Home
>
Writing
>
How To Filter Description Through Your Characters

How To Filter Description Through Your Characters

How do you describe a scene without slowing down the pace of your novel? What do you include? What do you leave out? Here's a neat trick: use your own experiences as a guide.

When we encounter a new setting or new experience, all our senses are on the alert. While we may not be conscious of it, we are using filtering that experience in our own unique ways. We react to what is happening according to the following:

1. Our Prior Experiences

Remember the scene in "Pretty Woman" where the heroine has her first experience of the Opera? Her reaction was vastly different to that of someone who might take such outings for granted - someone who had been accustomed to going to the Opera all her life. If you are poor, you tend to take for granted humble surroundings; but you notice the trappings of the rich. You may envy the rich, or you may feel that this is a lifestyle that is totally foreign to you, and you prefer a simpler life. If you are used to speaking in one language, you feel all at sea if you are surrounded by foreigners.

Make sure you show your character's reactions in a way that fits with her prior experiences.

2. How Things Affect Our Senses

We all experience the world through our five senses, but a blind man will rely on other senses more than those who have good eyesight. The situation will determine which sense comes to the fore with your viewpoint character. If we're in a bakery, we tend to notice the delicious SMELLS before anything else. If we're trudging home in the rain, cold and wet, we notice the way things FEEL against our skin - cold, clammy, wet. If we're in a dark room we rely on what we hear. When you are showing your character's reactions, don't automatically describe what he or she SEES. Think about the situation, and decide whether one of the other senses might be more appropriate.

3. Imagine Yourself In That Situation

To write effectively, try to BECOME the viewpoint character. Imagine what it would be like for you to experience the same thing. Which of your senses would be paramount? What would YOU notice? How would your prior experiences affect the way you react?

4. Show Only What is Important to the Viewpoint Character

Many beginning writers fall into the trap of trying to describe everything. These often become the sections that readers skip over, because they don't want to sit down and read pages of lyrical description about the countryside, or about the mansion that the heroine finds herself in. Nor do they want to read a laundry-list of what a character might see in a room.

Show the character in action. Imagine yourself looking out through the character's eyes, and show ONLY WHAT IS RELEVANT. As one writing teacher I know puts it, "when you're jumping a fence to run from the bad guys, you don't have time to admire the sunset."

Bottom line? FILTER EVERYTHING THROUGH CHARACTER. Stick to that basic rule and you won't go too far wrong.

Marg McAlister has published magazine articles, short stories, books for children, ezines, promotional material, sales letters and web content. She has written 5 distance education courses on writing, and her online help for writers is popular all over the world. Sign up for her regular writers' tipsheet at http://www.writing4success.com/

bathroom cleaning service Northbrook ..

In The News:

Data removal from brokers protects against AI-powered scams and deepfake threats in 2026. Learn how data brokers sell your personal information to scammers.

Learn how to act against cybercriminals in 2026 with essential security steps like two-factor authentication, software updates and credit freezing.

Choose between OpenAI releasing Sora text-to-video model, the AI race heating up, or Waymo driverless cars launching in cities across the country

Learn how to set up Google Maps and Apple Maps on your phone to automatically remember where you parked. Step-by-step instructions for enabling location services and parking detection.

Phishing scammers use rnicrosoft.com domain to impersonate Microsoft by replacing "m" with "rn" in typosquatting attacks that steal login credentials.

OpenAI announces new teen safety rules for ChatGPT users under 18, blocking romantic roleplay and requiring extra caution on body image topics.

A 2025 data breach at fintech company 700Credit exposes personal information of more than 5.8 million people through compromised third-party integration partner.

Retailers lose $76.5 billion annually to return fraud as nearly 10% of U.S. retail returns involve fraudulent activity, with $850 billion in returns expected in 2025.

ShinyHunters claims responsibility for stealing 94GB of Pornhub user data affecting over 200 million records and demands Bitcoin ransom.

ChatGPT 2025 now connects to Apple Music, Canva, Expedia, TripAdvisor and OpenTable through built-in apps that help users create playlists, design graphics and more.

Apple releases emergency patches for two zero-day vulnerabilities actively exploited in attacks. iPhone and iPad users urged to update immediately.

DoorDash launches Zesty, an AI-powered social app that recommends restaurants through conversational search, now testing in San Francisco and New York.

Cybersecurity firm Infoblox reveals that over 90 percent of parked domains now redirect visitors to scams and malware, making simple typos extremely dangerous.

The Fox News AI Newsletter covers the latest artificial intelligence technology advancements, including the challenges and opportunities AI presents now and for the future.

GPT-5.2 is now live for all ChatGPT users with improved coding, writing and image interpretation, with Kurt Knutsson offering his review.

New iPhone replacement scam uses pressure tactics and fake carrier calls to steal devices from buyers. Criminals claim shipping errors and demand urgent returns.

Amazon Ring's new facial recognition feature sparks privacy controversy as Electronic Frontier Foundation critics argue the AI upgrade expands surveillance risks.

New Android banking trojan Sturnus steals credentials, reads encrypted messages and controls devices.

Denmark's 3D-printed student village proves automation builds 36 apartments faster than traditional methods. Skovsporet project shows housing future.

Discover Android's new Sound Notifications feature that alerts you to smoke alarms, doorbells, and baby cries even when wearing headphones.

New SantaStealer malware reportedly threatens holiday shoppers with password theft. This Christmas-themed info-stealer targets browsers and crypto wallets.

The Christmas season brings a surge in Netflix phishing scams targeting shoppers with fake emails. Stacey P received convincing scam but verified account first.

San Francisco Giants invite Jamie Grohsong to throw ceremonial first pitch at Oracle Park after he learned to play baseball with a bionic hand following an injury.

FBI warns cybercriminals are stealing family photos from social media to create fake proof of life images in virtual kidnapping scams targeting victims.

Instagram's new 'Your Algorithm' tool lets you control your Reels feed in real time. The app now gives you power to customize what videos you see.

How To Filter Description Through Your Characters

Writing