Comments on: How important is smell in your writing?

By: Bobbie

Bobbie — Sat, 25 Oct 2014 19:16:03 +0000

i have heard that the sense of smell can evoke the strongest emotions. A most important addition to writing.

By: Anne Stormont

Anne Stormont — Sun, 12 Oct 2014 20:19:35 +0000

Cooking aromas, outdoor scents, the smell of skin and hair, of clothes, cars, houses – it’s a bit of a smellathon my writing 🙂

By: Jaen Hardy

Jaen Hardy — Sat, 30 Aug 2014 21:18:18 +0000

I think that smell is as important a sense as the more regularly described ones to give an authentic feeling of place. I still remember the disappointment I felt twenty years ago when I visited the Epcot centre at Disneyworld. Their sets trying to evoke various countries were so clinical and clean smelling! Its the same with writing, but it’s so often overlooked.

By: Jana Denardo

Jana Denardo — Tue, 26 Aug 2014 01:55:40 +0000

I know I don’t use it enough in my own writing. I’m working on that now.

By: The NoteBook Blogairy

The NoteBook Blogairy — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 16:22:23 +0000

I do use scents, colors and sounds in my writing. My mentor, Jacqueline Lichtenberg, shared with me years ago that writing is an extension of our 5 senses. We as writers need to remember that we are human and those sensations make the writing richer. I LOVE this post! Thank you for sharing it!

By: Dionie McNair

Dionie McNair — Mon, 25 Aug 2014 03:02:42 +0000

To me smell is one of the essentials. Smell can do so much to draw the reader into the story whether it be frying bacon, perfume, flowers or nastier smells like dead bodies. My favorites, I think, are rain after a dry period and freshly soaped skin.

By: Susan Jennings

Susan Jennings — Sat, 23 Aug 2014 13:22:50 +0000

One of the nicest comments I had regarding my writing was after a reading. A member of the group came up to me and said,”I loved your description of the man’s study. I could smell the leather, wood and cigar smoke. I was there.”

By: Jan Merry

Jan Merry — Sat, 23 Aug 2014 12:04:12 +0000

As I read this question, How important is smell in your writing? I realised I use it very little. Thank you for drawing my attention to this and reminding me to use all the senses. I’ve been tending to focus on sight and neglecting the other senses which are so important for describing a scene.