You're grounded!
No, I'm kidding. I'm not even talking about that kind of grounding. No one is in trouble.
The "grounded" I'm referring to here is actually a good thing.
The idea of "grounding" oneself has, in the last few years, entered conversations surrounding one's mental health, most commonly with those who experience panic attacks.
"Grounding" is a strategy one can use to bring themselves back to the present. The technique, quite literally, "grounds" one in the current moment.
One of the most common grounding exercises involves locating and naming the following:
5 things you can see.
4 things you can touch.
3 things you can hear.
2 things you can smell.
1 thing you can taste.
But this exercise isn't only beneficial for anxiety attacks.
Do you see where I'm going with this?
Grounding is actually a great tool for writers, especially those who struggle with description.
Writing is observation, after all, and what is this list if not observation? The fact that it's observation using five of our senses (also a hallmark of good writers)? That's just a bonus.
Try it. . . .
Photo by cottonbro from Pexels
What do you see in this picture?
What can you touch? (What's the texture?)
What do you hear? (Is it loud or soft?)
What can you smell? (Is it strong or faint? Sweet or acrid?)
What can you taste?
Bonus question: What do your characters think or feel about all of this?
While we're at it, why stop at three things you can hear? Brainstorm ten. Trust me: once you move past the obvious (conversation, traffic, etc.) you're bound to come up with something unexpected--something that will surprise you and the reader.
Now . . . how can you incorporate your list of items--5-4-3-2-1 (or more)--into a scene you'd write about this pictured moment?
You wouldn't want to cram the items together, of course. They should be introduced gradually or spread out over the course of several paragraphs. You might not even want to use all of the items you managed to brainstorm, but if you want to ground your reader in the scene you're writing as it unfolds, I can't think of a better strategy.
And don't limit this to just your writing: try it in your daily life. Practice grounding yourself when you're at the supermarket or on that walk, or when you're working or shopping or even cleaning the house.
Because the more you notice, the more you notice.
Be Brilliant!
~Katie~
