Physical Description

[felixia]

This makes loads more sense if you don't read my crap in the brackets>> *ahem*
Well...in something I have been writing recently (it's 8000 words looooooong. longest EVAR for me) I have no physical descriptions of my characters. A friend who is sort of editing it for me (making suggestions, etc) suggested to put them in at the start of chapter one (ooooh I'm using CHAPTERS ^0^), just after I have introduced the setting and the character's names.

So, I thought I might try that BUT. I have no idea what makes a good description of characters. In anything I have written ever, I don't think I've ever put anything like this in. Except for this one part, where I make some sort of the mention of a character having hair. :roll:

Sooo...I was wondered, how do you go about writing physical descriptions of your characters? (if you do, that is) Do you have any suggestions? Because if you do I would be so very grateful :)

[vindemiatrix]

Be VERY careful. There's not much I hate more in a book than coming across a large chunk of description of the characters and what they look like and how they carry themselves and what they wear. You could lose readers by overdescribing.

My advice is to mention a few of the most noticeable details about them as they are introduced to the reader (they're very tall? very blonde? they have a stoop?), and anything that might be a plot point later on (ie Harry Potter's eye colour). If you only have one MC, you can get away with a little more description (again, Harry was described in a few sentences) but if there's many characters, and you're introducing a few at a time, then try and keep descriptions succinct.

Also, if you can fit their descriptions in with the prose, for example "Mary twisted a finger in her bright red curls as she spoke" or "Sam brushed a speck from the immaculately pressed linen of his shirt", then that helps ease the effect of too much description. It helps to describe as you go along, and space it out a little. However, it's still important that you get most of the character description done as soon as possible, else your reader will be halfway through the book and you'll have referred to Mary as "the flame-haired woman" and they'll be bemused because they saw Mary as a blonde.

Characters are more than just hair colours and eyes, though. Some people are neat, some incredibly scruffy. Some people look normal, some dress like nutters. Some look shy and look down at their feet, some look confrontational and stare at people. This kind of thing is much more helpful in describing a character than just hair and eyes.

It helps if you already have a very clear idea of what your characters look like first. If not, then work on that before you attempt description. It helps a lot, and generally your descriptions will be more vivid.

I may be able to think of more to say later, but that's all my advice for now... ^_^;

[Aimless]

Don't mention cup-size unless you absolutely have to.

[vindemiatrix]

But you can mention general size, if they're very big. Some people, the bosom is the first thing you notice about them.

[Orion283]

As a recovering over-describer, I suppose the best advice is to not understimate the visual imagination of your readers. It gets them a bit more aborbed that way too. They start to feel like these are their characters too, and in turn care more about what happens to them.

[Tundra]

I would be wary of even saying the "she twisted a finger in her bright red curls as she spoke" bit! I'd just say 'curls'. And then have some other way of making it obvious that she has red hair. Eg: someone commenting about it being hard to miss her in a crowd.

[felixia]

Be VERY careful. There's not much I hate more in a book than coming across a large chunk of description of the characters and what they look like and how they carry themselves and what they wear. You could lose readers by overdescribing.

Thats what I don't wanna do!
I'm gonna try working on it a bit later. I have listed my important characters in case I you know, forget them, so when I did that I wrote down their appearance so I can work it in somehow. Thanks for the good suggestions :)

[LadyAbby]

if you want clothing descriptions, pass them off as action. For example. "He kicked a converse clad toe into the air." or "She caught her red silk blouse on the rusty nail by the door." Same with physical descripts. "He winked one baby blue eye at her." or "She stared into the mirror at her mousy brown hair and frowned."


Hope that helps.

[Not Indigo]

if you want clothing descriptions, pass them off as action. For example. "He kicked a converse clad toe into the air." or "She caught her red silk blouse on the rusty nail by the door." Same with physical descripts. "He winked one baby blue eye at her." or "She stared into the mirror at her mousy brown hair and frowned."

Personally, I get really annoyed when I see phrases like "a Converse clad toe." I'm a bit old-school, I know, but I'd much rather hear a bit about the character than see little bits of description awkwardly peppered in the text like that. (That's what happens, I suppose, when you grow up reading Frances Hodgson Burnett, ha.)

If you're going to spread out the descriptions, do so subtly. If you throw in an elaborate bit about her hair like "She shook her shining, jet-black hair out, letting it cascade down her shoulders as she put away her ponytail holder," I'll be a lot more jarred and irritated than if I'm just told that she's got dark hair.

Also? Having a character look into a mirror and describe themselves is really cliche; avoid it unless you've got some Adonis-like kid who would regularly stare for ages at each little spot on his forehead. Description can be hard to work, but I think that the main point is just not to make a big deal out of it, whether you give it several sentences or sprinkle it through the text.

[Tundra]

^ I agree with you. Unless the person being winked at has a major crush on the one winking, I don't want to hear 'winked one baby blue eye'. It really annoys me.

I picked up one of my mum's historical novels the other day (no, not total bodice ripping stuff) and oh my gosh... I was both grinding my teeth and laughing. She was catching glimpses of herself in the train window, to allow the author to describe her.

[snooze]

^^Someday she'll catch a glimpse of herself in a shop window as she crossing the street and then get hit by a bus.

[felixia]

I'm a bit old-school, I know, but I'd much rather hear a bit about the character than see little bits of description awkwardly peppered in the text like that.

I agree with you there. No school like the old school. Nyahaha.
Sadly my computer is really sick right now and I can't do much writing. But I'm, you know, thinking about the advice. I started it over, and now I think (if I remember rightly...) it's sort of progressing a little in describing what the chasracters look like.
:D

[MichaelB]

You could have the characters discussing their looks:
"It's because I'm blonde, isn't it?"
"No, no, I love your hair, it goes well with your eyes. Your big, blue eyes..."
"Your eyes aren't too bad either, ya green-eyed lump"

Or as part of an action: [Protagonist1] reached down to ruffle [Hero1]'s short brown hair, chuckling. "Always worth a laugh, eh short stuff?"

Or as a description of an action: [Hero2] easily reached the bag. Being tall has it's advantages.

The first type of description is quite limited, as characters wouldn't realistically talk about each other in this manner, if it's realistic quality you're looking for.
The second example gives the reader two qualities, and can be quite open to detail.
The last example is for less formal, reader-oriented writing, like Douglas Adams or Terry Pratchett. Or even JRR Tolkien with 'The Hobbit.'

I usually prefer to use method number two, as it's the easiest and most natural to read and write.