of a cart."
Smell: Smell is powerfully evocative, often triggering strong memories. "The air hung heavy with the scent of woodsmoke and damp earth, a fragrance both comforting and slightly melancholic."
Taste: Describe the nuances of taste: "The tartness of the lemon cut through the richness of the chocolate ganache, a delightful contrast that danced on the palate."
Touch: Convey texture and temperature: "The rough bark of the ancient oak tree scraped against her skin as she climbed, the cold air biting at her exposed cheeks."
3. Techniques for Adding Sensory Details to Writing
Show, Don't Tell: This classic writing advice is directly related to adding sensory details. Instead of telling the reader a character is sad, describe their slumped posture, the tears welling in their eyes, and the tremor in their voice.
Use Figurative Language: Metaphors, similes, and personification breathe life into your descriptions. Compare the sound of rain to "a thousand tiny drums" or describe the wind as "a mischievous sprite, tugging at the leaves."
Focus on Specific Details: Generic descriptions lack impact. Focus on precise details that engage the senses. Instead of "a beautiful sunset," try "a fiery orange sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky with strokes of crimson, gold, and lavender."
Use Strong Verbs and Adjectives: Choose words that are evocative and precise. Instead of "the car drove fast," try "the car roared down the highway."
Vary Your Sentence Structure: Mixing short, sharp sentences with longer, more descriptive ones creates rhythm and pace, keeping the reader engaged.
4. Adding Sensory Details to Different Writing Genres
The principles of adding sensory details to writing apply across various genres:
Fiction: Sensory details are crucial for creating immersive worlds and believable characters.
Non-fiction: Even in factual writing, sensory details can make the text more engaging and memorable. A detailed description of a historical setting or a scientific experiment can dramatically improve reader comprehension and retention.
Poetry: Sensory imagery is fundamental to poetry, creating powerful emotional responses in the reader.
Screenwriting: While visual descriptions are primarily shown on screen, strong sensory details in the script can guide the director's interpretation and enhance the overall effect.
5. Overcoming Challenges in Adding Sensory Details
Many writers struggle with effectively adding sensory details to their writing. Common challenges include:
Overdoing it: Too much description can bog down the narrative. Find a balance between detail and pacing.
Inconsistent Sensory Details: Ensure your descriptions are consistent throughout the piece. Avoid jarring shifts in sensory focus.
Lack of Observation: Practice observing your surroundings and noticing details. Keep a notebook to record interesting sensory experiences.
Fear of being too descriptive: Some writers worry about being overly descriptive or flowery. Remember that strong sensory details enhance, not detract from, a good story.
6. The Power of Sensory Details in Creating Memorable Characters and Settings
Adding sensory details is not just about painting pictures; it's about creating memorable characters and settings. By appealing to the reader's senses, you help them connect with the characters on a deeper, more emotional level. A vivid description of a character's worn leather boots or the smell of their pipe tobacco can tell us much more about them than a simple statement of their profession. Similarly, sensory details create a feeling of being “present” in a particular setting – it may be a bustling city street, a quiet forest clearing, or a grand castle hall. The readers will feel the rough cobblestones under their feet, smell the spices from a nearby market, or hear the distant chimes of a clock.
7. Editing and Refining Sensory Details
Once you've added sensory details to your writing, it's crucial to edit and refine your work. Read your text aloud to identify areas where the descriptions feel clunky or forced. Ask yourself: Do the sensory details enhance the story, or do they distract from it? Are the details specific and evocative, or are they generic and vague? Are they consistent with the overall tone and style of the piece? A critical review process is critical to achieving the desired effect of adding sensory details to your writing.
8. Conclusion
Adding sensory details to writing is a powerful technique that can transform your prose from ordinary to extraordinary. By engaging the reader's senses, you create a more immersive, engaging, and ultimately memorable experience. Mastering this skill takes practice and observation, but the rewards are well worth the effort. Remember to show, don't tell, use vivid language, and edit carefully to achieve a perfect balance of descriptive detail and narrative flow. The goal is not merely to describe but to evoke, to transport the reader to another time and place, to make them feel what your characters feel, and to experience the world you've created as if they were truly there.
FAQs:
1. How many sensory details should I include in a single paragraph? There's no magic number. Aim for a balance; too many can be overwhelming, too few will feel flat. Focus on details that are most relevant to the scene and character.
2. What if my writing style is minimalist? Can I still use sensory details? Absolutely! Even minimalist writing can benefit from carefully chosen, impactful sensory details. The key is to be selective and precise.
3. How can I improve my ability to observe sensory details? Practice mindful observation. Take time each day to consciously notice the sights, sounds, smells, tastes, and textures around you. Keep a journal to record your observations.
4. Are there specific exercises to help me improve my use of sensory details? Yes, try writing descriptions of everyday objects or scenes, focusing solely on sensory details. Also, choose a photograph and write a detailed description based on the visual cues.
5. How do I know if I've used too many sensory details? If your descriptions feel cluttered or overwhelming, or if they interrupt the flow of the narrative, you may have overdone it. Edit ruthlessly and prioritize the most impactful details.
6. Can sensory details be used in academic writing? Yes, but with careful consideration. While not as prevalent as in fiction, sensory details can enhance clarity and engagement in descriptive passages.
7. How can I use sensory details to create suspense or tension? Carefully chosen details can build suspense. For example, a subtle shift in temperature or a distant, unsettling sound can create unease.
8. Are there any software or tools to help me add sensory details to my writing? While there isn't specific software, grammar and style checkers can help identify areas where your writing may lack descriptive detail.
9. How can I learn more about adding sensory details to writing? Read books and articles on creative writing, take workshops, and study the work of authors known for their vivid descriptions.
Related Articles:
1. "Mastering the Art of Descriptive Writing": Explores various techniques for crafting vivid descriptions, including the use of imagery, figurative language, and sensory details.
2. "Show, Don't Tell: A Comprehensive Guide": A detailed exploration of the "show, don't tell" principle and its application in incorporating sensory details to enhance storytelling.
3. "The Power of Sensory Imagery in Poetry": Focuses on how poets use sensory details to create powerful and evocative imagery.
4. "Writing Vivid Characters Through Sensory Details": Explores how sensory details can be used to create believable and memorable characters.
5. "Creating Immersive Worlds Through Sensory Description": Discusses how to build rich and believable settings using sensory details in fiction writing.
6. "Sensory Details in Non-Fiction Writing: Engaging Your Readers": Shows how sensory details can enhance engagement and comprehension in non-fiction.
7. "Overcoming Writer's Block: Using Sensory Details to Unlock Your Creativity": Explores how sensory details can help writers overcome creative blocks.
8. "Editing for Sensory Richness: Refining Your Descriptive Prose": Provides techniques for editing and revising your work to improve the impact of your sensory details.
9. "Sensory Details and the Five Senses: A Practical Guide for Writers": A more practical, step-by-step guide to applying sensory details across various writing projects.
| adding sensory details to writing: Writing from the Senses Laura Deutsch, 2014-05-13 The sensory details that infuse our everyday experience—the smell of a favorite dish cooking, the texture of a well-worn coat, hearing a song that reminds you of a person or a time in your life—can be used to add richness and spark to what we write. Whether you are a professional writer (or want to be one) or someone who just enjoys writing for the joy of self-expression, Writing from the Senses will show you how to tap into an endless source of engaging material, using your senses as prompts. Laura Deutsch explores all kinds of writing—from memoir and journaling to fiction, journalism, poetry, travel, food writing, and more. |
| adding sensory details to writing: The Urban Setting Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to City Spaces Becca Puglisi, Angela Ackerman, 2016-06-06 Making readers care and feel like they’re part of the story should be the number one goal of all writers. Ironically, many storytellers fail to maximize one of fiction’s most powerful elements to achieve this: the setting. Rather than being a simple backdrop against which events unfold, every location has the potential to become a conduit for conveying emotion, characterizing the cast, providing opportunities for deep point of view, and revealing significant backstory. Inside this volume, you will find: • A list of the sights, smells, tastes, textures, and sounds for over 120 urban settings • Possible sources of conflict for each location to help you brainstorm ways to naturally complicate matters for your characters • Advice on how to make every piece of description count so you can maintain the right pace and keep readers engaged • Tips on utilizing the five senses to encourage readers to more fully experience each moment by triggering their own emotional memories • Information on how to use the setting to characterize a story’s cast through personalization and emotional values while using emotional triggers to steer their decisions • A review of specific challenges that arise when choosing an urban location, along with common descriptive pitfalls that should be avoided The Urban Setting Thesaurus helps you tailor each setting to your characters while creating a realistic, textured world your readers will long to return to, even after the book closes. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Writing Warmups , |
| adding sensory details to writing: Wired for Story Lisa Cron, 2012-07-10 This guide reveals how writers can utilize cognitive storytelling strategies to craft stories that ignite readers’ brains and captivate them through each plot element. Imagine knowing what the brain craves from every tale it encounters, what fuels the success of any great story, and what keeps readers transfixed. Wired for Story reveals these cognitive secrets—and it’s a game-changer for anyone who has ever set pen to paper. The vast majority of writing advice focuses on “writing well” as if it were the same as telling a great story. This is exactly where many aspiring writers fail—they strive for beautiful metaphors, authentic dialogue, and interesting characters, losing sight of the one thing that every engaging story must do: ignite the brain’s hardwired desire to learn what happens next. When writers tap into the evolutionary purpose of story and electrify our curiosity, it triggers a delicious dopamine rush that tells us to pay attention. Without it, even the most perfect prose won’t hold anyone’s interest. Backed by recent breakthroughs in neuroscience as well as examples from novels, screenplays, and short stories, Wired for Story offers a revolutionary look at story as the brain experiences it. Each chapter zeroes in on an aspect of the brain, its corresponding revelation about story, and the way to apply it to your storytelling right now. |
| adding sensory details to writing: The Writer's Field Guide to the Craft of Fiction Michael Noll, 2018-02-27 The Writers Field Guide to the Craft of Fiction offers a refreshing approach to the craft of fiction writing. It takes a single page from forty contemporary novels and short stories, identifies techniques used by the writers, and presents approachable exercises and prompts that allow anyone to put those techniques to immediate use in their own work. Encompassing everything from micro (how to write pretty) to macro (how to move through time space), and even how to put all together on page one, this a field guide for anyone who wants to start writing now (or get some shiny new gear for their fiction toolbox.) |
| adding sensory details to writing: Where Butterflies Grow Joanne Ryder, 2014-03-01 Have you ever imagined what it would be like to become a butterfly? Discover how a caterpillar turns into a butterfly in this beautifully illustrated tale of a butterfly's life. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Night Noises Mem Fox, 1989 Lily Laceby is nearly 90 and lives in a remote cottage with her dog, Butch Aggie. One wild winter night she drifts off to sleep. As she dreams peacefully of bygone days, Butch Aggie stirs, hackles raised, hearing strange noises. Who could be out on such a night? But Lily opens the door to a lovely surprise. A delightfully suspenseful story that children will enjoy again and again. Copyright © Libri GmbH. All rights reserved. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Fight Write Carla Hoch, 2019-06-11 Whether a side-street skirmish or an all-out war, fight scenes bring action to the pages of every kind of fiction. But a poorly done or unbelievable fight scene can ruin a great book in an instant. In Fight Write you'll learn practical tips, terminology, and the science behind crafting realistic fight scenes for your fiction. Broken up into Rounds, trained fighter and writer Carla Hoch guides you through the many factors you'll need to consider when developing battles and brawls. • In Round 1, you will consider how the Who, When, Where, and Why questions affect what type of fight scene you want to craft. • Round 2 delves into the human factors of biology (think fight or flight and adrenaline) and psychology (aggression and response to injuring or killing another person). • Round 3 explores different fighting styles that are appropriate for different situations: How would a character fight from a prone position versus being attacked in the street? What is the vocabulary used to describe these styles? • Round 4 considers weaponry and will guide you to select the best weapon for your characters, including nontraditional weapons of opportunity, while also thinking about the nitty-gritty details of using them. • In Round 5, you'll learn how to accurately describe realistic injuries sustained from the fights and certain weapons, and what kind of injuries will kill a character or render them unable to fight further. By taking into account where your character is in the world, when in history the fight is happening, what the character's motivation for fighting is, and much more, you'll be able write fight scenes unique to your plot and characters, all while satisfying your reader's discerning eye. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Collars & Curses Sharon Skinner, 2017-05-12 A story of urban fantasy, growing up and making sense of a world that does not often present itself as normal from fantasy writer Sharon Skinner (The Healer's Legacy, Mirabella and the Faded Phantom). Think being a High School sophomore is hard? Try doing it when your messed up genetic code turns you into a wolf every full moon. Not only does Merissa have to deal with high school divas, bullies and pop quizzes, she also has to hide the awkward truth that once a month she really does get bitchy. And just when she thinks she's found someone she to whom she can actually relate, her new classmate Bree turns out to be an arrogant witch. Literally. If they weren’t the only non-Norms in the entire town of Fair Glen—aside from the annoying half-Elf, Jeryd, who shows up and complicates things—Merissa might not give Bree the time of day. But when Bree is drawn into a curse that causes chaos at school and threatens the town, Merissa must find a way to vanquish the dark power behind the curse and keep her parents from finding out about it. All without failing biology. Accolades- I liked Marissa, the non-human werewolf freshman in a town full of norms. Not only has she to fight with a bully in school, but the new girl in town - a witch with her own secret plan for Marissa's home town. Interesting and funny, Collars & Curses, was a good read.- Alex K |
| adding sensory details to writing: Thunder Cake Patricia Polacco, 1990-03-15 A loud clap of thunder booms, and rattles the windows of Grandma's old farmhouse. This is Thunder Cake baking weather, calls Grandma, as she and her granddaughter hurry to gather the ingredients around the farm. A real Thunder Cake must reach the oven before the storm arrives. But the list of ingredients is long and not easy to find . . . and the storm is coming closer all the time! Reaching once again into her rich childhood experience, Patricia Polacco tells the memorable story of how her grandma--her Babushka--helped her overcome her fear of thunder when she was a little girl. Ms. Polacco's vivid memories of her grandmother's endearing answer to a child's fear, accompanied by her bright folk-art illustrations, turn a frightening thunderstorm into an adventure and ultimately . . . a celebration! Whether the first clap of thunder finds you buried under the bedcovers or happily anticipating the coming storm, Thunder Cake is a story that will bring new meaning and possibility to the excitement of a thunderstorm. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Small Moments Lucy Calkins, Abby Oxenhorn Smith, Rachel Rothman, 2013 |
| adding sensory details to writing: The Berenstain Bears' Comic Valentine Stan Berenstain, Jan Berenstain, 1998-01 Star hockey player Brother Bear receives secret valentines from an admirer named Honey Bear, whose identity he discovers on the day of the championship game. |
| adding sensory details to writing: The Emotion Thesaurus: A Writer's Guide to Character Expression (2nd Edition) Becca Puglisi, Angela Ackerman, 2019-02-19 The bestselling Emotion Thesaurus, often hailed as “the gold standard for writers” and credited with transforming how writers craft emotion, has now been expanded to include 56 new entries! One of the biggest struggles for writers is how to convey emotion to readers in a unique and compelling way. When showing our characters’ feelings, we often use the first idea that comes to mind, and they end up smiling, nodding, and frowning too much. If you need inspiration for creating characters’ emotional responses that are personalized and evocative, this ultimate show-don’t-tell guide for emotion can help. It includes: • Body language cues, thoughts, and visceral responses for over 130 emotions that cover a range of intensity from mild to severe, providing innumerable options for individualizing a character’s reactions • A breakdown of the biggest emotion-related writing problems and how to overcome them • Advice on what should be done before drafting to make sure your characters’ emotions will be realistic and consistent • Instruction for how to show hidden feelings and emotional subtext through dialogue and nonverbal cues • And much more! The Emotion Thesaurus, in its easy-to-navigate list format, will inspire you to create stronger, fresher character expressions and engage readers from your first page to your last. |
| adding sensory details to writing: What Lies Between Us Nayomi Munaweera, 2016-02-16 In the idyllic hill country of Sri Lanka, a young girl grows up with her loving family; but even in the midst of this paradise, terror lurks in the shadows. When tragedy strikes, she and her mother must seek safety by immigrating to America. There the girl reinvents herself as an American teenager to survive, with the help of her cousin; but even as she assimilates and thrives, the secrets and scars of her past follow her into adulthood. In this new country of freedom, everything she has built begins to crumble around her, and her hold on reality becomes more and more tenuous. When the past and the present collide, she sees only one terrible choice. From Nayomi Munaweera, the award-winning author of Island of a Thousand Mirrors, comes the confession of a woman, driven by the demons of her past to commit a single and possibly unforgivable crime. Praise for Island of a Thousand Mirrors: The paradisiacal landscapes of Sri Lanka are as astonishing as the barbarity of its revolution, and Munaweera evokes the power of both in a lyrical debut novel worthy of shelving alongside her countryman Michael Ondaatje or her fellow writer of the multigenerational immigrant experience Jhumpa Lahiri. - Publishers Weekly The beating heart of Island of a Thousand Mirrors is not so much its human characters but Sri Lanka itself and the vivid, occasionally incandescent, language used to describe this teardrop in the Indian Ocean. - The New York Times Book Review |
| adding sensory details to writing: Teaching Students to Make Writing Visual & Vivid David Lee Finkle, 2010 In this book, a teacher/writer/cartoonist provides tools for helping students write about people, places, events, and even abstractions so that their readers can hear, see smell, touch, and taste their topics. The author demonstrates ways to use figurative language, movie techniques, moment-by-moment narration, hypothetical scenarios, and dialogue to make any kind of writing come alive on the page.Author's lively, original, reproducible middle-school-based comic strips make key points about writing through humour.Classroom-tested idea produce powerful, engaging writing and raise test scores.Writing exercises included here inspire even reluctant readers to use vivid imagery. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Pirates Don't Change Diapers Melinda Long, 2007 Braid Beard and his pirate crew return to retrieve the treasure they buried in Jeremy Jacob's backyard, but first they must help calm his baby sister, Bonney Anne, whom they awoke from her nap. |
| adding sensory details to writing: DoubleBlind: A Case of Mistaken Identity Turns Deadly Libby Fischer Hellmann, 2022-03-08 Doubleblind is #6 in the Georgia Davis PI Series. With little work during the pandemic, Chicago PI Georgia Davis agrees to help the best friend of fellow sleuth, Ellie Foreman. Susan Siler’s aunt died suddenly after her Covid booster, and Susan’s distraught mother wants the death investigated. However, Georgia’s investigation is interrupted by a family trip to Nauvoo, Illinois, the one-time Mormon heartland. It’s there that her life unexpectedly intersects with the runaway spouse of a Mormon Fundamentalist. Terrific scenes with Georgia's family and boyfriend add depth and layers to a memorable cast of characters. BookReporter Back in Evanston, after Georgia is almost killed by a hit and run driver, she discovers that she and the escaped woman look remarkably alike. Is someone trying to kill Georgia because of her death investigation? Or is it a case of mistaken identity? And how can Georgia find her doppelganger before whoever wants them both dead tries again? Combining an up-to-the-minute tale of crime in the COVID era with fundamentalist Mormon noir (there's a phrase I never thought I'd find myself using!), Hellmann has put together an engrossing story that will appeal to her regular readers and win her new ones. Deadly Pleasures Magazine If you like Tess Gerritsen, Karin Slaughter, and Lisa Gardener, you'll love Libby Hellmann's Compulsively Readable Thrillers. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Down the Road Alice Schertle, 1995 Hetty is very careful with the eggs she has bought on her very first trip to the store, but she forgets to be careful when she stops to pick apples. |
| adding sensory details to writing: The Mad Wolf's Daughter Diane Magras, 2019-02-12 ***A New York Times Editors’ Choice*** A Scottish medieval adventure about the youngest in a war-band who must free her family from a castle prison after knights attack her home--with all the excitement of Ranger's Apprentice and perfect for fans of heroines like Alanna from The Song of the Lioness series. One dark night, Drest's sheltered life on a remote Scottish headland is shattered when invading knights capture her family, but leave Drest behind. Her father, the Mad Wolf of the North, and her beloved brothers are a fearsome war-band, but now Drest is the only one who can save them. So she starts off on a wild rescue attempt, taking a wounded invader along as a hostage. Hunted by a bandit with a dark link to her family's past, aided by a witch whom she rescues from the stake, Drest travels through unwelcoming villages, desolate forests, and haunted towns. Every time she faces a challenge, her five brothers speak to her in her mind about courage and her role in the war-band. But on her journey, Drest learns that the war-band is legendary for terrorizing the land. If she frees them, they'll not hesitate to hurt the gentle knight who's become her friend. Drest thought that all she wanted was her family back; now she has to wonder what their freedom would really mean. Is she her father's daughter or is it time to become her own legend? |
| adding sensory details to writing: Set the Night on Fire Libby Fischer Hellmann, 2010-11-12 Someone is trying to kill Lila Hilliard. As she desperately tries to determine who is after her she uncovers information about the past that threatens to destroy her. An unforgettable portrait of Chicago during the turbulent late 1960s: the riots at the Democratic Convention, the struggle for power between the Black Panthers and SDS, and a group of young idealists who tried to change the world. |
| adding sensory details to writing: The Human Quotient JoAnn Corley-Schwarzkopf, 2018-10-03 Simply put, there is no secret ingredient to building and running a successful business -- it's not rocket science. It takes common sense coupled with just a bit of people science and that's what The Human Quotient provides. Laid out in a very practical way, any reader can easily apply what they are reading. I guarantee when they do, it will make a measurable impact on a company's operations and finances. In my 20 plus years in business, I've determined, observed and complied from my work with clients what works -- consistently and successfully. It's been packaged into a reliable, predictive system with The Human Quotient at its core. Leaders need to go beyond EQ (emotional intelligence) but to HQ - that is acquiring a workable knowledge of how human behavior impacts business operations and results. |
| adding sensory details to writing: This Is How You Lose the Time War Amal El-Mohtar, Max Gladstone, 2019-07-16 * HUGO AWARD WINNER: BEST NOVELLA * NEBULA AND LOCUS AWARDS WINNER: BEST NOVELLA * “[An] exquisitely crafted tale...Part epistolary romance, part mind-blowing science fiction adventure, this dazzling story unfolds bit by bit, revealing layers of meaning as it plays with cause and effect, wildly imaginative technologies, and increasingly intricate wordplay...This short novel warrants multiple readings to fully unlock its complexities.” —Publishers Weekly (starred review) From award-winning authors Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone comes an enthralling, romantic novel spanning time and space about two time-traveling rivals who fall in love and must change the past to ensure their future. Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandment finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, becomes something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future. Except the discovery of their bond would mean the death of each of them. There’s still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win. That’s how war works, right? Cowritten by two beloved and award-winning sci-fi writers, This Is How You Lose the Time War is an epic love story spanning time and space. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Writing Irresistible Kidlit Mary Kole, 2012-12-04 Captivate the hearts and minds of young adult readers! Writing for young adult (YA) and middle grade (MG) audiences isn't just kid's stuff anymore--it's kidlit! The YA and MG book markets are healthier and more robust than ever, and that means the competition is fiercer, too. In Writing Irresistible Kidlit, literary agent Mary Kole shares her expertise on writing novels for young adult and middle grade readers and teaches you how to: • Recognize the differences between middle grade and young adult audiences and how it impacts your writing. • Tailor your manuscript's tone, length, and content to your readership. • Avoid common mistakes and cliches that are prevalent in YA and MG fiction, in respect to characters, story ideas, plot structure and more. • Develop themes and ideas in your novel that will strike emotional chords. Mary Kole's candid commentary and insightful observations, as well as a collection of book excerpts and personal insights from bestselling authors and editors who specialize in the children's book market, are invaluable tools for your kidlit career. If you want the skills, techniques, and know-how you need to craft memorable stories for teens and tweens, Writing Irresistible Kidlit can give them to you. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Her Little Secret Julia Stone, 2021-08-29 Readers are loving Her Little Secret! 'A brilliant read!' 'Tight and tense! just what you want in a suspense novel' 'I spent most of the novel silently screaming at her to save herself as she is propelled into a hideous relationship tangle ... This book wouldn't let me put it down even when real life was making demands!' His therapist. Their love affair. Her Little Secret. Cristina knows all about boundaries. As a therapist, it is vital that she keeps her clients at a professional distance. Enter new client Leon: educated, charming, affluent -- and newly bereaved, following the death of his married lover, Michelle. Cristina soon learns that Leon has an ulterior motive for approaching her: Michelle was one of her clients, and Leon is desperate for her insights into the woman he loved. Moved by the depth of his feelings, Cristina is drawn to help him through his grief. But as she struggles to ignore her own growing attraction to sophisticated, attentive Leon, her boundaries start to blur and then collapse, and the two embark on their own clandestine love affair. But why does Leon switch so quickly from charm to criticism, attentiveness to distance? Can anyone truly be as perfect as he paints his beloved Michelle to have been, and what is hidden inside of her off-limits therapy file? Torn between her conscience and curiosity, Cristina is about to discover the truth is far beyond anything she could have imagined... For fans of You, Before I Go to Sleep and Obsession, Her Little Secret is an utterly chilling new psychological thriller about obsessive love and the danger of crossing lines. Readers can't get enough of Her Little Secret! 'A must read' 'An entertaining thriller that is sure to keep readers on the edge of their seats' 'Fast paced, suspenseful and twisty. Gripping. I couldn't put it down, definitely worth a read' 'Blurred lines and boundaries in this tense, psychological suspense which will keep the reader on their toes' |
| adding sensory details to writing: I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings Maya Angelou, 2010-07-21 Here is a book as joyous and painful, as mysterious and memorable, as childhood itself. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings captures the longing of lonely children, the brute insult of bigotry, and the wonder of words that can make the world right. Maya Angelou’s debut memoir is a modern American classic beloved worldwide. Sent by their mother to live with their devout, self-sufficient grandmother in a small Southern town, Maya and her brother, Bailey, endure the ache of abandonment and the prejudice of the local “powhitetrash.” At eight years old and back at her mother’s side in St. Louis, Maya is attacked by a man many times her age—and has to live with the consequences for a lifetime. Years later, in San Francisco, Maya learns that love for herself, the kindness of others, her own strong spirit, and the ideas of great authors (“I met and fell in love with William Shakespeare”) will allow her to be free instead of imprisoned. Poetic and powerful, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings will touch hearts and change minds for as long as people read. “I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings liberates the reader into life simply because Maya Angelou confronts her own life with such a moving wonder, such a luminous dignity.”—James Baldwin From the Paperback edition. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Writing Active Setting Book 1 Mary Buckham, 2014-06 Have you tried to take your writing skills to the next level but don't know where to begin? Do you dread the thought of writing narrative description because as a reader you skip over it when you read novels? Or are you a writer who ignores Setting description totally in your novel writing--but know your story needs it? You just don't know where. Active Setting, explained in comprehensible bites with clear examples from a variety of published authors can help YOU breakthrough with your writing skills. Readers usually remember the plot and characters of a story, but setting is every bit as important in creating a memorable world. Novel writing can be enjoyable once you've mastered a few of the writing skills necessary to bring a story to life. If you're tired of your Setting descriptions being ho-hum and are ready to create a compelling story world, regardless of what you write, or your current level of writing skills, keep reading. In WRITING ACTIVE SETTING Book 1: Characterization and Sensory Detail you will: Discover the difference between Ordinary Setting that bogs down your story, and Active Setting that empowers your story. See how to spin boring descriptions into engaging prose. Learn to deepen the reader's experience of your story world through sensory details. Notice how changing characters' POV can change your setting. Explore ways to maximize the setting possibilities in your story. This book goes straight to the point, putting theory in plain language, adding examples from authors in a variety of genres, and finishes each section with exercises designed to help you work with your Setting in a way that will excite you. . .and your readers! |
| adding sensory details to writing: Once Upon a Broken Heart Stephanie Garber, 2021-09-28 #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER! ONCE UPON A BROKEN HEART marks the launch of a new series from Stephanie Garber about love, curses, and the lengths that people will go to for happily ever after For as long as she can remember, Evangeline Fox has believed in true love and happy endings . . . until she learns that the love of her life will marry another. Desperate to stop the wedding and to heal her wounded heart, Evangeline strikes a deal with the charismatic, but wicked, Prince of Hearts. In exchange for his help, he asks for three kisses, to be given at the time and place of his choosing. But after Evangeline’s first promised kiss, she learns that bargaining with an immortal is a dangerous game — and that the Prince of Hearts wants far more from her than she’d pledged. He has plans for Evangeline, plans that will either end in the greatest happily ever after, or the most exquisite tragedy. |
| adding sensory details to writing: From Where You Dream Robert Olen Butler, 2007-12-01 The Pulitzer Prize–winning author “shares his insights into—and passion for—the creation and experience of fiction with total openness” (Publishers Weekly, starred review). Robert Olen Butler, author of Perfume River, A Good Scent from a Strange Mountain, and A Small Hotel, teaches graduate fiction at Florida State University—his version of literary boot camp. In From Where You Dream, Butler reimagines the process of writing as emotional rather than intellectual, and tells writers how to achieve the dreamspace necessary for composing honest, inspired fiction. Proposing that fiction is the exploration of the human condition with yearning as its compass, Butler reinterprets the traditional tools of the craft using the dynamics of desire. Offering a direct view into the mind and craft of a literary master, From Where You Dream is an invaluable tool for the novice and experienced writer alike. “Incisive and provocative, Butler’s tutorials are a must for anyone even thinking about writing fiction, and readers, too, will benefit from his passionate exhortations.” —Booklist |
| adding sensory details to writing: Fun-Size Academic Writing for Serious Learning Gretchen Bernabei, Judi Reimer, 2013-08-06 Here is what I love about this book:€ It has gobs and gobs of student writing samples with smart and lively explanations of how to use each as the focus of a craft lesson to teach writing. The right models of student writing are the best mentor texts a teacher can find and with this book, you need look no further. ... Breathe, fellow writing teachers.€ Much needed and wanted help has arrived.--Ruth Culham, Author of Traits WritingSometimes a student's best teacher is another studentIf ever there were a book to respond to the pressure to increase students' test scores, this is it. You see, |
| adding sensory details to writing: Isla to Island Alexis Castellanos, 2022-03-15 A wordless graphic novel in which twelve-year-old Marisol must adapt to a new life 1960s Brooklyn after her parents send her to the United States from Cuba to keep her safe during Castro's regime.-- |
| adding sensory details to writing: Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 National Research Council, Institute of Medicine, Board on Children, Youth, and Families, Committee on the Science of Children Birth to Age 8: Deepening and Broadening the Foundation for Success, 2015-07-23 Children are already learning at birth, and they develop and learn at a rapid pace in their early years. This provides a critical foundation for lifelong progress, and the adults who provide for the care and the education of young children bear a great responsibility for their health, development, and learning. Despite the fact that they share the same objective - to nurture young children and secure their future success - the various practitioners who contribute to the care and the education of children from birth through age 8 are not acknowledged as a workforce unified by the common knowledge and competencies needed to do their jobs well. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 explores the science of child development, particularly looking at implications for the professionals who work with children. This report examines the current capacities and practices of the workforce, the settings in which they work, the policies and infrastructure that set qualifications and provide professional learning, and the government agencies and other funders who support and oversee these systems. This book then makes recommendations to improve the quality of professional practice and the practice environment for care and education professionals. These detailed recommendations create a blueprint for action that builds on a unifying foundation of child development and early learning, shared knowledge and competencies for care and education professionals, and principles for effective professional learning. Young children thrive and learn best when they have secure, positive relationships with adults who are knowledgeable about how to support their development and learning and are responsive to their individual progress. Transforming the Workforce for Children Birth Through Age 8 offers guidance on system changes to improve the quality of professional practice, specific actions to improve professional learning systems and workforce development, and research to continue to build the knowledge base in ways that will directly advance and inform future actions. The recommendations of this book provide an opportunity to improve the quality of the care and the education that children receive, and ultimately improve outcomes for children. |
| adding sensory details to writing: A Shepherd to Fools Drew Mendelson, 2021-08-12 A Shepherd to Fools is the second of Drew Mendelson’s trilogy of Vietnam War novels that began with Song Ba To and will conclude with Poke the Dragon. Shepherd: It is the ragged end of the Vietnam war. With the debacle of a failing South Vietnamese invasion of Northern Laos as background, A Shepherd to Fools tells the harrowing tale of a covert Hatchet Team of US soldiers and Montagnard mercenaries. They are ordered to find and capture or kill a band of American deserters, called Longshadows, before the world learns of their paralyzing rebellion. An earlier attempt to capture them failed disastrously, the facts of it buried. Captain Hugh Englander commands the Hatchet Team. He is a humorless bastard, sneering and discourteous to every regular army soldier. He cares little for the welfare of his own men and nothing for the lives of the deserters. The conflict between him and Captain David Weisman, the artillery officer assigned to the mission for artillery support, threatens to tear the team apart. Deep in the Laotian jungle, the team is caught in a final, horrific battle facing an enemy armed with Sarin nerve gas, the “worst of the worst” of the war’s clandestine weapons. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Reviser's Toolbox Barry Lane, 1998-07 The book is designed to help writing teachers in grades 2-12 teach revision and editing. Includes reproducible lessons and posters. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Night in the Country Cynthia Rylant, 1991-03-31 Text and illustrations describe the sights and sounds of nighttime in the country. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Follow Me Always Helen Hardt, 2021-05-25 Take control... Pushing boundaries has always been the basis for Braden and Skye’s relationship. But when suddenly Skye is the one pushing Braden, their relationship will be put to the test in ways neither of them expected. If Skye wants a future with Braden, she must decide if she can accept the darkness inside her once and for all...before it’s too late. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Writing Into the Dark: How to Write a Novel Without an Outline Dean Wesley Smith, 2015-05-07 With more than a hundred published novels and more than seventeen million copies of his books in print, USA Today bestselling author Dean Wesley Smith knows how to outline. And he knows how to write a novel without an outline. In this WMG Writer's Guide, Dean takes you step-by-step through the process of writing without an outline and explains why not having an outline boosts your creative voice and keeps you more interested in your writing. Want to enjoy your writing more and entertain yourself? Then toss away your outline and Write into the Dark. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Grade 3 Writing Kumon Publishing, 2012-06-02 From fairy tales to five-paragraph essays, Kumon Writing Workbooks offer a complete program to improve the development and organization of ideas and expand vocabulary. Our fun and innovative exercises inspire creativity and the desire to write. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Thesaurus of the Senses Linda Hart, 2019-08-31 Thesaurus of the Senses expands your possibilities to see, hear, touch, taste, and smell to describe the world around you. It collects some of the best English sensory words in one place to enliven your writing and help you build persuasive descriptions. It's an indispensable tool for writers, poets, bloggers, editors, storytellers, students, teachers, communicators, and word lovers alike - anyone wanting to add more spark to his or her writing. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Master Lists for Writers Bryn Donovan, 2015-10-14 Write faster...write more!Master Lists for Writers makes show, don't tell a lot easier and helps you figure out your story more quickly. In this book, you'll find: - lists of phrases for describing facial expressions, body language, gestures, physical appearance, and emotions- 175 master plot ideas, including romance, high-stakes, family, and workplace stories- lists of words for writing action scenes and love scenes - inspiration for figuring out character traits and quirks, backstories, occupations, motivations, and goals- lists for describing settings and writing dialogue- lists of good character names for contemporary stories...plus medieval England, Regency England, Wild West, and WWII settings- and more!Whether you're writing novels or short fiction, screenwriting, or any other kind of storytelling, Master Lists for Writers is a rich source of inspiration you'll turn to again and again.This book contains adult language. |
| adding sensory details to writing: Write Track Nelson Thomson Learning, 1998-01-01 |
Addition - Math is Fun
.Addition is bringing two or more numbers (or things) together to make a new total. We can write it like this: 2 + 3 = 5. You should get: 4 + 3 = 7. More …
Addition Worksheets - Math-Drills
Welcome to the addition worksheets page at Math-Drills.com where we will add to your learning experience in many positive ways! On this page, …
Addition - Wikipedia
Addition (usually signified by the plus symbol, +) is one of the four basic operations of arithmetic, the other three being subtraction, …
What is Addition? Definition, Formula, Properties & Exampl…
Adding numbers is a fundamental mathematical process that combines two or more numerical values. We use this operation in our daily lives; …
Grade 1 Addition Worksheets - free & printable | K5 Learning
Find all of our addition worksheets, from adding by counting objects to addition of multiple large numbers in columns.
Addition - Math is Fun
.Addition is bringing two or more numbers (or things) together to make a new total. We can write it like this: 2 + 3 = 5. You should get: 4 + 3 = 7. More Examples:
Addition Worksheets - Math-Drills
Welcome to the addition worksheets page at Math-Drills.com where we will add to your learning experience in many positive ways! On this page, you will find Addition worksheets …
Addition - Wikipedia
Addition (usually signified by the plus symbol, +) is one of the four basic operations of arithmetic, the other three being subtraction, multiplication, and division. The addition of …
What is Addition? Definition, Formula, Properties & Examples
Adding numbers is a fundamental mathematical process that combines two or more numerical values. We use this operation in our daily lives; some easy examples are …
Grade 1 Addition Worksheets - free & printable | K5 Learning
Find all of our addition worksheets, from adding by counting objects to addition of multiple large numbers in columns.
