Physical Feature Entry: Noses

Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel ‘list-like’, while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight. 

One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help ‘tell the story’ about who your character is and what they’ve been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character’s physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.

Descriptors:  large, small, bulbous, aquiline, Grecian, spreading, squashed, bumpy, humped, crooked, broken, bloody, straight, hooked, pert, button, flat…

Noises Noses Make:  sniffle, snuffle, sniff, whistle, huff, wheeze, snore, snort, blow, honk, gurgle, puff, inhale, exhale

Key Emotions and Related Nose Gestures: 
When someone is feeling defensive, smug, or proud, the nose will lift, along with the head, shoulders, and overall bearing. It also lifts when a smell is detected. Noses run when people cry, giving the voice a stopped-up, nasal quality to indicate sadness. Disgust or contempt is displayed…

HINT: When describing any part of the body, try to use cues that show the reader more than just a physical description. Make your descriptions do double duty. Example (in honor of the long-awaited Hobbit movie): 

    Round the corner came a black horse, no hobbit-pony but a full-sized horse; and on it sat a large man, who seemed to crouch in the saddle, wrapped in a great black hood and cloak, so that only his boots in the high stirrups showed below; his face was shadowed and invisible.
    When it reached the tree and was level with Frodo, the horse stopped. The riding figure sat quite still with its head bowed, as if listening. From inside the hook came a noise as of someone sniffling to catch an elusive scent.

I like this example because there’s no real description of any physical features. Tolkien only uses the Black Rider’s crouched posture and its nose to underscore the creature’s evil.

BONUS TIP: The Color, Texture, and Shape Thesaurus might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above! 

Describe your character’s features in a way that reveals more than just a physical description. Show what he looks like while also reinforcing his personality and emotional state, thereby doing more with less.

Need concrete examples of how to describe your character in a compelling, magnetic way? Good news! This thesaurus has been integrated into our online library at One Stop For Writers. There, you can find help with metaphors and similes, as well as the best ways to describe your character using movement. The entire Physical Feature collection is cross-referenced and linked for easy navigation. If you’re interested in seeing a free sampling of the updated Physical Feature Thesaurus and our other descriptive collections, head on over and register at One Stop!