The mulsemedia (Multiple Sensorial Media (MulSeMedia)) concept has been explored to provide users with new sensations using other senses beyond sight and hearing. The demand for producing such applications has motivated various studies in the mulsemedia authoring phase. To encourage researchers to explore new solutions for enhancing the mulsemedia authoring, this survey article reviews several mulsemedia authoring tools and proposals for representing sensory effects and their characteristics. The article also outlines a set of desirable features for mulsemedia authoring tools. Additionally, a multimedia background is discussed to support the proposed study in the mulsemedia field. Open challenges and future directions regarding the mulsemedia authoring phase are also discussed.