![]() ![]() I tried to keep my cool, tossing my long, faded-red hair over my shoulder as the popular but judgy Sarah raked her critical glare over me. Take a look at this passage, which features a very common, yet disengaging, pattern of physical description: So how can you get visual imagery across without resorting to a mirror or forced-feeling self-observations? Even then, it must be laced into the scene in a delicate way so the reader does not recognize the author’s desire to show the character’s appearance. But will she notice her own straight, faded-red hair and her clothing choice of the day? Not likely, unless it directly applies to the moment. Your main character will likely notice the thick, curly red hair of the girl she has a crush on. Physical description of a character only matters if your character has a reason to acknowledge it. Image via Pixabay So how do you stay out of the way and give your reader a vivid, visual connection with your characters, without interrupting the flow of the moment? ![]() To make an authentic, deeply-connected bond between reader and character, the author must immerse the reader in the character’s voice and stay out of the character’s way. But giving a snapshot not only interrupts the flow of a scene, it also reminds the reader that an author wanted them to see something. Most authors have encountered the advice: “Avoid the dreaded mirror scene!” Why? Because using a mirror to describe your main character is a crutch upon which many authors rely to give their readers a visual snapshot of the characters in a book. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |