| p>The people in your story are your characters. | | | | something that will make your story interesting. A |
| It is your job to bring vivid literary characters to | | | | representation of a vivid character is more likely |
| the attention of your readers. You must use | | | | to entice your reader. |
| descriptive writing to present believable | | | | Sight- What did the person you are writing about |
| characters. Without other people, our lives and | | | | look like? Describe height, weight, color, shape, |
| memoirs risk becoming dull. Although ideas are | | | | posture, mannerisms, contours of the face, |
| pivotal for many individuals, relationships are even | | | | prominent features. How did that person move, |
| more commanding. We are intrigued with who | | | | talk, walk, sit? Describe the person's clothing, |
| other people are and how they function. "Who's | | | | sense of style, hairstyles. In what ways ways did |
| that? What are they doing? Where did they come | | | | that person typically express emotion with body |
| from?" These are question we want answered. | | | | posture? |
| To write a strong story, capitalize on this interest. | | | | Sound- This includes voice modulation, timbre, and |
| In lifewriting, you create a strong, vivid character | | | | pitch as well as favorite expressions, accents, |
| by describing him or her in sensual details. (The | | | | dialectical usage. Don't forget throat clearing, foot |
| senses, of course, are: sight, sound, smell, taste, | | | | scraping, or the knocking of a wedding ring |
| and touch.) The most effective descriptions of | | | | against glass as a hand cleared frost from a |
| people make use of these. | | | | windshield. |
| Here are ways you can use sense details to | | | | Smell-Your text should make references to |
| make your characters more vivid: | | | | perfumes, colognes, pipe tobacco, barn odors, the |
| Taste- Let the reader sample foods associated | | | | scent of a kitchen, the aroma of a bath, or the |
| with your past or with the person you are writing | | | | smell of a workshop. Smell is one of the most |
| about. Perhaps a food image or a metaphor will | | | | evocative senses. A particular herb or soap or |
| give a deeper sense of the person's personality. | | | | cleaning fluid can immediately return us to another |
| Many people mistakenly believe that characters in | | | | time and place. Be sure to use that power in your |
| a story have to be well-known to be interesting. | | | | descriptions. |
| When they write their stories, they search their | | | | Touch- Help the reader feel how rough your |
| pasts for when they might have crossed paths | | | | character's skin was, or how smooth the clothing, |
| with the famous. Consequently they write about | | | | how gentle the hands, or how furtive the caress. |
| when they were in the same elevator with some | | | | Good luck writing! |
| luminary back in 1948. This is not necessarily | | | | |