I guess this doesn't necessarily apply to characters, but basically anything with a detailed description. I have trouble really describing characters and things without it sounding awkward. I have a clear picture of what my character or object looks like, but whenever I put it into words it feels a little off to me. I guess it might just be anxiety, but I'd still like to hear what advice people can give me. I have the same problem with forming dialog, but it's not something that I have trouble improving on.
Here are a couple of things that I have found can help when it comes to description:
- Pick a direction. Sometimes a description can flow better if each element is introduced in a sequence. For example, a room could be described left to right, a character could be described top-down, something could be described from a focal point outward, or from a general impression toward a focal point. That way it has a better flow than if a character’s nose is described first, then their shoes, then their hair, then their posture, then their eyes, etc.
- Use strong words. Using words that are chock-full of imagery and connotation can make a description more effective. “There was a chair in the corner of the room and lots of newspapers were on top of it” is pretty bland, but compare it to “Hidden under an avalanche of newspapers, a worn armchair nestled into the corner of the room”. Try to avoid using ‘was’, ‘were’, and other variations of the word ‘to be’. They are usually markers of a bland description.
- Don’t go all at once, all the time. Sometimes description can work better if it’s given in little snippets throughout a piece of writing rather than all at once. That way it’s more subtle.
- Describe the new. The reason the ‘main character sees themselves in a mirror and describes themselves’ cliché doesn’t work is because it’s not the way we notice information. Someone who sees themselves in the mirror every day is more likely to notice the odd-things-out - their lipstick is smudged, there’s something caught in their teeth - than the normal stuff like having blue eyes or black hair. If the main character meets a another character for the first time or goes to a new place, those are ideal spots for a larger amount of description, but for describing familiar things like the main character’s appearance or what their bedroom looks like, that’s better to do in little bits slipped in to other scenes.
- Use all the senses. Don’t forget sounds, smells, textures, etc.
@Riorlyne Thank you so much! This helped a lot. :)
