An Exercise in Applying the Six-Senses

In Today’s Journal

* Quote of the Day
* An Exercise in Applying the Six-Senses
* The Exercise

Quote of the Day

“Because electrons in the outer shells of atoms repel one another, you’ve never touched anything in your entire life.” 1440 Science & Technology (Now THAT’S focusing down!)

An Exercise in Applying the Six-Senses

The six senses are what the POV character

1. Sees (Sight).
2. Hears (Hearing),
3. Smells (Smell),
4. Tastes (Taste),
5. Feels physically (Texture), or
6. Feels emotionally (Feels)

in a given situation at a particular point in time while approaching, entering, inside, or leaving a setting.

It’s a good idea to get as many of those as possible into every major scene.

Note that Feels might include memories, or it might include any of the emotional senses: fear, trepidation, anger, joy, elation, etc.

Note also that any of the five physical senses—especially hearing, smell, or taste—might evoke memories or any of the emotional senses.

A Transition

Say the POV character is in a transition scene, approaching a bar or lounge or nightclub. (Of course, at least most these would apply also when approaching any other establishment or building and in any genre.)

I chose a transition scene for this example because although Sequence is as important in a transition scene as it is in a high-tension or rest scene, it’s difficult to confuse the sequence in a transition scene.

A few cautionary notes:

1. Remember—and this is true no matter how you write—You Aren’t Living The Story, so you can’t possibly know what or who “matters” to the story and what or who doesn’t matter (or won’t later). Never second-guess your POV character. If he notices it, write it down.

2. As you read over the setting sequence below, bear in the back of your mind that any part of that setting or any event or encounter might evoke a memory, or it might cause the POV character to experience a good or bad emotion. If any of them do, write the memory or emotion too.

3. In your role as the presenter of the POV character’s experience, you might convey any of the following, but again, only if the POV character notices it or them:

The Exercise

• Is the scene set in daylight or after dark? Unless the reader would already know, write it;
• Maybe traffic’s going past behind him as he turns into the parking lot. (Does any of that evoke a memory or does he experience any particular good or bad emotions? Don’t think, but if it’s there, write it.)
• The sound of the tires of his vehicle on the gravel parking lot or the slight swerve if it’s raining or if it rained recently, or the potholes in the asphalt, or any combination of those, etc. (Does any of that evoke a memory or does he experience any particular good or bad emotion? Don’t think, but if it’s there, write it.)
• If the POV character’s arrival is time-sensitive, does he check the time according to the clock on the dashboard (and if so, what time is it?) just before he switches off the engine? Nothing he does is too small to include. Write it.
• Are any other people around before or immediately after he steps out of the vehicle? If so do they appear suspicious of or are they attractive to (etc.) the POV character? (Even if they “don’t matter” in the scene to come next —you never know whether they will matter—they might figure into the story later. So if he notices them, write it down.)
• What about the air temp, humidity, etc. as he steps out of the vehicle?
  Any smells on the air? Fresh-baked bread? Newly mown grass? Rain? Vomit? Defecation? Urine? Write it.
• Write the footing (if he notices it, depending on his shoes or boots, the rubber or leather soles, etc.) as he crosses the parking lot, plus the better, more sure footing on the concrete sidewalk, etc.
• Write the sounds (and maybe smells) as he gets closer to the door. Is there a band playing inside? If so, that sound would probably leak out as he gets closer to the door;
• Write the door knob or door pull maybe with a thumb latch as he reaches to open the door. (We all notice the doorknob or door pull however briefly when reaching to open a door we’ve opened seldom or never before. Have you noticed that you notice?);
• Write the sounds, smells, etc. that wash out over him as he opens the door;
• Are there others customers coming out at the same time? A bouncer ejecting a rowdy? A man and his wife or girlfriend leaving? Two or more people laughing or arguing as they exit? Mention it with a brief description. (We almost always look at people who are coming out as we’re going in, and we maybe sidestep and hold open the door, or we maybe smile and say “Excuse me,” etc. If any of that happens, write it.
• When he opens the door and starts to step through or steps through, write his looking around/letting his eyes adjust/taking in the room, etc., and eventually (or right away) spotting the person he’s looking for.
• Does he notice the overhead fans (if there are any), the cigarette smoke curling around the blades? Does he notice the location of the bar in the room? The location of the band (Is the band playing? And are people dancing?) or are the members of the band between songs or stepping off the stage for a break?
• Does he notice the general arrangement of tables and/or booths? (We usually do.) Does he get an overall impression of the customers as a group or “type”? (We all constantly stereotype others and so does your POV character.)
• And of course where is his quarry? At a table or in a booth or on a stool at the bar? With someone else or alone? etc. Write it.
• As he starts toward his quarry is he sidestepping someone, moving among tables, etc.?
• Does the quarry see him coming or not? If so, what’s the quarry’s reaction (apparent fear, smile, frown, etc.) and followup actions (saying something to another person, then getting up, etc.). But is he getting up to meet your POV character or to avoid him or to flee? Plus any facial expressions (see above) that go along with his reaction, etc.

And that ends the transition scene as the POV character moves into the scene in which the chase or visit or fight or whatever else occurs.

But all of that minutiae (as noticed by the POV character, not added by you) is what pulls the reader into the setting and scene and holds him there.

If the POV character notices it, it’s necessary. If he doesn’t, it isn’t.

And you could write the whole scene in a lot fewer words than it took me to explain it sequentially above. (grin)

I’m open to any questions at harveystanbrough@gmail.com. Except “Is all of that necessary?” Again, if the POV character notices it, it’s necessary. If he doesn’t, it isn’t.