Using the Five Senses in Writing

Today started with a visit from Joanne O’Sullivan, a journalist from Asheville, North Carolina and a recently published historical fiction writer. She spoke, at first, about what made her want to become a writer. She talked about growing up, always in the library and making her own paper books. She became a journalist in order to be able to make a living off of writing and spent her free time researching and writing her novel. The novel is about a fictional girl who lived in rural Louisiana when Hurricane Katrina hit. The novel follows the girl and shows how the damage affects not only her city but her entire life.

After talking about her own writing, O’Sullivan lead the campers in a writing activity about using your senses while writing. She read three “Where am I from poems?” that rely heavily of such senses. The campers then listed things about their own settings that they could see, touch, taste, smell, and hear. This activity helped them think about what their characters might see, touch, taste, smell, and hear which in turn can help to make them more realistic.

Once the morning presentation was finished the campers set out to their classrooms and labs to continue work on their pieces. Many groups are onto the editing process. Campers are taking advantage of having many peers to help read and provide them with feedback, as well as their instructors and graduate student writing coaches. After going through the editing stage, campers are able to choose an online publishing tool that will help them have a final copy at the end of camp of their work.

Additionally, the youngest group, K-2, are busy creating visuals to accompany their writings.

Today was also picture day. Each group had their picture taken with their classmates, instructors, and writing coaches.
    The afternoon sessions began revisions today as well. The fiction class talked about important things to keep in mind while giving feedback. Afterwards, they were able to read the selected portion of their peer’s writing pieces and using the skills they had just covered.
    At the end of the day, campers were tired yet excited about being able to help some of their friends improve their writing and getting their own suggestions.

​