When you can't "see" a character

[Djmac1031]

So I'm experiencing an interesting conundrum while writing a new story idea.

I have a pretty good handle on the plot; what I want to happen, the conflicts, the resolution.

I also know my two main characters personalities pretty well; who I want them to be.

My problem is... I'm not SEEING them. Physically. Especially my female lead.

Is she tall? Short? Slim? Curvy? Petite?

What color are her eyes? Her hair?

I'm not even sure how big her boobs are yet lol.

I think part of my problem is I'm trying too hard not to borrow from characters I've already created, not to repeat myself, or make her too similar to them.

I've worked around this in the past by keeping physical descriptions to a bare minimum with Chloe in The White Room. And many readers complimented me on letting them form their own vision of her in their heads.

For this new story though, I think I'm gonna need more than just a vague description, especially since the first part will be about her and the male lead loosing their virginity together. It's told from his POV and I think he'd wanna relay more details than "she had nice breasts."

I think my solution for now is to simply write it vague and get the story out.

Perhaps she will form more clearly in my head as I do that, and I can always go back and add more details.

Curious if anyone else has this issue sometimes, and how you resolve it.

 

[ShelbyDawn57]

You and I have the opposite problem. My stories aren't my stories without the tall redhead with bright green eyes.

Seriously though, I think you're on the right track. So many times as I write, my characters tell me things about themselves I hadn't considered before. Probably just my mind expanding an idea or seeing things a little differently in the context of the words that actually made the page, but it's the same idea. George R. R. Martin describes it as being a gardener and letting your plants, your characters and story, grow where they want to grow.

 

[samhasstories]

I often have a general sense of what a character is going to look like, and as I'm describing them they - hopefully - start to form more concretely in my mind. I do find it helps to write them out a little, too - I get a much better sense of a character, physical traits and all, once I start getting to know their personality.

One thing that might be worth trying, if you haven't already, is messing with AI text to image generators. I know AI is sort of a fraught subject, and I certainly don't advocate it for generating content you're going to actually use, but it can be a fun/useful tool for kickstarting the imagination. If you find a free one and type in some personality traits you're thinking of, or a vague start to what you're visualizing, it might come up with some images that give you a push. Most of the results I've gotten that way are throwaways, but every once in awhile I've gotten one where I say, "holy shit, that's her!" And that can be fun.

 

[intim8]

Sometimes I pull up one of those sites that is just pictures of women. Not galleries of photoshoots, just individual pictures, usually nude but not always. Then I scan, with what I know of my character in mind, and usually one will jump out. That's her! I don't describe her exactly like in the photo, but it allows me to see her face and her body concretely.

I even keep a folder of pictures of some of the girls in my stories.

 

[Djmac1031]

One thing that might be worth trying, if you haven't already, is messing with AI text to image generators

I've fooled around with those not too long ago, but seeing whether they could capture characters I'd already written.

I suppose it may be worth a try to see if it can help me visualize a new character I don't "see" just yet.

 

[lavendersilk]

So, you don't see a person on tv or the street and think, damn... that's my character description? Is that just me? Ok...

I have a hard time thinking up clothes descriptions so I go to a website and look at pictures for that.

When I read a story, if there isn't a clear description of a character within the first few pages I create an image in my mind and then get mad when the writer adds descriptions that don't match up with mine.

 

[Djmac1031]

When I read a story, if there isn't a clear description of a character within the first few pages I create an image in my mind and then get mad when the writer adds descriptions that don't match up with mine.

Oh I absolutely understand that, and try to avoid doing it lol.

I have a hard time thinking up clothes descriptions so I go to a website and look at pictures for that.

I've done that, too. Although I still absolutely HATE writing clothes.

 

[intim8]

I still absolutely HATE writing clothes.

That's probably why half of us are here. We want to write, but hate writing clothes, so we go to where the characters don't have to wear any.

 

[intim8]

So, you don't see a person on tv or the street and think, damn... that's my character description?

The opposite. I see people on the street, or in pictures, and my mind just starts making up a back story for them. Sometimes that becomes a story I'll actually type out.

 

[Djmac1031]

That's probably why half of us are here. We want to write, but hate writing clothes, so we go to where the characters don't have to wear any.

TRUTH

Although I did stumble on one tip for writing clothes.

Don't just use the images. Find an online catalog, find the outfit you want, and use the descriptions of it they use. They'll usually give you the right terminology. Swoop neck, V-back, etc. What kind of fabric etc.

It really does help.

 

[EmilyMiller]

That's probably why half of us are here. We want to write, but hate writing clothes, so we go to where the characters don't have to wear any.

What’s wrong with writing clothes? It’s fun.

Em

 

[Djmac1031]

What’s wrong with writing clothes? It’s fun.

Em

[ALERT! ALERT! POTENTIAL MALE SEXIST REMARK INCOMING!]

It's probably a lot easier for women to describe a woman's outfit than for a man. Most of us have no clue other than we enjoy looking at them lol.

 

[SimonDoom]

Here's my suggestion: roll with it. Take it as a sign from your muse that you're not SUPPPOSED to have any picture of this character. Make a point of not saying anything in the story about what she looks like. That way you and your readers can draw whatever picture they want.

 

[intim8]

What’s wrong with writing clothes? It’s fun.

It's fun for you because you're not a guy. We don't care about clothes. We just see through them. I know, "pants", "shorts",
"jeans", "t-shirt", and if I'm stretching, mabye "blouse".

OTOH, bras, panties, I can write those.

 

[intim8]

[ALERT! ALERT! POTENTIAL MALE SEXIST REMARK INCOMING!]

JINX!

 

[EmilyMiller]

So I'm experiencing an interesting conundrum while writing a new story idea.

I have a pretty good handle on the plot; what I want to happen, the conflicts, the resolution.

I also know my two main characters personalities pretty well; who I want them to be.

My problem is... I'm not SEEING them. Physically. Especially my female lead.

Is she tall? Short? Slim? Curvy? Petite?

What color are her eyes? Her hair?

I'm not even sure how big her boobs are yet lol.

I think part of my problem is I'm trying too hard not to borrow from characters I've already created, not to repeat myself, or make her too similar to them.

I've worked around this in the past by keeping physical descriptions to a bare minimum with Chloe in The White Room. And many readers complimented me on letting them form their own vision of her in their heads.

For this new story though, I think I'm gonna need more than just a vague description, especially since the first part will be about her and the male lead loosing their virginity together. It's told from his POV and I think he'd wanna relay more details than "she had nice breasts."

I think my solution for now is to simply write it vague and get the story out.

Perhaps she will form more clearly in my head as I do that, and I can always go back and add more details.

Curious if anyone else has this issue sometimes, and how you resolve it.

Not helping, I know. But I went from quasi-autobiographical, where I didn’t need much imagination, to entirely made up.

I now often don’t describe FMCs or MMCs at all. I don’t think I have referred to any aspect of Eden Baker’s appearance.

That, or my FMCs resemble me - especially the supernatural lesbian couples .

I did construct Megan from scratch in Your Love’s Whore, but even then, Sherry’s appearance was based on me.

Em

 

[AwkwardMD]

I often use models to help me visualize specifics

 

[EmilyMiller]

It's fun for you because you're not a guy. We don't care about clothes. We just see through them. I know, "pants", "shorts",
"jeans", "t-shirt", and if I'm stretching, mabye "blouse".

OTOH, bras, panties, I can write those.

When I have written male voice, I’ve had multiple people call me out for the MMC noticing too many details about clothes.

I figure my MMCs are metrosexual.

Em

 

[Djmac1031]

Here's my suggestion: roll with it. Take it as a sign from your muse that you're not SUPPPOSED to have any picture of this character. Make a point of not saying anything in the story about what she looks like. That way you and your readers can draw whatever picture they want.

I am seriously considering this approach, too.

Like I said, I have done it before and it worked out fine.


I'm also really trying for a different feel for this one. Less Tab A / Slot B, more feelings and emotions.

We'll see how that works out of course

 

[EmilyMiller]

So I'm experiencing an interesting conundrum while writing a new story idea.

I have a pretty good handle on the plot; what I want to happen, the conflicts, the resolution.

I also know my two main characters personalities pretty well; who I want them to be.

My problem is... I'm not SEEING them. Physically. Especially my female lead.

Is she tall? Short? Slim? Curvy? Petite?

What color are her eyes? Her hair?

I'm not even sure how big her boobs are yet lol.

I think part of my problem is I'm trying too hard not to borrow from characters I've already created, not to repeat myself, or make her too similar to them.

I've worked around this in the past by keeping physical descriptions to a bare minimum with Chloe in The White Room. And many readers complimented me on letting them form their own vision of her in their heads.

For this new story though, I think I'm gonna need more than just a vague description, especially since the first part will be about her and the male lead loosing their virginity together. It's told from his POV and I think he'd wanna relay more details than "she had nice breasts."

I think my solution for now is to simply write it vague and get the story out.

Perhaps she will form more clearly in my head as I do that, and I can always go back and add more details.

Curious if anyone else has this issue sometimes, and how you resolve it.

I think I said before that Miss Shapiro in Heaven & Hole was based on Lilith in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

Em

 

[Jackie.Hikaru]

Whenever I'm having trouble describing something, I'll look to excerpts from my favorite writers to read how they wrote about their characters. Sometimes I'll steal...

If I were in your shoes trying to visualize a female character - I'll go through excerpts from my favorite books about my favorite female characters. I'll copy paste them into a word document, then go down the quotes and highlight all the little details I love. It's a fun exercise.

As an example, here's Holly Golightly by Truman Capote:

“She was still on the stairs, now she reached the landing, and the ragbag colours of her boy’s hair, tawny streaks, strands of albino blond and yellow, caught the hall light. It was a warm evening, nearly summer, and she wore a slim cool black dress, black sandals, a pearl choker. For all her chic thinness, she had an almost breakfast-cereal air of health, a soap and lemon cleanness, a rough pink darkening in the cheeks. Her mouth was large, her nose upturned. A pair of dark glasses blotted out her eyes. It was a face beyond childhood, yet this side of belonging to a woman. I thought her anywhere between sixteen and thirty; as it turned out, she was shy two months of her nineteenth birthday.”

*Edit to show how I would go through and highlight the details I love (and may steal). So then I'll go through many excerpts from many different authors this way until I feel inspired. It sounds tiresome, but I really love doing this.

 

[intim8]

One option - one that may not fit your narrative - is to describe something that she does/participates in that tends to conjure an image in the mind.
Revealing that she is - or was - a shot-putter or a gymnast or fitness competitor or marathoner or runway model or etc.) is enough.

I'll sometimes go with swimmer. They tend to have nice shoulders, and I like nice, strong but still girlish shoulders.

 

[Djmac1031]

I now often don’t describe FMCs or MMCs at all.

I almost always leave my MMC descriptions vague, especially the ones told from his POV.

And my rationale for that was simple: it let's guy readers pretend they're my character easier.

With women characters, it varies; some I write VERY detailed, like Jenna, or Sister Emily.

Others, I've left vague, just enough detail to draw a picture but let readers color it in.

I may wind up going that route this time.

 

[EmilyMiller]

I think I said before that Miss Shapiro in Heaven & Hole was based on Lilith in Chilling Adventures of Sabrina.

Em

Actually, I want Kiernan Shipka to play me both Emma and Lily in the Netflix adaptation.

Em

 

[Djmac1031]

One option - one that may not fit your narrative - is to describe something that she does/participates in that tends to conjure an image in the mind.
Revealing that she is - or was - a shot-putter or a gymnast or fitness competitor or marathoner or runway model or etc.) is enough.

Excellent suggestion. Will definitely consider.