How do I describe the physical appearance of my main character?
by Chase Foland
(Cocoa Beach, FL)
Question: The point of view is through my main character's eyes. How do I describe what he looks like without doing something as simple as the character looking into a mirror and describing himself. How do I achieve this?
Answer: You are quite right to want to avoid having your POV character describe himself. Unless he is particularly vain, it could easily feel forced.
With a main character, you have less pressure to mention his appearance because he will spend much of the story looking at other characters rather than himself. His appearance will matter most if it affects how other characters treat him (for instance if he is exceptionally good looking, or not good looking, if he attracts attention or doesn't).
You may find opportunities to have other characters mention aspects of his appearance.
Another is to mention traits if and when they ara relevant. For instance, if it is relevant to his personality that he feels self-conscious about being overweight, you might mention his frustration at having to shop at a "big and tall" store.
Try to find occasions where his actions tell us about his appearance. For instance, if we see him going for a morning run or working out in the gym, we can infer that he's in reasonably good shape. If he has to find his glasses when he wakes up, we will know his eyes are poor. If he has to wipe his mustache after eating, we know he has one, etc.
In other words, look for natural opportunities where you can mention traits.
Comments for How do I describe the physical appearance of my main character?
|
||
|
||
- Home
- Character Questions
- How do I describe the physical appearance of my main character?
Search this site...
|
||
| site search by freefind |
100% Human Generated Content!
All
articles on this website were written by a human being -- one possessed of flaws and limitations, but also with a personal perspective and a desire to help fellow
writers. No article on this site was written by or with the aid of artificial intelligence (AI).
Popular Articles
Mini-Course
Never be stuck for a great story idea again! This online mini-course will show you how to create simple ideas for original characters and build a plot around each character that contains the essential elements needed for a compelling story.
Recent Postings
-
Writing thoughts and diary entries.
Question: This is my first time trying to write, I constantly imagine fictional scenarios, so I decided to write a novel with them, but in my idea, we -
Synopsis Format
Question: Hello! Thank you for answering my question about how many characters to add in a synopsis! I should have included this question with my last -
How many characters to include in a synopsis
Question: Hello! I'm new to your site, and I love it! I didn't see a question and answer page for synopsis writing, so I wasn't sure where to post this
"I've read more than fifty books on writing, writing novels, etc., but your website has the most useful and practical guidance. Now that I understand how a novel is structured, I will rewrite mine, confident that it will be a more interesting novel." - Lloyd Edwards
"Thanks to your "Create a Plot Outline in 8 Easy Steps," I was able to take a story that I simply just fooled around with and went willy nilly all over, into a clearly defined, intriguing battle where two characters fight to keep their relationship intact, and try to find a balance in control of themselves and their lives. Thanks to you, I'm not ashamed of the poor organization of my writing." - Nommanic Ragus
"I am so glad I found your site. It has helped me in so many ways, and has given me more confidence about myself and my work. Thank you for making this valuable resource, for me and my fellow writers. Perhaps you'll hear about me someday...I'll owe it to you." - Ruth, Milton, U.S.A.
"I never knew what to do with all the characters in my head, but since discovering Dramatica I am writing again in my spare time. Thank you for making this available. Yes, it is a bit complex, and it does take time, but I love it because it works." - Colin Shoeman
"I came across your website by chance. It is a plethora of
knowledge, written in a simplistic way to help aspiring writers. I
truly appreciate all of the information you have provided to help me
successfully (relative term) write my novel. Thank you very much!" - Leo T. Rollins
"I
can honestly say that this is the first website that is really helpful.
You manage to answer complex questions in relatively short articles and
with really intelligent answers. Thank you for taking the time to write
these articles and sharing them so generously." - Chrystelle Nash
"...had no idea that a simple click would give me such a wealth of valuable information. The site not only offered extremely clear and helpful instructions but was a very enjoyable read as well. The education from your wonderful site has made me a better writer and your words have inspired me to get back to work on my novel. I wish to give you a heartfelt thanks for How to Write a Book Now, sir." -- Mike Chiero