Feb
Five Senses: Scent
One of the things I always need to remind myself as a writer is to use all five senses in my writing, to color the scene and make it come alive for the reader without overdoing things. In my very first post here at Romantic Inks I thought I’d take a look at scent.
Kate Alexander, my heroine in my release, Playing to Win is an aromatherapist who offers massage and uses essential oils during her treatments. Basically aromatherapy is defined as the skilled and controlled use of essential oils for physical and emotional health and well-being. It is the study of scent.
Here’s a very brief excerpt from Playing to Win:
“Damn, that feels soooo good.â€
Kate Alexander grinned and worked steadily, competent hands gliding over her client’s powerful body, massaging knots from tight muscles until each breath the man took was deep and even and relaxed.
Forest birdsong and the bubble of flowing water poured through concealed speakers in the corner of the dimly lit room. A tea candle flickered under a bowl of scented water, steam rising to release floral notes of lavender and exotic sandalwood.
Like Kate, I love scents and feel that scent is important in our everyday lives. A particular scent can bring back memories of the past, both good and bad. It can make you wrinkle your nose with distaste or bring a smile. Different scents trigger different reactions in a group of people. Think of the scents around you every day. There are the food smells that might bring hunger pangs. The scent of chocolate brings pleasure and anticipation, or at least it does in me. Just the smell of good chocolate makes me think of how it will taste in my mouth. And I dare anyone to walk past a Subway store that’s baking. Does anything smell better than freshly baked bread?
One of my favorite floral scents is lavender, although I’m also a big fan of anything citrusy and quite like vanilla. Throughout the ages oils, herbs and plants have been used in medicine. These days some people don’t believe they can help but for me scent is a big part of my well-being. For example going outdoors and smelling my favorite flowers always makes me smile and feel better, if I’m feeling a little down. Of course the fresh air might be part of it but I like to think scent plays a part too.
What we can do as writers is make a list of scents we like, the ones that evoke a reaction in us and use that in our scenes. When you’re at the mall or at home make a note of the different scents you can smell. What do they make you feel? What can you smell when you’re walking down the street? Traffic fumes probably! But search out the other scents and make a note of them to use when you’re writing a scene where your hero or heroine is walking down the street.
What are your favorite scents, either food, flowers, perfume or something else? Which scents do you favor? Which scents make you wrinkle your nose the most? How do you go about adding scent to your scenes? Do you write scent in naturally or do you need to go back and color in your scenes the way I do?
Great first post and snippet! I read a paragraph by Laura Lee Ghurke once that awed me so I wrote about it on my blog. She did all 5 senses in it so masterfully. I have to remind myself to use the senses. I’m such a visual person I forget there’s more involved than what you see. I love cutting into a lemon, Chanel No 5, the hint of rain in the air, the decay of fall leaves, the beach…I’ll stop now!
February 21st, 2008 at 8:37 amWelcome Shelley! Great first post!
Using all five really does help keep the scene alive, and can get the reader really involved. I love when I’m reading and I can feel like I’m there experiencing whatever is happening.
My favorite smells:
Mango-Mandarin soaps
Coco Chanel - Mademoiselle
Armani Night Cologne
Apple cinnamon
Fresh air mountain air
fire smoke (like from a fireplace)
Lilly’s and Roses
Coffee brewing
Onions cooking
Cookies baking
Snow
Cloves
Mint
leather
new car
I can’t stand ANY body odors, morning breath and dogs are included (my dod REAKS if we don’t give him a weekly bath)… I also hate the scent of pears, vanilla, and any perfume that is really musky.
I think I write in scents pretty easily and naturally. It is just part of the description of the scene, setting the mood for my readers. I think part of the reason I do it naturally is because I am such a smell associated person. A whiff of something nasty can get me running to the nearest bathroom, gagging the whole way… Yes I have issues…And if I smell something fabulous it can really change my mood.
For example in one of my WIP’s the heroine is walking through a medieval village, and she is used to the glamour of living as a lady in a chateau. She is overcome with the smells of garbage, filth and excrement. It really helps to set that scene. I also use it a lot between males and females, she likes the way he smells etc… and I describe how he smells and vice versa.
February 21st, 2008 at 11:14 amMaggie - I’m usually fine with the visual part, too. I’m getting much better coloring my scenes but as a newbie writer my characters inhabited these little white boxes. They talked and they did stuff but everything was white!
Eliza - there’s definitely a lot of scope for scent in a historical. I imagine, in reality, a ball would be very stinky. Your example sounds like a great scene!
LOL - about your dog. Why is it that they like to roll in things? Our little dog just loves to roll on her smelly bone and in anything she comes across that is dead.
February 21st, 2008 at 2:40 pmOoh, and I forgot to say…thanks for the welcome!
I was busy imagining historical scents…
February 21st, 2008 at 2:41 pmHi Shelley,
February 21st, 2008 at 4:21 pmI prefer light, airy scents. I like musk, citrus and pine scents. Not a fan of vanilla and peach.
When hubby and I were cycling the other day the road wound between a stand of pine trees and a stand of eucalyptus. The scent was lovely from both sides of the road and very noticeable.
February 21st, 2008 at 9:52 pmAs a candle maker, I have to deal with scents I dislike, such as peppermint and vanilla. I love to eat vanilla things, but not the smell of it. Yes, I’m strange like that.
My favorite scent is plumeria. Favorite candle scent is a mixture of dragon’s blood and moonlit path, with a splash of lavender.
I love it when authors paint the scene with scents, especially if it’s things I like smelling. It puts me right into the story, something I always love!
Welcome to RI and congratulations on a wonderful first post!
February 21st, 2008 at 11:34 pm