So, usually I'm not bad with describing characters, how they act and look, etc., but there's one exception to it: I have no idea how to describe the protagonist, when they are the POV character, too. I write my stories from the point of one character, as if they were experiencing it right now and putting into words, so if the character itself would not say "I have broad shoulders and muscular arms" in a particular situation, I will not write that. But since we all know how our bodies look like and we kind of take that for granted most of the time, we aren't really thinking of how we look that much (uncommon social situations excluded, but I will come to it). We tend to notice things about our looks, when either something about the looks themselves or about our surroundings - i.e. the people watching us - change. So, in a story, when a character goes to a party with people, she's never seen before, it would make sense for her to think about if the others will like that dress that shows XYZ. But, this doesn't really solve my problem. Since I usually like to paint a status quo at the start of a story and I avoid introducing too much stuff in the first chapters, I don't put in scenes like that. So, can I just have my character have no description for the first 30-50 pages until finally something happens that allows me to describe them? In a story of mine, readers have actually complained about this, where at the end of chapter 1 the hair color of the protagonist is revealed, and several readers have commented "What? I imagined them to look so and so". I can understand them, because having your expectations crushed can lead to a disconnect from the story. But, does that mean I have to describe the POV as soon as possible or not at all? I really don't want to go for the cliche mirror scene... Hope the above makes some sense? Thanks for any advice!
You could dribble feed information in natural ways: <He flexed a sinewy arm to check the damage. It hurt like nothing else, burly muscles shifting, but everything seemed to work alright.> -or- <A sudden gust blew her dark hair into her eyes. She really ought to hack it all off, but she looked boyish enough as it was.> Be mindful to bring up most of what you want the reader to know in the first chapter or so, as to avoid your problem. Keep in mind that you don't have to describe everything about your character. Some things can be left vague, and up to the reader to decide, and if their version doesn't line up 100% with yours, that's fine as long as you don't come with a major contradiction later on. (Like mentioning he has black skin and a mohawk in the last chapter. Extreme example, but you get the point...) Some minor details are usually fine. Eye colour, for example, can easily be adjusted in the readers mind, even once they've already established a mental image. Some things are easier to slip in than others. A short character may have to look up to talk to someone (like always...). If your character has any distinct features, some other character might comment on them in some way or another.
Well having them describe themselves is bad in theory, and more so to put them in front of a mirror so they can. This is why I like multiple POV characters, so there is no self descriptions, but those of what the others see. Also non-human POV characters get a bit of a pass, since you have to establish their oddity and non-human characteristics when they deviate away from the standard basic human-like design beyond just being human with pointy ears, or some random color for the sake of it. Sometimes it is just fun to let the reader compile an image of their own based on the characters traits.
I'm not sure I ever described my protag in my finished WIP lol. No one who's read it has complained (3 readers). For me personally, character descriptions rarely matter. I won't picture it the way the author writes it anyway - for some reason I never do. In fact, I rarely picture characters full stop, my own or someone else's. I can never imagine faces. I have a very good sense of the character, in the same way you'd feel if I asked you to describe your best friend, or your mother etc. And how a character feels is how I "picture" them - it's not truly an image, but I can probably describe them in words. In this sense, unless you're presenting me with a motorbike gang leader who's also a professional violinist, no amount of contradictory description will bother me. Whether said character has blonde hair rather than the black hair I envisioned does not change the character for me, because how the character looks was never who they are in the first place.
What I meant by "contradiction" was more like this: Reader imagines character as tall and muscular, because no info was given. Later on, the character is revealed to be small and scrawny. Not targeting you, specifically, Mckk, but your post made me realize I'm not always very clear with my message. It doesn't really bother me when this "surprise character trait thing" happens. Just a quick mental revision from one look to the other (or occasionally stubbornly clinging on to my version, which happens whenever I see a movie adaptation). I'm in the "vague" camp too. The less infromation about the appearance of your character, the better. The exception being very distinct features, or an imposing presence or something. Summed up, what I meant to say in my original post was something like "Be vague, but if something becomes important later on, you'd better introduce it early on!"
Hm, if it’s a recurring feedback you receive then you might want to consider managing that expectation early on. You could have your POV compare their features or physique to other characters that you’re introducing. Eg. At six feet tall, he stood a head taller than me. Her eyes are as transparent as the sky, a stark contrast to my warm amber. He’s well built, but I’m lithe, which may give me an advantage over x situation.
Is the character description really part of the story? Do these details you have in your head really matter? A lot of people who have commented seem to think you are writing in close third. Maybe you are, but I got the impression that you're writing in first which can make it even trickier when it comes to a character describing themselves. So, don't do it. Slip in what's needed as it's needed. I can't see hair or eye color mattering that much, especially after 50 pages, but I don't know your story. I think part of your problem is not starting in your story. Readers don't want just info. A large chunk of that sort of thing right at the beginning is not the best thing because you haven't yet given readers a reason to be invested in the story or character so why are readers going to care how this character looks? I use first person most of the time. I have had short stories published in some well-known places that never describe what the MC looks like when I'm writing in first. Other times I'll drop hints or have a character say something like, "I had the lightest skin in the room." Or you can do something like have another character say to the MC, "It looks like you haven't slept in day," followed by the MC saying something like, "I had tried to use makeup to cover up the dark circles, but the evidence of not sleeping was all over my face." Those sort of details could be relevant to a story way more than having a character basically say, this is what I look like... If you're in first person, your narrator is there to tell a story. Maybe she needs a change so she goes to the salon and has her hair colored red. This shows something happening and could show why her red hair is important because she needs to feel a change in herself. If she just has red hair because she does, does that really matter? My novel is in first person. I've slipped in a few details as needed, but what my MC looks like is not all that important to my story. Just think about if the way your MC really matters. If it does, ask yourself why. Then really hone in on what's important. If she is telling the story, is she really going to stop to say what she looks like? If so, I think there has to be a good reason for it. But most likely it's not as important to the readers as you think. That's what I think anyway.
I know that there are people who see it the same way you do. I actually always picture my characters and even draw them (although only for myself). And since most people who don't picture characters don't mind reading a description, I figured, why not? So, first off, I do write in close 3rd, I never use 1st. Then, I find it a dangerous advice to focus only on what's important to the plot, because the plot is only a skeleton, and a skeleton can't walk on it's own. I feel like, a story where only relevant things are ever said or shown, feels a bit dead to me. That doesn't mean to dump useless information though. As to what's important, in this particular case, the protagonist is a young woman who becomes a soldier. And sure, I don't need to tell the reader she has an athletic build, someone who spent at least 2 hours in a gym will know from the descriptions of training bits that some level of physical fitness will be needed. And that's really the only thing that's relevant. Hair, eye or skin color never matters at any point of the story ... but neither does her religious views or even her sense of humor.
@AnimalAsLeader -- There's nothing dangerous about my advise. I was trying to help. It's fine if you don't want to take my advise or you don't feel it applies to you. But it's really uncool to label what I said as "dangerous advice." I've been here a long time and I am a professional writer. You can do whatever you want without attacking me. I'll be sure not to comment on any of your threads in the future.
Totally agree. As an example of the sort of physical description that is best introduced concretely and early on, my MC has a hand made of dryad flesh (so, wood, but that moves like muscle). I actually spent an entire paragraph describing that hand and it happened in the first 10 pages. This hand is linked to some magical abilities he has and the whole thing is linked to the plot. This hand gives him a sense of belonging amongst the dryads in my book and that identity shifts his decisions as the book progresses.
Wow, that escalated quickly. I'm sure somewhere there is a justifiable explanation on how you can interpret what I said as a personal attack. I might add that I started the sentence with "I think" and last time I checked, everyone was allowed to have their own opinion about anything. It could be an invitation to discuss this maybe, but yea, there goes this chance ....
Character description depends on genre, really. A romance would really demand it. A lot of the YA stuff and genre fiction does too. I mostly avoid it, but I totally get why someone else wouldn't. Keep in mind that there is a narrator in every story. Sometimes that's the MC, but usually it's not. And though sometimes it seems like the MC is doing everything, and every line is filtered through their POV, the narrator is standing over their shoulder, directing, as it were. 1st person deep-POV would be difficult. You have to be clever there. (For the love of God, no primping in the mirror! That's a cliche raised to power of ten.) In 3rd person view, just delegate the job to the narrator. Yes, it should happen quick. Not necessarily the moment the MC appears, but soon afterward. It doesn't have to be from the MC's mouth. Sentence 1 and 2 of the Pulitzer winning "A Confederacy of Dunces": A GREEN HUNTING CAP squeezed the top of the fleshy balloon of a head. The green earflaps, full of large ears and uncut hair and the fine bristles that grew in the ears themselves, stuck out on either side like turn signals indicating two directions at once. Which is totally the narrator, not our hero. Actually, the first two paragraphs are a description of the lovable Ignatius. That's because his presence is so important. The story decides what needs to be said. So my advice is to be bold and shove the task into the narrator's lap.
I get that and I can see why people do that. Although, honestly, I find this approach of having the narrator step in a "deus-ex-machina" trick. Sure, it helps, and sure, people can do great with it- and btw deus ex machina is/was an accepted practice in thatre -, but it's really not my style. Call me elitist, if you will Maybe I'm making this harder than it should be, that's entirely possible. Thanks for the input, everyone!
What is "relevant" goes far beyond the very skeletal outline of the plot. Does your character's appearance affect anything at all? The setting? Her characterisation? Other people's responses to her? Her attitude toward life? I'd wager her religion or humour have a big impact on her as a person. Stripping away everything not relevant to the blow-by-blow beats of the plot is a surefire way to ensure you get a bleached skeleton of a story, sure, but that doesn't necessarily mean at all that anything and everything has a place. Everything that you put to paper has to do something.
You are right. There is a balance somewhere and I strive to find it. What I forgot to mention though, it is not jist about appearance, but also what this says about you. The choice of clothes for example can say something about status. A fit physique is often a sign of dedicated and hard working attitude, at least in some aspects. Tattoos or piercings can hint at a rebel mentality. And while these things on their own may not be relevant to the story or the character, the reasons for why these things are the way they are probably matters. Or am I interpreting too much into the looks here?
Not really, cause for all we know this guy has a wife and kids. Perhaps a fellow trooper lover. Maybe he likes cute kittie videos, and is just in it for the money. We know so little about the Storm Trooper, that we can imagine the person behind the fancy armor and ridiculously over powered blaster. Clothes and looks don't really define a character, their personality does.
Sometimes the importance of describing a character's apparance is so your reader can form quick assessments of them, like how we assess people on a daily basis by their appreance. This isn't the only reason of course. But since you are writing in first person, the character's voice and thought process is probably enough to give the readers a good feel on who this character is so that a quick assessment is no longer needed. Having said that, it's always nice to allow your readers to visualize your characters. You may have heard this from others but perhaps you can do it by describing their interactions with other characters and their environment. For ex. if he is intimdating, have somebody flinch in front of him, if he is good looking, have somebody stare at him, if he is short, have him struggle to reach for things, etc.
Well, you pictured a uniform there, that is not the same as clothing. Sure, we cannot infer if someoene is married from clothes(although we can from a wedding ring), but let's say you see a person dressed in old dirty pants and a top that is clearly too big and has seen better days. You will probably think that this person either does not care about clothing or can not afford better clothes. Now, first of all, neither of those even have to be true. Secondly, you are correct in saying that there are lots of things that looks don't say about the personality of a character. Also, I am writing in a close 3rd Describing their character through interactions is a good idea, and probably one of the first application of show don't tell I ever used. It comes naturally for other characters. But let's take your example. If a person flinches, is it bc the character is intimidating or the other one is just super scared? If the character is being stared at by someone is it bc of their good looks or bc the other one has a crush on them regardless of looks? I think it depends on the situation depicted, for examplea barfight could show intimidation factors, loads of people staring when the character enters a room can communicate their good looks, etc. And this is probably the hardest for me: Finding a scene that allows me to do such a thing while also being relevant for the plot. Or os it bad to have a scene that just introduces your main character doing daily things to show the reader who they are?
Now, I don't want to come off as someone who just discards the help given here, because I genuinely believe that all the input given by everyone of you has actually pushed me into the right direction. Just wanted to get this out of the way, before someone thinks I'm an ungrateful bastard. What I find particularly difficult however is this: When I introduce characters through the eyes of my POV, the opinion of the reader will be shaped by the opinion of the POV. The reader sees the others through the POVs eyes. So, if I introduce character and say for example "she was walking swaying her hips in such a manner as if she desperately tried to seduce him" the reader will believe this assessment. But this is not the case when describing the looks and actions of the POV itself. I know, this is not the original question any more, but it also ties into the "how" of character description. it's not only about the appearance here, but also what the appearance nd the actions say about this character. How do I describe the character in such a way that the reader will have a similar picture in mind as I do? Is this even desirable
I think the answer to your basic question, @AnimalAsLeader , might lie in how other authors handle this idea. If you take a few books you like—books that basically do the kinds of things you would like to do as an author—and look specifically at how they handle physical description, I think you'll get a good idea of how you might like to do it. We can talk all day about how we like to think this issue should be handled, but, like anything else, there isn't going to be a firm, definitive answer that everybody agrees with. Best to get the flavour of what you'd like to create yourself by looking at other examples. Do your favourite authors give you lots of physical description? If so, how do they do it—and WHEN do they do it? Right at the start? Later on, bit by bit, as the story unfolds? Through the eyes of the author? Through the eyes of other characters? You might be surprised at what you find.
@jannert: I guess you're right. Although my favorite books are Lord of the Rings, Faust and the State. Not really the kind of style I am going for. Also sadly, I don't read a lot of english books. I should probably arm myself with some "research material "
