z

Young Writers Society


12+

Llwyd Castilla

by shayspeare


Note: If you review, please give me tips on how to portray this character more darkly, and how to show his anger through his appearance even though it's told via a character who is not being described. 

As he drew out of the shadowy night, his bulky chest flexed. His windswept, amber locks failed to conceal his piercing eyes. Those dead irises—black as coal—flared at Rylan and me. Those roundly defined curves of his bulging biceps throbbed like my heart as he flooded the frame of the door.

- Project Hybrid, Chapter 2 (2019 Version)


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218 Reviews


Points: 285
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Wed Sep 15, 2021 2:23 am
creaturefeature wrote a review...



Hm doubt you'll see this, but interesting!

So let's get into it:

1. The usage of "As he drew out of the shadowy night" makes the character feel more mysterious than angry. The character can definitely be both of those, but I see more of a mastermind villain than just someone who is angry. I don't know a lot about the character from your note, so it's even harder to see what's up with him.

You said it was from another character's perspective though, so I see how there can be some basis. I don't know the relationship between the characters and what the narrator thinks of him, so again, back to the what I said already. You have a solid set up though, and it will probably all be explained aside from this blurb haha.

2.

His windswept, amber locks failed to conceal his piercing eyes. Those dead irises—black as coal—flared at Rylan and me.


This seems a bit purple to me. It's very poetic, and while being that, it's harder to get into character. Sure, his eyes might look dead, but does that actually do anything for the character besides just have that small thing? No, not really. The best descriptions that leave the most impact are the simple ones that get to the point.

3. Again, description.

Those roundly defined curves of his bulging biceps throbbed like my heart as he flooded the frame of the door.


So he's tall, he is quite muscular, and he's scary. Those are some things that are being said here, and they work for a character. I just think that besides the obvious "ooh big guy" character aspects, what other than his body can show anger? Maybe it's the way he talks loudly and often gets forceful when someone is wrong, or maybe it's in how he gets rid of stress by doing whatever activity, etc etc etc.

That's all. Happy RevMo!
-- chi




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Thu Apr 30, 2020 6:38 pm
manilla wrote a review...



Hey! Manilla here for a review.

At first glance I see an intimidating, hunky villain that might grab the attention of the narrator. The setting, a "shadowy night" adds to this. In first glance, I might think that I was reading a romance novel. Yet "dead irises" really gets to me, and it's a good phrase you used for the darkness and anger you long to portray. Yet for me, that sentence is one of the only denotations of that. Would be possible to add action and more body language? Body language is one of the most powerful tools, going beyond simple physique, which is the main grabbing point in this paragraph, especially because in the first sentence you mention it.

So my suggestion to you for anger is to try a facial expression, to be less elusive with the topic and to take it head-on. The more direct you can be, the more accurate of a picture forms in the reader's head.

I hope I could help!
-Manilla out




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Thu Apr 30, 2020 3:31 pm
Plume wrote a review...



Wow! This is a great piece of description. I took your note into account so here are my suggestions:

- The phrase "windswept, amber locks" sounds more like a dashing fairytale prince. I would suggest comparing it to something a little more sinister, like dried blood, or hellfire.
- You say that the irises are flaring. This doesn't really suggest anger, and flaring to me is more closely associated with nostrils. I think you could say the irises sparked dangerously or something of the like.
- You describe this character's muscles over and over again. How is he using those muscles to show his anger? To me, this character seems like the type to clench his fists and breathe heavily.
-You could also describe the face more to really show the anger. How do his eyebrows look? Are his eyes narrowed? His teeth clenched?

Overall, great job! Hope these suggestions help.





Teach a man to fish, he eats for a day. Don't teach a man to fish, you eat for a day. He's a grown man. Fishing's not that hard.
— Ron Swanson (Parks and Rec)