With a few well-chosen words, you can draw readers further into your story by evoking rich winter scenes and tantalizing the senses.

by Kim Lengling

Where I live, we experience all four seasons, each with its unique beauty. Winter, in particular, is a season of breathtaking beauty. I’ve often found myself standing outside on brisk early mornings, watching the sunrise as its light creates a magical, sparkly effect on newly fallen snow. The scene in front of me never fails to inspire awe.

For me, winter feels like the season to create—a season of storytelling. The crunch of snow underfoot, the sparkle of frost on windowpanes, and the hush of a snow-covered landscape in the middle of the night all create a backdrop that can be both serene and even haunting.

Have you stood outside at three a.m. on a cold winter night? Watched the trees bend and sway in a brisk wind? Shadows become lifelike, as if dancing across the snow-covered ground. If you look at them from another angle, they look pretty sinister. The heavy silence that covers the area creates an almost surreal world outside your own.

I find winter a treasure trove of inspiration, offering vivid imagery and emotional depth to stories simply by using the senses. Here’s a snippet of a story I’m working on that provides a mental picture for you and engages some of your senses:

Sitting on a snow-covered branch, the sprites watched as the woman paused by an ancient oak, her gloved hand resting on its bark. She whispered something to the tree, her breath a puff of mist in the frigid air as her dog sat patiently beside her, tail wagging in slow, sweeping arcs, creating the wing of a snow angel.

The power of wintery words

Winter offers so many ways to weave chilly details into a story. Here are a few I came up with. I am sure you can come up with many more to create a beautiful scene for your readers.

I find winter a treasure trove of inspiration, offering vivid imagery and emotional depth to stories simply by using the senses.

Sight:

• Snowflakes drifting like whispered secrets.
• Moonlight casting a silvery glow on frosty fields.
• Shadows lengthened by bare branches against a field of snow.

Sound:

• The crunch of boots on snow.
• The eerie silence of a frozen lake.
• The howling wind batters a lonely cabin.

Touch:

• The sting of icy air on exposed skin.
• The warmth of a fire radiates against cold hands.
• The roughness of a woolen scarf against the neck.

Smell and taste:

• The crisp, clean scent of snow.
• The smoky aroma of burning wood.
• The comforting flavors of hot cocoa or mulled wine.

I don’t know about you, but I also love learning new words, especially those that aren’t often used. Let’s face it: an author’s magic is in the words used, but sometimes, we need to research to find those fun words. Here are a few fun wintery words I’ve come across. You may have to look a few up if you’ve not heard of them, which is part of the fun of learning new words!

• Brumal
• Crystalline
• Flakelet
• Glacial
• Gelid
• Numbing
• Hoarfrost
• Snow-cloaked
• Tundra

Countless words can help you bring the winter season to life in your writing, whether you live in a climate where winter visits each year or not. Let’s embrace the season’s chill and create stories that resonate with readers. Bundle up and get writing!

Kim Lengling is the lead author and coordinator of six anthologies. Her newest, the Paw Prints Series, includes Paw Prints on the Couch and Paw Prints on the Kitchen Floor, with the third, Paw Prints on the Front Porch, coming in August 2025. Her newest book, Nuggets of Hope, was released in November 2024. In addition to writing, she hosts the podcast Let Fear Bounce, spotlighting people who make a difference in the world through writing, film production, philanthropy, teaching, founding nonprofits, and more. You can regularly find Kim drinking coffee, reading, and talking with the critters in the woods while taking long walks with her dog, Dexter.

Visit Kim at her website, and connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, and X.