You don’t want to reveal too much about your character in the first chapter. Instead, you want to entice the reader with hints and clues that will draw them in and make them want to read more. Let them form their impression of your character by introducing new details as the story progresses.
However, I firmly believe that if you write an excellent first chapter, the rest of the story will fall into place. An excellent first chapter sets the stage for the rest of the book. By setting up the characters, the tone, and the conflict, the author can build on those elements. An engaging first chapter sets the tone for the entire story.
The following chapters might dole out details about the character and their background. In the story’s context, give the reader hints about what they are like. Readers need enough information to build a mental image of the character but not too much information that bores them and detracts from the story. A character’s story should engage and captivate the reader.
41 words to describe how a voice sounds
Even something as simple as describing their voice can set the perfect scene in the mind’s eye of a reader. It isn’t easy to describe a voice in a story without sounding cliché or overdramatic. So, I thought I would list 41 possible words to describe a voice.
- adenoidal
- appealing
- breathing
- brittle
- croaky
- dead
- disembodied
- flat
- fruity
- grating
- gravelly
- gruff
- guttural
- high-pitched
- hoarse
- honeyed
- husky
- low
- matter-of-fact
- monotonous
- nasal
- orotund
- penetrating
- plummy
- quietly
- raucous
- ringing
- shrill
- silvery
- singsong
- small
- smoky
- strangled
- strident
- taut
- thin
- throaty
- tight
- tremulous
- wheezy
- wobbly
Stories are made unique by their authors’ voices. The way you tell a story, the words you use, the cadence, and the inflection all contribute to the story.
A story can vividly and meaningfully capture the human experience. Storytellers craft stories that are truly unique and captivating by using their voice and style. Using stories can help us connect and understand others.
Questions to ask when trying to describe a voice
Think about the voices of the people in the story as the author.
- How do they sound?
- How do they speak?
- Do you want them to sound like you or someone you know?
- How do you want them to talk in the tone of the story?
Imagine using “honeyed” instead of “ingratiating.”
For example:
“The sound of his honeyed voice made her skin crawl.”
This is the kind of thing that makes for good reading.
