The character he is describing (tagged as the "gray man") is a relatively minor player in "Red Harvest", but a great example of the hardboiled style which is fast-paced, earthy, vivid, and slangy. Before we even get to the "gray man", notice the way Hammett introduces the " thirty or forty men and sprinkling of women " in the first paragraph.
Learn how to describe a character in an innovative and memorable way with this list of examples from famous authors. Find out how to use categories such as scent, skin, aura, movement, and other people's views to create vivid and engaging characters.
For example, describing a character’s hair as springy or bouncy could indicate the character is upbeat and moves excitedly. Slick, greasy, or wispy hair could suggest an untrustworthy or sneaky character. The words you use to describe the character’s hair will be subliminally applied to the character themself.
Great characters, like people, are made up of many complex components that form a believable whole. From appearance to personality traits to speech patterns, the best character descriptions focus on specific details that both set them apart and make them feel like they could be your neighbor.. In this article, I’ll take a look at seven essential character description techniques, as well as ...
For example, describing how a lead character differs from others in a similar position of their setting. Of course, there are also things to avoid when developing character descriptions. Writing a description that is a laundry list of traits is something you may want to avoid. It can lack personality and feel a little boring.
From these examples of character descriptions, you’re probably already getting a sense of what works well. Let’s take a closer look at some practical tips. What to Do (and What to Avoid) When Describing Characters. When you’re giving physical descriptions of your characters: Don’t give us a huge chunk of description all at once.
Or, rather, on a single action: a smile. At the same time, the writer is telling the reader something about the POV character, giving insights into how the narrator sees the character while describing him. Tips for Writing Character Descriptions in Prose. Most writing teachers and authors will tell you that if you want to write, you need to read.
Here, for example, is Chekhov describing his character Mihail Petrovitch Zotov, an old man, through dialogue and action tags in his story 'The Dependents': "What an existence!" he grumbled, rolling crumbs of black bread round in his mouth. "It's a dog's life. No tea! And it isn't as though I were a simple peasant: I'm an artisan and a house-owner.
In this post, we will discuss some essential questions about effectively describing our characters and some examples of impactful character descriptions. Jun 5, 2024 — by Iria Lopez in Writing Craft. When writing a novel, our goal is usually to create round characters, which can be a challenging task.
For example, the physical characteristics of a character may be: Hair colour – brown hair, black hair, blonde hair etc. Eye colour – brown eyes, green eyes, blue eyes etc. ... When describing a character’s appearance, only focus on the details which are relevant to the story. So if your character’s going undercover and wearing a short ...
This article examines eight diverse examples of character description from well-known literature. By studying these examples, you'll gain practical techniques to enhance your own character writing, whether for fiction, academic work, or other content. The goal is to help you create authentic, memorable characters that resonate deeply with readers.
Describing their appearance can help the reader picture them in their mind’s eye, and describing a character’s disposition, mentality, or temperament can help the reader better understand them and their relationship with other characters, as well as give the reader a clearer sense of the conflict in the story.
Reveal how a character looks through another's eyes. Sometimes, the best way to describe a character is through another character’s perspective. How one character perceives another can reveal biases, emotions, or hidden aspects of their personality. For example, in My Heart is a Chainsaw, Jade describes another character, Letha:
A strong character description includes personality traits, habits, and ways of speaking or behaving. You can describe personality in two ways: Directly, by using adjectives (e.g., kind, lazy, confident) Indirectly, by showing how the person behaves or interacts with others; Useful Personality Traits (with examples)
However, you can still describe characters in very short stories if you want to. On the other hand, many readers of novels expect a description of the main character. For novels, I also recommend describing important secondary protagonists, side characters, and antagonists. ... Let’s look at an example of character description from Vicious.
Short Character Description Examples Character 2 Highlight any powerful adjectives and adverbs used. Underline how the writer shows not tells how the character is feeling. Highlight in a different colour where the writer used personification. Tara peered timidly around the brick wall, her clothes a beautiful kaleidoscope of colour.
Whether describing personality, appearance, or actions, these words bring life to your writing. Below, explore various types of adjectives to describe a person and enhance your vocabulary. 1. Personality Adjectives: Capturing Inner Traits. Personality adjectives describe someone’s character and how they interact with others.
Writing character descriptions can often be a goal-driven process. There is no universal formula for describing a character; the necessary elements can vary greatly depending on the description's purpose. For example, a character description for a specific story may differ significantly from a character description used in a roleplaying profile.
For example, rather than describing her eyes merely as “hazel,” Emily Dickinson remarked that they were “the color of the sherry the guests leave in the glasses.” ... Techniques abound for describing a character indirectly, for instance, through the objects that fill her world. Create a grocery list for your character—or two or three ...
