Mirror, Mirror

Ah, yes. The worst possible device a writer can use when trying to give a description. For me, the only reason to use this is if the writer has fallen into another cliché: that of the amnesiac.

There is always another way, even for the amnesiac character.

Someone else describes them. “I fell for your cerulean eyes first.” “This long, wheat straw hair of yours has got to go.” “If you were any taller, I’d be the one looking up to you.” “I had no idea you pale Brits could blush so rosily.”

Just from these four lines – if the description was about the same person – you’d know they had blue eyes, dark blonde hair that’s rough, was tall and had pale skin. You could put in another, “Damn, but you’re a skinny thing.” And you know the body type.

If your character is alone, why do they need to know what they look like? Vanity? To provoke some memory? For effect? Ah, ha! A clue, a device! A shimmering reflection in a pool of water? A pale, faded glimpse of a stranger in a piece of brushed metal? The forlorn image superimposed on a porthole view of a star-speckled night sky? Mirror, mirror. For a single amnesiac, maybe.

Using a mirror is an easy way out. The alternative also slowly gives the reader information without the dump, it feeds it out. You don’t want your reader to be bored with timeless reflection in the mirror. Who actually stares at themselves describing what they see unless they’re narcissistic or and actor?

Speech patterns are the same. Don’t use unnecessary words. ‘Said’ is perfectly acceptable, or nothing at all if it’s a short conversation. We get the emotion from the action surrounding the speech. And there have been many an essay on using -ly words where none are needed, here is one and it explains it well.

Think of your reader as watching a movie. Play it out for them, their imagination will fill in anything else. If your character is in a warehouse, the imagery is of boxes, usually wooden, stacked high. Add a little to it; if your character is on the bridge of a space ship, well, Star Trek, Firefly, Space 1999, even Doctor Who will spring to mind unless you give the reader a reason to think it’s not like that at all. Ask yourself if you need to.

True description is needed for monsters/aliens/mutations, medical/forensic/mechanical, technicals/inventions/scenery and the like. People can be describe via conversation/action/attitude. And the best are short, sweet and informative.

There in lies the rub: how do you do that? Experience, for one, practice for another, reading authors who do it. There are so many ways, but if this job were easy, everyone would be doing it.