What do you do when you forgot your Kindle during a trip to the ER? To be fair, I remembered MY
Kindle, but the patient didn't. So, I lent him mine to read the paper while we waited for ultrasound and the results of the ultrasound. Instead of reading, I took notes about all I could sense in the ER exam room. After scribbling six pages of sights, sounds, feelings, and smells, I realized that I had all I needed to immerse my readers in two scenes of my WIP. Writers are told that including at least three of the five senses will bring dimension to their scenes and draw readers in. Now I have a great list to use for this very real setting.
Did you know that the pediatric crash cart holding all the medicines has rainbow hued drawers? The colors are to separate the meds by weight of the patient. I've never noticed this before. If I had been reading, I wouldn't have noticed it this time. Or that there is a huge poster just to list all the possible average weights, blood pressures, heart rates, and respiration for children based on age?
Have you ever stopped and listened to all the sounds in an ER department? From the scuffing of soft soled shoes and disembodied voices in the hall to the ticking of the oxygen ports and swoosh of the blood pressure cuff, I was awash in a sea of input just through my ears. Add the feel of the squishy chair cushion and the breath of the air conditioning on the back of my neck and you have a real setting that will draw a reader in.
After this experience, I plan to set up a few on purpose trips to experience some settings for my WIP. The hospital cafeteria is next on the list. ; )
What about you? Do you ever just sit and take notes on your surroundings?
How do you find the details to add the five senses to your scenes?
Hope everything is ok. The only time I've been to the ER was at 2AM and I was in pain and not paying attention to much. I did take lots of notes when we visited the beach though.
ReplyDeleteI didn't take notes when I was the patient and in pain either, Sara! All is fine and my hubby is getting better. ; )
DeleteHaving spent hours, days and weeks in the hospital being a patient, spouse, mother, and nurse...I know what you are talking about. Sometimes you can't hear a pin drop because your mind is somewhere else. I try to use all five senses in whatever I write. I'm not always successful on the first pass but fill in the blanks later.
ReplyDeleteI'm constantly aware of my surroundings no matter what I am doing. Early childhood training.
Jo,
DeleteSome days I'm not aware of the details. Thank goodness this situation wasn't dire and I could stop and observe. Last July when I was in severe pain, I didn't notice a bit of this. ; )
I ended up in the ER room last year and could relate to so much of what you said. However, what really got to me was the number of people sleeping on the floor to get help. The visual image sticks *sighs* I'll know why another day.
ReplyDeleteKittie,
DeleteOh no! That's an image. The ER we use was small and very empty on Saturday morning.
Happy to hear he's getting better!
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing idea. Now I've got to think of locations I need to visit for research. Er, besides the Mediterranean sailboat cruise I dream of, that is...
Sailing the Med...Yeah, I could do that one, too. Even if nothing I'll ever write will be set there. ; )
DeleteI'm glad you were able to get something positive out of what had to be a scary visit! It's amazing how the little things will really make the writing come alive...
ReplyDeleteWe were worried, but since the patient is 56, he didn't panic. :-D
DeleteI've already planned which details I'll use in a scene in my WIP.