You have a very detailed picture in your head of what your characters look like, and you probably have a sharp image of characters from influential books you read as well. It can feel paramountly important to communicate this picture clearly so everyone is working off of the same images of the characters.
To address this, many authors create a long list of physical attributes they try to cram into one paragraph as the character is introduced to handle this quickly and efficiently, but the reader experience is halted to SIMs-style character building in front of a mirror, drawing them out of the setting and mood of the novel. But there is a way to give physical descriptions that help strengthen characterization and keep readers rooted in the story. Here’s how:
Avoid the Police Description
Unless your character is a detective, don’t give us one big block of text describing their height, weight, eye color, and distinguishing markings. It stops the natural story momentum dead and sticks out like a bent spoon. The reality is that few people see someone jogging down the street and make a mental list of their physicality. Your narrator probably isn’t that type of person either, and readers are great at filling in details for themselves.
Instead, give readers relevant pieces of information about a character's appearance piece by piece as they interact with the world to brings attention to them like a tattoo that peeks out from a sleeve as they stretch to reach something. Readers are more likely to remember these descriptions that way.
Give Insight into the Character
Look, we don’t need to know the hair color or eye color of your character. We don’t need a description of the curve of their collar bones. Readers like having something to imagine for themselves. So don’t give them predictable details. Give them unexpected details that give them insight into their personality, background or the world they inhabit.
By choosing details carefully to describe your character, like their sharp edges, you can keep your reader focused on the implication of them, their unforgiving personality, rather than needing to explain them in hopes they’re the detail that stands out against the list. It makes for a more intuitive read.
Overcoming the First Person Hurdle
Many writers have a hard time imagining a situation in which a character would describe themselves and fall back on them taking a hard look in the mirror and describing what they see. But first person isn’t a stream of conscious of actions, it’s a character who wants to tell their story. So, they will include details that are relevant to the story. Here are three ways how:
Give Them an Opinion
If a character feels self conscious about something, it’s a great moment to highlight it by allowing them to fiddle with their long fingers or hide their scars. Or they can be very proud of their family’s flaming red hair as they get ready for the day.
Make it Situational
When your unnaturally attractive character walks into a bar, have the bartender immediately take their drink, people offer to help them unnecessarily, or make it a nuisance with their inability to go unnoticed.
Reveal Their Personality
If your character is lazy or irresponsible, you can describe them digging through a pile of dirty clothes, smelling each on the way down before throwing it on despite its misshapen appearance.
Writing character descriptions can be daunting, but a good one can give readers context to the character and their story. Still, it’s a good idea to keep in mind that a character’s appearance is the least important of the four elements of character building. Don’t get too wrapped up in it, and try to have some fun.
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