tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post543965575920706183..comments2024-03-28T10:41:26.999-06:00Comments on Blood-Red Pencil: The Nose KnowsDanihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14471919576687777886noreply@blogger.comBlogger14125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-90310547283928892592010-08-27T07:42:47.724-06:002010-08-27T07:42:47.724-06:00Thanks for sharing all your stories and experience...Thanks for sharing all your stories and experiences. It is amazing how many smells are out there that we don't often pay attention to unless they are really strong.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-2698995754154438742010-08-26T19:53:49.326-06:002010-08-26T19:53:49.326-06:00Very good point Maryann. You and your friend are s...Very good point Maryann. You and your friend are so right about the power of smell to evoke memories. It could be used to great effect in writing.<br /><br />Elle<br /><a href="http://hearwritenow.com/word-4-writers/" rel="nofollow">Word 4 Writers on HearWriteNow</a><br /><a href="http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Blood-Red Pencil</a>HearWriteNowhttp://hearwritenow.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-76178216605457256522010-08-26T18:52:31.100-06:002010-08-26T18:52:31.100-06:00The heroine in my mystery series (stop laughing! I...The heroine in my mystery series (stop laughing! I finished writing the second book!) has what her boyfriend calls "a super-sniffer". I have great fun using her sense of smell to bring another dimension to the scenes.<br /><br />Gayle Carline, author of Freezer BurnGayle Carlinehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15783449240138097315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-47062202594578151952010-08-26T17:09:29.687-06:002010-08-26T17:09:29.687-06:00There's a Japanese game called Kodo which focu...There's a Japanese game called Kodo which focuses on the power of scent in stimulating our other senses. We in the West seem to relegate it to less importance. It can be a powerful tool when used in writing.jrlindermuthhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09204855909246670628noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-19675800404537599342010-08-26T10:36:49.990-06:002010-08-26T10:36:49.990-06:00Sight and taste are most often used in writing. Yo...Sight and taste are most often used in writing. You're right, we need to not overlook the other senses - and smell is often overlooked. Use of the senses needs to be one of the things we look for when we're editing. It can make a huge difference in the work.Helen Gingerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09794759602654727110noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-18130868230274025002010-08-26T10:10:10.274-06:002010-08-26T10:10:10.274-06:00Smells are often important when establishing setti...Smells are often important when establishing setting...by the sea during storm, inside horse stables, driving past a sewage treatment plant. I can't imagine a scene that wouldn't be enhanced by mentioning smells. <br /><br />For me, the smell of old-fashioned lye soap transports me back to my grandparents' farm when the men slaughtered a hog and my grandmother fired up the outdoor kettle to make her soap.<br /><br /><a href="http://patriciastoltey.blogspot.com/" rel="nofollow">Patricia</a>Patricia Stolteyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17192369425956406122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-35270371834922361732010-08-26T09:13:05.926-06:002010-08-26T09:13:05.926-06:00When I judge contests, the lack of the olfactory s...When I judge contests, the lack of the olfactory senses is a common weakness. Adding those descriptions adds depth to the manuscript, and can draw the reader into the story.<br /><br />And it's not just hero and heoine noticing each others' scents. Characters walking past bakeries, or into a stuffy room, or stepping outside after a rain--all these should be noticed.<br /><br />I can't open a container of bird seed without being transported to my great-uncle's chicken ranch, where I helped feed the chickens when I visited.<br /><br />Terry<br /><a href="http://terryodell.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">Terry's Place</a><br /><a href="http://www.terryodell.com" rel="nofollow">Romance with a Twist--of Mystery</a>Terry Odellhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11610682530545306687noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-58090816904930759832010-08-26T09:00:52.596-06:002010-08-26T09:00:52.596-06:00Who would think a simple thing like smell would be...Who would think a simple thing like smell would be so important in writing, but just reading the comments here makes that clear. And what interesting ways to use the sense. What you said Taryn about your central character reacting to a new sensation reminded me of a book I edited recently. The central character was a zombie, and while I am not a huge fan of books with zombies, it was very interesting to note how well the author used the sense of smell. Apparently zombies are the opposite of your character and have a super sensitive sense of smell.Maryannwriteshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09479027709233807149noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-45334343243243899682010-08-26T08:50:13.645-06:002010-08-26T08:50:13.645-06:00N. R. Williams, what an interesting question. Hmmm...N. R. Williams, what an interesting question. Hmmmm. You might pick an adjective or two (no more) that desribe the scent for you and then relate it to a beach or swimming pool, where that odor is so prevalent that it can become overwhelming. Or perhaps choose another place where "sun-screened" people might gather. This provides a relationship to the odor while your adjectives categorize it as sweet, pungent, clean, crisp, whatever.Linda Lanenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-14501113730748242832010-08-26T07:54:09.580-06:002010-08-26T07:54:09.580-06:00I pay a lot of attention to scent in my writing. ...I pay a lot of attention to scent in my writing. And since I write a lot of fantasy and sf that has magical or psychic characters, I tend to use scent more as a factor of a psychic/magical synesthesia where someone else's emotion has the scent of pepper and motor oil, for example.<br /><br />But I definitely try to use scent, texture, etc. in my normal description, too.writtenwyrddhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02280711822302493122noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-71146042577585697952010-08-26T07:32:28.270-06:002010-08-26T07:32:28.270-06:00I haven't thought much about it. Thanks for th...I haven't thought much about it. Thanks for this post! I'll definitely be keeping this in mind from now on.Laura S.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13934230198562773803noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-42211183317922384042010-08-26T06:58:01.495-06:002010-08-26T06:58:01.495-06:00I use the sense of smell often along with other se...I use the sense of smell often along with other senses. Recently, I was waiting outside the zoo for family and noticed the scent of sunscreen flow past me on the breeze. This is a scent that is like no other and I wondered, how would I describe this through the experience of someone who knew nothing about sunscreen.<br />Nancy<br /><a href="http://nrwilliams.blogspot.com" rel="nofollow">N. R. Williams, fantasy author</a>N. R. Williamshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02174506528962095858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-72069635406574875102010-08-26T06:57:33.842-06:002010-08-26T06:57:33.842-06:00Very insightful, thank you!Very insightful, thank you!Alex Onghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17338429566010013769noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5704943052235281766.post-58763329401314773992010-08-26T05:54:15.808-06:002010-08-26T05:54:15.808-06:00I've been writing about a paranormal hero who...I've been writing about a paranormal hero who's been sensory deprived in another dimension and becomes fascinated and addicted when he's bombarded by sensation in the modern world. This has given me some potent food for thought and ideas for making that concept more intriguing.Taryn Kincaidhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11130206764352777367noreply@blogger.com