Sensory Detail Is the Way into the Reader's Body

Putting sensory detail in writing connects the reader’s body to the character’s, puts them inside the story, triggering the very same associations that they would have in life on, say, hearing a cricket or needing a tissue for a dripping nose. That is what makes a story real for the reader. Don’t crowd out the reader’s associations by writing in too many of your own. This came to me as I was reading “Still Writing” this morning over coffee, so thanks due to Dani Shapiro.

For example, you could write, “she’s tired.” Or you could go for a sensory detail: ache in the feet, inability to catch her breathe, noise making her grind her teeth. Each one invokes a different kind of tired. And sure, you could explain the tiredness more clearly as from walking or running or from machinery. But a single image of feeling the stones underfoot lets the reader try on the sensation and come to the fatigue inside her virtual body. You get out of the way so the reader can live the story, and sensory detail is the key. I mean, readers must irl shut down sensory input to read. And since it is by our senses that we know the world, you have to give it back to them so they can live the story. Of course, every rule can be broken. But I suddenly understood the writer’s task on behalf of the reader is more than getting the story on paper. It’s letting go of author-focused telling and giving it to the reader to live it.

Women, Science, Sexism, and Humor

I enjoyed this video by Emilie Graslie of The Brain Scoop talking about the bullying aspect of sexist comments on the internet and how it affects women. I also like how she is both serious and full of humor at the same time. 

If you like this, check out the article on Upworthy and scroll down to the links at the bottom where you can find a great list of women's science videos on YouTube.

Genetic Differences or Societal Influences: A personal story by Neil DeGrasse Tyson

Hat tip to Upworthy.com for posting a video from 2009 that highlights a story by Neil DeGrasse Tyson that was in response to a question about genetic differences in women possibly accounting for why so few women enter scientific fields. His story about his journey to becoming a scientist illustrates his final point, which is that BEFORE scientists — and the rest of us — talk about genetic differences, we have to come up with a system where there’s equal opportunity.

The Upworthy video doesn’t play. Here’s a YouTube link that should start just before his comments, which begin in answer to a question at 1:01:48.

Daily Writing Prompts and the Habit of Starting

Apparently we have 2 systems for thinking in our heads. One is effortless, unconscious and very fast. It uses rules of thumb, prejudices, habit, and fuzzy approximation to get us through with a minimum of effort. It’s right about 70% of the time, and it believes that “done is beautiful.”

The second system is the one who questions stuff, figures from data, and considers alternatives. The cost of doing that is extremely high, burning sugar at the same rate as intense physical activity. It takes will to keep at it when the easy answer provided by the system one that is probably okay. All sorts of mental traps exist to distract us from the trail of difficult calculation or counter-intuitive investigations. System Two is costly, and a bit lazy in that it is willing to hand over the thinking to System One so that it can go back to sleep in the shade.

I think of this as I look at work and flow in my life because the act of writing need both systems. Getting into it requires constant will exerted to keep System Two in the game. Sugar feeds willpower so snacking helps. But curiously, sometimes the writing can become a flow activity, and I no longer need the sweets. In fact, I often forget to eat at all.

The key to being able to switch over to the flow of System One is habit. Habit takes over at some point, turning the effortful into the joyful. Diving deep into the unconscious, being able to hold one’s mental breath long enough to fill the net before heading back to the surface for air and editing, this takes practice. But even when the joy of immersion is known, it still remains difficult to get started. That is another habit of its own. Starting.

Which is why I have decided to take a daily writing prompt and write a short 250-500 words on it. To help me with the habit of jumping in.

For more about the two systems of the brain read Daniel Kahneman’s Thinking, Fast and Slow.