tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post8763872070198811615..comments2024-01-12T00:48:48.031-06:00Comments on Go Teen Writers: How To Describe PeopleStephanie Morrillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13128389560727867719noreply@blogger.comBlogger27125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-33553519207031086272015-08-06T15:05:18.621-05:002015-08-06T15:05:18.621-05:00Wow, this is incredibly useful and helpful! I have...Wow, this is incredibly useful and helpful! I have to admit that I'm guilty using mirror descriptions. XP Thanks for posting this article. :)<br /><br />Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07967895592451030335noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-33754062072838936332015-07-25T08:59:20.453-05:002015-07-25T08:59:20.453-05:00make it that in a way each character's hair co...make it that in a way each character's hair color is symbolism of their personality. I.e. a person with green hair could be described as a greedy person . purple used to be a color that was for royalty so purple haired folks could be folks with power... just some ideas. if you made hair color be symbolism for a persons personality in my opinion that would clarify a overall idea of what various characters are like instead of confuse folks. Just an idea though. Evan Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08143097157048316510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-36701267399523571012015-07-25T08:52:07.041-05:002015-07-25T08:52:07.041-05:00I can help wit that. I am good at description! to...I can help wit that. I am good at description! too good in fact!Evan Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08143097157048316510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-44208422854580443362015-07-25T08:50:55.061-05:002015-07-25T08:50:55.061-05:00i know this is a bit off topic... but is there eve...i know this is a bit off topic... but is there ever a such thing as too much detail?? Especally in scenes where there are a lot of dead people?? and can a writer's work ever be too dark? Like intense violence and/ or scenes with physical/ verbal abuse and/ or sexual violence ? my parents disapprove of the amount of violence in my writings and the description that goes along with it? Same goes with character description sometimes. Should I not go into too much description when it comes to violence. especially domestic and sexual violence ? And is BDSM content OK for a target audience being 11-19 year olds. As I work I sometimes post the work on my blog after I write each chapter and some of the readers are younger than 13..... or should I edit out sections that include BDSM ?Evan Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08143097157048316510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-21898286193084986732015-07-25T08:27:25.985-05:002015-07-25T08:27:25.985-05:00interesting....interesting....Evan Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08143097157048316510noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-87582959884092566142015-07-23T14:06:13.548-05:002015-07-23T14:06:13.548-05:00Excellent post! I'll definitely refer back to ...Excellent post! I'll definitely refer back to this post and this series; it's very timely for me. I used to be so afraid of describing things too much that I turned into a near description-phobe, but I'm trying to work on letting myself actually put them in, both with character descriptions and with setting descriptions. <br /><br />Here's one that I think sort of shows my MC's voice: "I walk around the van to face him. He's rather generically handsome, with sandy brown hair and a nicely shaped face. Something about it seems familiar. Wait. He said he was... it couldn't be... oh no." (He humiliated her at VBS when they were four, but she hasn't seen him since. Still, generically handsome, ouch. And to think she falls in love with him by the end of the book... ;)<br /><br />Later in the scene I'm in the middle of where she's at a youth group pool party and meeting people there for the first time, she's going to compare herself to one of the girls with long golden hair, saying the girl looks like a cover model for a teen devotional whereas she looks like a cover model for a "dark and powerful future dystopian herione kicks goverment's butt" novel. So yeah. Miri Williamsnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-6058971602611042722015-07-23T07:55:49.427-05:002015-07-23T07:55:49.427-05:00Yeah, I see what you mean :). Thanks for the advic...Yeah, I see what you mean :). Thanks for the advice, Jill! <br />Thanks Megan :). That was one of my favorite scenes in my story (the character I was describing is one of my favorites). ~SavannahAnna Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15690260231019336738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-17948208719232873212015-07-23T07:46:00.562-05:002015-07-23T07:46:00.562-05:00Hi! Great post Mrs. Williamson!
I was wondering wh...Hi! Great post Mrs. Williamson!<br />I was wondering what advice you (or anyone reading this) could give me?<br />I am writing a fantasy novel based in a fantasy world, one of the cities my MC visits is inhabited by people whose natural hair colors are green, blue, and purple. I'm not sure how to explain it but the description of various hair colors is important to the story. How do i describe them without confusing or annoying my reader or using different variations of the colors (e.g. purple: plum, violet. green: mint, emerald blue: sea, navy, etc...)? <br />Thanks:)<br /><br />God bless! Megan Croylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18302158335852439446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-58177376135211264192015-07-23T07:34:01.654-05:002015-07-23T07:34:01.654-05:00I really enjoyed your description! Her hair was br...I really enjoyed your description! Her hair was brilliantly described IMHOMegan Croylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18302158335852439446noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-1431112547928748672015-07-23T06:18:39.483-05:002015-07-23T06:18:39.483-05:00:) Thanks, Mrs. Williamson!:) Thanks, Mrs. Williamson!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03465957545134125403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-88488198907897593292015-07-23T05:05:54.393-05:002015-07-23T05:05:54.393-05:00These are some awesome tips for a girl who struggl...These are some awesome tips for a girl who struggles with character description... in fact, ANY description.<br />In my current WIP, my FMC is the POV character for the entire book, with the exception of a few short scenes (in which she is not present). Any tips on how to describe her when the reader will only see her THROUGH her? (Boy, that was confusing).Rebekah D. Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02216040512555099417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-10137306703460899352015-07-23T00:48:43.496-05:002015-07-23T00:48:43.496-05:00This chapter I'm writing is in the view of Cel...This chapter I'm writing is in the view of Celeste, and she's seeing new people. This is the first description of herself:<br />"Celeste's lethal skills and stunning looks were all that got her by. She knew enough to be able to get the necessities, but it was all she could do to not become a mercenary. No one ever took her seriously, with her flowing blond hair and bright blue eyes, but that was a con and a pro. "<br />And this is her seeing three of my other main characters for the first time:<br />"Celeste sat down on a black chair and surveyed the room some more. In the corner of the room sat two girls and a boy. One of the girls was quite tall with light brown hair and dark brown eyes, and looked about sixteen or so. Her looks were contrasting to the gun in her pocket. The other girl had reddish orange hair and blue eyes. She looked about eighteen, and had certain spunk in her eyes. She looked the part of a stereotypical ginger haired girl.<br />The boy was incredibly cute, with short black hair and stunning green eyes. He had almost an ageless look, which was uncommon in a guy, but it really worked for him. If Celeste had to guess, she would say he was seventeen.<br />Are these good descriptions? I want to show how Celeste really notices people appearances. <br />Great Post, and very helpful.<br />Samantha Knoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-11382092495544773182015-07-22T20:41:11.054-05:002015-07-22T20:41:11.054-05:00Yeah, you certainly don't want to describe too...Yeah, you certainly don't want to describe too much. But it can be really fun to describe in first person when you use your character's voice.Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-87080522695796931112015-07-22T20:40:25.180-05:002015-07-22T20:40:25.180-05:00It's a good thing to look more closely at when...It's a good thing to look more closely at when you're in the rewrite stage, Anna. That's when you can take the time to look at each character individually and see how you've portrayed them.Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-71290613102448616302015-07-22T20:39:11.019-05:002015-07-22T20:39:11.019-05:00I'm glad, Emma! :-)I'm glad, Emma! :-)Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-38196964009955633972015-07-22T20:38:54.620-05:002015-07-22T20:38:54.620-05:00Ha ha. Well, I hope you'll finish that book AN...Ha ha. Well, I hope you'll finish that book AND do a rewrite too, Jonathan. Then write twenty more books. ;-)Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-87146110255837205532015-07-22T20:38:15.436-05:002015-07-22T20:38:15.436-05:00I think you've got a good start here. Try to u...I think you've got a good start here. Try to use your descriptions with the dialogue. So, Roxanne says, "I don't think she's human, but she's obviously not a fairy." That's a great place to show us why. What does she see that makes her say that? You can have Avalon think something like:<br />Avalon saw what Roxanne meant. The girl had no wings, yet her exotic facial features and slanted eyes were proof she wasn't human either.<br /><br />See how that type of a thing would tie the description in with the dialogue?Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-32433379385602443292015-07-22T16:01:10.629-05:002015-07-22T16:01:10.629-05:00I write in first person a lot, and describing the ...I write in first person a lot, and describing the main character and other characters is something I don't tend to do. I think it might be because when I first started writing, I would get all bogged down with character description, even to clothing. Sananorahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18400177816548665760noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-56364543707872033492015-07-22T15:45:04.341-05:002015-07-22T15:45:04.341-05:00Really good timing on this post! I struggle with c...Really good timing on this post! I struggle with character description and I wonder a lot if I haven't given enough information or if all my characters are going to sound like they look the same. Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11316328217006467698noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-14443279737923505402015-07-22T14:28:56.810-05:002015-07-22T14:28:56.810-05:00Last night I was writing and was having slight dif...Last night I was writing and was having slight difficulty describing an elderly woman...this is so timely! I'm going to put some of these things to use. Thanks! Emmahttp://majesticadventures.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-23091491727312173442015-07-22T10:05:13.515-05:002015-07-22T10:05:13.515-05:00I don't think I've described my character ...I don't think I've described my character at all...this my first real book, at least the most I've made it this far, so I'm not too worried...sort of. I just want to get to the end. But if and when I do a rewrite (cause' if I do it'll be a big one) this'll come in handy. Thanks!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03465957545134125403noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-11888814670371269052015-07-22T09:39:38.499-05:002015-07-22T09:39:38.499-05:00For me, descriptions need lots of tweaks until the...For me, descriptions need lots of tweaks until they are just right. I'm glad this was helpful, Linea. :-)Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-76417254964305427222015-07-22T09:38:22.160-05:002015-07-22T09:38:22.160-05:00I'm glad this was helpful, Hollie. :-)I'm glad this was helpful, Hollie. :-)<br />Jill Williamsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11943570354349667196noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-18543620023251333432015-07-22T08:02:03.645-05:002015-07-22T08:02:03.645-05:00I sometimes have trouble with describing people :)...I sometimes have trouble with describing people :). I think my main issue is describing people in too much detail all at once. Here is one example of my detailing ...<br /><br />It was a young woman, who seemed to be about sixteen, and she carried a slender sword in her right hand.<br />“She appears to be practicing,” whispered Avalon, as the slender girl dipped and turned with all the skilled of a practiced swordswomen.<br />She wore a black shirt that matched the color of her pants, and her long, raven-colored hair fanned out behind her like peacock’s tail as she spun around.<br />“I don’t think she’s human." Roxanne cocked her head to peer through the leaves. “But she’s obviously not a fairy.”<br />“Yes. She’s not human, and she lacks wings.”<br />The girl had exotic facial features. Eyebrows arched like butterfly wings above slanted eyes that were narrowed in concentration, and Roxanne could barely make out pointed ears.<br /><br />... I never could decide if I added too much detail in that scene. Thoughts, anyone? ~SavannahAnna Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15690260231019336738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4024721400572472213.post-38026432472022290472015-07-22T08:01:05.665-05:002015-07-22T08:01:05.665-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anna Phttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15690260231019336738noreply@blogger.com