Physical Attributes Entry: Cheeks

Physical description of a character can be difficult to convey—too much will slow the pace or feel 'list-like', while too little will not allow readers to form a clear mental image. If a reader cannot imagine what your character looks like, they may have trouble connecting with them on a personal level, or caring about their plight. 


One way to balance the showing and telling of physical description is to showcase a few details that really help 'tell the story' about who your character is and what they've been through up to this point. Think about what makes them different and interesting. Can a unique feature, clothing choice or way they carry themselves help to hint at their personality? Also, consider how they move their body. Using movement will naturally show a character's physical characteristics, keep the pace flowing and help to convey their emotions.





CHEEKS





Courtesy of Joi at Flickr.com



Descriptors: chubby, rosy, drawn, sunken, jowly, saggy, puffy, pocked, dimpled, scarred, freckled, sunburned, kissable, rouged, powdered, pierced





Key Emotions and Related Cheek Gestures: 


People will chew on their cheeks when they're nervous or uncertain. Other nervous habits include tapping or rubbing the cheeks, or nervous tics in the muscle. Someone might blow out their cheeks when they're feeling impatient or are trying not to show frustration. The cheeks will redden (along with the rest of the neck and face) to show embarrassment or anger. And of course, the cheeks raise and "brighten" the face when someone smiles.




Famous Quotes involving Cheeks 




Prejudice is like a hair across your cheek. You can't see it, you can't find it with your fingers, but you keep brushing at it because the feel of it is irritating.  --Marian Anderson
Let age, not envy, draw wrinkles on thy cheeks. --Thomas Browne
I don't deserve any credit for turning the other cheek as my tongue is always in it. --Flannery O'Connor
The first man to compare the cheeks of a young woman to a rose was obviously a poet; the first to repeat it was possibly an idiot. --Salvador Dali
There's more to life than cheek bones.  --Kate Winslet





Simile and Metaphor Help:                         



I could always tell Jason was mad when he started blowing out his cheeks. Right now they looked like balloons ready to pop.
Everyone burst out laughing and my cheeks warmed—a flesh-eating fire burning its way through my skin.




Clichés to Avoid : chipmunk cheeks, cheeks so chubby they have to be pinched, turning the other cheek, a single tear coursing down the cheek, pink "Santa" cheeks





HINT: When describing any part of the body, try to use cues that show the reader more than just a physical description. Make your descriptions do double duty. Example: I wiped the sweat from my face, cursing the heat. Across from me, Jana sat tall and still except for her fingers, picking at the cuff of her long-sleeved shirt. Her pants were long, pooling around her sneakers, and her shirt buttoned all the way up to her chin. Her hair parted in the middle, partially obscuring her face, but the skeletal look of her was obvious. The skin drew tight across her nose and chin, the cheeks sunken like pits. The words formed in my mouth to ask what was wrong with her, but I swallowed them, respecting her desire to hide.






BONUS TIP: The Colors, Textures & Shapes Thesaurus in our sidebar might help you find a fresh take on some of the descriptors listed above!