"Show, don't tell" — the famous maxim of creative writing — is impossible without imagery. This literary device allows writers to use descriptions to evoke vivid mental pictures. Sensory imagery creates vivid mental images by appealing to the readers' five senses (sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch). In this article, we explore the 7 types of sensory imagery with examples to better illustrate them.

1. Visual imagery

Visual imagery features the most in fiction, appealing to readers' sense of sight. It describes the appearance of an object, a character, and physical elements of a setting. For instance, “The windows reflect the bright yellow rays of a 2 o'clock sun in the summer. A cloudless sky, bluer than a gas flame, exposes the menacing glow of the sun scotching the streets of Westside Compton, making John's sunglasses a functional fashion choice." Here, the reader can picture the glowing street scenery in California in the afternoon as if they were standing on the sidewalk themselves.

2. Auditory imagery

Auditory imagery draws readers' attention to specific sounds occurring within the story. For example, “The alarm rang at 5:46 AM, a reminder of the monotonous start of his day. John woke up, already hearing the quiet buzz of early morning traffic. Neighbors murmuring greetings and metal gates clanging open told him the rat race was about to begin." The imagery here describes particular sounds, the alarm ringing, the murmur of greetings, the clanging metal gates, and the quiet traffic buzz. Readers can imagine a man waking up in an apartment in a busy street and an alarm ringing before dawn as traffic gradually begins.

3. Olfactory imagery

Olfactory imagery portrays a particular scent, letting readers know what a person, place, or thing smells like. Consider this description of expired milk: “The rotten smell of sour milk escaped when Sally opened the carton of milk; it was as awful as a stale fart in a crowded elevator." Do you feel like closing your nose? Is the thought of this description making you want to puke? Writers use olfactory imagery to let a scent leap off the page, and readers can almost perceive it.

4. Gustatory imagery

Gustatory imagery appears to readers' sense of taste. It comes in handy in describing what a thing tastes like, be it food, the air, or a character's lips. For example, “Sammie's face drew closer to Jessica's. Their lips envelop each other; his tongue could make out the juicy, sweet strawberry taste of her lips as the wet, lustful kiss lingered.” Here, readers can feel the kiss; it's no longer an experience for Sammie and Jessica alone, and readers can almost partake of it.

5. Tactile imagery

Tactile imagery describes what the touch of something or someone feels like. Anything you can touch, you can depict through imagery: cold steel in the winter, a smooth doorknob, a fuzzy fur coat, a coarse tree bark. Consider the description of a bare hand mistakenly placed on a hot stove. "It was like the devil had released all the flames of hell on his right palm; no sooner had it landed on the stove had he begun to jump and howl in burning, biting pain." Can you feel the burn? Ouch!

6. Kinesthetic imagery

Kinesthetic imagery describes objects or people in motion. An example of kinesthetic imagery can be, “The lion races dangerously, an impending doom sprinting toward an oblivious hare, eager to snap the neck of its prey. It dashes through the dried bushes of the savannah, smashing withered reeds as it closes in on its mark, ready for a kill." The description of how the lion races toward its prey creates a compelling, vivid visual image of the action.

7. Organic imagery

Organic imagery appeals to and communicates internal sensations and emotions, such as love, hate, happiness, sadness, despair, anxiety, fear, loneliness, etc. For example, "Bruce clenched his fists with such force his nails pierced the skin of his palms. He couldn't look at their faces, afraid of what he might do to them if he did. He was losing the war to keep his rage invisible, trying so hard, but his hands were shaking, and he knew he wasn't so far from losing it." Here, we can picture how angry Bruce was. This description creates suspense for the readers, as they wonder what Bruce would do in such rage.