1st Person

[narphoenix]

OK, I've started writing original fiction, when I hit a big snag. I'm writing in the first person, and I'm trying to figure out how exactly to work a physical description of my narrator in without it seeming contrived. I tried finding out where Harry is first physically in Storm Front to get ideas, but I can't find it. Does anyone have any ideas?

[o_O]

- Dance around it by describing other people and things in comparison to the narrator.    Duck under stuff or pull up chairs to reach stuff.   

- Write a shaving scene or a makeup mirror scene or a car seat adjustment scene or a clothing selection scene.

- Have other characters toss out tidbits.   "Yo Bigfoot!".   

- Notice that characters in close interaction (romance scenes and combat scenes) can offer huge clues.

[LizW65]

Well, there's a school of thought that you shouldn't have any physical description of your characters whatsoever, but personally, I like to know a bit about what the people I'm reading about look like. To do it without it appearing contrived, though, that's the problem; stuff like "I swept the brush through waist-length ebony tresses and studied my reflection critically in the mirror, noting that my new black patent-leather corset and elbow-length lace gloves served to enhance the sparkling violet of my eyes" is going to make your readers roll their own eyes and gag, while no description at all can be kind of frustrating.
One option is to bring it into the reaction your narrator gets from other characters, e.g. "The guy at the end of the bar had been staring at me for a quarter-hour now. Either he was really into tall, flat-chested blondes, or I had some broccoli from dinner stuck between my teeth," or "I did my best to keep up with Larry, but his legs were a good ten inches longer than mine, and at twice his girth I was tiring fast."

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

Mirror scenes are a bit of a cliche.

Environments where the narrator stands out enough to be consciously aware of it help, though.  Put an adult in a room full of toddlers, and you have a good reason to comment on the adult's height by comparison; put a person of one ethnicity or gender in a room largely full of people of other ethnicities or genders, and they can reasonably be self-aware about standing out.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

Well, there's a school of thought that you shouldn't have any physical description of your characters whatsoever, but personally, I like to know a bit about what the people I'm reading about look like.

I find that pretty close to unworkable, fwiw. Having to leave out the potential for different social reactions to someone based on what ethnicity they are perceived as, and little identifying details like the difference between how comfortable a seat in an airplane is for people of different heights, and any possibility of people being mistaken for each other... there are way too many small things you lose.

To do it without it appearing contrived, though, that's the problem; stuff like "I swept the brush through waist-length ebony tresses and studied my reflection critically in the mirror, noting that my new black patent-leather corset and elbow-length lace gloves served to enhance the sparkling violet of my eyes" is going to make your readers roll their own eyes and gag,

I'd find that a rather nice piece of characterisation, actually; indicating that a reader is meant to dislike a character isn't necessarily going to make them dislike the book.

[LizW65]

Well, I was trying to make it sound like bad fanfiction, so thanks.

[narphoenix]

Well, I was trying to make it sound like bad fanfiction, so thanks.

Well, it works if the character is, for example, a fashionista whose livelihood is focused on her appearance. But since my character is slightly a male with a huge obsession with books, it wouldn't work as well.

[The Deposed King]

Well, it works if the character is, for example, a fashionista whose livelihood is focused on her appearance. But since my character is slightly a male with a huge obsession with books, it wouldn't work as well.

Then he needs to be thoroughly disgusted and mentally crap all over other people and their fashion fixations, and then he can imagine how others see him and crap all over them for that too.

As a worst case example.



the deposed king

[OZ]

One option is to bring it into the reaction your narrator gets from other characters, e.g. "The guy at the end of the bar had been staring at me for a quarter-hour now. Either he was really into tall, flat-chested blondes, or I had some broccoli from dinner stuck between my teeth," or "I did my best to keep up with Larry, but his legs were a good ten inches longer than mine, and at twice his girth I was tiring fast."

This is usually the best option. I like when I get a few of the most important points pretty quickly and the rest come a little at a time. Some would depend on the type of story you are writing. If your character is someone that spends a lot of time in front of the mirror and this is born out through the rest of the story, a mirror might work. (someone that is very conscious of their looks such as a model, an actor or someone in disguise might be examples of this ). Someone like a fugitive or famous politician might actually see themselves on TV or read a description of themselves somewhere. Meeting someone that the main character knew in the past but hasn't seen for some time can also lead to remarks about how a character looks as well.

[Starbeam]

OK, I've started writing original fiction, when I hit a big snag. I'm writing in the first person, and I'm trying to figure out how exactly to work a physical description of my narrator in without it seeming contrived. I tried finding out where Harry is first physically in Storm Front to get ideas, but I can't find it. Does anyone have any ideas?

Harry's first description is in the beginning of chapter 2--it's done in contrast with Murphy--height, hair and eye coloring.  It's done the same in several of the other books--Harry describing himself in comparison to one character or another, most often-that I can remember-with either Thomas or Murphy. In other places, he just describes himself.

Description by comparing to a main secondary character is pretty common, with what I can think of off the top of my head.  Another way is how it's done in the Toby Daye books--and I might be a bit off with this, going by memory--Toby describes herself in how she doesn't look human and what she does with glamour to make herself look human.  And I'm pretty sure there are some books where the character just flat out describes what they look like--I think the Anita Blake books do that, but I haven't read them in years so can't be certain.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

Then he needs to be thoroughly disgusted and mentally crap all over other people and their fashion fixations, and then he can imagine how others see him and crap all over them for that too.

Hrrrmmm.

Last weekend, the friend I was visiting expressed pleased surprise that my fashion choice so well complemented hers, and I had to explain that no, I picked those colours because I only own two shirts of that particular weight and degree of warmth appropriate to the weather, and two days before I had absently soaked the sleeve of the other one in my dinner. 

[o_O]

Hrrrmmm.

Last weekend, the friend I was visiting expressed pleased surprise that my fashion choice so well complemented hers, and I had to explain that no, I picked those colours because I only own two shirts of that particular weight and degree of warmth appropriate to the weather, and two days before I had absently soaked the sleeve of the other one in my dinner.

i.e. you did it subconsciously.    Well done.

[Paynesgrey]

I've been pretty light on my character's description, with her age and general build being about it.  She has a very distinctive narrative voice and I guess I'm curious to see how different people will envision her.  Beyond the physical manifestations, ethnicity is really a non-issue in my story.  (I doubt that today's current ethnic concerns, dialects and issues will be that big a deal in 4,000 or so years.) 

[lynde4]

Hmm. I write in the first person a lot, and I've found I describe my narrator through other characters and her actions. Nothing more. And it works. Nicely.

[phoenixjustice]

I'm currently working on my first book in 1st pov. Can be difficult but also worthwhile. The only hard part is getting a sense of other characters actions/motivations since the narrative is in a specific person's pov, then again that's a plus as well, the mystery. Getting people to want to know more.