How do you describe your viewpoint characters without resorting to using a mirror?

[taytay4eva]

Like, I don't think about what I look like very often, unless I'm getting impatient for my HRT boobs to come in or I'm grousing about my gut. I can describe other people just fine, but the viewpoint character, first or third, doesn't ever lend itself to description without it feeling self-centered.

How do y'all do it?

 

[Areala-chan]

Best way is through dialogue, IMO, either from your first-person narrator letting the detail out when talking to the reader, or by having another character point it out. Let it develop organically, as opposed to info-dumping everything.

For instance, rather than having your narrator announce that she's blonde out of the blue, you could have a second character ask her what product she uses to get her hair that color, and have her reply she doesn't use anything because she's a natural blonde.

Stuff like that peppered through the story should work.

 

[NotWise]

The first time I felt that need, I used a mirror. It worked, but it's trite.

Since then I've generally not described a first-person narrator. Some things come through without help. For instance, if your narrator is short or tall that detail is going to come naturally. If I do need to add something I'll do it gradually and usually do it with dialog. In third person I'll put something in the narrative if I need to.

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

Anywhere there's an excuse to get your POV character naked, there's a chance to describe them. Just look down. How does the character think they look? Have them compare themselves to their younger selves (I guess this doesn't work as well if they're barely over 20). Have them describe what they want themselves to look like, or how they think other people perceive them.

 

[Nynah]

How do y'all do it?

Sometimes, I don't! My most popular series is in Exhibitionism & Voyeur and has to do with a man living with a sexy female roommate and the perspective is third person limited centered around the guy. I don't really describe him at all because it's not terribly relevant to the narrative, which is largely about the woman.

but the viewpoint character, first or third, doesn't ever lend itself to description without it feeling self-centered.

If you have a designated viewpoint character, I think a little self-centeredness to describe physical attributes are fine, especially if they're important to the story you're trying to tell. That's not to say you have to line item every single feature, but you can certainly have them look into some sort of reflective surface for self-evaluation if it serves the story.

Best way is through dialogue, IMO, either from your first-person narrator letting the detail out when talking to the reader, or by having another character point it out. Let it develop organically, as opposed to info-dumping everything.

For instance, rather than having your narrator announce that she's blonde out of the blue, you could have a second character ask her what product she uses to get her hair that color, and have her reply she doesn't use anything because she's a natural blonde.

I agree with this 100%. Interactions between characters can serve as a subtle vehicle for physical descriptions and you can weave them in seamlessly as you progress the plot.

 

[pink_silk_glove]

A character getting dressed can list his/her appearance without a mirror. A character entering a scene requiring an appearance (say a job interview, a fancy ball, etc) can mention his/her appearance.

In a novel that I wrote a few years back I had my first person narrator describe herself, take stock of her body, as she showered. It worked because of the novel structure and other elements that integrated the plot vertically.

 

[taytay4eva]

The first time I felt that need, I used a mirror. It worked, but it's trite.

Since then I've generally not described a first-person narrator. Some things come through without help. For instance, if your narrator is short or tall that detail is going to come naturally. If I do need to add something I'll do it gradually and usually do it with dialog. In third person I'll put something in the narrative if I need to.

I feel like I need to find a way to describe the viewpoint character in the story I'm working on now. It's got more a point-blank fantasy premise with the main character and her love-interest being de-aged because of reasons, which remain unknown to them and to the reader, so I'd like to be able for the changes to be vivid. Like, yes, she's going to muse on them when they happen, but I'd like the reader to have context for what she was before as well, so they know that the changes have happened.

I dunno. I'm sure I'll think of something, I just don't want it to be bad or trite.

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

Like, yes, she's going to muse on them when they happen, but I'd like the reader to have context for what she was before as well, so they know that the changes have happened.

I dunno. I'm sure I'll think of something, I just don't want it to be bad or trite.

Do a before and after scene. Have her in the gym on the bike, bemoaning how good she used to look when she was younger. Have her at the doctors office getting her physical. Have her in the shower, like PSG said, remembering what it was like when she was younger compared to now. There are lots of ways to get her into a describing scene that can advance the plot. Hell, have her look at current photo or a painting of herself.

Once the change happens, there's zero reason for her NOT to immediately run to a mirror, so that writes itself.

 

[SinclairGroupLLP]

Reflection in a puddle of water.
Reflection in a store window.
See herself on TV.
See herself on a security camera.
Have a friend ask her if she's lost weight.
Have a friend tell her she needs to lose weight (we all have that asshole friend who does this)
Have her get carded and look at her driver's license photo
Have her have to show ID to vote.

I'm sure we can come up with more, lol.

 

[Kelliezgirl]

Just sprinkle in little things throughout. It's also a good way to describe any character.
Info dumps on character descriptions often turn out poorly.

One strategy is to make comparisons to other characters.

"He was probably 6ft 1 or 2 inches tall, almost a full foot taller than me."

 

[Bramblethorn]

Mostly I don't. It's rare that my stories depend on the PoV character's appearance beyond some very basic stuff that's implied by context.

I have one where the PoV character, convalescing from an injury, grumbles about how pain meds don't work properly for redheads. One where physical interactions imply that the PoV character is taller than her lover. That's about as much as I usually describe them.

 

[NotWise]

I feel like I need to find a way to describe the viewpoint character in the story I'm working on now. It's got more a point-blank fantasy premise with the main character and her love-interest being de-aged because of reasons, which remain unknown to them and to the reader, so I'd like to be able for the changes to be vivid. Like, yes, she's going to muse on them when they happen, but I'd like the reader to have context for what she was before as well, so they know that the changes have happened.

I dunno. I'm sure I'll think of something, I just don't want it to be bad or trite.

In this case I'd think the way she feels would be more important than the way she looks, and you could say all kinds of things in the course of saying how she feels.

I don't think you need to do an info dump to get her appearance across. All I can do is give you an example. Read the opening of No Brand on My Pony. It's a Romance. Adam Cruz never describes himself, but you probably have an impression of what he looks like before you get more than a few paragraphs in.

 

[filthytrancendence]

I feel like I need to find a way to describe the viewpoint character in the story I'm working on now. It's got more a point-blank fantasy premise with the main character and her love-interest being de-aged because of reasons, which remain unknown to them and to the reader, so I'd like to be able for the changes to be vivid. Like, yes, she's going to muse on them when they happen, but I'd like the reader to have context for what she was before as well, so they know that the changes have happened.

I dunno. I'm sure I'll think of something, I just don't want it to be bad or trite.

It's a lot easier for a character that is a woman, so you have that going for you. There's quite a few contexts in which it is common to talk about the appearance of a woman, much less so for a man. Women are also, generally, a lot more appearance-conscious. So you could probably get the job done with internal monologue by introducing a simple stimulus like noticing an old photo of herself on the wall or in a social media memory.

You can be as subtle or as crass about it as fits the story. It's not like misogyny is uncommon... so you could have an asshole side character say something gross to her that triggers her self-consciousness. That'd give you 2 different perspectives in one shot. Or you can just have her see an old photo, look at herself and just internal monologue about the 2-3 features of aging she is most conscious about.

 

[taytay4eva]

Thank you all for your suggestions!

 

[Erozetta]

Character interaction. Nothing like a touch or look from someone else to get you thinking about what you look like and bringing all of your insecurities and appeal to the surface of your mind.

 

[Areala-chan]

Or just embrace the porn and run with it.

"Evening, ma'am. Joe Horsecock at your service. And I do mean 'service'."

 

[WittyUserName]

Like, I don't think about what I look like very often, unless I'm getting impatient for my HRT boobs to come in or I'm grousing about my gut. I can describe other people just fine, but the viewpoint character, first or third, doesn't ever lend itself to description without it feeling self-centered.

How do y'all do it?

There are a few ways I can think of. Are they self-conscious? If so, they can see someone they think is better looking than they are and compare themselves. Another is someone complimenting a specific feature and they think of a few of their other strong points. I think it's probably best to introduce the features over time for a situation like this, rather than an 'info dump' like we often do when a guy sees a girl he wants to get into bed with.

 

[TheWritingGroup]

Depends. Sometimes the character sees a reflection. Sometimes they (in first person) describe themselves, often by comparing themselves to someone else. One viewpoint is very insecure about her appearance and comments about it in a very negative way. Another story alternates viewpoints, so each of the two main characters describes the other one.

--Annie

 

[TheArsonist]

1. Do you need to?
2. Have another character (a friend, a family member, a rude customer…) comment on it, or have someone who doesn't know their name address them by physical characteristic. (Professor: "Yes, blonde girl in the back row?")
3. Weave it into the viewpoint character's description of someone else, by way of comparison or contrast. (For example, have them describe their ex's new partner and say that the ex "has a type." Or use family resemblance – in one story I read, the writer got around it by having the viewpoint character describe their identical twin.)
4. Don't mention it explicitly, but allow readers to infer it from other details. (Context can suggest age, sex, ethnicity, height, weight, athleticism, general level of attractiveness, stereotypical femininity/masculinity, etc. without stating it outright. A nickname can also be a good clue.)
5. If a mirror is too cliché, have them describe photos or videos of themself. (For example, someone posts an embarrassing clip of them on social media. Or someone checks their photo ID.)
6. Provide a reason for them to review their appearance. (Date, job interview, hair dresser, photo shoot, class reunion…)
7. Just casually toss in a detail here and there.

 

[karina_jayde]

Use action to reinforce/sprinkle in descriptors. After a fight, maybe a character washes blood out of their hair, struggling to get it out of their wild curls.

Use contrast with other characters. I wrote a recent series where the main character interacted with his brother. Setting up that scene gave me a way to lay the groundwork for the descriptions of the MC and his family all in one go. From this, we learn that Caderyn is buff, big, and blonde like his dad, while his brother is shorter, slender, and also redhead like their mom.

Seated beside the bed, staring down at a thick book, was his brother Berent.

While Caderyn had inherited their father's sturdy build and blonde hair, Berent had taken more after their mother: shorter, thinner, with curly red hair that fell past his ears.

 

[StillStunned]

I'm not sure I understand the question. Surely the narrator's appearance is covered in the opening paragraph? "My name's [Tommy/Anabel], and I'm a [handsome/gorgeous] 19-year-old [boy/girl] with [chiselled abs/humongous tits] and a [12-inch cock/mouth made for sucking]." You know, right before "I spend as much time as I can fucking and [giving/having] multiple screaming orgasms."

 

[crookedletter]

It might be worth asking yourself if first person is the right choice for your story. It has its benefits, it has its downsides, this question among them. Sometimes a very close third can get you that intimate access to interiority, but your narrator can also take a step back and supply us with some information that your first person narrator might not naturally convey.

 

[TheLobster]

I'm not sure I understand the question. Surely the narrator's appearance is covered in the opening paragraph? "My name's [Tommy/Anabel], and I'm a [handsome/gorgeous] 19-year-old [boy/girl] with [chiselled abs/humongous tits] and a [12-inch cock/mouth made for sucking]." You know, right before "I spend as much time as I can fucking and [giving/having] multiple screaming orgasms."

*takes notes*

Okay, got that... Now, I need to know where do you put the bit about the family trip and Mom sitting on your lap / you sitting on your handsome brother's lap?

 

[Kelliezgirl]

*takes notes*

Okay, got that... Now, I need to know where do you put the bit about the family trip and Mom sitting on your lap / you sitting on your handsome brother's lap?

The VERY next thing.

So with a body like that it was no surprise that...

 

[iwatchus]

*takes notes*

Okay, got that... Now, I need to know where do you put the bit about the family trip and Mom sitting on your lap / you sitting on your handsome brother's lap?

And how long do you wait before you discover your wife is fucking your brother to spite you and you reveal your combat training?