The sense of smell, more than any of the other senses, can trigger strong emotional memories. The olfactory system is physically wired for it. Unlike the other sensory pathways, the olfactory bulb has a direct connection to the amygdala (emotion) and hippocampus (memory consolidation). When you want to trigger your fictional character’s memory, you mayContinue reading “Exploring the Senses – Olfaction: The Sense of Smell”
Tag Archives: creativity
Exploring the senses – Hearing
Auditory stimuli have the ability to trigger physical reactions. The calming sound of rolling waves, or the alarming jolt caused by a popped balloon can influence how we act and feel. Sounds, especially music, can also trigger memories. Exercise: To explore hearing, each member of writing group brought a song to listen to. As weContinue reading “Exploring the senses – Hearing”
Exploring the Senses – Vision
I apologize for the neglect. I was hibernating. Now, with spring on my doorstep, I return to sharing my writing life with the world of internet content seekers. Over the next five weeks I’ll share explorations and exercises I did with my writing group in an attempt to incorporate all five senses (vision, hearing, smell,Continue reading “Exploring the Senses – Vision”
Creating Fictional Worlds: Not just Sci-Fi and Fantasy
I recently visited the Fantasy exhibit at the EMP museum in Seattle. In addition to the fun and inspirational drawings, costumes, and interactive computer exhibits, they displayed J.R.R. Tolkien’s hand written timeline. It was kind of him to reiterate the point of my previous post (Ha. Ha!). It also spoke to a related aspect ofContinue reading “Creating Fictional Worlds: Not just Sci-Fi and Fantasy”
Experience Writing 