cherriah-writes

[cherriah-writes]

Zoom In, Don’t Glaze Over: How to Describe Appearance Without Losing the Plot

You’ve met her before. The girl with “flowing ebony hair,” “emerald eyes,” and “lips like rose petals.” Or him, with “chiseled jawlines,” “stormy gray eyes,” and “shoulders like a Greek statue.”

We don’t know them.

We’ve just met their tropes.

Describing physical appearance is one of the trickiest — and most overdone — parts of character writing. It’s tempting to reach for shorthand: hair color, eye color, maybe a quick body scan. But if we want a reader to see someone — to feel the charge in the air when they enter a room — we need to stop writing mannequins and start writing people.

So let’s get granular. Here’s how to write physical appearance in a way that’s textured, meaningful, and deeply character-driven.

1. Hair: It’s About Story, Texture, and Care

Hair says a lot — not just about genetics, but about choices. Does your character tame it? Let it run wild? Is it dyed, greying, braided, buzzed, or piled on top of her head in a hurry?

Good hair description considers:

Texture (fine, coiled, wiry, limp, soft)

Context (windblown, sweat-damp, scorched by bleach)

Emotion (does she twist it when nervous? Is he ashamed of losing it?)

Flat: “Her long brown hair framed her face.”

Better: “Her ponytail was too tight, the kind that whispered of control issues and caffeine-fueled 4 a.m. library shifts.”

You don’t need to romanticise it. You need to make it feel real.

2. Eyes: Less Color, More Connection

We get it: her eyes are violet. Cool. But that doesn’t tell us much.

Instead of focusing solely on eye color, think about:

What the eyes do (do they dart, linger, harden?)

What others feel under them (seen, judged, safe?)

The surrounding features (dark circles, crow’s feet, smudged mascara)

Flat: “His piercing blue eyes locked on hers.”

Better: “His gaze was the kind that looked through you — like it had already weighed your worth and moved on.”

You’re not describing a passport photo. You’re describing what it feels like to be seen by them.

3. Facial Features: Use Contrast and Texture

Faces are not symmetrical ovals with random features. They’re full of tension, softness, age, emotion, and life.

Things to look for:

Asymmetry and character (a crooked nose, a scar)

Expression patterns (smiling without the eyes, habitual frowns)

Evidence of lifestyle (laugh lines, sun spots, stress acne)

Flat: “She had a delicate face.”

Better: “There was something unfinished about her face — as if her cheekbones hadn’t quite agreed on where to settle, and her mouth always seemed on the verge of disagreement.”

Let the face be a map of experience.

4. Bodies: Movement > Measurement

Forget dress sizes and six packs. Think about how bodies occupy space. How do they move? What are they hiding or showing? How do they wear their clothes — or how do the clothes wear them?

Ask:

What do others notice first? (a presence, a posture, a sound?)

How does their body express emotion? (do they go rigid, fold inwards, puff up?)

Flat: “He was tall and muscular.”

Better: “He had the kind of height that made ceilings nervous — but he moved like he was trying not to take up too much space.”

Describing someone’s body isn’t about cataloguing. It’s about showing how they exist in the world.

5. Let Emotion Tint the Lens

Who’s doing the describing? A lover? An enemy? A tired narrator? The emotional lens will shape what’s noticed and how it’s described.

In love: The chipped tooth becomes charming.

In rivalry: The smirk becomes smug.

In mourning: The face becomes blurred with memory.

Same person. Different lens. Different description.

6. Specificity is Your Superpower

Generic description = generic character. One well-chosen detail creates intimacy. Let us feel the scratch of their scarf, the clink of her earrings, the smudge of ink on their fingertips.

Examples:

“He had a habit of adjusting his collar when he lied — always clockwise, always twice.”

“Her nail polish was always chipped, but never accidentally.”

Make the reader feel like they’re the only one close enough to notice.

Describing appearance isn’t just about what your character looks like. It’s about what their appearance says — about how they move through the world, how others see them, and how they see themselves.

Zoom in on the details that matter. Skip the clichés. Let each description carry weight, story, and emotion. Because you’re not building paper dolls. You’re building people.

[cherriah-writes]

If anyone wants to know my all-time favorite advice about writing, it's this video of Rebecca Sugar giving writing advice at a con 12 years ago.

I watched it before I met her at a con in 2017, and I've watched it many times since. I revisit it every time I need to reassure myself that I'm going the right direction, and every time, something clicks for me.

And it's fascinating watching it again now that I have experience writing and doing professional animation, because like, wow she was right. Like... I knew she was, but now I have my own shared experience to vouch that what she said was true.

[cherriah-writes]

There is no joy like the joy of a writer who has just figured out that a throwaway line they put into the first few paragraphs of a story is actually the key to a major plot point and possibly even the theme underlying the entire thing.

Just…yesssssss.

[cherriah-writes]

@somerandomdudelmao I have a gift for you I guess you could think of it as a redraw? Technically? I just loved this scene and looking at Ward's expressions and wondering what he's thinking

Ward followed Sculptor down the hall, battling his sense of unease. It had been his constant companion for the entire time they were on that cursed ship, and his nerves were fried. He still hadn't gotten used to the feeling of being constantly watched. Still, he tried to keep from jumping at every sound. Sculptor had only been helpful so far, and none of the vague threats of being eaten had come to fruition, so he decided to trust the tall, green alien as much as he trusted anyone there. (Which, honestly wasn't much, but he figured it counted for something.)

Plus, he wasn't sure what the aliens considered to be the price of disobedience, and he didn't particularly want to find out.

"Where are we going?" Ward asked after a few moments of silence.

"To my workshop," Sculptor answered lightly. "I want to learn more about your species."

"Ah." That was probably why he'd asked which of the two humans was smarter - Ward guessed Oscar would probably just ramble about turtles or something. "Great? I think."

He came up to the workshop, which was incredibly dark. Something about it made his instincts scream louder - like they were shouting at him, Danger! Danger! Danger!

He swallowed. "Wow... It's... really dark in here..." Please turn on the lights, he thought. 

"My apologies. My crew doesn't need any light to see. We only use lamps in public places for health reasons."

Like that made any sense. "Okay..." he said slowly. "Cool place, not creepy at all." Danger! Danger! Danger!

"Thank you," Sculptor said, apparently oblivious to Ward's sarcasm. "Now, before I begin, I want to remind you that we're in the middle of open space."

The light coming in from the hallway only illuminated a strange black ring in the ceiling of the workshop. As Ward watched, a dozen spider-like, mechanical arms lowered themselves out of the circle, their hissing, shifting noise seeming to worm its way into his brain. 

Oh, no.

"If you decide to run away," Sculptor continued in the same passive lilt, "you'll have nowhere to go."

Ward's heart stopped in his chest. He stared up at Sculptor, whose face was still the same neutral expression, like he'd been discussing something normal instead of - whatever this was. 

When had his eye things started glowing?

All the sudden, from all sides, the mechanical arms were grabbing him. With a strange strength and fluidity, they wrapped around his limbs, torso, head--

He tried desperately to fight them, but they were all around him, and he couldn't even get them to budge. His heart was racing, adrenaline lending him useless strength. "Hey! What are you... wait! Can we talk about this? What are you-"

His words grew muffled as one of the arms wrapped around his head, holding his mouth shut. He tried to scream, to yell, to do anything, but nothing came out. The other arms slowly stifled his mobility, holding him perfectly still. He breathed heavily through his nose, heart beating so heavily against his chest he thought it might break out. Panic was setting in, and he was hopelessly, helplessly still.

"I'm going to cut you open and see what your insides have to offer," Sculptor said with a smile - the only time throughout this entire disaster that he'd shown any kind of emotion. Ward blanched. "Don't worry. You won't feel a thing."

Ward watched one mechanical arm with an alarmingly sharp tip get closer to his face, then flinched as he felt a stinging, sharp pain against his neck. He screamed, silent to everyone but himself. 

The wound on the side of his neck didn't hurt as much as it should have, he was pretty sure. Despite his racing thoughts, it was hard for him to think. Blood loss? No, it couldn't be, not yet-

He closed his eyes and curled in on himself as much as he could in a vain attempt to protect himself - which, frankly, wasn't much. He shied away as he felt the Sculptor reach up and drag his finger against the wound.

He felt dizzy, and his head was getting foggier and foggier. It felt like his brain was slowly getting smothered, and his heart rate slowed down. Then, it kept slowing down. It lost speed until he wasn't even aware of it anymore - not that he was aware of much, at that point.

"Delicious indeed," Sculptor said, sounding pleased with himself. Ward's head shot up again in inexpressible fear, and Sculptor's leering, glowing face seemed to be the only thing in the room.

The door to the hallway closed behind Sculptor's head, cutting off the outside light. The only thing that Ward could see was the eerie glow of the alien's not-eyes. He felt a single stab of hopelessness before, mercifully, his thoughts slowed to a stop and he dropped into unconsciousness.

[cherriah-writes]

Resources For Describing Emotion

Emotions

Without Making Your Character Feel Too Self Aware

Showing Emotion Without Telling About It

Emotions Associated With Body Language

Telling Readers What The Character Doesn’t Want To Show

Hiding Emotions

Expressing Cardinal Emotions: Masculine vs. Feminine

Writing Extreme Emotion Without Melodrama

Specific Emotions

Conveying Shock

Conveying Embarrassment

Conveying Disappointment

Conveying Love/Attraction

Conveying Annoyance

Conveying Relief

Conveying Uncertainty

Conveying Impatience

Conveying Shame

Conveying Resentment

Conveying Panic

Conveying Guilt

Conveying Desperation

Conveying Sarcasm & Verbal Disrespect

Conveying Confusion

Conveying Stubbornness

Conveying Frustration

Conveying Indifference

Conveying Indignation

Conveying Confidence & Pride

Conveying Smugness

Conveying Enthusiasm

Conveying Curiosity

Conveying Hopefulness

Conveying Unease

Conveying Reluctance

Conveying Worry

Conveying Humility & Meekness

Conveying Happiness & Joy

Conveying Amusement

Conveying Disgust

Conveying Resignation

Conveying Jealousy

Conveying Anticipation

Conveying Contentment

Conveying Defeat

Conveying Excitement

Conveying Fear

Conveying Hatred

Conveying Hurt

Conveying Being Overwhelmed

Conveying Sadness & Grief

Conveying Satisfaction

Conveying Somberness

Conveying Sympathy & Empathy

Conveying Wariness

Conveying Defensiveness

Conveying Desire

Conveying Doubt

Conveying Energy

Conveying Exhaustion

Conveying Hunger

Conveying Loneliness

Conveying Physical Pain

Emotional Wounds

A Role Model Who Disappoints

A Sibling’s Betrayal

A Speech Impediment

Becoming a Caregiver at an Early Age

Being Bullied

Being Fired or Laid Off

Being Held Captive

Being Mugged

Being Publicly Humiliated

Being Raised by Neglectful Parents

Being Raised by Overprotective Parents

Being So Beautiful It’s All People See

Being the Victim of a Vicious Rumor

Being Stalked

Being Trapped in a Collapsed Building

Being Unfairly Blamed For The Death of Another

Childhood Sexual Abuse (by a family member or known person)

Discovering One’s Parent is a Monster

Discovering One’s Sibling was Abused

Experiencing a Miscarriage or Stillbirth

Failing At School

Failing To Do The Right Thing

Financial Ruin Due To A Spouse’s Irresponsibility

Finding Out One’s Child Was Abused

Finding Out One Was Adopted

Getting Lost In a Natural Environment

Growing Up In A Cult

Growing Up in a Dangerous Neighborhood

Growing Up In Foster Care

Growing Up In The Public Eye

Growing Up In The Shadow of a Successful Sibling

Growing Up with a Sibling Who Has a Chronic Disability or Illness

Having Parents Who Favored One Child Over Another

Having To Kill Another Person To Survive

Infertility

Infidelity (emotional or physical)

Losing a Limb

Losing a Loved One To A Random Act of Violence

Making a Very Public Mistake

Overly Critical or Strict Parents

Physical Disfigurement

Rejection By One’s Peers

Telling The Truth But Not Being Believed

The Death of a Child On One’s Watch

Victimization via Identity Theft

Watching A Loved One Die

Wrongful Imprisonment

Spending Time In Jail

Suffering From a Learning Disability

Motivation

Achieving Spiritual Enlightenment

Avoiding Certain Death

Avoiding Financial Ruin

Beating a Diagnosis or Condition

Being Acknowledged and Appreciated by Family

Being a Leader of Others

Being the Best At Something

Caring for an Aging Parent

Carrying on a Legacy

Catching The Bad Guy or Girl

Coming To Grips With Mental Illness

Discovering One’s True Self

Escaping a Dangerous Life one Doesn’t Want

Escaping a Killer

Escaping a Widespread Disaster

Escaping Confinement

Escaping Homelessness

Escaping Invaders

Finding Friendship or Companionship

Finding a Lifelong Partner

Having a Child

Helping a Loved One See They Are Hurting Themselves and Others

Obtaining Shelter From The Elements

Overcoming Abuse and Learning To Trust

Overcoming Addiction

Protecting One’s Home or Property

Pursuing Justice For Oneself or Others

Realizing a Dream

Reconciling with an Estranged Family Member

Rescuing a Loved One From a Captor

Restoring A Name or Reputation

Righting a Deep Wrong

Seeking Out One’s Biological Roots

Stopping an Event From Happening

Trying Again When One Has Previously Failed

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[cherriah-writes]

Top-Tier Villain Motivations

They will be safe. It doesn't matter who else or what else burns as long as They will be safe.

I will be safe. The hunger and the cold will never touch me again.

Fuck any bitch who's prettier(/cooler/better-liked/better at making dumplings) than me.

Yes, Master

Love me. Love me. Love me. Love me. LOVE ME!

I know the terrible things these so-called "heroes" will do if I don't stop them (<- is absolutely wrong)

I don't want a better future, I want a better past!

No other way to get performance art funded these days

[cherriah-writes]

I want to write a book called “your character dies in the woods” that details all the pitfalls and dangers of being out on the road & in the wild for people without outdoors/wilderness experience bc I cannot keep reading narratives brush over life threatening conditions like nothing is happening.

I just read a book by one of my favorite authors whose plots are essentially airtight, but the MC was walking on a country road on a cold winter night and she was knocked down and fell into a drainage ditch covered in ice, broke through and got covered in icy mud and water.

Then she had a “miserable” 3 more miles to walk to the inn.

Babes she would not MAKE it to that inn.

[cherriah-writes]

“he would not fucking say that!” then put him in a situation that makes him say it, we wanna see him squirm

[cherriah-writes]

Oh my gosh. I just found this website that walks you though creating a believable society. It breaks each facet down into individual questions and makes it so simple! It seems really helpful for worldbuilding!

[cherriah-writes]

Embrace the silliness. Embrace the meaningfulness.

[cherriah-writes]

“One of the most solid pieces of writing advice I know is in fact intended for dancers – you can find it in the choreographer Martha Graham’s biography. But it relaxes me in front of my laptop the same way I imagine it might induce a young dancer to breathe deeply and wiggle their fingers and toes. Graham writes: ‘There is a vitality, a life force, an energy, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and because there is only one of you in all of time, this expression is unique. And if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and it will be lost. The world will not have it. It is not your business to determine how good it is nor how valuable nor how it compares with other expressions. It is your business to keep it yours clearly and directly, to keep the channel open.’”

— Zadie Smith (via campaignagainstcliche)

[cherriah-writes]

Picrew Masterpost

So uh... I use picrew a lot. Like, a lot a lot. Because of this I have a lot of funky picrews in my catalog, some are really popular some less so - figured I'd make a master list with as many as I physically can. I'll try to list pros and cons* for each picrew - unfortunately, due to the image limit I can't include examples** *pros and cons are my personal opinion, I am not trying to insult any picrew on this list nor am I saying my opinion is the be-all or end-all. I will not be commenting negatively on any art styles in my con list, I will simply focus on what it does well and what I think could be better **If you have a maker you think should be added send me an ask with the link and lmk it's for this post For the sake of actually browsing this post, we're gonna have sections. Under these sections will be all the picrews relating to it. The sections, in the order listed, are:

Modern - has a majority modern clothing options

Fantasy - has a majority fantasy clothing options

Historic - clothing options or artstyle reflect a specific time period

Full Body - shows knees up of the characters or more

Group - more than one character in the image

Animals - any non-humanoid

Misc - makers that don't include a character or that work better for icons than character design

I will also put emojis next to picrews that include certain things, 🧕 for picrews with hijabs, 🌈 that include LGBT backgrounds or pins, 🎉for picrews with vitiligo, ♿ for disability options (wheelchairs, feeding tubes, etc) and ✨ for my personal favourite picrews. If there's another thing you want me to mark for let me know.

makowka character maker II🧕🌈🎉

Pros: Great for avatars, multiple body shapes, diverse hair, lots of skin tones, hijabi options, pleasing art style, wrinkles! Cons: only plain colour backgrounds and pride flags, clothes all feel very samey, would like to see more vitiligo placement options, hates don't fit properly half the time, beards can look a bit flat

PotatoLord’s Persona Creator🧕🌈🎉♿

Pros: Very nicely stylized, lots of nose options, visually pleasing, hijabi options, lots of facial hair options, wheelchair options, wings Cons: only preset hair is available meaning you can't mix and match, not a ton of clothing options, vitiligo options look a bit flat

Ultimate friend's face maker ✨🌈🎉

Pros: So many vitiligo options, scar variety, three face detail slots, options to mix and match hair or have pre-selected, cool glasses, background variety Cons: not a ton of noses, only preselected hair has dye options, only one hat option, only one prescription glasses

뒤를 보는 픽크루

Pros: Dynamic posing, hat variety, beautiful backgrounds Cons: Lack of skin options, lack of noses, overall lack of variety

Nuggts character maker! ✨🧕🎉

Pros: Lots of skin tones, expressive eyes, stylized, hijabi options, funky hats, eyebrow options Cons: Vitligo looks painted on, eyes are all black, can only select from pre-chosen hair options, lack of clothing variety

KZ's dolls🧕

Pros: Skin tone variety, funky eyebrows, nose variety, makeup, caters to more alt/punk/goth styles, hijabi options, clothing variety Cons: Hair isn't very customizable, would like to see more layering options given the style it seems to pander to

rawravera's icon maker🧕🌈🎉♿

Pros: Skin tone variety, customizable eyes, customizable hair, beautiful backgrounds Cons: Lack of facial hair options

piney's icon maker! 🌈♿

Pros: Face shape variety, skin tone variety, hearing aids, nose shape variety, heterochromia, facial hair variety Cons: Body options only change neck size, not a lot of clothing colour variety

vonnegratci Honolulu maker

Pros: Skin tone variety, tattoos, clothing variety, aesthetic af backgrounds Cons: Lack of hair texture variety, lack of glasses variety

Black Centered Picrew✨🧕🎉♿

Pros: Skin tone variety, ear variety, heterochromia, freckle variety, vitiligo variety, scar variety, lots of hair variety, hair jewelry, facial hair variety, hat variety, Hijabi options Cons: Clothes feel very samey, only one background option

ElenaA's Little Guy Maker✨🧕🌈🎉♿

Pros: Decent skin variety, multiple sets of eyes, horn variety, hair texture variety, lots of earring options, kippah, many many hats, many holdable items, pets, weapons, super customizable background Cons: Lacking colour options across the board

mimzies picrew #2✨🌈🎉♿

Pros: Decent skin variety, can choose how the face is shaded, braces, feeding tube, self harm scars, split dye hair, Cons: No eyebrow variety, only one curly hair bangs option,

キラキラ鱈メーカー3

Pros: Heterochromia, cool hair options, hair accessories, pets Cons: Only one skin tone, only straight hair, lack of clothing variety

Character maker✨🧕🌈🎉

Pros: Skin tone variety, multi-eye options, heterochromia, eye shine variety, split dye hair, hair variety, mushroom hat :) Cons: Would love to see more mouth variety, would love some more afro hair, I would commit crimes for more clothing options and variety

skyeslovenotes🧕🌈🎉

Pros: Skin tone variety, face shape options, hair texture variety, clothing layering, Cons: There's a bit around the fact that stays white regardless of skin tone, can't change blush colour so some blushes only work for certain skins without looking odd, lack of eye shape variety,

ElenaA's Windswept Oc Maker✨🧕🌈🎉

Pros: Dynamic posing, lots of skin tones, the green skin actually looks nice, eyes are very customizable, nose variety, Hijabi options, hair variety, facial hair looks good, rings, background variety, base is androgynous so you can actually make masculine men, there is a very fat toad you can hold Cons: Only 2 vitiligo placements, compared to the rest of the picrew facial hair lacks variety

Dragon Age Elf/Human maker

Pros: Skin tone variety, cool face paint, hair is quite customizable, Cons: The outlines stay the same regardless of skin tone so on darker tones the nose outline is lighter then the skin, can't layer clothes, would like to see more elf ear options since it's an elf maker

Tiefling Maker✨

Pros: Skin tone variety, green skin tone looks nice, a lot of variety overall in body shapes, hair, clothing, etc, customizable nose, Cons: Only one eyebrow shape

[BAYDEWS' avatar maker!!] V2🧕🌈🎉

Pros: Skin tone variety, nose variety, heterochromia, androgynous enough to make masc characters, hair texture variety Cons: Only one facial hair option, would love to see more clothing options

Fantasy OC Creator ✨🎉

Pros: Skin tone variety, ear variety, nose variety, ok hair texture variety, beard variety, clothing style variety, nice wing selection Cons: Some of the wing colours do not match, the left monster hand skin tones do not match the other skin tones

Nothing here yet! There are some I have in mind, just need to find them - will be added eventually :)

TOON ME! ⟪ A ⟫ ⟪ B ⟫ ✨🧕🎉♿

Pros: Two body shapes that can use all the same items, expressive eyes, options for heterochromia, tattoos, lots of prosthetic options, so many hair options, variety of clothing, lots of hair accessories, beautiful backgrounds Cons: Would like to see more facial vitiligo, the hats don't fit on top of the hair half the time, would like some necklace and bracelet options independent from one another, glasses are a bit bulky

Magicdoll*Maker

Pros: Eyeshine variety, great hair options, detailed dresses and skirts, shoe variety, unique concept Cons: lack of skin options, lack of mouth options

Nyx character creator✨🌈

Pros: Lots of ear options, all eye shapes have a lashless option, 5 clothes layers, the animal ears on this maker are to die for Cons: Not as many skin options as other makers, can't change scar colours so they're hard to see on some skin tones

criador de drips insanos ✨

Pros: Skin tone variety, cute af clothes, Cons: Only preset hairs available, not a ton of clothing or colour variety

Baby Carrot outfit maker🧕🌈🎉

Pros: Skin tone variety, two body shapes, top surgery scars, stretch marks, everything available for the thin body is also available for the larger body, lots of clothes layers, clothing variety, Cons: Only one vitiligo placement, wish there was more facial hair, the bags do not fit the larger body type, only one glasses option

Alli’s OC Creator!🧕🎉

Pros: Skin tone variety, heterochromia, hair variety, clothing layers, style variety, many many shoes Cons: Would love to see more accessories like bracelets

Something about them 🧕🎉

Pros: Skin tone variety, lots of animal features, decent hair texture variety, heterochromia Cons: Lack of clothing options/variety, would love if the animal ears and tails were separate pieces

なさや式CPメーカー

Pros: Nice variety of outfit styles, versatile, heterochromia Cons: Lack of skin tones, no hair texture variety, lack of choice

보슬비가 내려요

Pros: Good hair options, very cute, unique concept, phrog Cons: Lack of skin ton variety, lack of hair texture variety, can't change clothes

元気ゴリゴリ🦍

Pros: Characters are very androdynous, heterochromia, pupil variety, decent clothing options, animal ears, Cons: Lack of skin tone variety, lack of hair texture variety,

ラットメーカー | Rat maker!

Pros: rats, markings variety, tail decorations, expressive Cons: lack of colour variety, only two shirts

My Froggie✨🌈

Pros: Frogs, four frogs to choose from, froggie hats, froggie weapons Cons: None :)

ロリータがつくれるやつ

Pros: lots of skirt options, lots of accents and accessories Cons: Lack of colour variety, colours come across washed out

Wervty's Obscured Icon Maker✨🧕🌈🎉

Pros: Great for icons, fun artstyle, eye shape variety, eyebrows look fantastic, nose variety, the variety of things you can cover the face with is amazing and they all look good, facial hair looks good, Hijabi option Cons: Not great for character making, not a ton of facial hair variety

Heart Hold Character🧕

Pros: Cute concept, skin tone variety, expressive, hijabi options, hair variety Cons: only two eye options

grumbot maker

Pros: Grumbot, variety of screen options, lots of mustaches, mumbo and grian Cons: None :)

ぽやぽやばぶちゃんメーカー

Pros: Heterochromia, decent hair colour variety, cute clothes, Cons: Zero skin tone variety, only straight hair available, not a lot of clothing colour variety,

◆ PROFILE MAKER ◆🧕🌈♿

Pros: An insane amount of skin tones, different undertones for all skin tones, hair texture variety, facial hair variety, wrinkles, hearing aids, Cons: Would love more hair options, shirt variety is lacking

[cherriah-writes]

People have written a lot of touchy-feely pieces on this subject but I thought I’d get right to the heart of the matter

[cherriah-writes]

Resources For Writing Deaf, Mute, or Blind Characters

Despite the fact that I am not deaf, mute, or blind myself, one of the most common questions I receive is how to portray characters with these disabilities in fiction.

As such, I’ve compiled the resources I’ve accumulated (from real life deaf, mute, or blind people) into a handy masterlist.

Deaf Characters:

Deaf characters masterpost

Deaf dialogue thread

Dialogue with signing characters (also applies to mute characters.)

A deaf author’s advice on deaf characters

Dialogue between deaf characters

Mute Characters

Life as a Mute

My Silent Summer:  Life as a Mute

What It’s Like Being Mute

21 People Reveal What It’s Really Like To Be Mute

I am a 20 year old Mute, ask me anything at all!

Blind Characters:

The 33 Worst Mistakes Writers Make About Blind Characters.

@referenceforwriters masterpost of resources for writing/playing blind characters.

The youtube channel of the wonderful Tommy Edison, a man blind from birth with great insight into the depiction of blind people and their lives.

An Absolute Write thread on the depiction of blind characters, with lots of different viewpoints and some great tips.

And finally, this short, handy masterpost of resources for writing blind characters.

Characters Who Are Blind in One Eye

4 Ways Life Looks Shockingly Different With One Eye

Learning to Live With One Eye

Adapting to the Loss of an Eye

Adapting to Eye Loss and Monocular Vision

Monocular Depth Perception

Deaf-Blind Characters

What Is It Like To Be Deafblind?

Going Deaf and Blind in a City of Noise and Lights

Deaf and Blind by 30

Sarita is Blind, Deaf, and Employed (video)

Born Deaf and Blind, This Eritrean American Graduated Harvard Law School (video)

A Day of a Deaf Blind Person

Lesser Known Things About Being Deafblind

How the Deaf-Blind Communicate

Early Interactions With Children Who Are Deaf-Blind

Raising a DeafBlind Baby

If you have any more resources to add, let me know!  I’ll be adding to this post as I find more resources.

I hope this helps, and happy writing!  <3

[cherriah-writes]

There's a huge difference between redemption and humanization. I feel like a lot of "redemption arcs" aren't actually redemption at all, they're just attempts to humanize the villain so that they seem multi-faceted, but people read them as "redemption arcs" and think that that is meant to justify all the evil they've done before and negate whatever made them a villain in the first place. I think true "redemption arcs" are actually kind of rare because true redemption would take making the villain acknowledge their crimes, reevaluate their actions, actively choose to do better, and then proceed to make amends and become a better person, and that would this take more time than most stories are allowed to give their characters.

I've also seen people argue that a character has to be poised for redemption from the jump for it to work because once a character does something "too bad", they can't be redeemed. I completely disagree because redemption isn't justification or forgiveness, so no matter how horrible a character's actions, they could choose to become better, but because a lot of people (including writers) think redemption means "erasing the character's flaws and making it so they did nothing wrong ever", a lot of attempted "redemption arcs" just end up erasing a character's entire history or justifying every evil thing they've ever done. And yeah, in these cases, the only way to make a character go from a villain to a perfect cinnamon roll with no flaws *is* to have been planning it from the beginning and make sure they never do anything that can't be explained away later.

TLDR: real redemption arcs require a lot of self-awareness, patience, and growth, which are things that are rarely actually allocated to villains, and that's why real redemption arcs almost never get executed. The reason people think redemption arcs are overdone is because there are so many attempts to either humanize a villain that get misconstrued as redemption or attempts to blatantly erase who a character was in the name of "redemption", which is really just poor character development.

[cherriah-writes]

Some tips for using a few words to describe voices:

1. Tone Words: Use tone words to convey the emotional quality of a voice. For example, you can describe a voice as "melodic," "soothing," "sharp," "gentle," or "commanding" to give readers a sense of the tone.

2. Pitch and Range: Mention the pitch and range of the voice. Is it "deep," "high-pitched," "raspy," or "full-bodied"? This can provide insight into the character's age, gender, or emotional state.

3. Accent and Diction: Describe the character's accent or diction briefly to give a sense of their background or cultural influences. For instance, "British-accented," "Southern drawl," or "formal."

4. Volume: Mention the volume of the voice, whether it's "whispering," "booming," "murmuring," or "hushed."

5. Quality: Use terms like "velvet," "silken," "gravelly," "honeyed," or "crisp" to convey the texture or quality of the voice.

6. Rate of Speech: Describe how fast or slow the character speaks, using words like "rapid," "slurred," "measured," or "rambling."

7. Mood or Emotion: Indicate the mood or emotion carried by the voice. For example, a "quivering" voice may convey fear or anxiety, while a "warm" voice may express comfort and reassurance.

8. Resonance: Describe the resonance of the voice, such as "echoing," "nasal," "booming," or "tinny."

9. Timbre: Mention the timbre of the voice, using words like "rich," "thin," "clear," or "smoky."

10. Cadence: Highlight the rhythm or cadence of speech with descriptors like "staccato," "lilting," "rhythmic," or "halting."

11. Intonation: Convey the character's intonation by saying their voice is "sarcastic," "apologetic," "confident," or "questioning."

12. Vocal Characteristics: If applicable, mention unique vocal characteristics, like a "lisp," "stutter," "drawl," or "accented 'r'."

[cherriah-writes]

You find yourself in front of a door.

It's inky black. It seems like it could suck you in, trapping you in its thick liquid darkness forever.

What do you do?