Was it a car backfiring or a gunshot?
In the dead of night, you might not be sure. No one heard the noise but you. So you try and describe what you heard. Ever happen to you?
Describing sound is sort of like grasping at smoke. One drifts through your fingers and the other fades from your mind until they are gone.
As a writer, I find describing a sound is harder than describing an object. A picture or an object or a location is easier because I can see it. Well, what’s a writer do?
How about a new tool that lets you hear the sound you are trying to describe?
Y’all know me. I love tech gadgets. Especially when it’s at my fingertips.
Last week I discovered several websites for sounds.
First up is…
Want to describe a gunshot? Well, SoundSnap has 4592 variations from which to choose. Choose the type of gun and where. Is your character firing a single gun in a large room or loading and firing a rifle at a target practice. Outdoor, indoor, or at a target range?
(https://www.soundeffectsplus.com/product/gun-gunshot-single-01/)
What about the sound of ocean waves? Crashing, soft, against pebbles, sand, clifts or big rocks. SoundSnap gives you 281 different choices.
Everything from sports, crowds, shoppers, crying, you name it. Barking dog? What type of dog? With SoundSnap you can find it all from every day mundane to the gross and bizarre. The choices are only limited by your imagination. 
This app is so much fun. It’s tree to join or you can subscribe to a monthly membership. Also, you can purchase a sound. On occasion, you may find a few sounds that are free to download. SoundSnap even gives you information as to who submitted the sound.
AND it is always FREE to listen.
So now when you look up pictures to help with a description, you can now look up sounds to give your story a bit more realism.
Want FREE? Try…
Once you register, you can download sounds for free.
Another place to find specific sounds for purchase is …
And of course, there is always…
The good thing about YouTube in addition to sounds you can also find videos. However, I found it a little more difficult to narrow down to a specific individual sound.
Ever wish you could hear a sound to better describe it for your readers?
Do you think hearing the sound helps with your description?
Do you need to incorporate more of the senses in your stories?
Do you have a favorite website for sounds?
In all three apps, some sounds are more realistic than others. So you need to play around to find just what you’re looking for. Happy hunting.
Jean's Writing 