"When you see an interesting person on a bus or in a café, write a quick character sketch and include physical details."
~ Joan Kilby
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9 comments:
I'm not very good at the physical details. I have never been one of those women who notice that a friend has cut her hair until I overhear others commenting on it. I really struggle with describing hair color and style. I don't know the difference between a bob and a shag. I guess that's why I always say "just a trim" when I go to get my hair cut.
For me, beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. If a guy can make a plain girl feel like the most beautiful woman in the world, then it doesn't matter what color her hair is or what she's wearing.
I will practice noticing more details, though. It can only make my writing better, and maybe make me more comfortable at parties.
Rather than just saying 'blonde hair/blue eyes' I think it's more effective to describe the overall effect like 'prom queen' or 'tomboy' or 'stick insect'.
Here's one of my one line favourite descriptions:
'But now she’s thirty-seven and a mother of three, and even over the phone, you can hear the varicose veins in her voice.'
(The Book of Joe by Jonathan Tropper)
LOL--leave it to a man to describe a 37 year old mother that way :?
37 and varicose veins??? yikes! I'm with you Rogenna :) I totally understand what you mean though Coleen. I don't really notice the details either... it's more the feeilng I get like the prom queen/cheer leader or tomboy type :) Guess that's why I stick to non-fiction writing of scientific and technical reports!
it's writing stuff down when the moment strikes that I struggle to do, no matter how much I know I should. This makes me think it would be an idea to keep a sketch book of sorts, like artists do...something small enough to live in my purse.
I like park benches. They attract diverse people and sometimes fascinating conversations. Notice how heroes never have round faces and chubby cheeks.
Wow! Seeing I won a critique is a lovely way to start my day. (No need to enter me in this week's draw.)
I like Joan's suggestion. I often people watch and get inspiration for future characters, particularly secondary ones. Heroes and heroines tend to spring fully-formed from my imagination, but I struggle with realistic secondary characters -- unless they're potential heroes or heroines for future books.
As a reader, having a couple of realistic details about a minor character makes a huge difference, even if that character's appearance in the story is brief.
I've thought of 'impressions' when I watch other people, but not the physical detail part. I'll have to try this.
I get impressons of people like Marcie, but tend to ignore a lot as well. Will be neat and interesting to try and detail.. to some of the char, I create by studying and overhearing people.
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