{"id":526134,"date":"2022-08-11T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-08-11T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/?p=526134"},"modified":"2025-05-09T20:45:28","modified_gmt":"2025-05-09T19:45:28","slug":"how-to-describe-a-character","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jerichowriters.com\/how-to-describe-a-character\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Describe A Character: 14 Questions To Ask Yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Having compelling characters<\/a> in your novel can be the difference between a good story and a great one, igniting a reader’s imagination with every turn of the page. Some of the most memorable fictional characters have lasted the test of time because of how the author described them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

From Heathcliff to Fagin, from Scarlett O’Hara to Matilda, the way these characters look, move, behave, and interact with others and their surroundings make them larger than life, leaving a lasting impression because they feel so real.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this article, we’re going to look at the fourteen questions every writer should ask themselves when planning on describing their main characters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Use this guide as a checklist and learn how strong character descriptions<\/a> can bring your book to life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How To Write Compelling Character Descriptions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to writing character<\/a> descriptions, many people instantly think of physical details. Yes, it’s often important to show what your character is wearing or what colour their hair is, but real people are made up of more than just a police lineup description.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To reveal character traits beyond a physical attribute you need to go deeper. When you understand your character’s flaws<\/a>, needs, fears, ambitions, childhood, and past and future goals, you can unearth a richer and more believable person.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This involves looking at each non-visual medium as well as the surroundings of that character and how they influence them, their behaviour, and their persona.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Are Character Descriptions Important?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A professional writer knows that character<\/a> description is incredibly important. Without character development, your story is just a plot that no one will care about.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A reader connects not with the adventure, but with the person embarking on it. They’re not invested in the love story but in the two people experiencing it. They don’t care about how someone was murdered as much as who was murdered and who did it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When a reader empathises with a character<\/a>, that story becomes so much more important. When a reader roots for the hero, or hates the villain, they will keep turning those pages.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An author gets just one chance to make an impactful first impression, to include the right details to make their characters jump off the page – so make sure you make each character unique!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let’s discover how you can do that by asking yourself the following questions…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"describe-a-character\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

14 Questions To Ask Yourself When You Describe Characters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Here are the first fourteen questions any writer should ask themselves when developing their characters<\/a> and describing them to readers. Feel free to add even more, but if you don’t know the answer to any of these then your reader may struggle to imagine what each character is like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And remember, you can describe a character in many different and original ways, even if you completely leave out physical appearance – if a reader knows enough about them they will fill in the blanks. That’s the magic of storytelling!<\/p>\n\n\n\r\n