Writing Stuff (Publishing Opportunities, Contests, Tips, Jokes, Etc)

Appearances: Character Complexity, Colors, and Complexions

So if I tell you my character was Nigerian or Fijian or Mexican or Scottish, what image should come to mind?

None yet because you still don't have enough details on them.

Are they light, dark, tall, short, handsome, ugly? What?

And, and, and, and BEAUTIFUL/HANDSOME are not detailed enough either. Those are such empty adjectives unless you add some details to explain WHAT about them is attractive. I'm looking at YOU authors who put "he was handsome" or "she was beautiful" in your blurbs and stories.

Let's not get into the pity party "I was so average," lines where you then proceed to mention how gorgeous said character is, but they don't see it.

It's okay to have attractive characters. Inside AND OUTSIDE the societal standards of beauty. So the girl has some weight to her, so the guy is shorter and not muscular, so he/she has "plain" brown eyes and black hair, big whoop!

Make it work without being an "I'm so ugly" situation when said character would be considered a 9 or a freakn 10 in real life!

Give them some unconventional features but have them still be moderately attractive. Everyone isn't a straight up 10 or 5 or 0 with nothing in between. Some people have big noses. Big feet. Some people have acne or scarred skin and rashes. Some people have eyes spaced "too far" apart. Some people have small faces. Some people have square heads. Some people have double chins. Some people have skinny fingers. Some people have calloused palms. Etc etc.

It doesn't have to be "she hated those cursed freckles" when, the way they're written they're often relegated to areas considered attractive in a certain way. Or "she hated those dimples."

Cause I'll bet you 90% of your readers who may sometimes be insecure about their own looks are like "psh yeah i wish dimples were my biggest worry " or "I wish being 3 lbs overweight was my only 'flaw.'"

And the guys in these books aren't any better. Most of you writers are girls, so you don't really always know what insecurities guys ACTUALLY worry about, but rather what girls think about guys lol. Believe it or not, there is some common ground between the genders but also some differences, and some of you authors are bad at guessing them lol. Trust me, it's not all just, "Oh man, am I muscular enough?? Must pump iron! Me get strong! Me be buff. Me have square jaw and ripped abs. Me am handsome, raaaaaaaaah!"

._.

And heck, this is without mentioning that all imperfections needn't be "flaws." That is to say, the characters don't need to feel bad or insecure about every non-conventional beauty standard feature. Even if it's not a story about them "accepting" or "being proud" of whatever imperfection, they don't have to hate it either.

If Suhail is lanky dude, Suhail is lanky.

If Jamilah has thin lips and a stocky figure, Jamilah has thin lips and a stocky figure. She doesn't have to complain about her "muffin top" at the beginning of the story or cry over it every time she goes to put new jeans on.

Bushra's bushy eyebrows needn't be waxed (AND SHOULDN'T BE), and she doesn't have to proudly wiggle them at everyone either.

Zubayr's beard can be a little patchy or nor connect fully. Or it can grow unexpectedly large at a young age and he doesn't have to hate it, nor does it have to be his default sign of being religious or being a "backwards" bloke from "back home" to look bad in light of the chisel-jawed, stubble having, all-American (or British) white guy your female MC loves.