Making Sense of Your Writing–Part 5

June 4, 2008 by Chris
Filed under: Lessons Learned, Writing Tip

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Maybe the easiest of the senses to work with, the sense of sight presents a wide array of opportunities for the writer. You can either be subtle or slap the reader in the face with a ribald example. I’m reminded of a scene from a Sherlock Holmes story, where upon examining a hat found at the scene of the crime, Sherlock is able to tell Dr. Watson that the man has fallen on hard times. He has the gas lit in his home. Most amazingly, he tells Watson that the man is not as well loved. All of this from a view of a hat. By showing but not revealing, the reader as is Watson are amazed by Sherlock’s observation skills.

Making Sense of Your Writing Part 5
Sherlock Holmes

Photo by wandering Yews2

Take this example. A character is introduced and like Sherlock, you can deduce the personality or lifestyle of the character.

He entered the room, his head held high, sauntered to the front desk.
He entered the room, hands in his pockets, scanning the reception area, not coming forward until prompted by the receptionist.
He entered the room and made for the reception, draping his body across the desk.

A few words create very different visualizations of each of the men. While the effect is not necessarily very subtle, the pictures drawn are nonetheless vivid. The reader has enough material for a first impression, bringing along her own experiences with the person she envisions. Don’t discount how much people observe. You’d be surprised to find out for instance, how much your fellow employees know about you and your habits.

My personal favorite way to use sight is to use those same type of subtle clues, which on their own, offer little value. What is seen can be just as important as what is not seen. Take Dorothy Sayers’s book, “The Five Red Herrings”.

SPOILER WARNING

The mystery hinges not on what is observed, but rather what is missing, in this case a tube of white paint. As any oil painter would know, a tube of white is essential to an artist. This is just the type of clue that I love to find only I missed it at first until my husband took up oil painting. It’s a great device and one that requires subtle handling.

DONE WITH SPOILER

Invoking sensory imagery in your writing creates a more vivid setting for your reader and is sure to enhance your writing. Be on the look out for subtle and not so subtle ways to show rather than tell.

Tags: sense of sight, Writing Tip

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