Yesterday a good friend of mine flew into the Charlotte airport with a short layover. I figured it would be a great time to catch up with her in person while we had a cup of coffee (there’s a Starbucks right outside of the security check-in.)
While I was waiting for my friend’s plane to land, I was milling around in front of the security checkpoint. I must have looked like I was up to no good at all because a security guard kept leveling suspicious looks at me. Of course, I did carry my huge pocketbook which probably looked like it could house a whole arsenal of weaponry.
A very attractive, well-dressed woman in her twenties with fluffy, blonde hair came hurrying up to the checkpoint. She clutched her boarding pass and the paper shook in her hands.
She was apparently very close to missing her flight and went straight up to the security guard (the one who kept looking at me so suspiciously.) The guard was unwavering and pointed to the end of the long line waiting to go through security. And I thought—well, that’s a missed plane. Because there were at least thirty people in that line waiting to to be checked.
Well, darned if she didn’t go up to each one of those people, sidle by them, asking each time if she could pass them. She had a big, panicky smile on her pretty face.
Every single one of them, man or woman, old or young, beamed back at her and motioned her to pass them with a please pass me! expression. So she ended up as the very first person in the line in slightly over a minute.
Lucky for her, I thought, that she was a very attractive, clearly distraught, well-dressed young woman.
But what if she hadn’t been? What role did her looks play in passing everyone in the line? What if she’d been an unpleasant-looking, scruffy, unattractive man? I’m thinking she’d have missed her plane.
And what role did personality play in that? An equal percentage to looks? Less or more? She caught a whole lot more flies with honey than if she’d used vinegar. I think, honestly, if she’d been a pushy, unpleasant woman with a sense of entitlement for getting to the front of the line, that she never would have made it to the front, pretty or not.
My protagonists are just ordinary-looking people, but they have the ability to fly under the radar. They’re successful at sleuthing because they look so completely innocuous that suspects open up to them and give them clues to solve the cases. And their personalities make them easy to talk to.
How do your protagonist’s looks and personality make a difference in your story? Or…do they make a difference?
What a great reminder! I do use my protagonists’ looks against them, but I should do it more often. People tend to react only to a stranger’s surface. Looking deeper means investing more of oneself, and that is frightening.
So true. Had she not been well dressed and attractive, she may or may not have made it to the beginning of the queue, but unless she had a smile and a ‘please help me’ attitude, she would never have made it.
I do think personality matters a little more than looks, and it is often missed in most books.
I think that looks’ role in my books is very subtle. But it’s there. (Okay, not so subtle in the latest.) But there are so many stigmas attached to different mannerisms, behaviors, and appearances that as writers we can really play on those to our advantage (and our characters’ disadvantage at times).
Great post!
Your observations are correct, her looks and personality got her front of the queue.
My protagonist would have gotten there too, she has the same qualities. ☺
I take it you jotted down that observation, and it will be used in at a later date. LOL
Elizabeth – It is so interesting to think about protagonists’ looks and personality. I think they both play a role in the way others treat them. Your story makes me think, too, of the effect the way we dress has on others’ impressions of us, too. We get treated differently if we’re dressed for business than dressed casually, for instance. At least I do. In my writing, my characters are usually pretty ordinary-looking. They’re attractive enough so that you can believe someone would be interested, but they’re also not film-star gorgeous. I actually think it’s more realistic that way. Now personality is different. My protag has found that if he stays low-key, he gets a lot more information than if he goes into “interrogation mode” (he’s a former cop). I’ve got other characters who are pleasant or off-putting, and that definitely affects what happens to them. Good for “red herrings,” too : ).
Looks really do make a difference. But what really amazes me is how you manage everyday to come up with posts where you take everyday experiences and turned them into writing lessons. That’s amazing.
CD
Looks – not so much. But personality is a big factor. My main character’s cocky attitude means he is closely watched by all of his superiors and disliked by most of his peers.
Sounds like an interesting day at the airport. If my protagonist had been beautiful and self-assured, I wouldn’t have had a story to tell.
I try to keep my protagonists fairly ‘ordinary’ looking (although I admit to one drop-=dead-gorgeous’ hero). Most of the time they’re dealing with trying to blend in, since I’m writing about covert ops specialists, or people running from their pasts.
It’s all about creating those conflicts. If looks make it too easy…well, it IS easy to change that before you finish the draft.
Terry
Terry’s Place
Romance with a Twist–of Mystery
I love how you tie-in every day observations with writing!
Looks and personality definitely do play a role in how people treat each other. It’s definitely something to think about for my characters!
Since my books focused on the characters, looks and personality played a big roll.
I wonder if I could’ve projected enough ‘spunk’ and ‘cute’ to get to the front of the line?
I read several years ago that people are NOT most helpful towards pretty woman. They are more inclined to help pregnant women and mothers will small children. And I even realized that it was true when I had to navigate busses and supermarkets with my children in their prams.
I have not used my protagonist´s looks much, but her local status as the vicar´s daughter definitely makes a difference. Though she is quite young, the villagers listen to her.
Looks and personality! Yes. They have power to pull us closer or push us away. Great observation!
I actually have no idea what my MC looks like, since I’m writing in 1st person, and haven’t had occasion to have him stand in front of a mirror to describe himself to himself yet. ;)
‘Course, since he’s a vampire, if I were sticking to the traditional no-reflection thing, I’d be up the creek if I wanted to describe him, wouldn’t I? Unless I put it in dialogue, like, “My, but you’re a tall, dark-haired, angular-featured, pale, green-eyed, solidly-built, grungily-dressed vampire, aren’t you?”
*cough*
But yeah, the gals looks and personality both got her to the front of the line. Most people understand the panic that comes with almost missing a flight, and will let someone through if they’re asked nicely enough.
Only a writer would tune in on that and walk away with such gems:)
My MC is a beautiful Italian and African American decent, and her looks have always stood out among family and friends. She just never understood why. She will soon.
Good looks helps, no doubt. For example, I only supervise blond female students, and they all get good grades >:)))
Cold As Heaven
Well, you said you always kill cheerleaders, so what do YOU think? Ha ha…I definitely use the appearance of a character to give them MORE character and to manipulate the situations in which they find themselves.
Great question, Elizabeth!
Michele
SouthernCityMysteries
Deb–Good point–do we have the time for that investment to really discover what’s below the surface? I guess, in our writing, it’s time we have to make.
Rayna–And looks can be a handicap in either way.Good looks might make some women be taken less seriously and good looks with a snobby attitude can be a real turn-off. The personality that goes along with the looks is really key, as you pointed out.
Stephanie–Yes! You’re right. And unattractive isn’t necessarily a bad thing for a character, but it depends on how the author portrays it. Unattractive but with magnetism? Unattractive in a repellent way? It’s fun to play around with.
Glynis–I was, actually, taking notes in my notebook. Now that I think about it, maybe this was another reason the security guard kept looking at me so oddly.
Clarissa–I think it means that I think about writing WAY too much! :)
Alex–Now you’ve intrigued me! A cocky protagonist…I’ll be looking forward to reading that. You obviously pulled it off well, since we’re counting down to your book’s release!
Jane–She wouldn’t have gone on “The Ride,” would she?
Margot–Good point about dressing for success. Also, I think the way we dress can affect the way we do things. I know I’m more productive at home if I’m dressed at least half-way decently (with shoes on, too.) I like ordinary characters. If a character has TOO much perfection…looks and personality and charm and success and money–then they annoy the stew out of me. :) Low-key is a smart way for your protagonist to be!
Laura–Thanks!
Diane–Girl, the security guard probably would have just let you go to the front!
Mary–Thanks! And thanks for coming by.
Simon–Is “no reflection” a hard and fast rule? Yeah, that does make it challenging, doesn’t it? I really hate description anyway, and it’s always a challenge to fit it in naturally.
The few times I do fly, I’m at the airport ridiculously early–like three hours early. I’m not sure anyone would let me pass through the line or not!
Cold As Heaven–I bet they do! ;)
Terry–I realized recently that my attractive characters usually end up murdered. I have to wonder about my subconscious sometimes!
Dorte–You know, I wondered when I wrote this if there might even be cultural differences with this type of thing. I believe her “lady in distress” look probably helped her out, too.
And, good point–status can play a role, too.
In my epic fantasy, to be released later this year, I wanted my protagonist to be very ordinary in this world and very unique in the special world. Therefore, she is a tall, blond American university student, comfy in blue jeans and sweat shirt when she arrives in a medieval world. Of course she stands out, and worse, this world was attacked by Vikings who subsequently disappeared never to return. So the fact that she looks like her Norwegian ancestors and is too tall for the average female only make it worse. Everyone thinks she has an evil eye and can turn them to stone. Lucky for her, the prince is advanced intellectually and finds her intriguing. Certainly different from the ladies at court who fawn all over him.
As you can see, I have set it up to deliver a lot of tension just based on appearance. Her personality is also more contemporary, truly unique to the characters in the medieval world, and causes even more conflict.
Nancy
N. R. Williams, fantasy author
Nancy–So her appearance actually creates conflict–what a cool idea! I’d imagine it could even have put her in danger at the start of the book–looking so alien from everyone else…and not nearly as modest-looking, I’m sure as the other women of the times. Plus the fact that she looks like the enemies of the people she’s living with. Interesting!
Tamika–Sounds like an interesting character! And that her looks definitely play an important role in the book.
I never really thought of it that way, and after reading your post I feel like I should have! I’m bookmarking this for character development on my next protagonist!
That’ll make for a very fun writing exercise. What first impression does your protagonist leave and how might that help / hinder them?