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Q&A How does a person go about describing a place/experience that they never personally experienced before, like a circus?

There are many things about a circus that you cannot experience without being there. Maybe you have friends who have been to a circus that you can talk to? I was recently at a small circus in Kiev...

posted 7y ago by NomadMaker‭  ·  last activity 5y ago by System‭

Answer
#3: Attribution notice added by user avatar System‭ · 2019-12-08T07:40:01Z (almost 5 years ago)
Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/32478
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/
#2: Initial revision by user avatar NomadMaker‭ · 2019-12-08T07:40:01Z (almost 5 years ago)
There are many things about a circus that you cannot experience without being there. Maybe you have friends who have been to a circus that you can talk to?

I was recently at a small circus in Kiev during a short visit there. It wasn't just the acrobats or clowns or the animals that were important. The audience reaction was a factor. There was a smell from the animals, even though most of the animals were dogs, cats, or seals. There was a smell from the people. The sounds of the players as they ran to get to their positions.

All of those things either added or distracted from the main purpose of seeing the circus, but they were all something that a character would experience. And don't underestimate the smell. I still remember the smells from a large circus I saw when I was a kid.

With a larger circus, you also get sawdust on the ground and ropes that hold the tents up that can be tripped over. And the refreshments. And the sounds of the barkers who are calling the visitors to their tents.

A circus is a multi-sensory experience and I think that you'll write about it better if you experience one. If not, read a lot about them and watch a lot of videos and try to talk to people who have been to one.

#1: Imported from external source by user avatar System‭ · 2018-01-11T09:17:46Z (almost 7 years ago)
Original score: 1