Gloucestershire Group: Description in fact and fiction

Join our ever-growing, dynamic Gloucestershire Group on Thursday 22 October from 14:00.

Description in fact and fiction

What are the different techniques involved in describing people between fact and fiction?

After the last session, we concluded that we wanted to discuss some of the differences between description for fiction and description for non-fiction. How much does the reader need to know about how someone looks? What can we say about someone real? Does eye colour, hair or height make a difference? Does a non-fiction character need description or will a picture do (if we can afford it)? Are there legal implications? Does the length of time since their existence make a difference?

We will explore the limits of description, focussing on character, real or imagined. How do you help your readers see or get to know your protagonists or characters.

Come ready to share a few examples of description; bring your own characters or/and some examples of fabulous descriptions or really odd or cliched.

The venue has great accessibility: it’s the ground-floor meeting room within the Monastery Café building at Prinknash Abbey, Cranham, GL4 8EX. There is a large, free car park, above the café building. Walk down steps or a gentle slope to access the café entrance. The meeting room is immediately to your left on entering, with toilets opposite. The café to the right serves a great selection of non-alcoholic refreshments, delicious cake etc.

If you have accessibility issues, keep driving: there are two disabled spaces just to the left of the doorway. While the café is generously offering us the meeting room free of charge, please bring a plastic card or cash to pay for your own refreshments.

Local group meet-ups are free to attend. To join us, click the Going button below and enter your details in the RSVP form so we have an idea of how many people to expect. We are currently experiencing some issues with our RSVP forms. If the RSVP form does not work, please contact localgroups@societyofauthors.org to register for the meeting.