first impressions
Apr. 29th, 2022 11:29 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
marycatelliA character's first appearance in a story is very important.
It's just about impossible to shake the impression it gives. Even if the story later delineates motives for that appearance to have been out of character.
If the opening scene gives a view of the character standing about demanding to know how she looks, she's going to have her vanity given undue prominence, unless in that very scene, you make it clear that she has a particular motive for the demand, either because the looks serve an important purpose, or because she is, perhaps, frustrated and bored and at least it's something to do.
And then the first impression will be dominated by the purpose, or by the awareness of how easily she's bored. (You can't make it an anomalously boring situation later.)
It's just about impossible to shake the impression it gives. Even if the story later delineates motives for that appearance to have been out of character.
If the opening scene gives a view of the character standing about demanding to know how she looks, she's going to have her vanity given undue prominence, unless in that very scene, you make it clear that she has a particular motive for the demand, either because the looks serve an important purpose, or because she is, perhaps, frustrated and bored and at least it's something to do.
And then the first impression will be dominated by the purpose, or by the awareness of how easily she's bored. (You can't make it an anomalously boring situation later.)