Succinct Descriptions

[Ireth]

I'm facing a slight problem in my WIP: how to describe a pack of goblins that the supporting characters come across. They're meant to be a highly diverse group, with a blend of monstrous and animalian traits. Something like the preceding sentence could be sufficient, but I fear the thought of having to go into detail and potentially bogging down the scene with details of what each kind of goblin looks like. Thus far I've toyed with "the beings around them defied description", but that seems a bit like cheating. Or should I go with something vague but filtered more through the POV character's thoughts, like "rejected character designs from David Bowie's Labyrinth" (at the risk of making my novel sound weirdly dated)?

 

[Feo Takahari]

"Some" is a great word, and it bears a great power. Especially when combined with the phrase "while others." If you need a third type, "still others" can round it off.

As an example:

"Some had feathers and beaks, while others had a more reptilian air, and still others looked like lumps of raw muscle."

 

[Penpilot]

What Feo said.

Another strategy would be to describe one of the goblins in detail, and have them be representative of the faceless group. This could also work for your diverse group. Like Feo said, use "some" to describe the bulk of the goblins, but then make one stand out just a little more. It's like putting a leader to the pack and everyone else follows the leader.

Which strategy you choose will depend on what effect you're trying to achieve.

 

[wordwalker]

I'm with Penpilot. But I think when the point is variety, you really want to describe at least two (more likely three) goblins that are very different from each other, if only with a throwaway line for each. That makes at least a snapshot impression of how varied they are.

 

[Julian S Bartz]

You want to give the reader a quick nudge in the right direction without taking them out of the scene. And also use the description to build tension if it is an action scene. So as Feo said look at a concise description, pointing out a few key features.

Something like:
A group of goblins burst through the doorway; a rampaging blur of hulking muscle, sharpened teeth, splintered bones and bright feathers . The larger ones squatted aside and stomped over the more agile youths in their eagerness for blood.