Infusing your sentences with sensory part one: Smell

Morning all! Rabbit in a Hat Hook'er here.

I've mentioned my weakness for cupcakes before. A weakness enabled by my Master Cupcake Chief sister. She’s got my number and she knows it too! Anything she wants, she gets, so long as there are those paper-wrapped cakelets of evil in her hand.

I'm sure it must have something to do with their innocent, little portion size and that swirl of confectionery yumminess she calls frosting, but my brain has latched onto them. Now I can detect them from a mile away.

But it seems that I've taken my cupcake weakness to a whole new level...

Now I'm even wearing them.

On days when the sissy's not baking up a storm, I still get my fix with a soothing Cupcake lotion I found at Walmart. Eat your heart out Bath and Body, cause this stuff is awesome Aaaand  I can afford it too!

 I guess I shouldn’t be surprised to hear that food scented products like lotion are contributing to our nation's obesity epidemic. If you're wearing it for eight hours straight, the temptation is constantly under your nose. 

Our sense of smell is pretty darn powerful, and it shapes the way we experience everything. 

Every time we meet someone new, walk into a room, or step outside, our noses are there to investigate. To really pull readers into our writing, the sense of smell is essential. Its a great way to incorporate all the other senses as well.

• If a scent is so strong, it burns your character's eyes and makes them water.
• If it makes the character's tummy rumble.
• Or makes them want to toss their cookies.

 You've just Incorporated multiple senses, leading with the sense of smell, and offered your reader something to associate with. Give it a try!

Kacey's Cupcake Weakness

I have a weakness. A cupcake weakness.  I have an enabler too.

My sister makes the best cupcakes in my whole little world, and since I’ve had the great privilege to spend more time with her, I get to spend more time feeding my addiction-and my waistline for that matter.

And the woman loves to experiment. From trendy to gourmet to classic,  no matter what she makes they always turn out to be single servings of heaven in liiiiiitle paper cups.

I’m not sure if it’s the sister factor that brings such comfort to my belly. Or if her technique stemmed from our childhood somehow, but her own technique—her own spin on things—always makes my mouth water.

Good stories are no different. I could just gobble them up! When I find that my favorite authors *ahem* Gena Showalter *ahem* has a new book out, I start to salivate. I might even forgo my tastealicious spiced chai just to afford it.

But how do cupcakes and good stories fit together?

Well, apart from the fact that I have finally managed to multitask both without getting crumbs in the binding, the creation process for cupcakes and stories are very similar.

I used to love watching Hell’s kitchen. It reminds me of the gauntlet we all face when seeking publication. Our Agents and editors are looking for a technique, a certain flavor if you will, and they simply will not take anything less than stunning. Looking at it from that angle, would we ever want them to?

 Would you as a reader want to forgo your spiced Chai for a mediocre novel? I wouldn't.

When I first heard someone say “there are no new stories”, I was so disappointed.

But my work HAD to be original. Right?

Then I thought of my sister’s cupcakes. Maybe my story isn’t entirely unique. It needs to be somewhat recognizable if you really want to entice.

Take for instance this lovely photo on the left. These weren't created by my sister. she might love to experiment but even SHE has limits.

What I'm trying to say is, if your creation is completely unrecognizable it becomes a hard sell. If the readers expect one thing but get another and it can turn their stomachs. 

But if you keep things familiar and alter the recipe juuust enough to make things your own, you get something fresh and new that just might translate into someone else’s weakness.

Like mine. These totally awesome strawberry cupcakes with strawberry butter cream frosting.