The Five Senses

Make Your Contest Judge Smell the Bread

When I was judging contest entries in the past, one story still stays with me because of the impact it had upon me as a reader. The story involved a group of hungry children who were given freshly baked bread. I was blown away when the words on the page made me smell that bread. When you bring your reader into the room where your story takes place, you have a tremendous piece of writing. Smells are connected to our memories and descriptions of smells can pull the reader into the story better than most literary devices.

Incorporating some of the five senses into your writing can elevate your piece into winning prose or poetry. A well-known romance author, Jody Thomas, said, “If I notice a problem with one of my chapters, it’s because I’ve forgotten to add smells, touch, etc.”

A good story outline of an introduction to a piece includes, 1) attention grabber; 2) introduce your subject; and 3) description, which may include feelings, sounds heard, taste, smells, what your character sees and might reach out and touch or brush past. The use of our senses seizes a reader’s attention and continues their interest throughout the story. Readers, and contest judges, want to experience the story, not just be told about it.

Descriptions told through the eyes of other characters can give readers a visual picture and also a clue into that character’s personality. A cop would describe a crime scene much differently than a horrified bystander. It might be more interesting, and possibly more revealing of the horror of the situation, to get the description from the bystander. This would also allow dialogue, an exchange between the investigator and the witness, to shape the experience of the reader. It would allow for more action and you can still describe the important details of the crime scene through the eyes of your seasoned detective.

Taste details can also be effective to bring forward memories and define character. Examples: “She preferred warm dark chocolate fudge drizzled over her ice cream but Larry requested colored sprinkles.” Or “His mouth tasted like he’d licked an ashtray.”

The sense of touch can tell us about a character as fast as the mention of “his sweaty palm” in a handshake or her “dry skin” during a kiss on the cheek.

Sounds are another sense readers can easily relate to and understand. When the slurp of soup or drink is mentioned, you’re in the room hearing it. The crunch of a fresh apple, a squeak from a porch swing and you’re transported to another time and place. Do your best work to transport your readers into your story and you’ll find winning contests just became easier.

Previously published in the May, 2021 issue of Writers Monthly PDF.