

What do you see? Perhaps a cold-blooded assassin or serial killer? Now contrast with another paragraph. I crouched behind the trash bin, holding my breath, as she swished so close I could smell the death in her hair. The way a person maintains or ignores their hair provides clues about their life.įrom some of the word lists that follow, I created three short paragraphs.ĭionne’s gunmetal ponytail flowed behind her while she sprinted after her prey - me. Match the hair to each character’s persona.

A homeless person’s mane might be unkempt, with patchy straggles that smell like mold or trash.

I suspect it’s part of the reason somebody coined the phrase bad hair day.ĭoes your protagonist have blonde hair with dark roots? Maybe she’s a hard-working businesswoman with no time to make a salon appointment or perhaps she’s a harried mother who can’t afford a dye job because of a financial crisis in the family.Īn affluent hotel magnate could flaunt a perfectly styled toupee, every strand in place. Along with the eyes and prominent facial features, it makes a huge impact. Why Should You Worry About Your Characters’ Hair?Īudrey Hepburn said, “The beauty of a woman is not in the clothes she wears, the figure that she carries, or the way she combs her hair.”Īudrey was right, but people still judge others and make snap assessments based on appearance. (Discover even more words in The Writer’s Body Lexicon.)
