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By: Kathy Temean,
on 9/2/2014
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Most writers add a little romance to the mix while telling their story. I found this over at http://www.Changingminds.org. It really isn’t a site for writers. It is a site to help us learn the signals people send through body language in order to communicate better, since 50% or more of what we communicate is done with body language. It is a very comprehensive site that covers everything.
I figured we could use some of the information to enrich our characters by adding a little BL. It would be a great tool when you want a character to say one thing, while signaling something completely different with their body language.
Below are some body movements that signal to a person of the opposite sex that you are interested in romance.
From afar
From afar, the first task of body language is to signal interest (and then to watch for reciprocal body language).
Eyes
The eyes do much signaling. Initially and from a distance, a person may look at you for slightly longer than normal, then look away, then look back up at you, again for a longer period.
Preening
There are many preening gestures. What you are basically saying with this is ‘I am making myself look good for you’. This includes tossing of the head, brushing hair with hand, polishing spectacles and brushing clothes.
Enacting
Remote romantic language may also include enactment of sexually stimulating activities, for example caressing oneself, for example stroking arms, leg or face. This may either say ‘I would like to stroke you like this’ or ‘I would like you to stroke me like this’.
Similarly, the person (women in particular) may lick and purse their lips into a kiss shape and leave their mouth slightly open in imitation of sexual readiness.
Objects held may be also used in enactment displays, including cigarettes and wine glasses, for example rolling and stroking them.
Displaying
Attractive parts of the body may be exposed, thrust forward, wiggled or otherwise highlighted. For women this includes breasts, neck, bottom and legs. For men it includes a muscular torso, arms or legs, and particularly the crotch (note that women seldom do this).
Faking often happens. Pressing together muscles gives the impression of higher muscle tone. Pressing together and lifting breasts (sometimes helped with an appropriate brassiere) makes them look firmer and larger. Holding out shoulders and arms makes the body look bigger. Holding in the abdomen gives the impression of a firm tummy.
This is often playing to primitive needs. Women show that they are healthy and that they are able to bear and feed the man’s child. The man shows he is virile, strong and able to protect the woman and her child.
Leaning
Leaning your body towards another person says ‘I would like to be closer to you’. It also tests to see whether they lean towards you or away from you. It can start with the head with a simple tilt or may use the entire torso. This may be coupled with listening intently to what they say, again showing particular interest in them.
Pointing
A person who is interested in you may subtly point at you with a foot, knee, arm or head. It is effectively a signal that says ‘I would like to go in this direction’.
Other displays
Other forms of more distant display that are intended to attract include:
- Sensual or dramatic dancing (too dramatic, and it can have the opposite effect).
- Crotch display, where (particularly male) legs are held apart to show off genitalia.
- Faked interest in others, to invoke envy or hurry a closer engagement.
- Nodding gently, as if to say ‘Yes, I do like you.’
THE CLASSIC ROMANTIC PURSUIT:
- Girl fancies boy and makes eye contact.
- Boy is attracted and continues eye contact (pursuit).
- Girl looks away (rejection)
- Boy looks away (retreat)
- Girl looks at boy and holds eye contact for longer (pursuit)
- Girl looks away again (rejection)
- Boy goes over to girl to say hello (pursuit)
- Girl plays hard-to-get (rejection)
- …etc.
Rejection works because of the Scarcity principle, where we desire what we cannot have.
Up close
When you are close to the other person, the body language progressively gets more intimate until one person signals ‘enough’.
Close in and personal
In moving closer to the other person, you move from social space into their personal body space, showing how you would like to get even closer to them, perhaps holding them and more…
Standing square-on to them also blocks anyone else from joining the conversation and signals to others to stay away.
Copying
Imitating the person in some way shows ‘I am like you’. This can range from a similar body position to using the same gestures and language.
Lovers’ gaze
When you are standing close to them, you will holding each other’s gaze for longer and longer periods before looking away. You many also use what are called ‘doe eyes’ or ‘bedroom eyes’, which are often slightly moist and with the head inclined slightly down.
Where the eyes go is important. Looking at lips means ‘I want to kiss’. Looking at other parts of the body may mean ‘I want to touch’.
A very subtle signal that few realize is that the eyes will dilate such that the dark pupils get much bigger. This is one reason why dark-eyed people can seem attractive. Light-eyed people (typically blue) make the pupil easier to distinguish, so when their pupils do get bigger the signal they send is easier to read.
Touching
Touching signals even closer intimacy. It may start with ‘accidental’ brushing, followed by touching of ‘safe’ parts of the body such as arms or back.
Caressing is gentle stroking that may start in the safer regions and then stray (especially when alone) to sexual regions.
Talk tomorrow,
Kathy
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The practice of identifying liars has become an art as well as a science. There are multitudes of books, reams of research, and several television shows based on it. Dr. Paul Eckman's work is well worth reading. The show Lie to Me is well worth watching to learn more.
Whether someone is lying or honest is broadly characterized by how expansive or contractive his body language is. There may be master criminals, soulless sociopaths, trained spies, or sage sleuths who can outsmart everyone. For the rest, the normal rules governing behavior apply.
Someone who is telling the truth goes on the offensive. He is forward moving, expansive, broad gesturing, and offers distinct answers with I and me. He meets your gaze full on. His body gravitates toward yours in an attempt to be seen and understood and to connect. He gives the right amount of detail. He discusses the situation until you believe him. His story is explicit and consistent.
He may be angry at being falsely accused, or having his honor questioned, but he does not feel guilty. He mirrors your posture. He talks expansively with his hands, starting the gesture before the words. He is relaxed and his smile engages other facial muscles. He points to himself and places his open hand on his chest. He is not afraid of close scrutiny.
The exception is when an honest person grows anxious when he isn’t believed, especially in a situation where he feels unsafe. The situation may trigger anxiety responses just as in someone who isn't honest. He may flush with fury. A character that has an itch somewhere it's inappropriate to scratch isn't necessarily being deceptive. His underwear may not be where it belongs, or he may have a health problem that makes him itch everywhere. There are illnesses that trigger lip biting. Those gestures alone are not proof that someone is lying.
Someone who is lying goes on the defensive. He retracts and caves inward. He forces the gesture after the words. He rambles and mumbles and doesn't give direct answers. His smile never reaches his eyes. He gives shorter answers and changes the topic. He rarely uses I and me. His information is inconsistent. He averts his gaze. He may withhold details or gush with too much detail. It's more in the quality of what he says and what he didn’t say. He answers a question with a question. He wants to escape the interrogation as soon as possible. His voice pitch rises because he is anxious. He blinks, licks his lips, and maintains poor eye contact. He gestures with palms up in a plea.
He may rub or scratch his nose, neck, or jaw. The stress makes him itch, sweat, and flush. He may stammer and mess up his words. He may hold his head still. His limbs feel wooden. He may lean forward, resting his elbows on a table or his knees, anything to make his body smaller. He places a barrier between you. He may slide an object between you or step behind a chair.
Liars often say honestly, believe me, or I'm telling the truth. He may be smiling, but inside he is sweating. His brain races to come up with the details it lacks in answer to your questions. It is said that a liar doesn't memorize the story backwards, so asking him to repeat the information regressively trips him up.
For example, Dick asks Jane where she has been all day. She replies that she went to the hairdressers, the department store, Starbucks for a coffee, to the mall, and finally the grocery store. This answer displays the too much information rule. Most women would say, "I had my hair done and went shopping."
If Dick asks questions like, “So, when did you go to Starbucks?" Jane has to think hard about what she just made up. Did she say she stopped at Starbucks before or after department store? If your teen gives you a list, ask him to repeat it backwards. I bet he can't.
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By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 4/4/2014
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Gestures are not random. They have purpose. They illustrate. They convey the words we do not speak. They confirm, deny, or emphasize what we say. People "talk with their hands."
Gestures vary from person to person and culture to culture. People can have nervous ticks. They can have "tells" that indicate they are lying, anxious, or unhappy. Use gestures wisely.
If a gesture begins before the words, it is a sign of honesty.
If a gesture lags after the words, it's considered a sign of dishonesty.
A gesture can be involuntary but squelched by the character. This is especially true if he is angry with someone he cares about or fears.
Gestures include:
air kisses
averted gaze
bared teeth
biting cuticles, hair, lips, or nails
blowing raspberries
bowing
chewing inside of lips or cheek
crossing ankles
crossing/uncrossing arms
crossing/uncrossing legs
curtsey
cuticle picking
elbow bump
eye rolling (or eye-ball rotating)
eyebrows lift
eyebrows wrinkle
finger curling
finger pointing
fist shaking
fist swinging
flapping hands
flicking fingernails
fingernail tapping
genuflecting
grasping elbows
gripping hands
hands behind back
hands over face
hands over heart
hands together
hands wide
hat tip
index finger raised
kowtow
lip curls or purses
looking down
looking up
looking to the side
lowering arms
lowering hands
middle finger raised
mooning
mouth purses
mouth tightens
nodding
nose thumbing
nose wrinkles
pointing
pouting
raising arms in the air
rubbing earlobe
rubbing fingers
rubbing hands
scratching
scratching chin, ear, nose, or throat
shaking head
shrugging
sneering
sticking out tongue
swinging legs
slash throat with hand
smoothing hair
tapping fingers or toes
tucking legs under
thumbs up
thumbs down
thumb to the side
tightening fist
tugging clothes
tugging an ear
tugging hair
saluting
sweeping hands
waving
Keep this list handy and add to it.
When revising, cut repetition and make sure the gesture is used for a good reason at the right time.
By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 3/28/2014
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There are myriad muscles that control the brow, chin, eyes, jaw, nose, and mouth. Some people can wiggle their ears. Different cultures utilize different expressions. Looking away may be deceptive in America, but indicative of respect in Japan. The important part when revising for body language is to note when and how you relate facial expressions and to avoid repetition and purple prose. One should not wriggle one's eyebrows while leering.
A character cannot control fleeting micro-expressions, the initial emotional response, but he quickly recovers from them. Facial expressions reflect our feelings about what is done and said, sometimes more eloquently or more obviously than we intend. Someone told me that there were only two true emotions: fear and love (or pleasure and pain). All other expressions stem from those two. The micro-expression field of study acknowledges seven. Love isn't one of them.
Unless the character is a professional interrogator, he is not going to hook Dick up to a lie detector, register his body heat and pulse, or measure the dilation of his pupils. There are, however, emotional triggers and signs that humans register in the space of a second. Most of your characters aren’t trained to recognize them. There are several personality types that pick up on nonverbal cues exceptionally well. If you want your detective to be a natural lie detector, pick one of them.
If you pay attention to what is happening in the body when a heightened emotion is experienced, you can make your characters believable. Highlight the places in your manuscript where you discuss emotions. Take a careful look at the choreography and word choices.
Anger: The jaw clenches. The lips thin and lift in a snarl. The nostrils flare. The eyebrows draw together. Aggression is a response to fear or a response to boundary violations. When Dick is angry, he may puff himself up to appear larger and stare his opponent into submission. His brow furrows. His blood pressure rises. The stress triggers a neurochemical cocktail in response to the fight or flight instinct. He flushes and clenches his fists. His sweat glands kick in. His muscles are primed to strike. He may shake his fist or point his finger. He may drift forward slightly, or step forward deliberately, depending on how much of a threat the opponent represents. His tone either lowers in warning or rises, depending on the circumstances. His anger may continue to simmer after the altercation. He usually vents to other people or indulges in a physical action to release it.
Anger can be expressed passively. After the initial response of jaw, nose, and lips, Jane may turn silent and look away. She may mutter under her breath or fake smile. She has the same physiological response, but her conscious instinct is to hide it. Passive people who are angry often cry when furious. As her throat closes and her blood boils, she becomes incoherent. She goes into wait and watch mode. Her anger simmers but she holds onto it. She is more likely to gossip and indirectly sabotage the person she is angry with. Temperament plays a role in how anger is expressed.
Contempt: A corner of the lip tightens and lifts. Contempt is in response to an intellectual boundary violation. Dick may make scornful or sarcastic comments. He may consciously override his initial response in an attempt to hide his disdain. He could state his true feelings in the matter. Contempt is in response to something or someone he does not believe, agree with, or like. He may deny his contempt, but his face betrays him.
Disgust: The nostrils clench and upper lip lifts. Dick may frown and pull back. He may flinch or purse his lips. He may utter exclamations of disgust in response. His heart rate slows. Disgust is in response to something he fears or abhors at gut level. His body retracts. He may put out his hand or wave someone away.
Fear: The upper lids and eyebrows lift. The lips stretch wide and pupils dilate. Fear is in response to a physical or emotional violation. Dick can react with mild fear or outright terror, depending on the stimulus. His response is instantaneous and involuntary. Dick's senses go on high alert. His fight or flight response is triggered. He either freezes or retracts. He may gasp. His muscles prepare to escape or avoid. He sweats. He shivers. The hair shafts stiffen. His pulse rate increases. He may go into shock, depending on the stimulus. His flesh may feel cold as the blood rushes to prime the muscles in his hands and legs and fuels the brain. He may step back or turn to run. He may cover his face and head with his arms. The rush of neurochemicals leaves him feeling shaky after the stimulus is dealt with.
Happiness: The corners of the lips lift, the teeth may show. The cheeks plump. The muscles around the eyes are engaged and wrinkles appear. The eyes may widen, or narrow if the nose wrinkles. Jane's posture relaxes and expands. She moves toward someone or something. Her body language is expansive. Neurochemicals induce a high. She may laugh. She is verbal and inclined to touch. She may be mildly delighted or completely overjoyed. Her focus may broaden to take in others. She wants to share her feeling.
Sadness: Pupils narrow. Upper eyelids droop. Corners of lips turn down. Sadness is a response to loss or hurt feelings. Jane's body language closes in protectively. She may cross her arms, lower her head, or turn away. She may grow quiet and have trouble speaking. Her throat feels constricted. Her eyes and nose prickle and water. Her chest feels heavy. She may become more aware of her pulse and breathing. A strong stimulus can feel like a blow to the viscera. She may gasp, cover her abdomen, or bend over. She may transition to shock. Sadness may be followed quickly by anger. With extreme grief, she may scream or yell. Her body may crumple to the floor. She holds herself and rocks back and forth. Crying can be soft and silent or guttural and loud. It can pass quickly or go on for minutes. The initial blast may be followed by softer gushes as Jane calms down.
Surprise: The eyebrows lift and eyes open wide. The forehead furrows. Surprise can be a response to something positive, negative, or neutral. Jane can have a quick startle or a longer shock wave. The reaction can be followed immediately by fear, joy, or confusion. Depending on the stimulus, the jaw drops. Surprise is usually quick and over, but the stimulus sometimes makes Jane ruminate on it for some time. She may share her surprise with others in an attempt to understand it.
Next time, we will take a look at gestures.
By: Diana Hurwitz,
on 3/21/2014
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Cuddling, kissing, and hugging are often signs of affection. They could be signs of aggression if the character receiving the affection doesn't want it.
There are situations in which a character must control involuntary responses, especially if Dick is a spy, a cop, or pretending to be someone he isn’t. If faced with an angry mugger or screaming toddler, Dick's initial primordial response might be recoil. His body might tense to strike. If it is a mugger, he lets the punch fly, unless the mugger is holding a gun pointed at his head. If it is a toddler, Dick overrides the urge to strike and deals with it another way, unless he has poor self-control or the child is demon-possessed.
Every character has a different idea of how close is close enough when speaking to other people. We call it personal space. It's uncomfortable when someone stands too close. It is crossing a psychological boundary.
Some characters are touchy-feely types. An extrovert is more likely to be a hands-on kind of guy. An introvert hates being touched by people he doesn't know very well. A character who has been abused may not want anyone to touch him, no matter the reason, loving or otherwise.
Some families and cultures are big on physical displays of affection, others aren't. A character might hug every one he has ever met upon seeing them again. Others prefer a handshake or a bow. The reasons can be personality, culture, or life experience.
Touch denotes a degree of intimacy. Someone touching Dick's shoulder could mean multiple things: desire, anger, or compassion. Little kids touch more than adults. A toddler is not self-conscious about where his hands land or where his head rests. The elderly can crave touch as much as toddlers. It may be decades since someone has hugged them or held their hand.
Jane might not mind being touched by a lover or best friend. She might object to being handled by a stranger at a party. Friends and family touch Jane to greet her, tease her, get her attention, help her, or hinder her. How comfortable she is with them makes a difference in how well she tolerates it.
Jane may normally love being touched by her husband until she is angry with him. How your character feels affects how she processes the touch and the person touching her.
There are times when someone we don't know very well needs to touch us: massage therapists, hairdressers, doctors, nurses, medical personnel, rescue personnel, etc. A teacher may have to touch a child to direct him. A guard may have to touch Jane to direct her. It may make the character very uncomfortable. Children involved in sports are used to being tackled, patted, or punched by teammates. Others aren't.
Characters that are deceptive, don't like themselves, or are ashamed of something may avoid touch. They are uncomfortable when someone approaches them, pats them on the back, or moves in for a hug. Pedophiles touch inappropriately.
When a person touches Jane and it feels off, it sends a frisson of alarm through her system. Depending on the circumstances, Jane may subconsciously recoil, but consciously blow it off and make excuses for it. However, her subconscious remains on high alert until the danger has passed.
When describing touch in your fiction, make sure it is appropriate for the circumstances.
Make sure you tell the reader how the character feels about being touched. Is it a good thing or a bad thing?
What kind of caress, hug, or handshake was it?
Is Jane’s instinctive response to pull away when she knows she has to endure the hug?
These small conflicts illustrate character, reveal relationships, and make characters very uncomfortable at scene level.
Touch ignites an involuntary response, followed by a voluntary response, followed by a recovery. Illustrate the beats during critical encounters. The how and why are important. Was the touch appropriate or inappropriate? Tolerated or defended? Welcome or unwelcome?
Next we will discuss facial expressions.
I’ve written before about the importance of using strong body language for your characters. The September, 2011 Cosmopolitan magazine, featured an article by Mina Azodi on “Cool Mind Tricks that can Give you an Edge.” Really, she’s talking recent research on body language. Here are some extra body language tips to consider.
Give your character a pair of sunglasses. The classic gambit of hiding behind a pair of shades actually frees a person to do and say anything. With inhibitions lowered, look out. It often translates into selfish or hedonistic behavior.
Your character sits with one arm on a chair rest and the other draped along the chair’s back. Add an ankle crossed over the opposite knee. What do you have? Confidence. Only a confident character can pull off such an open, casual and yet commanding position.
Your character nods yes. Angela and Judd are about to explode at each other. What can prevent the relationship from self-destruction? A simple nod of the head tricks a person into being more agreeable, and stops the escalation of an argument. Bring the characters to the brink, then pause and let one of them do a simple head nod to turn the scene toward a resolution.
Your character washes his/her hands with soap. When Pilate washed his hands of Jesus death on the cross, he was practicing this body language technique. Studies show that when you make a decision, you are less likely to second-guess that decision if you wash your hands. Did Angela just lie to Judd? She’ll feel less guilty if she washes her hands. Even an antibacterial wipe works! So, after that argument when Angela just lied, send her to the kitchen to think about the relationship and let her wash away her worries.
Your character picks up and holds a heavy object, like a paperweight. Is your character considering something important, about to make a decision? People tend to give their opinion more weight when they are holding something like a heavy clipboard. In the midst of decision making, send Judd down to lift weights. It will make him more serious and it’s likely the decision will be a better one.
Your character presses up on the underside of a desktop or a table with his/her fingertips. Pressing up brings flexes the arm muscles you use to bring things closer to your body, which translates into more openness and creativity. Angela’s more likely to creatively solve a problem when she presses up with her fingertips. However, the opposite is also true: pressing down makes a person feel less accepting and more closed off. Press up and Angela gets creative about a problem; press down and she sulks.
Your female character hugs a guy. Angela hugs Judd and–what happens? When women smell a man’s hair or skin, they instantly feel more relaxed. She doesn’t need that glass of wine, she just needs a quick hug and whiff. And it doesn’t have to be a flame that she hugs, just a brother or father will do.
Your character takes a few steps backward. Stepping backwards seems to send your brain into problem-solving mode and you’ll be more likely to answer test questions with accuracy and speed. Angela and Judd fighting again (yes, fiction needs lots of conflict!)? This time, Judd takes a couple steps backward, away from Angela, which lets him see the big picture better and understand the correct next step for their relationship. In the end, it may send him into Angela’s arms, but he’s got to step backwards first in order to solve the problem.
Doodle! Wow, I am so glad to see this one because I always doodle. Turns out that doodling can actually increase your memory by about 30%. Scientists speculate that the drawings engage the area of the brain which might otherwise be used for daydreaming and zoning out. Keep part of your brain busy, so the rest can pay attention–nice.
Your character leans his/her upper body forward. Angela and Judd are discussing the possibility of getting married (I know, they argue so much, I am worried about them making it, too.) Scientists say that if you lean forward, it helps you visualize the future more vividly, so you’ll have an easier time planning. Angela leans forward and visualizes Prince Charming; Judd leans forward and Angela becomes the woman of his dreams. Together, leaning toward each other across the table, they might just imagine a future that will work.
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Cheryl Rainfield,
on 3/30/2012
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I’ve just ordered a book by face reader (or Face Pattern Recognition Expert) Naomi Tickle that I think will help me professionally as a writer, to make my characters even more believable, full, and complete, and also help me as a person navigating through the world. I think her books are great tools for writers to add more richness, depth, and credibility to our novels (or screenplays or plays for the stage).
Naomi does what the characters on the TV show Lie To Me do–read faces to know when people are lying or telling the truth, to predict their personality, behavior, and innate abilities just from their facial features. And she was actually interviewed for that show as an expert! She can tell from how fine your hair is whether you’re sensitive to noises and emotions, and from the curve of your forehead how creative you are. Her face readings are based on soft science first developed by Edward Jones, a judge, in the 1930s, and have a 92% accuracy level for personality assessment. I find it utterly fascinating!!
Naomi has several books, and I have a feeling I’ll be ordering many of them over time. For now, I chose What Makes People Tick and Why.
If you order a book directly from Naomi’s website, you get a free mini-reading.I did, and I loved what she said; she got so many things about me so accurately that I wouldn’t have thought people could see just from my face. It really impressed me! And it was also validating. (And no, I don’t get anything out of telling you that–I’m just passing along info that I think could help you.)
I’m excited to read her book, and am so looking forward to it! I think Naomi’s book will be an incredible tool as a writer and person.
You can also listen to an interview with Naomi, interviewed by Angela Treat Lyon.
This week's topic is Writing Tips, and my tip is how and why to add body language into your writing. When done skillfully, your readers will find your characters are more interesting and your overall writing is more believable. Body language (or nonverbal communication), paired with a character's words (verbal communication) and thoughts, adds another layer to that character's personality. In essence, it helps bring the character to life in the mind of the reader.
Does a character's body language agree or disagree with what he's saying?
As a Speech Communication/Broadcast major and an actor, I'm always paying attention to how people's posture, gestures, eye movements, and facial expressions portray what they're REALLY thinking at any given moment. Sometimes their body language goes along with what they're saying. For example, a character yawns and the reader understands that he is bored or tired. On the flip side, certain movements can contradict what a character is saying. Some signs of dishonesty include: averting one's gaze, touching one's face, biting one's lower lip, blushing, fidgeting, twitching, scuffling feet, twirling one's hair, scratching, blinking (either more or less than normal), etc. As a reader, I think it's fun to try and figure out, based on what the author gives me, whether or not a character is being honest.
What movements are believable and interesting?
If a character doesn't care, she might shrug or turn her back on someone else. If a character is excited, he might actually jump a little and his voice might get louder. You can also think of movements that aren't quite as common (or cliche). Perhaps the character is in a windstorm and the entire time her boyfriend is breaking up with her, she's preoccupied with the futile task of keeping her hair looking nice. (Hmm, I kinda like that scene. Lots of intrigue. Might have to use it someday! LOL) Or think of other ways to describe some of the more common body language. Maybe a smile can be described as a wry grin? A sexy smirk? A wolfish sneer?
When deciding what body language to use for a character, there are many things to consider so it comes across as believable. Here are a few things to get you thinking along these lines:
1. Gender. If your 40 year -old male character flutters his eyelashes, he will come across as feminine. How characters sit, stand, and walk can also suggest that they're masculine or feminine. Be careful not to go over the top, though. For example, if your male character is always grunting, spitting, and grabbing his crotch, you need to ask yourself if guys REALLY do that stuff, at least so often.
2. Age. Younger people typically express themselves more enthusiastically and with less inhibition. For example, a three year-old wouldn't think twice about jumping up and down and shouting, "I gotta pee!" for the whole restaurant to hear, whereas an adult would probably (hopefully) excuse him- or herself discreetly.
3. Attire. A woman in stilettos will trudge through the woods with more difficulty than one in hiking boots. Conversely, a wo
If you've been working through the
character worksheet and following this series of posts, you now have
novel-worthy,
essential main characters, that
epitomize specific characteristics enough to have legs. Now it's time to get those characters walking, talking, and moving with mannerisms that make them leap off the page. How? By showing your characters instead of telling the reader about them, and that requires knowing what makes them walk and talk differently than other characters.
Talking Body Language Scene by SceneWhen you talk to someone face-to-face, your mind processes more than what they say. Subconsciously, you register the way her voice sounds, the way her eyes meet yours, the expression on her face, the way she stands, the gestures she makes, even the distance she likes to keep between her and other people. All of these things together put her words in context and tell you whether to like her, respect her, mistrust her or fear her.
Ideally as you are writing a scene in your work of fiction, you want to be able to visualize that scene. You want your reader to be able to:
- See the specific location and the furnishings and objects in it, a macro view.
- Zoom in on one or two unique details, an oddly painted chair, a wall color, a particular painting, a collectible, a micro view.
- Connect their visualization of the macro and micro view to a better understanding of one or more of your characters. A specific detail is there because one of your characters put it there or chose the location because of it. What does that say about your character?
Now, as you populate your setting, you have things for your characters to interact with. They don't just stand in empty space and talk to each other. Close your eyes and picture the scene. Play the action in your head like a television scene on fast forward.What else are they doing?
- What actions do they interrupt as they turn to each other and speak?
- How do they navigate around the setting?
- What actions do you see that would tell the story even if you didn't have any dialogue?
Zoom in even further. Focus on each character individually.
- How does that character stand and move that's different from every other character?
- How does that make other characters react to her?
- Does she have a specific gesture she makes frequently? When does she make it? What triggers it?
- Is she aware she is making that gesture?
- Does she like the gesture? Does it embarrass her?
- Do other characters like it? Dislike it?
This is acting 101. As an exercise, try studying several films starring your favorite actor. Pick an actor who doesn't play the same character in every film, and look at the way he stands, the way he walks, all the different things that make him a different person from one film to the next. Some actors are so good, you could see them dressed alike from the back and still identify the character they portray. What did they do to make the character that distinctive?
That's what you need to put in your book.
Quirks & Mannerisms The mannerisms section of the character worksheet contains 108 quirks and mannerisms to help you get started. But it's just a jumping off point. Hopefully, by the time you even get to that section, you will know enoug
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Interesting and enjoyable post. Thanks Kathy!