The Place For My Writers Notes

Original posting 1 January 2009

Writer's Digest, May 2005, pages 38 to 41, has an article by I. J. Schecter with the title, "The Right Look," discussing physical descriptions of characters. Portraits in words, so to speak.

"It's hard for readers to connect with someone they can't picture. That's why it's your job to ensure that if characters in your story were to jump off the page and walk down the street, they'd be instantly recognizable. Painting a character's portrait can be accomplished in just a paragraph or two as long as it's done right."

Schecter points out that there are two reasons that a good physical portrait helps your story. "First, it teaches the reader something about the character's background, habits or lifestyle." We're used to interpreting physical features as signs of background. So go ahead and use it. "The second major benefit of solid physical description is that it provides a window into the character's physical or emotional world." Again, we all know or like to think we know how to interpret various physical features.

Some of the key techniques to show us the physical identity of a character include:

1. Make your description entertaining and relevant. Be careful to fit things into the context of the story -- adding a peg leg just so that you can tell us about it isn't a good idea -- but idiosyncratic characteristics described in suitable ways can be very good.
2. Use indirect description. Instead of directly describing things, use viewpoints and actions of others to suggest. Don't be afraid to hint at something, and then let us as readers wonder about it for a while before we find out just what it is.
3. Resist over-describing. "As in all writing, when it comes to physical description, less is more. Seldom do you need more than a few details, judiciously placed." Make them potent, distinctive, and don't waste words.
4. Avoid vague or muddled imagery. You want the reader to read the passage once and immediately know the character. You need a strong definitive picture.

"The difference between unfocused writing and thoughtful, engaging character description is the difference between accepting your first effort and pushing yourself to keep at it until it's exact. Be the kind of writer who accepts only exactness."

The article comes with a useful checklist for your character descriptions:

1. Reading this, do I get an immediate, distinct impression of this person's appearance?
2. Is there anything cliched or generic about the description? Could the words I'm using be applied to lots of different people?
3. Is the description excessive? Would readers be more intrigued if they didn't know as much about this person's appearance right away?

And, just for fun, they even have exercises! I'm going to summarize it rather
than quoting it.

1. Pick a random character.
2. Put them in a new setting.
3. Write three paragraphs. In each one, physically describe this character in this setting. Paragraph 1 is from the point of view of an omniscient narrator. Paragraph 2 is a description from the point of view of a friend of the character. Paragraph 3 is a description from the point of view of an enemy.
4. Read your three paragraphs, evaluating the power, precision, and consistency. Revise them to be more specific, and more evocative.

Repeat this same exercise with someone from the real world. Put them in the opening scene of a novel. Make sure that an anonymous stranger reading the novel would recognize the person.

Feel free to repeat as desired with characters from fiction and from the real world. Use settings both real and fictional.

Think of it as quick sketches for the word artist.

Play it again, Sam?