If you're going to put in measurements in a story it had better be when talking to the police or if you're having a contest or bet on who can guess the right bra size of the swim team.
I usually talk to people about this, specially since I do not really know how much a pound is(I hardly even know how a kg looks on a person), or how tall is that person in cm? It's really helpful to any writer to avoid this sort of thing if you want to be compatible with a wider public, seeing there are more than one way to measure things. And not every person have a job where they learn to measure by the eye.
Also I have no clue how anything smaller that 15" would look.. (that's the smallest pc monitor I've had so far.)
i think you r so right sprite. i used to do that but i try to cut that out of my stories nowa days
Yeah gotta say I like Sprites description a whole lot more.
Veni, vidi, vici" Julius Caesar 47 BC
I liked Sprite's version much better too. I find when I'm reading the stats on someone my mind starts to wander. Her's make me "see" them in my mind and I'm more interested.
I think the list of weights and measurements sounds very clinical, like a shopping list...
The descriptive thing works way better for me too... A list is a turn off...
I might mention here he has the most gorgeous smile, a smile that makes his eyes sparkle. Arms that hold me and just
make snuggle closer. Height and weight are irrelevant sometimes. Totally agree with Sprite.
I agree with the Lady Sprite BUT since she became a Mod I notice she doesn't Show us her panties anymore, far less Tell us about them.
(And I'm not the only one who misses that!)
xx Steph
One of the old adages of writing classes is the "Show, don't tell" one and it's valid, up to a point. The art of the storyteller, however, is just that, in "telling". Ever heard the phrase "a telling detail"? You should have, it's important to the skill set of good writers."
I thoroughly agree about measurements except where it's significant, say, as in distance. The more specifically you describe your characters, the less each specific reader can identify with them. If the character is blonde and the reader is brunette, you lose a point of identification (unless the brunette always wanted to be a blonde). If the reader is short and the character you want them to identify with is 6'5" -- well, you get the point
What is important in story writing is "putting the reader" in the story. That takes concrete details which are interestingly written. For example, instead of saying "John was six feet tall and ruggedly build", you might write "Sally had to look up at John. He was much taller than she was. She admired his broad shoulders and strong arms." A lot has to do, as well, with who (narrator) is telling the story. Getting the Points-of-view sharply defined can add depth to the story even if it's merely a stroke-tale.
Where and what you need to "show" are the building blocks of a good story. The scene and ambience, the dynamic actions and reactions of the characters -- the who, what, where, when, and how details (same as in journalism) -- should be as real seeming as you can possibly write them. Many beginning writers get so caught up in the what, they forget the how and why (either implicit or explicit). The what can be: "John wanted to fuck Amelia", but the reader wants to know how and why as well. The how: "He wanted to fuck her bent over the dining room table in his passion, pushing all the plates and silverware on the carpet, and making her moan loudly." The why: "She reminded him so much of his first girlfriend who'd never let him even touch her breasts." Like a murder mystery suspect, John needs to be allowed means, opportunity and motivation for his actions. Add a dash of reluctance, or remove one the three key elements (means, opportunity, etc.), and you've added a great dynamic key: suspense. When will John get the opportunity, for example? Suspense builds tension and sexual tension (versus "He did" "She did") keeps the reader wanting more.
Showing the tension is a writer's way of "telling the story". This is not the same as description or "the plot" though it can include them as well. Telling the story, as opposed to just a plot or action bits, is all about the changes or lack of changes wrought on the characters. How are they different (or not) at the conclusion of the story? Think about these elements until they become second-nature and you'll have a powerful skill set to bring to your next story. A postscript as always: Your mileage may vary. These are just suggestions from a long time writer.
I think that with height, it's OK to give a measurement but with weight and chest size and stuff, it bugs me a lot. And i try not to say the characters 'pretty'.
I do agree with Sprite and find that describing your characters without resorting to numerical data (and cup size) teaches me to become a better writer.
And that is why I joined Lush.
In hindsight I do recall my teenage years, I would see an adult magazine and had to read her "Stats", all those wonderful numbers and letter sizes. Yet they could never express to me how my pulse could quicken when meeting someone new or how she would feel in my arms.
