Advice Please

[rosalinda-143.livejournal.com]

Okay so my book is written in first person and people are usually saying that authors' don't give a full despricption of the protagonist so they can slip into his/her shoes. Well I don't want that but I think it would be weird if the protagonist described themselves. I mean how do you fit that into you story? It just sounds weird that they would be describing themsevles even if it were for the sake of the reader.

So if anyone could tell me how I should do that, that'd help temendously. Oh and what is second person? I mean I've heard third and first but second? I didn't think there was a second.

Thanks!

peace.love.happiness.

- Less Squeaky, More Sneaky

Comments

[queenoftheskies.livejournal.com]

You have to be subtle describing a protagonist in first person. They can tell us the color of their hair and eyes when it pertains to actions/events in the story. They can compare their height to another person. They can pick out clothes so we know what they're wearing.

One thing I've heard that's a no-no is having them look at themselves in a mirror and addressing their features that way.

Second person is where the story is written in a fashion that sounds like the "narrator" is talking to the reader.

"You" see her running down the street. She turns left on Elm and heads down to the corner before she stops.

[theskimblishone.livejournal.com]

This is slightly off-side to your question, but I'll say it anyway...

You don't always have to describe a narrating protagonist in huge detail unless knowing what she/he looks like is relevant to what's going on. I'm 25k words into a story and still haven't mentioned what my protag's eye or hair colour is. The reader knows a few things - that he wore ugg boots in one scene, has short legs, wore jeans and a T-shirt compared to one person's dress in another - because they were relevant to his thought process or events in the scene. Anything else? They won't know. In most scenes it's never mentioned what he's wearing.

(I write in very limited 3rd through a single protag's POV, so I have some of the same restrictions with regards to what a protagonist notices about him/herself.)

The beauty of a 1st person POV is that you are right inside your character's head. Their thoughts on themselves, the scene, and the world around them, are really far more important, and story-enriching, than something like eye-colour, IMO. If it's relevant to the scene, on the character's mind, something the character would notice and observe, then by all means, share it, but if it's not ... maybe you don't have to. For me, it's not about a reader stepping into a character's shoes, more that ... such things really aren't always relevant! I just don't think readers need to know that said character has blue eyes if knowing doesn't enhance the scene/story, and the lack of thinking about such things is in character.

At the end of the day, I'm far more interested in a character's thoughts and emotional state than their appearance, but I do know that not everyone feels the same way. :)

[svenjaliv.livejournal.com]

There's a few tricks, like saying "I brushed my long blond hair out of my face", although they often read kind of gimmicky to me, especially stock phrases like that one. NEVER describe your character by having them look in the mirror, you can't get more cliché than that.

I don't write in 1st person, usually, but I suppose you'd describe it when it's relevant (and if it's not relevant, don't bother!). Depending on the type of book, you can have your MC pick out an outfit for the day and match it to her hair colour. I wouldn't describe facial features since it's really hard to accurately describe your own face at the best of times. You can have the MC compare themselves to other described characters - thinner, taller, fatter, etc ("His six-foot-four frame made me feel small, even though I was easily one of the tallest girls in the year"). Have other characters describe them; even if it's usually exaggerations, we'll get some idea ("You're about the ugliest girl I've ever laid eyes on", "You're a handsome one, aren't you?" etc).

So yeah. Just be subtle about it; don't write things like "I tied my long black hair up with a pink ribbon and applied eyeliner to accentuate my big, emerald green eyes" or whatever because a) it's gimmicky and the easy way out and b) it kind of smacks of Mary Sue syndrome a lot of the time.

Oh, unless you write chick lit. Narrators in chick lit can get away with describing their long brown tresses and naturally full lips, and worrying about their weight and shape, and listing the things they like and dislike about themselves. In chick lit, "gimmicky" matters a lot less.

That's all I got. Hope it helps.

[beautifvl-flaw.livejournal.com]

My first thought was to have your protagonist notice things about their reflection, either looking in a mirror at themselves, or perhaps catching a glimpse in a window as they pass or something. If it works in the story, you could also have them describe themselves to another character that currently can't see them, but you'd have to have a scenario where that would work or it'd be weird.

Second person is most of the time, from my experience, used in those sorts of interactive adventure novels. I did write a piece that was sort of in second person, though, a short one, and found it incredibly enjoyable. It seemed like a cross between first and second. The piece I wrote was narrated from the POV of a man sort of in his head to another man that he completely idolised, so it came out with things like: I think you're smiling again. Your smile is subtle and knowing, a perfect expression of you yourself. It seems a rare occurrence, and I am honoured to have been graced by it.