Sneak Preview

It occurred to me that perhaps some readers out there may be wondering what this Writing Through the Senses thing is all about.  In light of this, I decided to give you all a taste of what this course will be like.

Over the next five weeks, we'll be talking about the five senses and using them as a jumping off point to spark creativity and kick-start some writing projects.  Each week will focus on one of the five senses, using it to enrich our writing and deepen our understanding of craft.

Week 1: Sound--Achieving a Sense of Focus
We start the series of classes using music to set the mood for story-telling.  We will discuss the musicality of language and how it can affect tone.  We will experiment with sound-based language tools to achieve a desired effect in our writing.


Week 2: Sight--Gaining a Sense of Curiosity

This week will be all about imagery.  By using colors and visual images to inspire our writing, we will develop a better understanding of metaphor.  We will also study how key details can both further the story and build character.


Week 3: Touch--Developing a Sense of Intuition

This week will focus on how we can make the ordinary become extraordinary through writing.  Touch--perhaps the most immediate of the senses--is all about intuition and the focus will be on artfully channeling that instinct.


Week 4: Taste--Creating a Sense of Playfulness

Food is fun; it has a sense of humor.  This week is all about "finding the funny" in our writing.  We'll examine the mechanics of parody and discuss literature that is just plain silly.  The point of this week is to make writing fun.


Week 5: Smell--Reclaiming a Sense of Nostalgia

Ah, smell... the most elusive of the senses.  And yet, of all the senses it is the one most closely tied to memory.  That is what this week will be all about: getting to the core of our memories and capturing them on the page.


Intrigued?  Want to be part of the challenge?  Just go to Writing Through the Senses and follow the instructions in that post to join.