How Tall Are Your Characters?

[YmaOHyd]

I have a standing rule, when they're not on their knees of flat on their backs, their feet usually reach the ground...

Standing rule, get it...

It was his feet that were particularly noticeable. He wore boots with extremely thick soles.

"So's me feet touch the ground," he said.

"Don't they... er... touch the ground in ordinary boots?"

"Nope. Orthopedic problem, see. Like... you know how a lot of people's got one leg shorter than the other? Funny thing, with me it's-"

"Don't tell me," said Rincewind. "Sometimes I get these amazing flashes... Both legs are shorter than the other, right?"

"Amazing. O' course, I can see you're a wizard," said Boy Willie. "You'd know about this sort of thing."

 

[NuclearFairy]

In my first short story, I mentioned the height as being 5'2", it was supposed to be a clue that she wasn't the narrator, but I think it fell flat.

Usually thought I just use the words tall, short, average, or even once, "His a little short for a man, perfectly matched her a little tall for a woman."

Only other time I've ever used exact measurements was in a work in progress where the guy didn't know the actual exact measurements, he just knew the kid wasn't tall or short so he spouted the national average for a 15 year old boy to his wife when asking if it'd be okay to put him on their couch for the night.

For context.

Steve slowly nodded as George pulled out his phone and called his wife. Once he heard her soft hello a genuine smile graced his face as he asked her playfully, “How would you feel about me bringing home a kitten for a few nights?”

George ignored Steve’s indignant squeak as his wife asked bemusedly, “Depends, how big is this kitten?”

“Oh…” Tilting his head George studied Steve for a moment before answering, “I’d say at least five foot six and around a hundred thirty pounds.”

Letting out a relieved laugh Lisa replied, “That sounds fine, I’ll get the couch made up for him.”

 

[Five_Inch_Heels]

In my first short story, I mentioned the height as being 5'2", it was supposed to be a clue that she wasn't the narrator, but I think it fell flat.

Maybe it just came up short.

 

[ronde]

One of my literature professors told us that writers need to know every single detail about their characters, even if the reader never learns said details. I’m mostly a poet so I doubt that this advice applies to most poems, except novels-in-verse or epic poetry. That being said, I did write a short story a few months ago where a character is short.

I agree with your professor. I have to know everything about my character before I can write him or her into a believable person. Height, weight, hair color and style, and most other physical characteristics determine a lot about how people act both in public and in private. Most of us have some physical attribute we wish we could change and we tend to compensate in one way or another. That's why we have toupees, contact lenses, push-up bras, the "body shaper", and other devices intended to make the wearer appear taller, shorter, thicker, or thinner.

That said, I do not write those physical details with dimensions unless the character has a reason to know those dimensions and those dimensions are needed to make sense of what the character does. It's enough to write that a man is tall enough to see over the crowd or that a woman can wear clothes from the Junior's department.

 

[MK_Whimsy]

I don't tend to give exact measurements for my characters and only have a rough idea as to their height. I will often state though that one character is taller than the other, particularly if that helps reinforce any power dynamics that are going on. The non-human characters I've had understandably tend to be on the taller side.

Wish I could give a more thorough answer but am coming up short.

 

[RetroFan]

I've written quite a lot of 'tall girl' stories over various categories, and they seem to have been well received.

While most of these female characters are about 5'11 or 6'0 in height, I have written some about much taller girls. One is pretty blonde Annabelle from 'The Lost Hours With Annabelle' who stands at a lofty 6 feet 9 inches when barefoot. Another is red-haired Tina from 'Tall Tina's First Time', a literal giantess at 7 feet 1, and who loses her virginity to a guy named Max who stands only 4 feet 11.