As I’ve been combing the streets of Paris
I’ve been keeping all my senses at attention, as every good writer should.
Except, there's one missing… touch. It’s
interesting as I evaluate my experiences I realize I’m very good at seeing,
smelling, tasting and hearing but I always forget to include the tactile
experience (unless I come across an animal that needs patting). I guess that’s a good thing in the city I am
currently exploring since everywhere we go (I’m referring to the dozens of
museums we’ve visited) there are signs that say “Ne Touchez Pas!” It’s okay, really, since the sites, sounds and smells of
Paris are spectacular enough.
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| Fresco on the ceiling in Opera Garnier...not sure who the artist is |
Absorbing
Aromas and Art
Yesterday, I commented to my mother-in-law,
with whom I’m traveling, that we’ve savored crepes in the gardens at Versailles,
sipped wine on the Left Bank and swilled beer in a pub on the Grand
Boulevard. So, we had taste totally
covered. Any time I'm writing about eating in the future, I'll have loads of memories from which to pull. We’ve inhaled the smells of the
patisseries and boulangeries as we’ve meandered down cobblestoned streets and have
paused appreciatively to absorb the works of the masters. I haven’t really felt the need to touch the
Rembrandt at the Jacquemart Andre or the many Monet murals at the Orangerie. I've been happy to get drawn into them visually, which I did especially with one particular Monet. As I gazed at the panels stretched across the width of the room, I was sure a floor to ceiling image of a face leaped out at me from the canvass!
Describing
Touch
But, where does touch come in? As a writer I always pride myself in being
able to experience things with all the senses in order to draw on vibrant,
multi dimensional memories when sitting down to write descriptive prose. Now I know that I must concentrate on
including touch as I wander through life and, as I go through yet another edit
of my novel, I must remember to add some tactile descriptions. Not to mention, noticing good examples
of descriptions of how something ‘feels’ on the finger tips when I'm reading for pleasure!
Comments
Happy to learn you are working on a novel ...
Your trip sounds wonderful. I am so glad you had a lovely time with your mom and mom in law.
That's so precious. I love the descriptions of Paris, especially the food:)) Hope to make it there one day too...
How is the novel coming along?
Hugs
Glad you enjoyed it! I've had to take a break from the novel to do some paid client work but I am still adding the detail we talked about while simultaneously sending queries to agents.
Fingers crossed!
Anne