WRITING: How do you smell?

Aug 01, 2011 17:53

I'm giving a talk at Writerconuk next weekend on the use of smell in writing ( Read more... )

writing, writerconuk, scent

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Comments 28

alovelycupoftea August 1 2011, 18:34:08 UTC
Hello!

The first thing that springs to mind is something I wrote when I was thinking about smell and memory... It Was That Day

Nothing else is immediately popping into my head (I hope because you never remember other people's writing as closely as your own, not because I am terribly egocentric!!), but if it does, I shall zoom back here with it!!

Also, HELLO!

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daiseechain August 1 2011, 21:20:15 UTC
That's perfect! Thank you. Even better because I hadn't previously read that one.

I don't think it's egocentric at all - I have exactly the same problem. Sometimes I'm left with an impression of 'that fic had something in it, didn't it?' but then can't find what I'm looking for.

And yes! Hello to you too! It is very nice to see you again.

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alovelycupoftea August 1 2011, 21:34:07 UTC
It's nice to be back. Holidays = yay!

I'm posting the hd_prophet tonight - would you like me to link to this post and invite others to come over with suggestions of fic?

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daiseechain August 1 2011, 21:59:17 UTC
Yes please! That'd be grand if you would. Invite everyone to come over and inhale! :-D

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curiouswombat August 1 2011, 22:16:06 UTC
I'm thinking about it... I'll be back soon-ish!

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subtlefire August 1 2011, 22:52:12 UTC
Reparations and Foundations by saras_girl feature this strongly. Draco has a much keener than normal sense of smell as a result of past drug use, so that individuals have their own unique scent(s). He even describes what Avada Kedavra smells like at one point.

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daiseechain August 2 2011, 10:55:15 UTC
Brilliant! Exactly the sort of thing I was hoping for. And thank you for taking the time to come over to my journal and point me to them.

But also, see, here's the problem. Now you've given me a rec for two fics I had no idea existed, and at the quick glance I've given them to find scenes that are useful for the presentation, they look really interesting and well written and now I'll have to go read them which is frustrating because it's going to have to wait until after this weekend. It's taking quite a lot of effort to resist the temptation to read them now.

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subtlefire August 2 2011, 11:08:26 UTC
Ha ha! Er, sorry :) They are my absolute favorite stories in any fandom, ever, and I squee at your desire to read them :D

I could find some examples for you if you'd like.

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daiseechain August 2 2011, 12:49:52 UTC
Yes please! That would be lovely!

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curiouswombat August 1 2011, 23:06:55 UTC
I, too, find it easier to remember things in my own stories....

In Return of The Key Dawn/Tindome and the elves comment more than once on the different smell of California and Ithilien - for example

Tindómë stepped through the portal and took a deep, deep breath. It was wonderful to be able to breathe tree-scented air with no gas fumes and to see the sky through leaves with no haze or artificial light.

I use smell in Brotherhood, too - Orophin remmbering his previous stay in the Rohirric Stronghold -

Last time they were here they had not really slept at all and had only seen windowless rooms hewn from the rock, or built with blocks of it; dark, heavy rooms, smelling of blood, mortal fear, and death.

And then the effect of formal dinner in the Gondorian Court on the elves -

scroll down to the fifth'section' of this chapter...

I'm sure I know others - I'll think a bit further.

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daiseechain August 2 2011, 11:16:02 UTC
Excellent, thank you!

Those are some good examples. I'm probably going to use them, if you don't mind, but you may have to correct my pronunciation of character's names.

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curiouswombat August 2 2011, 11:50:15 UTC
Be my guest. I have to admit that that 'outsider's view' of the formal court dinner is one of my own personal favourites. That and Orophin having sex with a nicely rounded forty-something mortal female, but that's not really relevant!

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daiseechain August 2 2011, 12:48:08 UTC
Aaah. So that's what your presentation would have been on :-D

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curiouswombat August 1 2011, 23:11:11 UTC
Oh - I read this a couple of days ago and it is all about the sense of smell - but possibly not quite what you want, I don't know...

http://disc-fest.dreamwidth.org/14025.html

Going to bed now...

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daiseechain August 2 2011, 12:35:03 UTC
Yes, this is good also. I'm looking for all sorts of different ways to use scent in fic, so it's great that people are pointing me at lots of different styles.

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