Auroratide

Coding + Storytelling

Sensescapes

Storytelling

Topics
  • neologism
  • word
  • definition
  • senses
  • sound
  • sight
  • smell

A sensescape describes the experiences of sight, smell, and sound of a particular place. When you recall the last time you were in a forest and remember the scent of pine pushed by the brushing branches swaying against the breeze, you are recalling that place's sensescape.

This isn't a word you'll find in any dictionary. I sort of just made it up while trying to describe why a character in a story I'm (slowly) writing likes a particular spot along the Miami coast.

Aerial view of Miami beaches.
Miami beaches, photo by Antonio Cuellar

I often find myself reaching for words beyond my vocabulary to capture very specific concepts. Much of that is because my vocabulary is poor; I'm a code guy, not a word guy. Using a large language AI usually helps find an existing word, but in this case its best guess was ambience. Similar, but not exactly what I was picturing in my mind.

Picturing, because you can't "picture" an ambience, but you can picture a sensescape.

I don't have a grand lesson, besides that I suspect that our strongest memories are tied to a change in sensescape. If thinking of sensescapes helps with your writing, feel free to throw the term around! I don't own it after all (: