Tuesday's Writer's Tip More on Senses - Sound #MFRWAuthor #BWLPublishing #Sound #Senses

Of all the senses, sound is the one we often,not neglect but use in pedestrian ways. What do you hear? Let's look at some examples. She heard someone behind her. Now, this tells us something but not really enough. Try something like this, The scuffle of shoes on the concrete sidewalk alerted her. Now we know someone behind her may mean something good or bad. Now try. The sound of scuffling on the sidewalk behind her set her senses reeling. Why and who? Those questions needed to be answered and soon. Now we have a real picture of the character.

Sounds can be described. Think of the sound of nails scratching a blackboard or the sad cry of a child. How often do you react to a sound. The creaks and groans of a house when you are alone. Laughter of children. When you're writing about the sounds around your characters try to remember something similar.

Sound can also be used in tage. His voice rumbled like a volcano about to erupt. Shespoke so softly the words were blurred. These kind of things show your characters.

Sounds can also help describe a setting. The sound of the wind in the trees. The rush of water in a stream. The crack up of ice on a pond.

So when you're revising think about the sound of things and how they can add to the story, the characters and the plot.