You are a character...

You are your daily habits.
You are your physical appearance.
You are your ticks.
You are the words you speak.

Without describing your thoughts or personality, how would an author describe you as a character in their novel?

Describe yourself through mannerisms, habits, clothing, reactions, activities, or the way you speak to others ...without using typical descriptive terms to characterize (example: charming, beautiful, handsome, friendly, introverted, etc.).

It might help if you tried to imagine what a complete stranger might write about you after observing you (without interaction) for an entire day. How would that person describe you?

It can be in point form. ***

I will participate!	6
This is too hard for me.	4
Self-awareness scares me.	0
I'm just to lazy to do this.	11

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Comments ( 20 )

Aliceee93

10 years ago

The wonderfully amazing cow teat pulling Aliceee. Not to mention beautiful.
:D

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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  10 years ago
  
  Why, yes, that cow does have some wonderfully amazing and beautiful cow teats!! And you're not so bad yourself, Alice.
  
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  - Riddler
    
    10 years ago
    
    Someone described me perfectly once. I wish I had saved the comment since it was a perfect way of describing it. I am no good at describing myself though.
    
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squirrelgirl

10 years ago

* Disheveled appearance. Tends to skip showers. Most outfits consist of tie-dye t-shirts and sweatpants/yoga pants.

Hair is messy and goes down to her chin and is very dark blonde/light brown. Her narrow dark blue eyes have a glazed over/glassy appearance. Wears wire-framed glasses.

Brow is often furrowed, usually looks very troubled/upset about whatever she must be thinking about.

* Has many tics which she seems to be either unaware of or does not care about, for example, frequently adjusts her pants/underwear and makes overly dramatic gestures with her hands to emphasize important talking points. Speaks in a loud monotone and tends to drool occasionally. Also repeats parts of sentences as though struggling to "get the words out".

* Spends the majority of the day alternating between using the computer and pacing or running while listening to music. Has an extremely unusual gait when pacing/running which makes her an easy target for teasing/bullying. She will occasionally break this cycle of computer usage and pacing/running in order to talk to family members. Seems particularly attached to mom and brother, and constantly pesters brother because she wants him to spend more time with her.

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Demendes

10 years ago

"He speaks too fast, always thinking about something else and does things in a rush. Sometimes, he's mostly in delirium!"

"I can also see that this guy doesn't like to talk well because he tends to make the conversations fast as long as he's involved."

"Is this guy shy or something? He always looks away when he talks. He has autism or something? Or is he just spacing out?"

What I think how people see me. Chances that they are really thinking like this when it comes to me.

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Incomplet

10 years ago

Engineering student by dawn, illustrator by dusk.

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NurseDiesel

10 years ago

Oooh I remember that post. Good one. My brain isn't working enough right now to story tell but I shall reflect fondly upon "my" response to the original post. *reflects fondly upon original post*

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Anime7

10 years ago

I recall there was a post like this a long time ago that was actually quite nifty. If anybody wants, I wouldn't mind describing them as a character in a novel.

Here's the one that I wrote about myself that I think still holds up:

The boy was in a perpetual state of confusion. Curious to understand the way others live; feminist, racist, and all other types. However, you can't force yourself to respect everyone's lifestyle, that was something that perhaps he had to learn.

He was polite when I met him. He was very direct about how he felt and what he wanted from me. He wanted a conversation. No he wanted something more. He wanted my life, my hopes, my dreams, and my fantasies. But those were things that I had to keep bottled up, so I only told him the surface of my life. Maybe a little bit more, but not everything. However, to him it didn't matter. With a smile on his face, he extended his hand and called me interesting.

"We should do this again, I live for this sort of thing. If there's ever anything on your mind, I'm always available to talk" said Anime7.

He was trying to be comforting. Taking an interest in people was how he dealt with the world around him. For much of his childhood he was the outsider. The boy watching all the kids have fun. And for so long he had wondered why.

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- KeddersPrincess
  
  10 years ago
  
  Yep. I remember that one. You wrote a really nice one for me ^_^
  
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  - Anime7
    
    10 years ago
    
    Always happy to do it. It really was a good poll.
    
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    - KeddersPrincess
      
      10 years ago
      
      Yeah. It was a good poll. I loved it.
      
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- Anime7
  
  10 years ago
  
  Here's a revised one, since I believe I should add more about my character to the narrative:
  
  When we met again his smile was not entirely there, like a crescent moon hanging on his face. His hands hugged my body, but I could feel the vacancy behind his embrace. He was kind enough to help me with my luggage as we waited for my train. He was seeing me off. Indeed he was polite, but that was all there was. Politeness, with a teaspoon of sentimental. His character changed.
  
  "What's wrong?" I asked, with a concerned look on my face.
  
  "You ever sort of feel that perhaps you're missing out on something? As if everybody has an inside joke with life and you're being left out" he replied with a sad expression on his face.
  
  Indeed when we first met he was a charming man, someone who I could trust and still can. But when you reveal everything to a person, then the puzzle underneath has been solved. I could feel our relationship dwindling, but I guess we're both too polite to admit it.
  
  "I do. Sometimes, I suppose. I tend to not let those things bother me. Why? Is there something you feel like you're missing out on." In my question I could see his eyes gaze at my breast and then slowly work themselves down quickly. It was only for an instant, a minute moment, where his carnal desires showed. Probably the result of the societal pressure placed on our young men and women. He may not have noticed, but my eyes tracked his. I understood fully the experience he was missing out on, but in no way was I going to be his medicine.
  
  "Anime, you're a tremendous man, and someday some girl will see-"
  
  "Do you have any idea alone I am!" He cut me off. "You get told you have an amazing personality, often enough and you eventually start wondering how shallow people really are!"
  
  I stared at him, my eyes meeting his. I could see the regret in his eyes.
  
  "I'm sorry" he said. His words indicated sorrow, but there was still a slight twinge of annoyance in them. Again he was being polite.
  
  "You don't have to apologize. You're justified in thinking what you believe. I just don't want you to give up on people" I admitted. "More importantly, I don't want you to give up on yourself."
  
  "I haven't. There's still a flame inside of me, burning with love for others and hope of a brighter tomorrow. I'm not completely upset at being single. It's just, I want to know what's it's like to be wanted." He confessed. "I want know what it's like to be loved. A chance at love that's what I want. A chance to feel good enough!"
  
  At this time, there was only one thing I could do. Knowing full well that I will regret it. I pressed my lips against his cheek and then moved them towards his ear. "You are good enough" was the last phrase I wanted him to hear before we depart.
  
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- Anonymous Post Author
  
  10 years ago
  
  Yes, that was my poll from nine months ago as well. I'm glad you liked it.
  
  This time, I hoped users would focus more on how they are perceived by others, instead of their own internal dialog or personality characteristics as they see themselves.
  
  You did a good job of it and I wish more had done the same. Perhaps others simply didn't understand how to describe themselves realistically through the eyes of another. I hope I've made it clearer this time around. Plus, there are some new users since then, it would be great if they would participate too.
  
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  - Anime7
    
    10 years ago
    
    Well let me just say that I favorited your poll. I only have like 3 polls that I actually have done to before. I really enjoyed it a lot. It was good to see what others thought. I think most did a good job. What do you mean when you say you're perceived by others as opposed to personality characteristics? That part might be confusing.
    
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    - Anonymous Post Author
      
      10 years ago
      
      Good point. I'll try to clarify it then.
      
      What I'm attempting to encourage is a description of oneself through mannerisms, habits, clothing, reactions, activities, or the way they speak to others ...without using typical descriptive terms to characterize (example: charming, beautiful, handsome, friendly, introverted, etc.).
      
      It might help if they tried to imagine what a complete stranger might write about them after observing them (without interaction) for an entire day. How would that person describe them?
      
      I've updated the post to reflect this.
      
      I took a creative writing class years ago and we did this exercise. It was an enriching task, to take a different perspective and view ourselves the way others who don't know us might. Several people in the class said they discovered things about themselves they hadn't given a lot thought to before.
      
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      - Anime7
        
        10 years ago
        
        I think I get what you mean, like look at yourself objectively. That way you can sort of pick up on your mannerisms or subconscious acts. I think it's a cool exercise to do. I could see those classmates learning, I could see anybody learning stuff like that. I think it would help though, if a person just told you about your idiosyncrasies. Sometimes it's hard to hold up a mirror to yourself and accept what you see.
        
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thegypsysailor

10 years ago

Every time I talk about my life and experiences on here I get attacked as an egotistical liar and abused. Just how is this supposed to be different?
I'm learning, slowly, but learning none the less, that those with a good life and great tales aren't really what the majority on IIN members have any interest in at all. Bring on the morbid, sexually and socially inept, mentally deficient and childish written and conceived posts; that's where the majority interest lies.

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- Shrunk
  
  10 years ago
  
  -sigh- You haven't learned at all...
  Now don't get mad... deep breaths... you tend to miss the point because you get too flustered... to start I didn't think you would take criticism so harshly, due to the fact that you do come off as egotistical like you mentioned. I don't hate you (even if you can't say the same to me) you just... ought to be less of a jerk, if your life is so great. People aren't mad about your stories, they get mad when you're a jerk. I don't understand why you have to get so angry over everything-- constantly insulting other users... I mean, general snark is ok... but individually attacking each person you disagree with... seems kind of bitter, and deserving of any rebuke you get. your life sounds like it is relaxing beyond belief, yet you are high-strung and constantly lashing out on a site where, like you said, it's mostly inept people, or those who are patient enough to help them.. you can understand where it would be hard to believe? You seem a little out of place, but... you are one of the popular users, so don't be so glum... lots of people here seem to like you a lot...
  
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- Anime7
  
  10 years ago
  
  I think it'd be interesting to be honest. You sound like you have some stories to tell, which is cool. Traveling the sea must be great. When it comes to talking about yourself though, I think pretty much everybody sounds like they're egotistical.
  
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- Incomplet
  
  10 years ago
  
  I'm keen to know a bit. Please do tell. Even if it's just about one memorable situation that made a mark on your life, I'm keen.
  
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