It doesn't have to be difficult to write a description of a person.Don't stop practicing when you master writing basic descriptions.You will be writing better descriptions of people in no time.
Step 1: Look at real people.
You have to observe real people to be able to mimic that realness with words.Take a pen or pencil and write something down in public.Look out for strangers in a public place, like a mall or a coffee shop.Write down what they are.What are their clothes?What color is their hair?How are they moving?Are they striding confidently or are they hunched over?What are the quirks you observe?Are they chewing on a pen while drinking coffee?Are they laughing to themselves?You don't have to write an entire description while you're observing, just jot down a few notes to give yourself ideas for later.You need these observations for when you start describing people.You should pay attention to your family and friends.You've become accustomed to their quirks.Start writing those down as well.It's good to describe people you know well.
Step 2: You can read the descriptions of people you like.
To figure out what works for them and why it works is what you are looking to do.Analyzing someone else's work will give you ideas on how to make your own work do something similar.Crowley had dark hair, good cheekbones, and he could do weird things with his tongue.He had a tendency to forget himself.He didn't blink at all.The description gives an outline of physical features, but leaves most of the formation up to the reader.It highlights the fact that Crowley is a demon.Crowley wears good clothing, he is trying to fit into being a human, but not quite succeeding, and he doesn't always maintain control over himself.A strange-looking weather-beaten man, sitting in the shadows near the wall, was also listening intently to the hobbit-talk.He had a tall tankard in front of him, and was smoking a long-stemmed pipe.His legs were stretched out before him, showing high boots of supple leather that fitted him well, but had seen a lot of wear and were now caked with mud.Despite the heat of the room he wore a hood that overshadowed his face, but the gleam of his eyes could be seen as he watched the hobbits.Aragorn's introduction shows that he isn't what the people think he is.He smokes a "curiously carved pipe" which speaks to his odd origins.He was shown being interested in the hobbits, but being removed, which cast doubt on his intentions.The descriptions are a part of the story.They set-up further action instead of stopping it.The first look at Aragorn is seen as being done by Frodo, who is seeing the character's interest in him.This passage shows Frodo's wariness.
Step 3: How do you use your description?
Descriptions can be as long or as short as you need them to be to accomplish your goal, but those goals are different for each writer.The examples above are introducing the person, but that isn't always the case.Word choice is important.It will be different for each person.The pipe and "dark-green cloth" are clues that this character is not the bad guy that people think he is.Think about what you want to say with your description.One example of word choice is "Rose was waiting on a bank of seats in the foyer, and for a split second Laurel saw her as one might a stranger."She was wrapped in a purple crocheted shawl that was tied at the front with a pink bow and her hair was braided over one shoulder.When she saw the bread tie holding her sister's plait, she felt apang of almost unbearable affection.The reader's thoughts are given in this passage.A certain trait of her sister's draws out that love, and it shows that she is feeling removed from her family.Rose is also painted as feminine.She wears a bread tie for her hair.The words evoke this description.
Step 4: It's not good to have extensive detail.
Don't feel like you have to describe everything.It's important that you give your reader something to imagine, but leave a lot of that imagining up to them.The short description in this example works to describe Catherine and the narrator's interest in her.A rule of thumb for writing descriptions is to use no more than three of the five senses.It's not necessary to bring in touch and taste if you've evoked sight and sound.This is only a guideline, but it is something to think about.
Step 5: Show don't tell.
Showing will bring the description to life."Aragorn was dirty and didn't want to be part of the crowd" is not what Tolkien says in the examples above.He draws attention to the wear and tear of his clothes, the mud on his boots, and the manner in which he is sitting in a corner with his hood over his face.Margaret had red hair and was very tall.She was buying hair dye because she didn't like it and wanted people to not notice her.The problem is that this description doesn't evoke anything.It does not vary its sentences.They both have the same rhythm.Margaret towered over a lot of people.She ducked her head when she walked because she refused to wear high heels.Her red hair didn't help.She stared at the options on the shelf in front of her.The reader feels Margaret's pain without it being spelled out."biting," "hunching," and "ducked" are some of the active words used.Her actions are described in detail.Her height and hair made it impossible for her to wear high heels.The description gives a glimpse into her personality and appearance.
Step 6: You should write more than one draft of your description.
The first draft won't be perfect.It isn't likely to be very good.That's alright!Rewriting it multiple times.If you can, try to avoid adverbs.When telling, these little words are used.If you can find other ways of showing the emotion, you will be able to improve your writing.The examples are lovely, slowly, angrily, and pleasantly.Out loud, read your description.Hearing your writing out loud will help you understand the rhythm of it and eliminate any clunky phrases or odd wording.Give your friend or family member suggestions after reading it.Your brain knows what the description is supposed to look like.If someone else reads your description, they will know if you evoked the person well enough.
Step 7: The descriptions should move the story along.
If description goes on and on without a story to go with it, a reader will give up.It's important that you give insight into the character or story in your description.You can keep the reader interested by focusing on three things.When you are editing your description, pay attention to this.A motivation of a character gives the reader something to imagine along with the description and to see how this person fits into the framework of the story.Margaret's motivation is that she will do everything she can to avoid being noticed.This has to be a balance between too much detail on one hand and too little on the other.Margaret has flame-red hair and hunches, towers, and ducks her head.What does the description reveal about the person being described?Margaret hates being tall, she doesn't want people to notice her, and she is anxious.
Step 8: Keep writing.
The more you write, the better.Continue to read and write.It takes practice to be skilled at anything.Take a look at your early work.You can take that opportunity to look at what doesn't work in your earlier descriptions and see how far you've come.