Need help with descriptions!

[Jedikool]

Hi there. I am a writer on the site but there is a large problem with my writing, and that is that i have trouble when it comes to describing people's looks. It's hard for me to create a visual picture of the person on paper even when i have the look in my head.

If there is anyone out there who has more talent than i, would you be able to help me hone these skills? thank you.

 

[Carnevil9]

My approach is to NOT provide too much descriptions. Just give your characters enough description so that characteristics essential to the plot are covered, and so that the reader can tell them apart. Leave the rest up to the imagination of the reader; they will "own" the story much more strongly that way.

 

[DarkBee]

My approach is to NOT provide too much descriptions. Just give your characters enough description so that characteristics essential to the plot are covered, and so that the reader can tell them apart. Leave the rest up to the imagination of the reader; they will "own" the story much more strongly that way.

I agree with Carney: sometimes it's just better to not describe your character; let your readers make up an image in their minds, that's why it's sometimes more fun to read a book instead of watching the film: you create the images and you alone. That's also a reason why it's not at all important to give the measurements of your heroine (who cares if she's 36-24-36 or 42-36-44? As long as she's hot).

 

[Sean Renaud]

Work your way up, what these two are saying works just fine. I personally don't work with that philosphy because I feel that when I'm communicating with you you should see what I see, and feel what I feel and if you are making it up in my your head I failed.

 

[DarkBee]

I must add though that sometimes I take quite some time to describe one or more of my characters, whenever the story calls for such a description I will give one. If not, then I don't. It depends on said storyline.

 

[Jedikool]

Well, im jsut have trouble altogether with desciribing looks, and thats not a good problem to have. but like, lets say you have a girl who is not skinny, but not fat, shes still quite sexy even though shes somewhat plump. you cant say wods like plump cause then it sounds like theyre fat, which is not the image im trying to get across. i have a lot of trouble with that one, for example.

 

[mjl2010]

Well, im jsut have trouble altogether with desciribing looks, and thats not a good problem to have. but like, lets say you have a girl who is not skinny, but not fat, shes still quite sexy even though shes somewhat plump. you cant say wods like plump cause then it sounds like theyre fat, which is not the image im trying to get across. i have a lot of trouble with that one, for example.

You can get around that by slipping things into your story. Don't just dedicate a paragraph to describing a character. It will come off like a report at the police station. No one wants to read something like, She was five foot two, one hundred forty pounds with blue eyes, red lips, 44 DDD tits and a shaved pussy. All this before they even get her clothes off.

If she's slightly and pleasingly plump, the word to use is "Voluptuous". This is a kind word that indicates she is NOT skinny and has very nice curves while at the same time, she is NOT fat.

As I undressed Gina, I took in her voluptuous curves and ran my hand over the amply rounded globes of her fine ass. I gave one a firm squeeze and my cock leapt at the thought of sliding in between those delicious creamy thighs. As my head dipped to sample her generous breasts, I caught the fine scent of a woman; a sexy woman wanting me. She moaned when I took one of her beautiful pink nipples into my mouth and bit gently.

OK thats enough, I'm making myself horny.

Get the idea? Describe her as you go along and you'll do fine as you paint a picture of a beautiful woman about to succumb to your charms. Or whatever you're going to do to her.

MJL

 

[Jenny_Jackson]

Here we go again.

Why are you trying to describe your characters physical appearance? Which is better?...

"Angeline had great big 42DDDD knockers that sagged almost to her knees and her white blouse was bursting at the seams. Her long blond hair fell to her shoulders and her big blue eyes dazzled. The pink mini skirt she wore was way too short, allowing her fat ass to hang below the hem."

OR

"Angelina stepped from the bus to the curb. The breeze ruffled her blond hair as the bus pulled away, then settled around her shoulders. She turned her eyes toward the corner where she could see Allen staring at her ample breasts. This thought caused her nipples to harden. She could see Allen smile and couldn't help returning it as she walked towards him."

Ok. Which one discribes and which one gives you an image of Angelina? Got it now?

 

[mjl2010]

"Angeline had great big 42DDDD knockers that sagged almost to her knees and her white blouse was bursting at the seams. Her long blond hair fell to her shoulders and her big blue eyes dazzled. The pink mini skirt she wore was way too short, allowing her fat ass to hang below the hem."

As always Jenny, you make me laugh. Even when giving good advice.



MJL

 

[snooper]

As I am sure I have said before:

When I look at a woman I don’t think in terms of how many inches her bust is. I don’t believe that a woman looks at a man’s penis and thinks, ‘How many inches is that?’

Compare:
“In came Mrs. Fezziwig. She was 5’ 11”, 280lbs, 48DD-44-48. She was smiling.”
with Charles Dickens’ original:
“In came Mrs.Fezziwig, one vast substantial smile.”

I don’t expect (m)any of us on Lit to write like Dickens, but I do hope some of us will stop writing like police pathologists.

 

[Jedikool]

Here we go again.

Why are you trying to describe your characters physical appearance? Which is better?...

"Angeline had great big 42DDDD knockers that sagged almost to her knees and her white blouse was bursting at the seams. Her long blond hair fell to her shoulders and her big blue eyes dazzled. The pink mini skirt she wore was way too short, allowing her fat ass to hang below the hem."

OR

"Angelina stepped from the bus to the curb. The breeze ruffled her blond hair as the bus pulled away, then settled around her shoulders. She turned her eyes toward the corner where she could see Allen staring at her ample breasts. This thought caused her nipples to harden. She could see Allen smile and couldn't help returning it as she walked towards him."

Ok. Which one discribes and which one gives you an image of Angelina? Got it now?

for sure the second one is best, but theyre both describing her. so yeah, i guess tahts what im looking for.
but also even describing faces and things, that is really difficult; describing faces and body types i suppose. but i guess thats just not a strength of mine. sorry i think you mistook me thinking that i wanted to give a full statistical profile. thats not what i meant, but i do believe you need to provide a good picture of the character when theyre introduced. i hate when i reading a book, and have an image of a character already implanted in my head and then suddenly they say something like "he sat there stroking his beard" when nothing of a beard was mentioned before and my already-established picture of the character had no beard. you know what i mean?