Quote:
Originally Posted by jupstin
I don't know if "kills" is exactly the right phrase, but scenes where the protagonist is described while he/she is looking at him/herself in a mirror really drive me nuts.
<writing_snobbery>
It seems like an attempt to fit character description into the action of the story. It's basically a case of taking "show don't tell" too far. The impulse to avoid overtly expository text is actually commendable...just don't tell me that the protagonist is admiring his "chestnut curls" or noticing "for the first time that his square jaw and aquiline nose made him resemble, in profile, both his father and his grandfather."
</writing_snobbery>
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What if its related to the story... like for example, Bob wakes up and sees himself in the mirror and notices a new scar on his face that was not there before. Or Mike looks in the mirror and says, "I shaved my head for that woman!"
To me at least I see that as valid in a story.