Three Ways to Avoid Lazy Character Description

Describing characters is all-important so that readers will know what the people in your book look like, what they think, and how they feel. In order to be effective, character description must be unique and must not rely too heavily on clichés and overused generalizations.

Avoid Excessive Name Dropping

One quick way to describe a character is to compare the fictional person to a well-known singer, movie star, or other popular celebrity. However, name-dropping should be used sparingly, for it quickly loses its effectiveness and can even become irritating to the reader. If the reader isn’t familiar with the person being mentioned, it can be as jarring as a passage suddenly written in a foreign language.

If your heroine is described as being Angelina Jolie’s twin, her boyfriend shouldn’t resemble Brad Pitt. You also don’t want a character with Bette Davis eyes and Marilyn Monroe hair. One allusion per person is plenty. In fact, one allusion per book is enough. It is better to make original descriptions most of the time instead of relying on famous faces.

Change or Omit Worn-Out Clichés and Generalizations

When writing a passage, it is easy to rely on old phrases or descriptions that have been used so many times that they have worn thin. If a phrase sounds too familiar, such as pretty as a picture, consider changing it to something more original. Such overused clichés can become a crutch that impedes strong, original description. On exception: it is acceptable to use clichés in dialogue if a trite phrase is in keeping with character.

Generalizations, such as a shifty-eyed, scar-faced criminal should be avoided, Of course, there is truth to generalizations; a criminal may very well be shifty-eyed and scarred, but he should also have unique qualities that make him different from every other fictional villain. The same goes with other characters in a novel.

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Author Intrusion: An Unwelcome Interruption

Red pants and a bright, flowered purple shirt. Ugh! What’s wrong with her? Who would ever wear those colors together? This description tells a lot about the character and her taste in clothing. But who is making the comment in italics? The author. It is the author’s personal opinion, one that is interrupting the story.

Character description should be filtered through the character’s thoughts and dialogue, not through a disembodied voice. For example, Mark noticed that she was wearing red pants and a flowered purple shirt. Ugh! The sight made him shudder in distaste. Now it is Mark reacting to the clashing combination, not the author chiming in with a distracting comment that seems to come out of nowhere.

When describing a character, it is wise to use name-dropping sparingly, avoid clichés and generalizations, and avoid unnecessary author intrusion.