PHYSICAL FEATURE THESAURUS

HAIR



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HELPFUL TIP:

Physical features should do more than simply describe how a character looks. Just like their occupation or area of giftedness, a character's appearance can say a great deal about them. Hinting at traits through clothing choices, alluding to an emotional state through movements, and highlighting certain details for comparison or contrast purposes can help readers form opinions on who the character really is.
DESCRIPTORS AND KEY ELEMENTS:
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COMMON ACTIONS AND ALTERNATIVE WORDS TO DENOTE THEM:
Flip: toss, jerk, flick, shake
Blow (in the wind): float, flutter, sail, waft, fly, skim, whip, tear, thrash, twirl, buffet, lash, sway, slap, flap, drift
Bounce: bob, jounce, spring, shimmy, coil
Hang: dangle, swing, droop, flop, fall, loll, drape, layer

EMOTIONS AND RELATED GESTURES:
  • Though hair doesn't do much on its own, people often touch their hair to indicate certain emotions. Nervousness and insecurity can be expressed when people fiddle too much with their hair, such as touching, patting, twisting, pulling, compulsively braiding and unbraiding, jerking, and finger-combing their locks. When a person is stressed or in high anxiety, she might actually pull her hair out, to the point of thinning her hair or going bald in spots.
  • A flirtatious person expressing desire for someone else might draw attention to her hair by flipping, shaking, or running her hands through it.
  • Frustration can be indicated by people grabbing their own hair, running their hands through it, or pulling on it. Anger or rage may cause a person to do something drastic, like chopping or shaving off her hair.

SIMILE AND METAPHOR EXAMPLES:
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CLICHÉS TO AVOID:
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BODY DESCRIPTION NOTES:
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