Everyday Wonder

How to mine awe from the mundane

- SARAH CHAUNCEY

We typically associate wonder with science fiction, fantasy, or magical realism. Yet moments of wonder-an experience of amazement and awe that stills the mind and leaves us speechless-are all around us. Writers in any genre can captivate readers by using specific techniques to highlight the everyday wonder in daily life.

Wonder is a distinctly nonverbal experience, which differentiates it from curiosity (and the verb to wonder). Curiosity engages the thinking mind; the experience of wonder briefly stops thought.

Skilled writers can take everyday objects and processes and turn them into wondrous experiences for the reader.

As you read the examples below, notice how each author uses not only a given technique, but also their specificity of word choice and use of sensory engagement to evoke a sense of wonder. The more specific you are in drawing the reader in through sensory and somatic details, the more universally these moments will resonate.

ZOOMING IN AND BULLET TIME

In order to function in our world, we take many complex processes for granted-unfettered access to utilities, the functioning of our bodies, that hummingbirds and bees will continue to spread pollen. Each of these processes, though, is the inevitable result of dozens to hundreds of earlier moments.

Writers can evoke wonder by zooming in and slowing down time ("bullet time") or zooming in to show details invisible to the human eye.

A masterclass of this approach is Ruth Ozeki's A Tale for the Time Being, which entwines two narratives, one set in Japan and one on a small island off the coast of British Columbia. The latter gives rise to many moments of wonder like this one: