🎭 my top tips for writing effective character descriptions
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- Опубликовано: 9 июн 2024
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✨ / lynndjung
hi, and welcome back to another writing craft video! this is a really quick, casual chat inspired by a conversation that occurred on Discord, hence why I have just now realized that the first half of this video is mostly discussion character introductions rather than the nitty gritty of character description. But you can't have one without the other, so! I hope this is helpful nonetheless.
thank you for watching! :)
✨ timestamps:
0:00 - opening
0:04 - intro
0:30 - today’s topic (+ join our writing community on discord!)
1:17 - the usual caveats
1:48 - part one: what is ‘good’ character description?
3:09 - part 2: entering the scene with impact
6:53 - part 3: using the narrator’s lens
13:29 - outro
✨ mentioned:
The Writer's Cafe Discord Server: / discord
Kris' channel: www.youtube.com/@KrisMF/featured
✨ previous:
I left my literary agent. but i'm getting published! // june writing update
• 😖 i left my literary a...
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✨ my published writing:
"The Fall of Esther Park" via Apparition Lit: apparitionlit.com/the-fall-of...
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Personally something I like to do is correlate characters with one thing specifically and use that to describe them. Such as character A is correlated withforests so only use nature terms for description. It gives off a certain vibe...I don't really know how else to explain it.
Ooh, this is a great one!! I personally sort of mix this with narrative lens, like a character who loves the ocean might describe their loved one with ocean terminology, but if they dislike space they might use space terminology for someone they are intimidated by/dislike. Great technique for specific and powerful metaphors + voice!!
With that entering the scene with the relationship being a mystery tip, I've been writing a story in which one of the main characters has severe trauma relating to a specific character, but its never explicitly stated that trauma is (cuz his main coping mechanism is disassociation and ignoring it), but the first time he's brought up he has a super intense panic sort of reaction (his mind conjures up the signature smell of the person who traumatized him, he starts shaking, etc.) but he obviously pushes it away. regardless, the whole point of this introduction is to leave this traumatizing character (his name is Lord Martel) as a sort of faceless/unknown variable, and readers will end up having to piece together what he did (and of course get more and more mad at Lord Martel.)
anyway, its still in the works, but that's the kind of idea im going with. he's described in faceless ways (what he smells like (lavender), how he dresses (rich), his tone of voice (cold and intelligent)) along with his eyes, but not in terms of color, in terms of how cold and dangerous his eyes are.
Don't need to say it over and over again, and also you can just say it LOL I think I'm definitely scared of writing races or describing someone's race because I'm scared to do it "wrong", overthink it, and then get canceled! Great video as ALWAYS and yeah, people are WAY more than their hair and eye color. That's all I relied on when I was a teen writing LOL
Describing race is definitely a challenge!! It's tricky too because you never know how the conversations around the topic of race will shift, so you can't predict how your descriptions or certain terminology will age. But at the end of the day all we can do is stay respectful and open to criticism!!
Ty for watching Kelley
100% agree with you on distinctive traits! I go about describing my characters thinking about the way I do in real life. I think this is totally applicable for people you've known for a while or when meeting strangers. Anyway: sometimes I think to myself, 'Wow, my friends are beautiful' - but in vastly different ways. Sometimes it's in the way they hold themselves, or how put together they look, or watching them view the world with such an indomitable will.
In general, my way of describing people is taking in their appearance as a whole - do they look like they'd topple with the smallest gust of wind, or like they stand on top of the world and would stomp you if you talked to them? (I'm sure we've all experienced this). I'm not saying this is a prescriptivist method at all 😅 but while I'm an absolute sucker for the flourished physical traits like 'shiny black hair' etc, the way I look at people has a lot to do with how well I can 'read' them, which is sorta like a character perspective! So my style as a whole focuses a lot on facial changes and body language (first impression or other). maybe it says something about me lol anyway I love this video Lynn and I can't wait to apply them to my future projects!!
I LOVED reading about your specific perspective, thank you for sharing it!! I think we all perceive people a little differently/notice different traits first and that sort of individuality, when utilized in writing, makes all the difference. Thank you so much for watching!
about the character entering the scene, I think Pride and Prejudice does this really well when Mr Darcy enters the party and everyone's reaction to it is shown. Without him saying a word you can tell how the other characters see him
This is such a wonderful example, thank you! It's amazing the impact the other characters' reactions have.
This was so helpful!! There are SO MANY elements to writing that it’s hard to keep up with them all so videos like this are golden! Concise and easy to understand🙌🏻.
I’m coming back into writing as a young adult after being completely obsessed with it in my early teens and it’s so exciting to discover all this information with a more “mature”(😂) lens.
Thank you, I'm so glad that you found it helpful!! Congrats on your return back to writing, that's so exciting!!
I'm also guilty of the laundry list descriptions, still finding out how to do this the right way so these tips defenetly help.
Don't worry, it's the simplest solution and I fall back on it all the time too! Thanks for watching, I'm glad the tips help :)
me, a writer that never describes my characters: i NEEDED this video like i need air !!! 😭
This video's visuals are giving Wong Kar-Wai and I'm living for it 👏 Thank you for the awesome tips!
omg ULTIMATE compliment, thank you!!
Thank you for the video Lynn. I’m starting a new book and this helps so much with writing my character descriptions in a more engaging way that just talking about my character’s skin color, eye color, etc
Thank you so much for watching, I'm very glad it was helpful!!
I also have issues with describing stuff like descriptions in first person Lol
I love your channel and I hope to have as good of a writing channel as you do.
Great advice. Thanks🙂
Me personally I draw my characters using procreate or on paper it’s a lot easier, especially when I can look at them. Think what would anyone see that person as when first seeing them, kind, a liar, a thief, a mischievous arms dealer. Using AI and stuff is fine if you’re going for base level appearances, round faces thin faces, sharp teeth, small eyes, large eyes, long neck, sharp nose any thing honestly