Meh. Not all titles can be winners. Anyway, I, being quite young and only in middle-school, have just participated in an writing competition. My entire team was very nervous, and we were all sort of bunched together, anxious for the competition to begin. My friend gets us in a huddle and we exchange a last few words.
"So I was writing a few days ago, and I decided to put a little bit more detail. I tried to use the five senses. And it was whole a lot better!"
Sensory, my dear Watson. (I'm corny, aren't I?)
The whole point of a book, particularly a fantasy book, is to pick up the reader, make him leave his world, and come to yours. "If a reader picks up a book, and stays where he is, there is no point to the book." However, when you use descriptions, when you use sensory, you force the reader into seeing, feeling, tasting whatever you're trying to show.
5 Senses:
Sight- This one is mandatory, as well as slightly tricky (hey, no one said writing was easy.) Anyone can describe. That's easy, as well as boring. Nobody wants to read "the sky was blue, the road was black. I saw a kid on a bike." Ick. Go a step beyond just "describing." Is there anything that strikes out to your character? Is there something out of the ordinary that would catch the character's eye? Also, never neglect the power of adjectives. Back to my less-than-perfection example. What kind of blue? Stormy, dark, lonesome, mean? What kind of black? Tar, brown, what? Describe! The readers aren't looking through your eyes! Shove in front of them!
Sound- Sound can be a nice mood creator. While the "everything was completely quiet" does get kind of boring, if you can figure out how to fit it nicely into your work, it'll help in the long run. Creaking floors and door equal old, ancient, and spooky, while the jubilant sound of laughing voices can help you create a nice, happy mood. Sound isn't entirely necessary, but is a good thing to have.
Smell- Again, this was not entirely necessary, and you're not actively sniffing around. However, using sharp words like "putrid" or even "sharp" to describe something will really stick in the mind of your reader, making your story even more memorable. Again, this one is entirely necessary, and it is possible to overkill, but also a nice help to your story.
Taste- This one can be fun. Try to think of the worst thing you've ever eaten, and then make a list of adjectives to describe that taste. It's kind of fun, trying to think of all the offensive words you can think of. This goes very well with Smell, especially if your character's eating something. While your character is definitely not going to describe what his spit taste like when he's not eating, it can still make your story more memorable in the mind of your reader.
Touch- I hate sticky things, particularly syrup. It makes my skin crawl, and you can never quite get rid of that sticky feeling. You are always feeling. Adjectives again. (They just keep showing up!) What does that dog your character's petting feel like? Is he sweaty and wet? Or is it's fur smooth and nice to touch. What about the gnarly feel of sandpaper or bumpy bark of a tree. In order to touch something, you have to be there, doing it. If your character is doing it, and actually feeling something, the readers are forced to feel it with you.
Sensory, My Dear Watson
-Twain
