In this episode, we tune our ears to the world as we continue our five-part mini-series on the Five Senses. We explore "Sound" through the word "susurrus"—a beautiful, whispering term that serves as a vital warning for storytellers: just because a word is "literary" doesn't mean it’s the right tool for the job.
In this episode, we discuss:
The Trap of the Niche: Why reaching for a high-level vocabulary word can accidentally "kick" the reader out of the story, and why words with simple translations—like "rustling"—often carry more resonance.
The Pretentious Exception: How to use academic or rare language as a characterization tool to show, rather than tell, that a character loves being the smartest person in the room.
Are you using sound to build an immersive atmosphere, or is your vocabulary drawing the reader's eye away from the story and toward the author?
Subscribe for more episodes and to join me for the rest of our five-part series on the senses!
