Sniff Sniff

Incorporating all the senses into your writing is important, but today I'm going to single out one. Smell. Though some would argue that taste is the most overlooked sensory experience in many books, I land on the sniffing side of the debate. Scents are definitely an underdog.

So let's work on a few ways to connect with a reader's nose, shall we? And I'm not just talking your garden variety the-roses-smelled-sweet kind of thing.

3 Unique Ways to Incorporate Smell

Connect a scent to that character's personality.
Let's say you've got a villain who's a high-stakes Wall Street fella. What's he going to smell like that will make an impression on your reader? Obviously expensive aftershave but don't be afraid to kick it up a notch and include greed in that description.
Example: The scent of fine cigars and indulgence clung to Baxter Huxley, fitting him as neatly as his pinstripe suit.

Connect a scent to a memory.
This is a fun one and a great way to incorporate snippets of backstory. When your character sniffs something in the present, it can recall a one-line memory from their past.
Example: The spring rain left behind a moist, fresh aroma in the air, pulling Emily back to happier days of digging up worms in her gramma's backyard.

Connect a scent to a feeling.
Ready to go outside the box? Of course no one can actually smell a feeling, but a smell can sure invoke a feeling. I suggest you simply do it all in one fell swoop. It might annoy those Amelia Bedelia types who read everything literally, but annoyed or not, it will leave a mark on your reader.
Example: The bowl full of lemons might smell zingy to others, but all Becca inhaled was sour loss.

Here's my challenge for the day...try using one of these techniques in your current WIP. And yes, you have my permission to reward yourself with a big bouquet of flowers for all your hard work.