In a post on Writers Helping Writers, Angela Ackerman offers advice on using character descriptions to intrigue and hook your readers. “We build worlds around our story’s cast, spend dozens of hours plundering their psyche to understand needs, motivations, and beliefs, and even envision complete backstories,” she writes. “But here’s the irony…in all that effort, many of us overlook or underutilize another important area of character description: their physical appearance.”
Describing a character’s features and physicality is a hard trick. Too much description, and you may distract the reader with unnecessary details. But if you have too little, your protagonist may seem too vague. Worse, you may add a detail late in the story that contradicts the image the reader formed in the early pages. And there’s the challenge of describing your hero without having them look in a mirror or think about how attractive they are.
So, where is the sweet spot?
“We should make it our goal to offer enough to point readers in the right direction and then drip in more as needed,” Ackerman writes. “Even more important than quantity is the quality, however. If we choose the right details, we open a gateway to great characterization and hook readers at the same time.”
First, Ackerman advises to choose details that do more than describe your character. For example, use your character’s personal appearance to reflect their personality. “Is your heroine the type to wear bright yellow to a funeral? Does your groom show up to his wedding in a tux t-shirt and flip-flops?” Ackerman asks. “Written with purpose, details about your character’s clothes can say much about their personality and attitude, priming readers to see them in the exact light you want them to.” Try the same trick with your characters’ jobs and hobbies.
Also consider your characters’ health and how they perceive themselves. Is your character under or overweight? Does she have health issues that she’s trying to hide? Does your hero fuss over his appearance? Or is he oblivious to how he looks and behaves? “The time and attention a character gives to their appearance can show how comfortable they are in their own skin and whether they care about the opinions of others,” Ackerman writes.
Other characteristics can hint at your characters’ family background, wealth, education, and social status. Some details – scars, mysterious tattoos, concealed weapons – can suggest danger or a tragic backstory. Special equipment or gadgets might reveal hobbies, skills, or professions.
Ackerman also suggests using body language to convey character. “Body language, mannerisms, posture, and the buffer of space the character keeps around them (or not) will all help readers understand what a character may be feeling and how comfortable they are in a location,” she writes. Is your character uncomfortable in public or does he like being the center of attention? Body language can also reveal goals. “Mission-oriented people dress, behave, and act in alignment with their goal, so describing them in the moment will focus the reader’s attention right where you want it to go,” Ackerman says.
