Writing Forward: The Myth of All-You-Can-Eat Sensory Details
I remember reading the first page of a manuscript that waxed eloquent about how the warmth of the sun felt on the back of the protagonist’s hands as she drove down a quiet early morning lane, the way the taste of the sumptuous strawberry she’d eaten for breakfast lingered on her tongue, how the coolness of the steering wheel beneath her palms made her shiver with delight . . . and that’s about all I remember because by then all I could think about was how refreshing a nice little catnap would be. Sure, sensory details are important, but there’s a method to choosing which ones that will draw in the reader, as opposed to drawing their interest to a quick close. Want to know what it is? I’ve the pleasure of laying it out on the fabulous website, Writing Forward. Check it out!