Writers in the Storm

By Miffie Seideman

Writers need a lot of persistence. “Work-life” balance? As a writer I’ve never managed it. Oh, I try. It just never seems to happen. There’s always something else to do: chores, work, cook, write, edit, chores, edit…maybe some sleep. Without persistence (and a hefty dose of caffeine), I’d fall behind on everything in life!

Writers also need a lot of endurance—specifically, emotional endurance. Dr. Spencer from Triathlete Magazine defines emotional endurance as “how clear someone’s mind is and how much space they have for physiologic stressors.” In other words, mental and emotional stressors can impact how much you can physically do.

Hitting the Wall

In endurance sports, when your emotional tank is empty, whatever internal drive you have left to cross the finish line can suddenly run dry. What happens next? Athletes slow to a stop. In triathlon, we call this “hitting the wall.”

Even a professional athlete with an empty emotional tank can find the day ending early, as we saw with Simone Biles' unexpected early departure from the Tokyo Olympics. Clearly, she was physically ready to compete. Emotionally, her tank was running on empty.  

Many endurance athletes take their tank to near empty before their races, a culmination of hours away from family, squeezing in ridiculous amounts of training around work and life, life events themselves, and fighting periodic setbacks from injury.

Stepping up to that starting line, whatever emotional reserve is left can make or break the day. I saw this firsthand at a recent Ironman triathlon. After the 2.4-mile swim, eager athletes headed out on the 112-mile bike course. But hours of exhaustive headwinds left many athletes on the side of the road crying, leaning over their bikes in defeat, unable to finish the race.

Hitting the Writing Wall

Personally, I think this quote sums up endurance training best:

“You’re training to get to that point of depletion and breaking, then finding a way to operate in that space for as long as you possibly can until you either pass out or get across the finish line.”

(Dr. Spencer, Triathlete Magazine)

Notice I didn’t say it sums up endurance sport training the best. This quote also sums up the endurance lifestyle of working parents, full-time entrepreneurs, and yes…writers.

We often fit writing around already full lives, pushing to finish that screenplay or manuscript, despite the multitude of commitments that can’t wait. This can leave us emotionally fatigued, just when we need to push through those final edits, hit submit on that query, or handle critiques on our precious work.

We can hit the proverbial wall, with writer’s block, ambivalence toward our story, self-doubt, depression.

(Re)Filling Your Emotional Fuel Tank

The best time to deal with your emotional endurance is before you get close to hitting that wall. But if you’re reading this today and had an “ah ha!” moment that your own tank is already running dangerously low, it’s not too late to dig in and start refilling the tank.

With a few assessments and targeted behavioral changes, you can be on your way to not only a bigger emotional reserve, but a more fulfilling lifestyle. Keep in mind, change takes practice, so allow yourself some time to improve and don’t expect perfection.

7 Steps to (Re)fueling  

1. Be Honest

The best way to gauge your emotional endurance reserve is to check your current fuel tank level. Only you know how many competing obligations you have or how little sleep you’re getting. And don’t forget the emotional impact of losses, whether a loved one, a job, or another query rejection.

To do: Determine your emotional reserve tank level. This is not an exact science, but will get you started.

• Full tank: You wake rested, raring to go, excited to dig into projects, and laughing off the little unexpected setbacks.
• Half-full tank: You wake a bit tired, but fair well during the day. You have begun to notice a little fraying at the emotional edges, when handling stressful situations.
• Needle on or near empty: You oversleep your alarm, feel overwhelmed by your lists and deadlines, snap or tear up easily.

  Where does your fuel gauge sit?

2. Depressurize

Take a load off your emotions by making choices to de-stress your lifestyle. Actively take control of your obligations, instead of just making your way through the never-ending list.

• Prioritize- Quit feeling like you absolutely must do everything. Learn to make lists of obligations and find a system to identify those that absolutely must be done today, tomorrow, etc. Be prepared to move some items to the “sometime later” or the “trash” bin. Be honest here.

To do:

Need help prioritizing? There are many resources on effective time management. To get you started, check out this quick read from Psychology Today or this course on the famous Dale Carnegie Method.  

Assembly line-Look for repetitive tasks that can be grouped or pre-done for time efficiency.

• For example, if you cook a dinner every day, buy that time back by making Sunday evening your cook-ahead day.

• Make several dinners ahead and reheat them in the evenings.

• Let Tupperware be your friend! Meal prepping doesn’t have to be time consuming or hard.

• I turn on the music and start cooking.

• I find slow cookers, pressure cookers, and 3-4 ingredient meals to be the most time friendly.

• Check out some tips here.

3. Just Say No

You just can’t do it all. Keep from overfilling your commitments so the ones you do are still enjoyable.

To do: Either learn to say no to some tasks or learn to ask for help. Reaching out to let someone else help can be a huge stress reducer. For help, try this quick read.

4. Learn Coping Skills

Yes, this can take a little time, but the rewards you reap will help refill that tank. Think you don’t have time for this one? Go back to Depressurize or Just Say No (above) to carve out time in your life for you.

To do:

Find something that helps you defuse or relax. You may need to try a couple of different things until you find what works.

• For example, commit to taking one yoga class a week or learn meditation for 10 minutes a day.
• It's also important to gain the tools to cope when under duress. To do this, consider listening to a podcast or read a book about stress reduction and coping skills.

5. Develop Support Networks

Getting to know other writers can help you refill that tank. When you’re struggling, dealing with life challenges, or just needing some direction on next steps, writing groups can be there for you.

Years ago at a Writer’s Digest Conference, I got connected with several writers from across the US. We still meet weekly online. We each bring different experiences to share about getting through this thing we call writing. And some days, we just chat about life—having teens, places we’ve visited, instruments we play.

We learn we aren’t alone in a writing silo of stress, and we have people to reach out to when life gets tough. 

To do: Find a social networking group (online or in person).

• Groups like Facebook and Meet Up can be great for finding local groups that have similar interests.
• Contact your local library—many have writer’s groups lead by the librarian.

6. Change Your Inner Dialogue

Self-talk is a powerful tool—it can build you up or weigh you down. The Power of Positive thought can’t be understated: if you think good thoughts, you're more likely to have positive feelings and handle difficult moments with a bit more grace.

Walking around with negative thoughts can have the opposite effect. Negative self-talk is also a habit that grows unless it's tamed. It can be the lens through which you begin to see the world.

To do: Spend a day listening to your inner thoughts (or what you say out loud to other drivers!).

• Do you use negative, derogatory, or angry words (that was stupid, I’ll never get this manuscript done, my writing really stinks)?
• Or do you use more positive words (you know, those edits were hard, but I got them done)?

No, you don’t have to pretend to be fake-happy. But learning to restructure negative thoughts into positive views can keep the stresses from further weighing you down. For more information, see here.

Final To Do: Re-Check the Tank

Like a follow-up visit to the doctor, take the time to periodically reassess your emotional endurance tank.

• Decide if you want to give yourself two weeks or a month before checking back.
• Set a reminder.
• When the day comes, look at your tank. Has the needle on the tank moved? More importantly, has it moved in the right direction?
• Assess what you’ve improved and what still needs work.
• Decide what has helped and what hasn't.
• Use that information to revise your approach, then dive back in for another few weeks.

Final Thought

If you haven’t made a lot of progress, don’t get frustrated. Behavioral change takes time. So, be patient while you work on your emotional reserve. After all, it probably didn’t get empty overnight! And be prepared to periodically need a refill, even after you’ve filled the tank, because life happens.

Have you worked on your emotional endurance? What coping mechanisms have you found that help? We’d love for you to share your ideas in the comments.

* * * * * *

About Miffie

Miffie Seideman has been a pharmacist for over 30 years, with a passion for helping others. Her research articles have appeared in several professional pharmacy journals. When not training for a race, her writing projects include a (soon to be announced) writer’s handbook and a fantasy adventure that started as “What if Romeo and Juliet didn’t live happily ever after?” An avid triathlete, she spends countless hours training in the arid deserts of Arizona, devising new plots. Miffie can be found hanging around her website https://miffieseideman.com/ examining the intersection of triathlon and writing and on Twitter @MiffieSeideman…you know…tweeting.

Top Image by kinkate from Pixabay

By Margie Lawson

Titles may make books bestsellers or doom them to be shelf-dwellers.

Aack! Feeling the pressure to create a winning title?

I’m here to help. I’ll cover:

• What Could Sabotage Your Title?
• Titles and Traditional Publishing
• The Evolution of a Title
• Margie’s Top Six Tips for a Selling Title
• Two Stories of Before and After Titles
• The Challenge of One-Word Titles
• The Power of Linking Series Titles

What Could Sabotage Your Title? The Great Oz Effect

I deal with this effect when I’m deep editing with authors on Zoom. It’s that all-too-common dynamic of a writer having a tough time separating all they know about their story from what little the reader knows. Sometimes motivations and explanations are missing.

You know evvv-ry-thing about your book. You may think your working title is OMG perfect. And it is, for you.

You’re the Great Oz, an omniscient Oz for your book, and your title may elicit amazing associations for you related to your story.

Critique buddies may love the title. They’re godparents for your book. They know too much too.

But for readers who don’t know the story, the title just sits there like a bullfrog on a stack of pancakes. Not enticing.

How’s that for a clear visual?

Titles and Traditional Publishing

If you’re pursuing traditional publishing, you know the publisher chooses your title. But if you give them a great one, or several strong options, a title you created may stick.

Plus – If you’re pitching to an agent or editor, you want to wow them with everything they read. Right? Give them an amazing title. If they keep it, fabulous. If not, you’ve still impressed them.

The Evolution of a Title

I asked Jenny Hansen what title she came up with for her book about a nun whose sister ran a medical clinic for sex workers. Here’s what she sent me.

We were all in Immersion up on your mountain and I mentioned that I usually just called it The Nun Book in my head because titles give me the hives. I had A Sister in Need in the wings, but I didn't really love it. We'd already critiqued my work and the consensus was that the madcap funny-factor wasn't in evidence with the current title, and my Immersion sisters started throwing things out while I scribbled as fast as I could.

We wanted four words and we wanted to show the funny. And when we started throwing out the weirdness, that's when this one came up, about 15 titles in: Rosaries Make Bad Thongs. I can't remember if it was Tiffany, or me, or someone else, but I remember saying, "It's too bad we can't use that one," because I LOVED it.

Fast-forward a few years of having used A Sister in Need and I was still haunted by it, so I recently decided to change it. I like that the nun’s book could be Rosaries Make Bad Thongs and Thea's story could be Mamas Make Bad Matchmakers.

The first working title, A Sister in Need, could be a sweet story about a woman who helped her sister get through cancer. Rosaries Make Bad Thongs sounds in-your-face funny with a wacky Catholic twist.

Margie’s Top Six Tips for a Selling Title

This isn’t a check-every-item list. If your title hits several of these points, you’re good.

That said, I think every title needs to include the first three: Captures Attention, Shares a Truth, Carries a Compelling Cadence.

1. Captures Attention

How? Any way that makes sense for you. Unique. Power words. Play on words. Humor hits. A rhetorical device. A spoof. Cliché twist. Incongruous. Other ideas.

Jenny Hansen’s working title -- Rosaries Make Bad Thongs – captures attention, has power words, slams you with humor, carries a compelling cadence, and it’s incongruous. And it shares a truth too, in a makes-you-snicker way.

Here are some titles that captured my attention lately.

• I Speak Boy
• The Evaporation of Sofie Snow
• A Madness So Discreet
• The Sometimes of Second Chances

On the funny, punny side:

• The Five Grannies Go to the Ball
• The Day the Roomba Died
• The Fetch Connection
• To Have and to Howl
• The Rogue Not Taken
• Still Knife Painting
• Live and Let Chai
• A Scot in the Dark
• Tequila Mockingbird

2. Shares a Truth

These titles by Immersion Grads share a truth about the book.

• The Librarian Spy by Madeline Martin
• Wild Women and the Blues by Denny S. Bryce
• The Marriage Lie by Kimberly Belle
• Stranger in the Lake by Kimberly Belle
• Island Queen by Vanessa Riley
• This Heart of Mine by C.C. Hunter
• Lovers & Monsters by Lashell Collins
• The Darkest Lie by Pintip Dunn
• Days Made of Glass, Laura Drake
• The Road to Me, Laura Drake
• The Devil Pulls the Strings by J. W. Zarek
• Off Planet, Aileen Erin

3. Carries a Compelling Cadence

Most titles have a nice cadence. Titles that have a compelling cadence are stronger.

I’ve been addressing book titles. But titles for blogs and webinars and everything social-media driven need to be super strong too.

Let’s look at the title of this blog:  Tips to Create a Bestselling Title

My first title: Create a Bestselling Title

Second title: Creating a Bestselling Title

Final title: Tips to Create a Bestselling Title

Read them out loud. You’ll hear the difference.

The cadence for the second one was better, but not nearly as compelling as the final version.

I’ll share a few of the titles from my monthly Digging Deep Webinar Series. They carry a compelling cadence.

• Expand Time, Intensify Power
• Touché Cliché and Cliché Play
• Game-Changing Power: Sharing Impact on the POV Character

(If that last title ended with POV, the cadence would be off.)

• The Power of Touch:  From Benevolent to Malevolent
• Power Words, Backloading, and Words that Steal Your Power
• Making Silence Boom!  -- Happening this month!

I’ll play with cadence again in the section on Shares a Hint About the Genre.

4. Not Too Long

You want a title that’s not too long. Shorter titles are easy to remember and easily fit on the cover and spine of your book.

But sometimes a long title is memorable, hooky. Like the title for the recently released miniseries: The Woman in the House across the Street from the Girl in the Window.

5. May Include a Rhetorical Device

Alliteration is a frequent flyer in titles.

Excuse the cliché, but I couldn’t resist the alliteration. And it’s true.

Alliteration – Words that start with the same letter in the same sentence.  

Angela’s Ashes, Frank McCourt

Dervishes Don’t Dance, Kim McDougall

The Sometimes of Second Chances, Erin Parisien

Look at these alliterative titles by Janet Evanovich:

1. Sizzling Sixteen
2. Smokin’ Seventeen
3. Explosive Eighteen
4. Notorious Nineteen

Assonance -- Rhyming vowel sounds

Rhyming titles are just as memorable.

Mad, Bad, and Dangerous to Marry, Elizabeth Essex

A Good Day for Chardonnay, Darynda Jones

Lean Mean Thirteen, Janet Evanovich

6. Shares a Hint About the Genre

It’s smart to have your title indicate the genre. Readers know if it’s historical or paranormal, women’s fiction or magical realism, young adult or erotica, inspirational or thriller.

I think the next title nails the genre.

The Second Virginity of Suzy Green by Sara Hantz.

Did that title grab you? Did it make you want to read the blurb? Did you guess Young Adult?

I read that title in 2008 when I was researching books by authors attending my full day master class in New Zealand. And I’ve remembered that title for fourteen years.

I’ll never forget it.

Why?

It’s fresh. It’s incongruous. It’s funny. It’s hooky!

About Compelling Cadence…

The Second Virginity of Suzy Green -- has a compelling cadence.

The Second Virginity of Sue Green -- does not.

The Second Virginity of Adriana – still sounds like it’s missing some beats, it needs another word at the end. The Second Virginity of Adriana Woods – sounds good.

The Second Virginity of Suzy Green – sounds just right.

Does the name Jack Reacher grab you? Have you seen any episodes of the Jack Reacher series on Netflix or Amazon Prime?

They’re based on thrillers by Lee Child. Check out his suspense-themed titles. I’ll share 5 of the 27 titles in the Jack Reacher series.

1. Killing Floor
2. Die Trying
3. Persuader
4. The Enemy
5. One Shot

Two Stories of Before and After Titles

Emily Giffin

NYT Bestseller Emily Giffin’s debut novel was originally titled Rolling the Dice. But before it was published, St. Martin’s changed it to Something Borrowed. It became a bestselling novel.

Rolling the Dice sounds edgy.

Something Borrowed sounds sweet.

Smart St. Martin’s.

Something Borrowed was followed by Something Blue. The title of her third novel?

Baby Proof.

Emily Giffin’s life influenced that book and title. When she was writing Baby Proof her twins turned one.

Kimberly Belle

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of Kimberly Belle’s fourth book with a big sticker of the new title stuck on the cover.

The original title was on the spine, Little Boy Lost.

The title on the sticker, Three Days Missing.

And under that new title were these words:

Stunning, dazzling, restyled cover coming very soon.

Compare Little Boy Lost to Three Days Missing.

Sheesh! They’re a galaxy apart. Smart to change the title for this thriller.

The Challenge of One Word Titles

One-word titles don’t share much, but they work well for mega-successful authors.

Truth? Their readers will buy their books with any title. The author’s name sells the book.

The book with the grabbiest one-word title for me is by Stephen King. Misery

The story, the characters, the title. All unforgettable.

Some One-Word Titles from Dean Koontz, International Bestseller:

1. Breathless
2. Velocity
3. Watchers
4. Strangers
5. Phantoms
6. Devoted

The Power of Linking Series Titles

Linking titles in a series is smart. Sell-more-books smart. Give-your-career-a-big-boost smart.

You’re probably familiar with Janet Evanovich’s numbers series featuring Stefanie Plum.

The first four books are: One for the Money , Two for the Dough, Three to Get Deadly, Four to Score . Notice the play on cliches in books two, three, and four.

Sue Grafton claimed her fame for her Kinsey Millhone Alphabet Series. I’ll share the first five titles.

1. "A" is for Alibi
2. "B" is for Burglar
3. "C" is for Corpse
4. "D" is for Deadbeat
5. "E" is for Evidence

Elizabeth Essex, Multi-Immersion Grad, Scandal Series

1. Almost a Scandal
2. A Breath of Scandal
3. After the Scandal
4. A Scandal to Remember

Diana Munoz Stewart, Multi-Immersion Grad, Black Ops Confidential Series

1. I Am Justice 
2. The Price of Grace
3. The Cost of Honor

Abbie Roads, Multi-Immersion Grad, Fatal Dreams Series

1. Race the Darkness
2. Hunt the Dawn
3. Never Let Me Fall

Darynda Jones, Multi-Immersion Grad, NYT Bestseller, Grave Series

I’ll share the first five titles of her 13-book series.

1. First Grave on the Right
2. Second Grave on the Left
3. Third Grave Dead Ahead
4. Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet
5. Fifth Grave Past the Light

Jenn Windrow, Multi-Immersion Grad, Alexis Black Series

1. Evil’s Unlikely Assassin
2. Evil’s Ultimate Huntress
3. Evil’s Avenging Angel
4. Evil’s Deadly Divide

If you’re writing a series, link your titles!

I hope these tips will help you write titles that are bestseller strong!

Please, please, please share some of your favorite titles in a comment.

And if you’ve taken a class from me, or from Lawson Writer’s Academy, chime in!

Let me know which class and how you’re doing.

I’d love to hear from you!

Can you tell I love teaching?

If you’d like to learn more about what I teach and Lawson Writer’s Academy, drop by my website, www.margielawson.com .

Here’s what’s coming up soon:

My next webinar:  Making Silence Boom!

Each of my webinars are offered twice:

Feb 17^th, 12:00 p.m. Mountain Time

Feb 18^th, 7:00 p.m. Mountain Time

Can’t make those times? Register and catch the recording later.

The March Line-Up of Classes from Lawson Writer’s Academy

1. Empowering Characters’ Emotions
2. Fairies: The Old Gods
3. Killing People and Other Writerly Pursuits
4. Submissions That Sell
5. Dazzling Developmental Edits
6. Crazy-Easy Social Media for Authors
7. How to Write Believable Alternate History Fiction
8. Mentorship with Rhay Christou
9. How to Speak Legalese: Deciphering Literary Contracts
10. Fab 30: Advanced Deep Editing, A Master Class

I’m teaching the last one, Fab 30. It’s 3 months of dig deep fun.

Can’t wait to see the titles you share!

If you have questions, ask!

ONE MORE THING:  My next GET HAPPY Virtual Open House is March 8^th!

Mark your calendar! Drop by my website between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 8^th.

Click on the GET HAPPY meme, and you’ll be in my Zoom room.

It’s a chance to hang out with writers. No agenda. Just chatting and laughing and getting to know each other. Hope to see you there!

* * * * * *

About Margie

Margie Lawson left a career in psychology to focus on another passion—helping writers make their stories, characters, and words strong. Using a psychologically based, deep-editing approach, Margie teaches writers how to bring emotion to the page. Emotion equals power. Power grabs readers and holds onto them until the end. Hundreds of Margie grads have gone on to win awards, find agents, sign with publishers, and hit bestseller lists.     

An international presenter, Margie has taught over 150 full day master classes in the U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and France, as well as multi-day intensives on cruise ships in the Caribbean. Pre-COVID, she taught 5-day Immersion Master Classes across the U.S. and Canada and in seven cities in Australia too. 

COVID Update: Immersion Master Classes are now virtual, taught through Zoom. Virtual Immersion classes are limited to six writers. They're two full days or four half-days—and as always, writers get one-on-one deep editing with Margie. 

She also founded Lawson Writer's Academy, where you’ll find over 30 instructors teaching online courses through her website. To learn more, and sign up for Margie’s newsletter, visit www.margielawson.com.

Top Image by Peter Olexa from Pixabay

by Ellen Buikema

Using the power of taste in writing evokes emotions that may send readers all over the emotional map, from disgust to delight. It's the combined experience of what we see with our eyes, taste with our tongue, and smell with our nose.

Why is it important to have our characters experience taste in our stories?

Taste transports us as it engages more of our senses. A delicious meal or piece of chocolate melting on the tongue can make us feel relaxed and happy.

“The children bit into a piece of heaven, munching crispy crust, finding soft apple with a crunch of nut and sweet raisin. Cinnamon and sugary fruit oozed out of the pastry, making sweet puddles on the dessert plates.”

Like smell, taste can serve as a trigger for memories. Here’s an example of a husband remembering his recently deceased wife.

“Papa’s eyes misted when he crunched the burnt biscuits. Mama had always overcooked them.”

Taste in History

In Jean M. Auel’s meticulously researched Clan of the Cave Bear, she describes the method the ancients used to test for new foods. The clan women tasted a small portion of a newly discovered plant. If it didn’t make them ill, they tasted increasingly larger amounts.

When deemed safe, the new plant became a new food for the clan. Bitter plants, known from past trials for causing illness or death, were spat out.

Those experiences, passed down from generation to generation as humankind learned what foods to avoid in order to survive.

A Tasty Writing Prompt

Wander into your kitchen and find something to eat that has some texture.

• Close your eyes, take a bite.
• Focus while you chew, as the food rolls around your mouth, over your tongue, and down your throat.
• How does it taste?
• How does it make you feel?
• What would your characters think and say about the bite of food?
• Try adding this or similar sensory information in your WIP.

A great way to find sense of taste examples

Pick up your favorite book and highlight any sentences or paragraphs that use taste. This will give you a sensory details bank of examples whenever you need them. Do the same for all the senses.

Writing Taste in Different Genres

Taste in Horror

“Blood is really warm,
it's like drinking hot chocolate
but with more screaming.”

― Ryan Mecum, Zombie Haiku: Good Poetry for Your…Brains

“As his mouth flooded with that horrible sweet purple taste, he could actually see those grapes dull, dusty, obese and nasty, crawling up a dirty stucco wall in a thick, syrupy sunlight that was silent except for the stupid buzz of many flies”

― Stephen King, The Talisman

Taste in Humor

“Oh, how good everything tasted in that bower, with the fresh wind rustling the poplar leaves, sunshine and sweet woods smells about them, and birds singing overhead! No grown-up dinner party ever had half so much fun. Each mouthful was a pleasure; and when the last crumb had vanished, Katy produced the second basket...”

― Susan Coolidge, What Kati Did

“No,” Arthur said, “look, it’s very, very simple…. All I want… is a cup of tea. You are going to make one for me. Now keep quiet and listen.”

And he sat. He told the Nutro-Matic about India, he told it about China, he told it about Ceylon. He told it about broad leaves drying in the sun. He told it about silver teapots. He told it about summer afternoons on the lawn. He told it about putting the milk in before the tea so it wouldn’t get scalded. He even told it (briefly) about the East India Trading Company.

“So that’s it, is it?” said the Nutro-Matic when he had finished.

“Yes,” said Arthur. “That is what I want.”

“You want the taste of dried leaves boiled in water?”

“Er, yes. With milk.”

“Squirted out of a cow?”

“Well in a manner of speaking, I suppose…”

“I’m going to need some help with this one.”

― Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

Taste in Mystery/Thriller

“He could still taste her lips from when he’d kissed her in the restroom. He’d never forget it. The sweet sourness of Red Bull, coffee, and the bacteria on her teeth. The humility of it, the realness of a pretty girl with bad breath.”

― Taylor Adams, No Exit

Using sensory details helps your readers immerse themselves in the story and experience the characters’ feelings.

Further Reading

• 300+ Ways to Describe Taste: A Word List for Writers

• 20 Words To Describe Specific Tastes And Flavours – A Resource For Writers

How do you use the sense of taste in your writing? Do you have any examples of writing using the taste you’d like to share?

* * * * *

About Ellen

Author, speaker, and former teacher, Ellen L. Buikema has written non-fiction for parents and a series of chapter books for children with stories encouraging the development of empathy—sprinkling humor wherever possible. Her Works In Progress are, The Hobo Code, YA historical fiction and Crystal Memories, YA fantasy.

Find her at https://ellenbuikema.com or on Amazon.

Top Image taken by Ellen Buikema at Nando's in Mazatlan.