Wynderlon.com: the feverish writings of a feverish mind.

April 24, 2007:

Hairstyles and boobs

I was trying to describe a new character today in the novel I am currently working on, Morgan (working title). I wanted her to have a very perky-high-schooler haircut which wasn’t a ponytail. I found myself prowling Wikipedia, which has a very impressive list of hairstyles. I learned what a Quiff was, I’ve always wondered.

However, in the end I chose something I wore myself sometimes: loose-bunned pigtails. You know the kind, right, where the hair is loosely held together creating a kind of U-shape? It was surprisingly difficult to describe a hairstyle (it still is!) and usually I mention hairstyles quickly. I like to describe little things about my character, like what hairstyle they have with an outfit, because I think it creates not only an interesting mental picture, but it also tells a little about the character. For example, someone wearing a mohawk will get a different reaction than someone wearing a buzz cut, right?

The second problem I came into contact with was boobs. It had to do with the same character, Mika (”meek-ah”). When I originally came up with Mika’s character, I immediately knew that she and Morgan would have a rivalry between them. In many ways, they are very similar, yet it is perhaps because of this similarity they create rivalry. Anyway, Mika also has large breasts (I imagine size D or DD) but I was surprised how hard it was to describe. How do you tastefully say it? I didn’t want to say, “Oh, by the way, she had big boobs.” I’m not writing a porno here! But, since Mika’s character is very loosely inspired by Naga from Slayers, they are a feature. I also don’t want to be called anti-feminist or promoting low self-esteem in women. I hope that it can be taken lightly, like I mean it.

It’s surprising how things you never think may be difficult in writing end up being quite difficult! First, I agonized over a haircut, then I agonized over how to describe Mika. After about half an hour deleting and re-wording, I ended up with this:

Morgan suspected that a reason for Mika’s success was because she did not look like a smuggler. There was nothing shady or off-putting about her. In fact, Mika looked like a high schooler, although she was probably in her mid- or late twenties. She had strawberry-blonde hair that she kept long. Right now, she had styled it into pigtails of loose curly-cue buns. It looked quick and yet charming. She had a small nose, tight, well-formed lips, and high cheekbones which always seemed rosy. Her brown eyes were fringed with dark lashes, and her eyebrows were auburn and carefully plucked. She wore a peasant shirt with ruffle at the low V-shaped collar, and tight jeans. Mika always played her sex appeal. She was attractive in that healthy, girl-next-door way. She was slim and toned, with long legs, and huge breasts, something Morgan couldn’t help noticing every time she saw her. Mika often preferred low-cut tops or tight tops. Morgan, who viewed Mika more with a rivalry similar to siblings than as a friend, often would joke about Mika’s endowments, leading to quarrels between them. But, whatever their outward interactions or appearances, the two worked well together and kept a mutually beneficial acquaintance.

And now we’ve got a new character in the story! I actually like Mika’s character quite a bit, and since I spent so much time trying to figure out her appearance, I may have to make up one of my Himani’s Never Fails Indepth Character Sheets (tm ) for her and give her more page-time.

11:07 pm | Category: Writing | |

Comments RSS Feed

TrackBack URL

Leave a Reply