Writting in 3rd POV

[Androxine Vortex]

We are supposed to be describing are story through our character's pov but it is not in first person. Since it is in third would it be acceptable to write things about the character's outward appearance that they themselves might not be able to see through their eyes?

For example, a character of mine is tampering with dark magic. Sometimes when he is going to be gathering his mana/reserve/strength/ his eyes turn white. Now he can't see his eyes turning white but I believe it adds a great effect so would it be appropriate to maybe describe how he feels like energies flowing through his body and then give that sort of physical description?

This would also apply to my other story where I am trying to find a way to let the reader know my character has green eyes. I haven't found a way to bring it up in dialogue without it sounding out of place. Could I say something like, "She wore tattered rags and had bright green eyes." I can see how this is a bit "telly" but I don't think one sentence would be that big of a problem. I could also use this for her hair, "She swatted away branches clinging to her short, red hair." She can't see that her hair is red but the reader doesn't know that.

 

[Ireth]

About hair color, maybe you could have it get into her face if it's long enough? "She peered at him through the red curtain of her hair." That sort of thing.

 

[Ophiucha]

I think a single sentence that points out the really defining or important features is fine, as long as it doesn't get too wordy. I would limit it to two or three features per character, and minimal detail of each feature (that is: go for 'reddish brown' over 'like clay that had just been bucketed from the lakeside hills of Southern America' when you're not dealing with a narrator inclined towards waxing poetic). "a blonde girl wearing dirty church robes" can be added to a sentence without really breaking up the narrative, and as long as it adds something, there's no harm in giving a little extra detail.

 

[Androxine Vortex]

I think a single sentence that points out the really defining or important features is fine, as long as it doesn't get too wordy. I would limit it to two or three features per character, and minimal detail of each feature (that is: go for 'reddish brown' over 'like clay that had just been bucketed from the lakeside hills of Southern America' when you're not dealing with a narrator inclined towards waxing poetic). "a blonde girl wearing dirty church robes" can be added to a sentence without really breaking up the narrative, and as long as it adds something, there's no harm in giving a little extra detail.

I can't stand that excessive explanation. But the part that is difficult for me is that I am trying to describe my main character's features.

 

[Ophiucha]

As long as it is in third person, I don't think there is anything wrong with describing the main character in the same way.

 

[Steerpike]

In third person POV you can certainly describe things about her outward appearance. The character knows what color her hair is, whether she can see it at any given moment or not, so I wouldn't have a problem with the fact that the color is mentioned per se. Also, you can pull back the third person POV as well. It doesn't have to stay really tight to the character.

 

[T.Allen.Smith]

In third person POV you can certainly describe things about her outward appearance. The character knows what color her hair is, whether she can see it at any given moment or not, so I wouldn't have a problem with the fact that the color is mentioned per se. Also, you can pull back the third person POV as well. It doesn't have to stay really tight to the character.

Yes. As long as the description is natural in the present context.

For example, if she is sprinting through the woods, running for her life, describing her shimmering green eyes is a break in POV & author intrusion.

If she's in a classroom setting, twirling her hair around the end of a pencil, mentioning her hair would be fine. Still, it needs a purpose (like comparing her hair's dullness to that of another person).

 

[wordwalker]

If she's in a classroom setting, twirling her hair around the end of a pencil, mentioning her hair would be fine. Still, it needs a purpose (like comparing her hair's dullness to that of another person).

This is a favorite excuse of mine. Let a character compare herself to others, or consider how they'll react to her look (doubly fun if she's in disguise, or stands out from the crowd in ominous ways).

(The even more obvious way is a mirror, but that's done to death.)