On Writing: Descriptions

Writing Exercise:  Describe a person by their gestures.

Examples:

"She was a curled woman, everything about her sinuous and unwinding.  Standing near her you always felt a little as though she might wrap around you, like a vine or a constricting snake..."


"She was rigid even when she danced, her skinny arms flashing in the dark like scissor blades.  I wondered if maybe I was in love with her..."


"The boy was chaotic, always everywhere at once; I planned I would kick him behind the knees as soon as his mother turned…" 


Kinda useful way to make characters vivid, more memorable.   Even if you end up scratching it out for being too 'purple', it helps you to visualize the character.  Ideally, each should have a number of recognizable qualities besides their appearance. 

Idea taken from a The Diary of Anais Nin, Vol 3:  “He likes to describe people in terms of bodily attitudes, as if they were paintings or statues.”  

---