Tag: Appearance

Clothing Selections

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing prompt2 Comments

What we wear says a lot about us. Work clothes might be three-piece suits with ties and well-polished shoes. Or maybe jeans and a faded t-shirt. Or a uniform with mandated styles of shoes, hats and even jackets.

At home we might prefer to lounge in PJs, slippers, and robes. Or maybe shorts and light sweatshirts. Or perhaps nothing at all.

Church clothes range from casual  to dressy, depending upon the congregation’s understood rules. Swimwear could be sexy Speedos and bikinis or one-piece suits that provide protection for arms, chest and torso.

Your character has preferred styles of clothes. What he’s wearing when we meet him tells us quite a bit about him, therefore it’s important that you provide details without giving us a complete list. A few hints here and there will suffice.

Your task is to write a few opening scenes in which your character is wearing different outfits depending upon the activity. Remember to give details without boring the readers. Give them just enough that your character’s choices establish personality, but no more than that.

Have fun with this one.

Facial Description

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

What we look like influences how others react to us. Beautiful people often are hired and promoted well before others.

Plain people are often overlooked or dismissed.

Because of this, it’s important to know what your character looks like.

Your task is to either use visualization to bring up an image of your character or use an actual photo of what you think your character looks like.

Have a tablet nearby.

Start at the top of the head. What shape is the skull? If there is hair, note not just the color and style, but record elements such as wispy, fly-away strands, clumps of hair that stand out on their own, hair sticking out of nostrils and nose. Eyebrows and eyelashes.

Forehead. Is it large or small? Does it protrude over the eyes? Are there wrinkles or is it smooth?

Eyes. Distance between them. Shape and color. Are there striations in the pupils? Do the eyes sparkle? Are the lids low-hanging? Where do the eyes sit in terms of the width of the face? In terms of length?

Follow this exercise as you work your way down to the neck.

When you are finished, your understanding of what your character looks like should be complete.

Have fun with this one.

Physical Fitness

On By Terry ConnellyIn Uncategorized, Writing promptLeave a comment

Many of us spend a lifetime worrying about how we look. We obsess over how our clothes fit, from whether or not we have freedom to move our arms to how tightly the fabric clings to our middles. And so must our characters.

Whether your character is stick-thin or portly, the level of physical fitness affects his approach to life.

Imagine a buff muscular man whose shoulders do not fit in a traditional store-bought suit. What does he do when his luggage is lost? Where does he shop? Does he settle for cheap large-sized clothes or go to a specialty shop? More importantly, how often does he work out? What is his exercise routine like? What does he eat and drink?

What about the svelte woman whose shape is Barbie-doll perfect? What types of clothes does she wear? How does she maintain this shape? Does she starve herself or eat items on fad diets?

And then there are the rest of us, those who aren’t GI Joe or Barbie. What shape is our body in? Do we have love handles? Do our breasts sag down to our bulging waist? Does he have a beer belly? Double chin? Arms that flop in the wind?

How does this body shape affect how we approach life?

Your task is to think of one of your characters in terms of shape and physical fitness. What a short bio in which you list height, weight, hair color, eye color, and then move downward. Include size of clothes and the degree to which clothes hide or cling.

Be as detailed as possible. Don’t be kind if your character is not in perfect shape. Be realistic.

Have fun with this one.