Whether you’ve taken extensive creative writing lesson and workshops or you’re doing your best to get by on the advice of blogs and writing magazines, the 5 senses will always be integral to flushing out a scene and bringing depth to writing that shows rather than tells its reader what is happening.

Photograph: Ben Andrew/RSPB

Previously I focused on SIGHT & TOUCH…

Today we’ll place SOUND under the microscope.

Sound is the second-most forgotten about sense (tied with SMELL) when writing a first draft. Unless it directly links in with the plot, flushing out setting and atmosphere using sound rarely happens.

This is a tricky sense though – if overused it will do more harm than good which is another reason why writers often chose not focus on it.

You can’t let your fear of overdoing an aspect of your writing keep you from trying to better yourself and…