Hey, I am currently writing a short nature themed piece for a little event and I had my MC deep in the autumn woods. Now, as a country kid, I got lost more times than I can count in that hell.... However, as I wrote, I decided to do something different. I went on YouTube and searched for Sounds of Autumn and found a few rather inspiring videos. So, as I wrote, I kept it on and just tried to emulate into my writing or what I felt to try and get a more real feel. I wonder, did anyone ever try this out for sounds you'd hear in a city, or a summer lake, or a winter storm? I mean, we can easily imagine what does sounds are but hearing them does make you hear things you'd easily not think of. I think it worked for me.
I walk in the woods while thinking where to take my story next which adds a few layers to my thoughts. I like your idea though and haven't tried it. Music can be emotional for me and adds to my writing sometimes. I have a few nature CDs, the swamp, the forest, the beach sounds. I may just give your suggestion a go.
Every time I see this thread title, I hear Simon & Garfunkle..... I often work out my story when running. Running usually has either Jai Uttal or Paul Oakenfold in my ears depending on my mood. Both have the effect of sending my on mental trips.
That's interesting. Sometimes I go to settings where my story takes place and sit for a while and look, listen and feel, smell the local smells. That helps me incorporate all the senses. (Taste can be tricky.)
Very interesting technique. In bringing readers to the concrete level of experience, there's nothing more important than translating (or trying to translate) sensory experience into words. You've found an inventive way to get at sounds, but there are four other senses. How to get at them? Think of the smells, aromas, fragrances, odors through which you instantly re-experience: your first-grade classroom, your first kiss, a family Thanksgiving dinner, the pine (or cedar) Christmas tree in your living room, your Uncle Fred's pipe, your grandmother's bedroom, a dank jail cell. Recall the texture of your grandfather's stubbly face, the firm silky flank of a well-brushed horse, the warm soft feel of a sugar-fine sandy beach under your bare feet. Can you describe the sweetish taste of paste in kindergarten? The sharp-sour taste of your first sip of beer? The dry-gooey sweetness of cotton candy? To help with the problem of how to convey such sensory experiences in words, I highly recommend A Natural History of the Senses, by Diane Ackerman.
You mean the "Oh, god, I'm sinking. I can't walk normally anymore! Help! I'm going to dehydrate before I reach my spot!" Terrible feeling.. hate sand. Love ocean. It's true that the audio can only give you sound information but it can also make you "feel" like you're there and perhaps trigger memories or other things your senses felt. Not as strong as your sense of smell but I found it brought back a lot of my own time in the forests. Now, once VR becomes real. They'll be entire files dedicated to making us experience the whole shebang of senses. That'd be a very neat and useful tool for a lot of things :3 I am glad some people tried out the idea. Hope it helped or gave you some ideas.
