Draw a sketch of your character!

Ideas

Clothes, face, eyes, nose, mouth, hair, hands, body, smell, voice, habits, actions, personality… DO NOT write in full sentences here – brief notes / words will do!

(Description of old Juan Schiaffino from ‘Sparrowlegs’)

Until that cold, February morning. A thin cloak of fog was lifting when I saw him for the first time. Standing in my front garden, my hands trembled with sharp, painful cold.

He was in a silver wheelchair, with a thick, red blanket draped over his knees. Somebody was pushing him up the path of ‘Shell Green’ cottage. I held my breath. Tears invaded the whites of my eyes. I tore up my welcome card I’d made for the Harvey boys.

Slumped in that rickety old chair, an old aged pensioner sat. On the top of his bald head, a few tangled hairs blew in the wind like grey, dancing spiders. He was covered in long, thin wrinkles, etched into his face like deep scars. He was half asleep. Half dead I suppose.

Peering at him, I slowly shook my head. My mouth closed as my eyes narrowed. A long, unhappy sigh escaped through my dry lips. I released a sad, cloudy breath into the cold air.

It’s a good idea to slip your reader information about your character throughout your story. You don’t have to write it all at once! Here’s an example:

‘What’s the answer to number seven, Olivia?’ Louise asked, flicking her thick, blonde fringe out of her blue eyes. She puffed out a long blow, peering at her pink, glossy nails as she waited for Olivia’s answer.

‘Err, I hope you two aren’t talking,’ Mr Hunt asked, displaying his yellow, stained teeth as he walked through a line of desks in the examination hall.

Here’s another one!

‘We’re going to be late now!’ Mum screamed, stamping her brown leather boot onto the floor. ‘Hurry up!’

Whilst Mum buttoned up her red, woollen cardigan, Dad sprinted down the stairs, the soles of his slippers almost scorching the carpet.

‘I can’t find my car keys, love,’ Dad panted, pushing his long fingers through his brown, wiry hair. ‘I think they’re on the study – hold on a mo!’