Science Fiction Writers Workshop

Another thought: there is considerable technique involved in putting sensual impressions into a scene. You can't just start listing off descriptions of everything every time the setting changes. I tried that once, and I found I was over-describing everything. It was worse than not describing it at all.

You have to carefully choose which details to bring out, and decide when the characters notice them. The details should be the minimum necessary to put the reader in the scene, and they should come out when it makes sense.

Maybe the hero stops at the entrance to a room and takes it all in before he enters. Or maybe he enters first and smells something odd, then looks around more carefully. Or maybe he notices the smell later. Or maybe there is a noise that occurs after a few seconds, with a vibration that occurs first.

Maybe the hero sees the pale liquid in a vial, holds it up to the light, sniffs it, tries to identify what the smell reminds him of, then dips his finger in it and touches his finger to his tongue. This becomes an opportunity to draw out the sensations a bit, to really put the reader in the scene.

lol....that's gonna bug the hell out of me now, Greg. but don't tell me just yet, i have a feeling i'm missing something really obvious. :oops:

Does Common Sense count?

Probably not if so few people have it...

So what is the sixth?

[quote="CyberSavant"]We humans have a Sense of Humor. :lol:[/quote]

Oh, now that is good! Writer's often forget that humans have an innate sense of humor that lets us laugh in the face of adversity. While were on the subject, how many writers take into account that we are undeniably primates, with a need for play, and social structures, et.

I love this smell comment. It never occurred to me. Now that it has, I'm noticing the absence or presence of the five physical senses as I read. I've also rewritten some of my own scenes to add more sensory contact for the reader. Yes, I am an untrained amatuer.