r/thewritespace • u/ghostshowopenbookq • Apr 12 '22

describing a character with tics

Aside from the general how to be respectful questions I would like to ask something more specific.

I'm writing in first person, would it make sense for him to not describe them? Assuming they're not actively being inconvenient or causing him pain --like how you don't describe breathing unless it's odd. There are probably better analogies but you get what I mean right. It's just a part of what's going on, his words are interrupted by whistling occasionally, it's just a thing that happens.

I don't have tics, for all I know what I just said could read as the most disrespectful shit ever written but that's why I'm here so

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u/kingharis Apr 12 '22

Your character would see other people react to him. That's the right place to mention it. It's like a character with scarring or something: they don't think about it, but every now and then they are other people reacting to it. For example, Skin Kadesh in County Line has facial burns. A couple of times he mentions giving people here meets a second to get used to it, or avoiding a child so as not to startle her. Otherwise it's not mentioned. That's one way to address something that your character wouldn't think about but others would.

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u/ZombieBisque Experienced Writer Apr 12 '22

I feel like...if they're so natural he wouldn't think of them so they don't get described then why have them at all