Page 1 of 1

Descriptions of Characters.

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:29 am
by Color Out Of Space
Hi,

I have been writing for a little while now and am really keen on bettering myself and honing myself as a writer but there is one thing i have problems with. And that is describing how a character looks. I can easily imagine such things but putting it into words is where i have problems. I read many books and learn from them by observing the words an author may use to describe features of thier characters but this is one of those things that i seem "thick " with. In that i havent been able to grasp it yet. So as practice and a plea for advice and an example so help learn how to do this could someone help me with this example i learn much better through explanation + doing so if it isnt so much of a burdan on anyone and they wouldnt mind helping me could i please as an example get help describing through words what my friend looks like:

This is a picture of her.
Image

I hope my question/request isnt stupid but i would be extremely grateful for any suggestions/help that anyone could offer.

Regards,

Daniel

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 1:32 pm
by Jesus Prime
A full-length picture might help, for purpose of posture and scale, but from that, the words 'eldritch', 'sharp' and 'defined' spring to mind. Any help?
EDIT: Sorry to be so usless, I'm better at describing tone and objects.

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 3:49 pm
by Color Out Of Space
If you dont mind me asking, why would you use those words. and about the description no thats cool man , whatever people are able to give in advice is fine really i'm just looking for oppinions and examples.
Thanks for what you said anyway :wink:

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 3:59 pm
by Adrian
The look she gave was carelessly thrown with no subtext whatsoever; like a child drops a ball only to forget to pick it up when it lands. I hadn't noticed she had cut her hair short. There were many things that were hard to notice about her, as her looks seemed to borrow something from everyone: the sharp nose from that old teacher across the road; a slightly curved eyebrow with a tainted bit of arrogance and lips like cut cherries that had been dried in sarcastic speech. It was difficult to say if she was everyone or every person I knew had a bit of her written in her face. She was a mystery.


***

Tried to approach it like that. At least I haven't written in English for a while and certainly haven't tried to write fiction but I think I illustrated some ways to describe the girl on the pic :)

Hope it helps.

Posted: Tue Jul 19, 2005 4:03 pm
by Jesus Prime
I don't know, they just sorta smacked me in the face. I don't question divine Providence, R.I.