“He had a classic western look about him: narrow, thin, with deep-set eyes and a bushy black mustache, its tips extending to his jawline. It was the kind of weathered look, Joe thought, that had once convinced the marketing team at Marlboro to hire the local Wyoming cowboy who’d brought them horses for their ad shoot instead of the male models they’d flown out from Hollywood.” (C. J. Box, Dark Sky)
Writing Exercise: Character Development through Specificity and Implied Backstory
Techniques Illustrated by the Quotation
1. Evocative Description Through Specificity
• The quotation uses vivid physical details (e.g., “deep-set eyes,” “bushy black mustache”) to create a striking and memorable image of the character.
2. Implying Backstory Through Context
• The comparison to a “local Wyoming cowboy” and the reference to the Marlboro ad campaign hint at the character’s authenticity, past, and connection to a specific cultural moment without explicitly stating it.
3. Perspective-Driven Description
• The description is filtered through Joe’s perspective, which gives it subjectivity and reveals as much about the observer (Joe) as the observed character.
Writing Prompt
Write a 500-word scene introducing a secondary character who embodies a particular quality (authenticity, danger, resilience, etc.) that the protagonist notices. Describe this character in a way that:
1. Uses precise, sensory details to paint a vivid picture of their appearance or behavior.
2. Hints at their past or personality through subtle contextual clues rather than exposition.
3. Filters the description through your protagonist’s unique perspective, revealing something about how the protagonist sees the world or feels in that moment.
For example, is your protagonist awed, intimidated, or annoyed by this character? Let their reaction shape how the reader perceives the secondary character.
Evaluation Criteria
1. Vivid and Memorable Details (30%)
• Strong: The character’s physical description includes unique, specific, and sensory details that make them stand out.
• Weak: The description relies on vague or clichéd details (e.g., “tall and handsome”).
2. Implied Backstory (30%)
• Strong: The character’s history or personality is hinted at through context, such as their clothing, posture, or an item they carry.
• Weak: The backstory is either absent or clumsily inserted as overt exposition.
3. Effective Perspective Filtering (40%)
• Strong: The protagonist’s emotional reaction shapes the description, adding depth to both characters.
• Weak: The description feels detached and could have been written by an omniscient narrator.
Follow-Up Questions for Workshopping/Revision
1. What specific details stand out to you about the secondary character? Are any descriptions too generic or unclear?
2. Does the implied backstory feel authentic and intriguing, or does it need refinement?
3. How does the protagonist’s reaction shape your perception of both characters? Does it reveal enough about the protagonist?
4. Are there opportunities to integrate sensory details more effectively?
Recommended Reading
“Cathedral” by Raymond Carver
• Focus on the introduction of the blind man, Robert. The narrator’s initial description of Robert reveals as much about the narrator’s biases and insecurities as it does about Robert’s appearance. Carver uses subtle, evocative details to hint at Robert’s personality and history.
Strong vs. Weak Responses
• Strong Response: The protagonist, a cautious journalist, describes a retired boxer as having “hands like swollen tree roots” and “a voice that carried the gravel of too many late-night matches.” The boxer’s choice of scuffed sneakers and a tattered leather journal suggests both financial struggle and lingering pride, while the protagonist’s unease reveals their tendency to judge too quickly.
• Weak Response: The protagonist describes the boxer as “a tall man with big hands who looked tough.” There is no sense of the boxer’s history or the protagonist’s perspective, and the description lacks specificity and emotional depth.
This exercise allows writers to build their ability to balance descriptive detail, implied narrative, and perspective, producing nuanced and multi-dimensional character introductions.
Regards
RAR
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