EnglishEm
Schwing-er!
- Joined
- Aug 12, 2010
- Posts
- 1,775
In my personal experience, if you are writing with a view to being published, you do need to describe your character more fully. Publishers want the reader to be able to build a picture of the scene, setting and characters in their minds.
However, there is a limit and you don't want to describe someone as if you are listing their attributes one at a time.
One of the worst ways to describe a character is by using the window/mirror technique. It's too easy and has been done too many times. A better way is to use another character to describe someone. That way, they are giving their opinion on another person and you can work it into your story.
It is also a good idea to describe someone in stages, rather than all in one go. You can get in more description, without it becoming boring.
I described a mixed race asian/white woman once as having an exotic tilt to the corner of her eye and having atrous hair because I wanted to convey that it was jet black, rather than blue black.
I also commented on her face by saying: 'she turned her head, catching the ray of light that shone across the foyer. It highlighted her sharp cheekbones and honey-toned skin'
However, there is a limit and you don't want to describe someone as if you are listing their attributes one at a time.
One of the worst ways to describe a character is by using the window/mirror technique. It's too easy and has been done too many times. A better way is to use another character to describe someone. That way, they are giving their opinion on another person and you can work it into your story.
It is also a good idea to describe someone in stages, rather than all in one go. You can get in more description, without it becoming boring.
I described a mixed race asian/white woman once as having an exotic tilt to the corner of her eye and having atrous hair because I wanted to convey that it was jet black, rather than blue black.
I also commented on her face by saying: 'she turned her head, catching the ray of light that shone across the foyer. It highlighted her sharp cheekbones and honey-toned skin'
