Meghan

How to Keep Writing When Your Life Blows Up

Life happens. People fight, get divorced, get fired, and lose loved ones. When these things like this happen in your life, writing can understandably become a much lower priority.

It can also be much harder to write if a major source of stress is requiring so much of your mental energy.

Life happens to all of us at one point or another and it’s fine to take a break from writing to manage it, but it’s also important to keep writing when your life blows up.

As much as you may need to reconfigure your life, it’s important not to let a set back stop you from achieving your writing goals.

After all, writing is important to you.

How to Keep Writing When Your Life Blows Up

Here are some ways to keep writing when your life blows up:

Abandon your schedule/plan

When you’re dealing with a majorly stressful situation, it’s important to limit your stress in as many other areas of your life as possible. This can start with writing.

Ditch your plan and schedule and find a victory in simply moving your project forward, even if it’s only a little bit. Write what you can, when you can.

It’s okay if it’s just a page or a sentence, or an eighth of the work you normally do. You don’t even have to like or be happy with what you’ve written.

Let it be enough that you wrote something. And let yourself off the hook for the work you didn’t get to.

Take time off when you need it

It’s okay not to show up every planned writing day. Real life problems can be time-consuming and draining.

It’s okay if you have a day, or stretch of days, where you don’t have the time or the energy to write. Let yourself take the time away from your work without feeling guilty or worried about how behind you’re getting.

But also, be careful not to let this become a habit. The longer you go without writing the harder it will be to fit it back into your life again. If you find that you’ve gone a whole month without writing at all, consider some tips from point #1 and try to write something, even if it’s only a sentence.

How to Keep Writing When Your Life Blows Up - in photo is Meghan Rogers' writing advice

Let writing be your escape

Trying to fit writing in when everything else is going to hell can sometimes feel like a burden and a chore.

But if you can, try to reframe the task in your mind so your story becomes your escape.

There’s a good chance your real life problem will start to feel all-consuming. So dive into your own fictional world for a half-hour or so and let your book completely monopolize your brain.

This might be easier said than done, but if you can find the time and the headspace, you may find writing to be refreshing and rejuvenating.

Let writing help you sort through your emotions

If you can’t seem to get yourself in the right frame of mind to escape your problem, consider using writing to process your situation and emotions.

Put your characters in a similar situation as you. Or if that’s a little too on the nose, try putting them in a situation where they might be feeling what your feeling but in a different context.

If you need to temporarily abandon the project you’re working on, that’s fine! It’s better to keep writing and write something different than to stop writing altogether because you’re not feeling up to working on your work in progress.

In fact, here’s an article from Bustle on 7 Health Benefits of Writing and Journaling.

Remember why you’re doing this

There is a reason you’re writing. You probably love it.

Maybe it makes you happy and whole. Maybe it helps you make sense of and give meaning to the world. These things are most likely true no matter what you’ve got going on in your life.

Let those reasons anchor you to your work–even if it’s only for a few moments a day or a few moments a week.

Remember why this matters to you, and why it was important enough to fit into your life in the first place. As long as you hold on to why this matters to you, you’ll be able to find your way back to the page.

How to Keep Writing When Your Life Blows Up - in photo is Meghan Rogers' writing tip

I hope this helps you to keep writing when your life blows up on you.

Now it’s your turn: Do you keep writing when life blows up? If you do, how do you do it? If you don’t, how do you get back on track? Tell me about it in the comments!

The Best Way to Get Writing Feedback: 4 Writing Tips

By Meghan Leave a Comment

Welcome to Part Two of the Writing Feedback series! Today we’re going to look at why you should ask for writing feedback in stages.

Be sure to check out the other parts in this series here!

As we talked about in Part One of this series, getting writing feedback is important! And it’s usually best if you have several early readers so you have the benefit of a handful of perspectives.

Once you find your early readers, it might be tempting to give everyone your shiny new book right away. However, I would suggest instead starting with one or two early readers at a time.

Then make changes based on their feedback, give the revision to another early reader, and repeat this process until you’ve run out of readers.

The Best Way to Get Writing Feedback: 4 Writing Tips

I’m a big believer in staggering writing feedback like this. In fact, it’s a major factor in my writing process. Here are four reasons why I’ve found this approach to be insanely beneficial:

You get fresh eyes with each revision

This is the biggest reason why I use this method.

A reader can only experience your story for the first time once. Once they read it, they’ll point out things that are confusing or don’t make sense about your book. If you’re like me, you’ll also discuss possible solutions with your early reader. This means your reader will know what you want to happen and how you want to fix the issues.

Once you make the changes, it makes sense to have the person who gave you the feedback look over the revision. However, since this person has more background information because of your discussion, it’s possible they won’t be able to pick up on the problems in the same way a new reader would.

But if you’ve saved some of your early readers for later, you can give your book to a fresh set of eyes, see what issues they point out, and check in with them about the changes or clarifications you made based on your previous reader’s feedback.

This can give you more confidence that you’ve addressed your book’s issues effectively.

You can play to your readers’ strengths

I have about five to seven early readers, and something I’ve learned over the years is that they all have different strengths.

Some are stronger big-picture thinkers, while others are better at digging into the more technical grammar and logistical details of a story, and others have varying degrees in between.

The Best Way to Get Writing Feedback: 4 Writing Tips - in photo: writing tip by Meghan Rogers

Big Picture thinkers are more helpful with earlier drafts. They can often spot bigger character/plot problems and scenes that are either out of place or not working. Their strengths lie in giving developmental feedback that can make your story stronger and more complete.

Meanwhile, grammar and technical questions aren’t all that helpful in early drafts. It doesn’t make much sense to correct grammar and iron out the logistics of a scene if that scene really needs to be cut or rewritten.

This type of feedback is essential in the later stages of a draft. Before you send it to an agent or editor, you want to make sure your grammar is as clean as you can make it and the logistics of your story make sense.

If you learn the strengths of your reader, staggering your feedback puts you in the position to get the best possible critique at each stage of your novel.

Too much feedback can give you too much to think about

The good and bad thing about writing is that it’s all subjective. This means that there is no true “right” way to read something. However, that also means it’s possible to get conflicting feedback and conflicting advice.

In the end, it all comes down to you, the writer. You need to decide what changes you will make to your story. And it can be hard to make a decision that feels right for your book if your thoughts are getting pulled in too many different directions.

If you only give your book to one or two readers at a time, you have more control over the amount of feedback you’re getting at once. This makes it easier to evaluate each opinion and make a decision that feels right for your story without getting overwhelmed.

The Best Way to Get Writing Feedback: 4 Writing Tips - in photo: writing tip by Meghan Rogers: If you only give your book to one or two readers at a time, you have more control over the amount of feedback you're getting at once.

It helps build your confidence

Sharing and talking about your novel for the first time can be a little nerve wracking. If you let one (supportive) person read your book at a time, it can help you get used to your work being read.

And if you’ve chosen your readers correctly, by the time you’re ready to share it with the world, you’ll feel supported, encouraged, and proud of the progress your book has made. You’ll know that you have a handful of ideal readers who like and believe in the book you wrote.

Even if others don’t like your book, you can take comfort in the fact that readers like your early readers are out there. You just have to find them!

I hope this helps you get better writing feedback!

You can find the rest of the feedback series here!

Now it’s your turn: How do you get your writing feedback? Have you tried getting your feedback in stages? If you have, did it help? Tell me about it in the comments and follow me on Instagram!

The Importance of Writing for the Right Reasons

By Meghan 5 Comments

One thing I’ve heard a lot about over the years is writers talking about giving up.

I’m sure you’ve heard it too. Sometimes it comes from a writer who’s been published sharing how close they came to giving up. Sometimes it’s someone who hasn’t been published yet and wondering how much longer they should keep writing.

With that in mind, I have something to confess: Not once in my ten-year quest for publication did I ever consider giving up. And not once did I doubt that I would be published someday.

My secret?

Ironically, I got very comfortable with the idea that I might never be published. Because of that, I found other reasons to write.

The Importance of Writing for the Right Reasons

Once I found other reasons to write, I knew I would be writing for the rest of my life whether anyone ever published me or not. And once I decided I would be writing for the rest of my life, publication start to feel inevitable–whether it happened in my twenties or in my sixties.

Publishing can validate you, but I don’t think a lack of a publishing credit should invalidate you.

Publishers, editors, and agents may stand between you and your publishing dreams, but they don’t stand between you and your writing. That experience is solely and completely yours. You get to own that, whether anyone likes what your writing or not.

The more you write the better you will get. That’s how writing works. So, the key to reaching your writing goals, whatever they may be, is to keep writing.

It’s a lot easier to keep writing if you’re writing for the right reasons. Here are a few to consider:

Meghan Rogers shares The Importance of Writing for the Right Reasons - in photo: person reading

Because it makes you happy

This, I believe, is the best reason.

Admittedly, I’m biased, because it’s also my biggest reason, but I think if you can write for yourself and your own happiness first and foremost, it makes it a lot easier to persevere until you reach your writing goals.

If you write because it makes you happy, “good” doesn’t matter. Publishing doesn’t matter. And yet, the more the more write and the more you learn, the better you will get.

You will get closer to good and get closer to being published, simply by focusing on telling a story that makes you happy the best that you possibly can.

Because it connects you to people like you

Writers often see the world differently than other people. As cool as it can be to have a unique perspective, it can also be a little isolating.

Connecting with other writers can help you find people who see the world more like you do–who see a mess of stories and perspectives and outlooks.

Connecting with the writing world through classes and social media can help you feel more supported, which can help you keep going.

Because it helps you interpret and make sense of the world

Typically, writers are people who search for clarity and understanding. Writing can help us find that.

It forces us to slow down and lock in on our own thoughts and beliefs. This brings a greater understanding to both our world and ourselves, which I believe makes us happier and more productive people.

Meghan Rogers shares The Importance of Writing for the Right Reasons - in photo: Writing tip: Not once in my ten-year quest for publication did I ever consider giving up. And not once did I doubt that I would be published someday.

Because maybe you can express an idea another person has been searching for

Have you ever read a book or watched a show/movie/play and had a character express an exact emotion you have felt but have never been able to put into words? I know I have.

There’s a power in speaking for your audience like that–in being able to be their voice.

That power doesn’t come from publication. It comes from writing. This is true regardless of if your audience is global or just your close friends and family.

Because no one else is going to have your perspective

No one will ever see the world exactly as you do. No one is going to put words together like you will. Writing is a way to record what you think, feel, and believe.

Publishing may help you share your work, but you don’t need it to record your perspective. This is how you can use your voice.

Because you only get one chance to leave your mark on this world

If you have a story inside you, write it!

Life may be full of second chances, but you only get one chance at life. Your work will almost certainly matter to someone whether it’s published or not. If you want to write, you should write. Leave your mark on the world and your readers while you still can.

Because connecting with readers is a true gift

We are lucky to live in the age of the internet where there are so many options to share our work. Between sites like Wattpad, and the ability to easily digitally self-publish with Amazon, there are plenty of ways to get your work to readers on your own terms.

There are few joys of writing that exceeded connecting with someone who has read and appreciated your work. That connection is real regardless of if you’re published or not.

Because being about to say you do something you love is worth more than any job can ever pay you

It is a privilege to get paid to do what you love, but I don’t show up every day to write for money.

I show up every day because I am my best self when I do. Writing matters so much more to me than anyone can put a price tag on.

I love the act of writing so much that if I didn’t get published, I was fully prepared to work a boring job that paid enough and wasn’t in any way mentally taxing.

Because nothing was more important to me than doing what I loved, whether anyone paid me for it or not. I found that writing out of love takes the pressure of publication off and brings more joy to both my life and my writing.

Because if you don’t give up, someone might just pay you someday

Publishing shouldn’t be the reason to write, but that doesn’t mean it can’t be a reason to write.

And I think you’ll find if it’s not your main motivator, it’ll get easier to keep writing no matter the criticism or odds.

Additionally, if you’re not writing for publishing and bestseller fame, it puts you in a position to be happy with any publishing situation you find yourself in. Whether it’s a small press or major publisher, whether your book does incredibly well or incredibly poorly.

It will be enough to have made it that far, regardless of the outcome. Write for reasons other than publishing, and publishing will never disappoint you.

I hope this helps you find the best reason for writing!

Now it’s your turn: Why do you write? Tell me about it in the comments!

Getting Good Writing Feedback: How to Find the Right Early Readers

By Meghan 5 Comments

Feedback is an important aspect of the writing process, but it can also be a bit of process in and of itself.

When I sat down to do a post on the subject, I realized how many levels to feedback back there actually are. Which is why this will be the first post in a four-part feedback series.

This post deals with how to find people to give you feedback. Part Two will focus on the importance of staggering your feedback, Part 3 will discuss how to give feedback, and Part 4 will look at how to evaluate the feedback you get.

Getting Good Writing Feedback: How to Find the Right Early Readers

Today, we’re going to look at how to find the right early readers for your books!

It’s important to find people who can give you feedback as you draft and revise, but it can also be unhelpful and discouraging if you ask the wrong person to critique your work.

Not every reader is going to be your reader. Here are a few things to look for when you search for the right early readers for your books:

Meghan Rogers shares Getting Good Writing Feedback - in photo: woman reading

People who have the same taste in books/entertainment as you

It’s nice if they’re also writers, but they don’t have to be. They just have to be high-quality entertainment consumers who like the types of stories you’re trying to write.

They also should be good at understanding the basics of story construction and be able to identify a story’s problems.

How can you find out if someone has these qualities? Talk to them about books and shows you like and dislike and why.

The why is the most important element. If that person has the same taste in entertainment as you and is able to thoughtfully critique and explain their reasoning, there’s a good chance they’ll be able to do the same for you and your book.

People who can find the gems in the roughest of drafts

It’s important to have a reader who can see a draft not just for what it is, but for what it could be.

This is a very special skill. Most people are conditioned to read polished, published products, so seeing the strengths in a rough draft can be a real challenge for them. A good early reader will be able to sift through the problems and make note of them, but still find what’s working and be able to get excited about it. Which leads me to point three–

Meghan Rogers shares Getting Good Writing Feedback - in photo: writing tip: It's important to find people who can give you feedback on your writing, but it can also be unhelpful if you ask the wrong person. Not every eader is going to be your reader.

People who can be both critical and encouraging

You really do need both. I’ve heard some writers say they want an early reader or an editor who will tear their book apart, not tell them what they want to hear.

And while I think those are both fairly good qualities in someone who is giving feedback, I think it’s equally as important for that person to be able to tell you what is working well and why.

I’m not necessarily saying they should tell you what you want to hear, but they should give positive attention to you book when something speaks to them.

There are two reasons for this. First, and most importantly, I like to know what’s working so I can pull from those places and create a more consistent book.

So if I were to get a note from an earlier reader that said something like, “Chapter eight is a little uneventful,” it would also be good to hear “wow, the tension in chapter fifteen is fantastic!”

This way, I can look at chapter fifteen, figure out what I did and why that’s working, and then try to replicate it to fix the problem in chapter eight.

The second reason is, quite simply, it’s A LOT of work to write a book. As much as you need people to be honest, you also need support.

If your early reader can’t support you and encourage you regardless of the number of problems they find, then they may not be the best early reader for you and your work.

People who think differently than you

New perspectives and insights will make your story better! I know when I’m writing, I often get so locked into my story that when I find a problem, it can be hard for me to see the number of possible solutions.

Having early readers who approach problems differently will help open you up to the number of different directions your book can go in.

I’ve found that even if I don’t take a direct suggestion from one of my early readers, nearly every suggestion they make helps me think about my story differently and consider an angle that hadn’t occurred to me prior to talking with them.

This helps widen the world of my story.

Meghan Rogers shares Getting Good Writing Feedback - in photo: writing tip: A good early reader will be able to sift through the problems and make note of them, but still find what's working and be able to get excited about it.

Places to find these people

You might consider taking a writing class at a local college or community center or joining an organization. Not only is the good for your writing in general, these are also great places to look for early readers!

And if your early reader happens to also be a writer, you can offer to be an early reader for them in return! But remember, these readers don’t have to be writers, so, you might want to check out book clubs and library groups too.

Before you agree to let someone read your work, make sure you get to know your potential reader’s taste in books/entertainment. (See point #1.)

Then once you know they have a passion for the same types of books and stories as you, float the idea that you’re a writer working on a book. In my experience, it’s best if you can get someone to offer to read your book–especially if they’re not a writer and you can’t offer a critique in return.

You can, of course, ask, but keep in mind that some people will just say yes because they don’t know how to say no.

And while this is something for them to work on, it’s also something you can be negatively impacted by. You will get better and more thoughtful feedback from people who truly want to help as opposed to people who say yes out of obligation.

However, if you know someone well enough to know they’ll give you an honest answer, by all means, ask away!

How I find my readers

Here’s another place to look for early readers: your own friend groups. That’s where I found all of my early readers.

Now, I recognize that I’m extremely lucky to have friends that get writing and storytelling. You definitely shouldn’t trust your book to a reader just because they are a friend.

But don’t overlook your friends just because they may not all be writers. Your friends often get you and what you like better than most people, which can put them in a position to help you make the book you want to make.

I hope this helps you find some awesome early readers for your writing!

It may take some trial and error to find the right set of reliable early readers, but trust me when I say they are worth looking for. My early readers have been essential to the strength and development of my stories and I couldn’t imagine writing anything without their feedback.

You can find the rest of this series here!

Now it’s your turn: Do you have early readers? If you do, how did you find them and how do they help? If you don’t, what’s been your biggest challenge in finding one or concern about having one? Tell me about it in the comments and follow me on Instagram!

4 Great Sources of Inspiration for Writers: Writing Tips

By Meghan Leave a Comment

There are plenty of sayings about writing and inspiration.

Most center around the idea that if you want to be productive, you can’t always wait for inspiration to strike. And while I think that’s mostly true, I also think you need inspiration to spark a story and get you started.

4 Great Sources of Inspiration for Writers: Writing Tips

Every story is inspired by something or someone. Inspiration for writers is everywhere, but it can also be fickle. It may not always come to you; sometimes you need to go to it.

With that in mind, here are four places to look for your next story idea:

Untold stories

If there has ever been an idea or character from a book/movie/TV show that you’ve wanted to know more about, create your own version of that character and world to explore. This source of inspiration is one of my favorites!

It’s actually how I got the idea for Crossing the Line. After seeing The Avengers, I found myself really interested in the character of Black Widow.

4 Great Sources of Inspiration for Writers: Writing Tips - in photo: man and woman running

I hadn’t known much about the character coming in, but one thing that’s made pretty clear in the movie is that Black Widow wasn’t always one of the “good guys.”

In fact, at one point, she worked for the enemy. I became fascinated with what the transition from enemy to ally would have been like. The movie didn’t dig into this idea at all, so I created my own spy and spy world to explore this concept.

You can do this with any story that you love or are intrigued by.

What ifs

What if there was life on Mars? So, what if time travel was possible? What if pigs could fly?

Pick a fact that is most definitely false and explore a world where it’s true. Or vice-versa, pick a fact that is most definitely true and explore a world where it’s false.

For this idea, start by making a running list of “what ifs.” No idea is too absurd or ridiculous.

When you find one that’s really interesting to you, do an exploratory freewrite and see if it’s an idea you can turn into a story.

Flip a Cliche

Make a practiced story idea new again by doing the opposite of what readers have come to expect.

For example, the cliche: two people for different worlds desperately want to be together but can’t. Instead: Two people from different worlds want nothing to do with each other but are stuck together. (And they NEVER warm up to one another.)

4 Great Sources of Inspiration for Writers: Writing Tips: in photo: Meghan Rogers shares a writing tip: If there has ever been an idea of character from a book/movie/TV show that you've wanted to know more about, create your own version of that character and world to explore.

Or, cliche: The chosen one rises to the occasion to fight the big bad and save the world. Instead: The chose one wants no part of being the hero, never gets their act together, and your characters have to find some other way to not die.

The possibilities are endless! This is another favorite of mine. The idea for a current project came from this source of inspiration, not to mention a handful of ideas in the past.

For this idea, brainstorm your favorite stories and see if you can pick out some of their more cliche storylines, or take note of any storyline you’ve seen repeatedly.

Then flip each of those cliches and choose your favorite to write about.

Find something in real life and explore it deeply

Go to a public place. Find someone who captures your attention. What draws you to them?

Turn this person into a character by creating a story backstory for them, then develop a world for them to live in.

Or! Take a walk or a drive and find a location that either grabs your interest or a location you’ve overlooked in the past.

Develop a story about that place and the people who frequent it. There is plenty of inspiration for writers all around us every day, so be on the lookout!

I hope you find these sources of inspiration for writers helpful!

All of these ideas are just points to jump of off. Don’t be afraid to let your stories take on a life of their own, even if they deviate from the original source of inspiration.

Now it’s your turn: Where do you get your inspiration from? Is there a source of inspiration for writers that I missed? Is there a source that’s inspired you in the past you found surprising? Tell me about it in the comments!

The Best Way to Describe Characters: 6 Writing Tips

By Meghan 8 Comments

Writing any kind of description can be a fine line.

If you share too much, you risk taking your reader out of your story. If you don’t share enough, you leave your reader confused.

So, what about when it comes time to describe characters? Characters are important, and there’s a lot a writer can potentially describe. Selecting the most important details can be overwhelming.

There is no true “right” way to describe a character–it’s all a matter of preference–but in my opinion, a lot of writers waste words describing the wrong details.

So, there may not be a “right” way to describe a character, but if you ask me, there is a “best” way to describe characters, which is what I’m going to talk about today.

You by no means have to follow the same philosophy, but hopefully it at least gives you something to think about.

For any kind of description, there’s a rule I like to follow; if readers don’t need to know, don’t tell them.

Here’s how I apply that rule when I describe characters:

The Best Way to Describe Characters: 6 Writing Tips

What a reader does need to know:

There are a few touchstones we’ll get into, but to me, the biggest is anything that defines the character personally or emotionally.

These are the elements that readers will connect with. They’ll see these qualities in themselves, their friends, their family members, or the people they’ve encountered over time. These are the details that make your characters real.

These are also the character details that drive your story. Their personality and temperament tell you how they will react in the different situations you put them in. Which is why you want to give them most of your attention when you describe characters.

Here’s three areas I focus on when I describe characters:

1) Their personality

This is the most important element to describe. This tells us who your character is and why readers should care.

Are they kind? Are they loud? How do they react under pressure? Do they reassure others, or are they the ones who need to be reassured? Do they thank the waiter at a restaurant or talk down to them?

This list could go on. If you’re looking for tips on developing your character, check out this post with three tips to create strong characters.

2) Their quirks

Do they pick at their fingernails? Or are they incapable of looking someone in the eye? Anything that makes your character unique or adds to their behavior should be described.

3)Their energy

Does the room fall silent when your character enters? Or does everyone else get tense simply because this person is present? Do they instill confidence?

The energy your character carries and how the dynamic of a room changes when they enter says A LOT about who your character is, how others see them, and the role they play. Take time to describe it.

The Best Way to Describe Characters: 6 Writing Tips - in photo: Writing Tip by Meghan Rogers: For any kind of description, there's a rule I like to follow; if readers don't need to know, don't tell them.

What a reader doesn’t need to know:

A character’s physical appearance. Now sure, there should be some description here, but it should be minimal. In my opinion, a lot of writers have a habit of giving too much here.

There are a few reasons behind this school of thought. First, from a practical standpoint, you only have so many words you can cram into a book. You can use those words describing what a character looks like or you can capture their personality and behaviors.

As we talked about, the latter tells readers a lot more about the character than the former, which is why I rarely waste my word count on appearance.

Additionally, as a reader, I don’t really care all that much about what a character looks like. It’s not like watching a movie. I don’t have to physically recognize a character when they walk on to the page. As a reader, I recognize the energy, dynamic, and personality they bring to a scene more than anything.

Also, I think one of the joys of writing books is that we do not work alone.

Half of the story belongs to the writer, but the other half belongs to the reader and their imagination.

I tell the reader what I need them to know in order for me to tell my half of the story effectively. Everything else I leave up to them.

I believe that the less detail you give, the more of an opportunity readers have to see themselves in the characters. This allows the reader to take some ownership of the story, which I think makes it more fun for everyone.

Here are some guidelines I use for a character’s physical description:

1) I shoot for one defining physical characteristic for each character

Maybe it’s their hair, eye color, or something about their size. This gives the reader something to latch onto while still giving them plenty of room to imagine the character as they’d like.

The Best Way to Describe Characters: 6 Writing Tips - in photo: Writing Tip by Meghan Rogers: The energy your character carries and how the dynamic of a room changes when they enter says A LOT about who your character is, how others see them, and the role they play.

2) Any important marks, scars, or physical feature that is in some way adds to my character’s story or personality

For example, in Crossing the Line, I mention my main character has a circular burn scar near her left ear. This scar acts as a vehicle to her past and plays a small role in the story. And going off the point above, I gave my character thick curly hair as her distinguishing feature because I knew I wanted her to use her hair to hide that scar.

This would also be where you can include a character’s race or ethnicity. I typically only use this detail if a character’s race or ethnicity is absolutely necessary to tell the story I want to tell.

If I don’t need to assign a character a race/ethnicity, I don’t. This is because if a reader really connects with a character, I want to remove as many barriers as possible between them and that character. I don’t want them to feel more removed from a character if they’re Asian and I arbitrarily decided the character was something other than Asian.

Representation is important, and we need more books that tell different stories and experiences! But if I’m not telling the story of a specific race or cultural experience, than I believe in doing my best to make my characters as accessible as possible to whomever they may connect with.

Again, this is just my personal philosophy, but it doesn’t have to be yours.

3) How they move

Do they strut? Shuffle? Wander aimlessly? Do they have some kind of compulsive behavior? These features tell us a lot about their self-image and state of mind.

If you’re looking for help describing body language and gestures, Bryn Donovan has a Master List you can check out!

I leave every other physical detail to the reader.

I hope this helps when you describe your characters!

Now it’s your turn: What description do you focus on for your characters? As a reader, what do you care most about? Tell me about it in the comments. If you have any tips to share, you can leave them there as well!