WRITERS ABROAD MAGAZINE: THE THIRD SPACE
Think about a character’s hands. Are they cold? Clammy? This tells us about their
emotional state. Whether someone shakes your hand firmly or limply, tells us about their
personality. If the skin is rough, perhaps they have a manual job. Soft hands might belong
to a white collar worker, or a lady of leisure.
Don’t forget the texture of something as you describe it. A bolt of silk may be vivid in colour,
but how does it feel under your fingers? What about the feel of salt drying on your skin after
a swim in the sea? Touch it, then describe it.
Smell
A favourite of travel writers. The aroma of frying garlic escaping from an open window, the
scent of thyme released underfoot on a hiking trail, or the scent of a rose in an English
garden. These smells can all be described in your own particular way. You don’t even need
to be there. Again, try closing your eyes and imagining it. Flare your nostrils!
It is not only food and flowers that smell. What about wet paint? The sea? Wood smoke?
Not all smells are pleasant. Don’t forget the nasty ones, if they help conjure up the
atmosphere
required
in
your
story
or
article.
To make your writing more vibrant and evocative, simply use all the senses – in an original
way.
18 | May 2016