Shortcuts
I once read a proposal in a slush pile. It included the first three chapters, as this particular publisher dictated. And I was stunned--STUNNED--to read these words (paraphrased slightly from memory):
Carol, a dark-haired brunette with curly hair who looked like Elaine from "Seinfeld" . . . .
WHAT?! I saw the same sort of thing two years ago when a friend of a friend asked me to critique her work. She had what I call shortcuts for characters, "looked like Robert De Niro . . . " that sort of thing. I called the writer and sputtered, "You can't shorthand description like this!"
Sometimes shorthand is OK. It conveys something. But we also know how sick and tired readers got with chick lit writers mentioning Jimmy Choos or a certain type of shoe. It was meant to convey a particular type of character but ended up overused.
What shortcuts can you use? All writers have shortcuts. A few traits that convey a character by virtue of them. I have a dead fireman (a guardian angel of sorts) in my next Red Dress Ink title. He died in 9/11. As one member of my writers' group said, by virtue of that, it conveys "hero" status. A shortcut, if you will, in terms of characterization.
What else? A man who is rude to the waitress on a date? Instant pr*ck. We make snap decisions on characters the same way we sometimes do in real life.
Think of what you want to convey--and then how you can SHOW it (not tell). No, your character can't "look like Brad Pitt." But he can have a tattoo somewhere that says something dangerous. See?
Anyone? Shortcuts?
Carol, a dark-haired brunette with curly hair who looked like Elaine from "Seinfeld" . . . .
WHAT?! I saw the same sort of thing two years ago when a friend of a friend asked me to critique her work. She had what I call shortcuts for characters, "looked like Robert De Niro . . . " that sort of thing. I called the writer and sputtered, "You can't shorthand description like this!"
Sometimes shorthand is OK. It conveys something. But we also know how sick and tired readers got with chick lit writers mentioning Jimmy Choos or a certain type of shoe. It was meant to convey a particular type of character but ended up overused.
What shortcuts can you use? All writers have shortcuts. A few traits that convey a character by virtue of them. I have a dead fireman (a guardian angel of sorts) in my next Red Dress Ink title. He died in 9/11. As one member of my writers' group said, by virtue of that, it conveys "hero" status. A shortcut, if you will, in terms of characterization.
What else? A man who is rude to the waitress on a date? Instant pr*ck. We make snap decisions on characters the same way we sometimes do in real life.
Think of what you want to convey--and then how you can SHOW it (not tell). No, your character can't "look like Brad Pitt." But he can have a tattoo somewhere that says something dangerous. See?
Anyone? Shortcuts?
posted by Erica Orloff at 10:27 AM
15 Comments:
Comparing characters to movie stars is a real pet peeve of mine, too. But I should just fess up that I, too, have my shortcut. I often paraphrase the lyrics of popular songs to convey a mood (My Favorite Mistake - my novella, not the Sheryl Crow song), or a secret message between lovers (In Between Men).
I also have this thing about setting scenes in bathrooms ... hmm.
Hi Mary:
In ROCK MY WORLD, my teen book, I actually have the title of a song for each chapter. It sets a mood and I have had teens write me that they loaded the songs onto their iPod to complement the reading. I mean, in the act of Show Don't Tell, you are, invariably going to use some devices for character traits. You can't say "He was a nasty mean guy"--you have to show it. I guess it's all in being careful how we do it, what tools we use.
E
LOL!!! I wrote this dialogue just this morning:
"You look different with the glasses on. More intelligent or something," Leitha said.
I took them off. "What do I look like now? A moron?"
"Come on, Mister Colt. I mean Nicholas. You're good looking and you know it. I think you look like that guy in that old movie, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid."
"Which one? Butch or Sundance?"
"I don't know. The one without the mustache."
"That's Paul Newman. He's about two hundred years old now, I think."
"Well, you look like him back when they made the movie."
"You trying to butter me up?"
Hey, at least I'm confessing my sins here. :)
Jude:
I actually think that's REALLY effective. Why? Because you're doing it in funny dialogue and it works. Period. I love it! And you're slippin' in that shortcut with us barely noticing!
E
Thanks, Erica!
I always use actors protray my characters. But I don't say so and so looks like Charlie Brown to easy.
La:
Funny . . . I know some authors who "cast" their books (Karmela Johnson, who drops by here often, is one such writer). I never do. When I've had a book in movie development, I HAVE cast it--my "wish list." But other than that, no. For some reason, I am able to imagine just people of my own invention, not actors.
E
Hey, Erica, me, too! I have TRIED to write characters inspired by certain actors (Orlando Bloom was the obvious choice for The Passion of Tanner Black, about a writer who got to meet the star of the movie based on her book :), but I can never ever picture them that way when I'm writing them. They're all totally unique. I like to think that's a good thing.
Unfortunately, I REALLY skimp on the description. I can go an entire book without providing the heroine's hair or eye color.
Natalie:
OMG, we must be twins separated at birth. I have SUCH a hard times with description. I am constantly worried I am boring people by slowing down to give descriptions.
E
I try to incorporate description into the action, using things that directly affect the POV character or things they notice and care about. Often, a couple of strong details do the trick. Description for its own sake is pretty boring most of the time, IMO.
I think the example with Paul Newman works b/c it's in dialogue...it's funny and it gives some insight into the characters having the conversation.
I actually find it very jarring when there are constant references to current tv shows, books, movies, etc. in books. I think it dates the book, and it always makes me think about someone reading the book five or ten years from now...would they even get the reference? So, I think you have to be careful with those types of things in writing.
Unless, of course, you are using something classic...the Butch Cassidy thing is classic. Most people would know this reference whether they were born in 1940 or 1980.
I don't 'cast' my books either with actors pictures or whatnot. I hardly even have a complete visual of my character in my head. The feel for my character comes more from her actions, reactions, and feelings.
kristin:
Fabulous point--classic vs. instant pop.
E
I rarely give a specific description because to me as a reader, I imagine the characters the way I want, sometimes nothing like what the writer might describe... but I think sometimes too much description can slow the story down... when Im reading I usually skip over those parts :)
g.
LOL, Erica. Well, I wouldn't notice if you skimped. I probably like it that way.
I'm reading the second book in the Madonna Key series, and I had to laugh because as good as the book is, and as talented a writer as Cindy Dees is, she manuevered the heroine in front of a mirror and analyzed her image. LOL
Just from a reader's point of view, my imagination always fill in what characters look like. It never fails to amaze or "bug" me that the bookcover characters rarely look like who I have in my head.
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