Describing the clothes on your characters may seem inconsequential but it can be a pretty big deal.
The Voice of Experience
In third grade I asked a classmate to read a story I had written. It contained witty dialogue between a mafia-type boss and an underling. I didn’t keep it and I don’t remember details.
But I do remember my classmate handed it back to me: rewritten.
Being in third grade, it ticked me off a little. In retrospect, I realize my classmate was using humor to get a point across. He’d made fun of the fact that I had not included descriptions of clothing on my characters.
Even now, I catch myself falling short of clothing my characters. Everyone knows characters wear clothing, right? But just because I see them fully clothed in my head doesn’t mean I shouldn’t tell the reader what those characters are wearing.
Clothing Description
It isn’t necessary to get too detailed about a character’s clothing. Sometimes just a quick mention will do the trick
· She was comfortable in ragged jeans and a t-shirt
· His khakis and Polo shirt were light and airy
· She walked around the house in a bathrobe most of the day
You get the picture.
Tayloring the Description
However, in some cases, clothing description can help define the character.
For instance, if the example above is rewritten to
· He wore khakis and a Polo shirt even on a Saturday
defines this character as cultured. He is not a man comfortable in cut-off blue jeans and holey t-shirts.
Likewise,
· She appeared in court wearing faded jeans with holes in the knees and a halter top with no bra
shows a degree of disrespect for authority, even though this manner of dress may seem the norm these days.
Dressing Up the Characters
Clothing is something you can have fun with. Especially if you enjoy writing period pieces, fantasy or sci-fi. It is in these areas in particular the imagination can take wing.
For example, in the Sword of Tilk Trilogy, a pirate named Gregorio pays a visit to the Tilk Realm. He is as memorable for his fashion sense – or lack thereof – as he is for kidnapping Princess Heather. Initially, he arrives wearing a lime green tunic, a mustard yellow jacket and tan breeches. Make no mistake he is a ladies’ man but he wants to be remembered. And he is vividly remembered wherever he goes.
Get Some Clothes on ’Em!
It is erroneous thinking on the writer’s part to assume a reader knows what manner of dress a character is wearing. Just because you visualize your character wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt doesn’t mean the reader won’t see her/him in a sundress or a three-piece suit.
Whether you want to keep it simple or provide an elaborate detailed description is up to you.
Whatever you do, don’t let your characters walk around naked. Get some clothes on ’em!
Pen has self-published 20 titles both in print and e-book. Her latest endeavor Nero’s Fiddle can be found here: http://bit.ly/1rsEQFX Follow her on Twitter @penspen
The Voice of Experience
In third grade I asked a classmate to read a story I had written. It contained witty dialogue between a mafia-type boss and an underling. I didn’t keep it and I don’t remember details.
But I do remember my classmate handed it back to me: rewritten.
Being in third grade, it ticked me off a little. In retrospect, I realize my classmate was using humor to get a point across. He’d made fun of the fact that I had not included descriptions of clothing on my characters.
Even now, I catch myself falling short of clothing my characters. Everyone knows characters wear clothing, right? But just because I see them fully clothed in my head doesn’t mean I shouldn’t tell the reader what those characters are wearing.
Clothing Description
It isn’t necessary to get too detailed about a character’s clothing. Sometimes just a quick mention will do the trick
· She was comfortable in ragged jeans and a t-shirt
· His khakis and Polo shirt were light and airy
· She walked around the house in a bathrobe most of the day
You get the picture.
Tayloring the Description
However, in some cases, clothing description can help define the character.
For instance, if the example above is rewritten to
· He wore khakis and a Polo shirt even on a Saturday
defines this character as cultured. He is not a man comfortable in cut-off blue jeans and holey t-shirts.
Likewise,
· She appeared in court wearing faded jeans with holes in the knees and a halter top with no bra
shows a degree of disrespect for authority, even though this manner of dress may seem the norm these days.
Dressing Up the Characters
Clothing is something you can have fun with. Especially if you enjoy writing period pieces, fantasy or sci-fi. It is in these areas in particular the imagination can take wing.
For example, in the Sword of Tilk Trilogy, a pirate named Gregorio pays a visit to the Tilk Realm. He is as memorable for his fashion sense – or lack thereof – as he is for kidnapping Princess Heather. Initially, he arrives wearing a lime green tunic, a mustard yellow jacket and tan breeches. Make no mistake he is a ladies’ man but he wants to be remembered. And he is vividly remembered wherever he goes.
Get Some Clothes on ’Em!
It is erroneous thinking on the writer’s part to assume a reader knows what manner of dress a character is wearing. Just because you visualize your character wearing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt doesn’t mean the reader won’t see her/him in a sundress or a three-piece suit.
Whether you want to keep it simple or provide an elaborate detailed description is up to you.
Whatever you do, don’t let your characters walk around naked. Get some clothes on ’em!
Pen has self-published 20 titles both in print and e-book. Her latest endeavor Nero’s Fiddle can be found here: http://bit.ly/1rsEQFX Follow her on Twitter @penspen