Writing Describe This Sitting Position

[ArrogantYoungMaster]

Greetings fellow daoists,

I, Arrogant Young Master, am great, but even I recognize how high the Heavens can reach, how wide the great Dao is. I have contemplated upon my Writing Dao's Mysterious Truths, but sadly this one's cultivation is too low and is unable to concisely portray this sitting posture. This one has also consulted the Myriad Terms Heavenly Understanding Scripture but has not identified any compatible terms.

Spoiler: How would you describe to readers how this person is sitting?

I invite all daoists to challenge their own Writing Dao and give an answer, and this junior hopes expert cultivators are willing to share insights on how to write a person moving into this sitting position (and other positions difficult to describe) and out of it.

 

[TotallyHuman]

Sitting on the floor in a leasurely position, resting one hand on a knee, aka the infinite tailbone calamity pose

 

[ArrogantYoungMaster]

Sitting on the floor in a leasurely position, resting one hand on a knee, aka the infinite tailbone calamity pose

Leisurely position is very ambiguous... how would fellow daoist describe this position?

Spoiler: Position

And if the girl's left arm was positioned behind her or to her side?

 

[Le_ther]

Leisurely position is very ambiguous... how would fellow daoist describe this position?

Spoiler: Position

And if the girl's left arm was positioned behind her or to her side?

If leisurely is very ambiguous, can't you just mix in a description of what the emotion of the character is? Maybe something in the lines of, "Arrogant laid-back position"? Or is the line too direct and will ruin the immersion of the reader?

 

[Desustar]

she sat on the floor, one leg outstretched. her left arm rested on her left knee that was raised, clutching a soda can. she tilted her head in confusion, her red eyes holding a certain sense of uncertainty.

just describe her arms legs torso etc, you should get it. also, is it really important to describe her sitting posture to the t? like, is that something unique to her or something? you know, like L? if it's not, i think just a vague description would work most times.
also, cross legged is not a leisurely pose.

 

[TotallyHuman]

Leisurely position is very ambiguous... how would fellow daoist describe this position?

Spoiler: Position

And if the girl's left arm was positioned behind her or to her side?

That's called sitting cross-legged

 

[Desustar]

That's called sitting cross-legged

I think he's aware o' that

 

[_oinkchan]

he sat

 

[TheEldritchGod]

He placed his behind in the butt receptacle.

 

[TotallyHuman]

I think he's aware o' that

not if he asked me that

 

[BlackKnightX]

Lounge.

 

[Deleted member 113259]

Sitting with one leg kicking out, and another raised so that only the foot is on the floor. One arm rests on the raised knee while the other is placed on the floor straight for stability.

 

[TheMonotonePuppet]

Greetings fellow daoists,

I, Arrogant Young Master, am great, but even I recognize how high the Heavens can reach, how wide the great Dao is. I have contemplated upon my Writing Dao's Mysterious Truths, but sadly this one's cultivation is too low and is unable to concisely portray this sitting posture. This one has also consulted the Myriad Terms Heavenly Understanding Scripture but has not identified any compatible terms.

Spoiler: How would you describe to readers how this person is sitting?

I invite all daoists to challenge their own Writing Dao and give an answer, and this junior hopes expert cultivators are willing to share insights on how to write a person moving into this sitting position (and other positions difficult to describe) and out of it.

If we are going full-on xianxia, then resorting to anime tropes would work: They sat cockily, a delinquent's posturing evident in their relaxed body. Their half-lidded stare expressed boredom and an intense need for a fight.

 

[Jemini]

The level of detail in the description necessary to tell the reader exactly how they are sitting would drag down the pace of the story. You are writing a story, not a screen play, so you can omit some details and allow the reader's imagination to fill in some gaps. They will not see things exactly as you see them, but that's fine.

Sitting on the floor in a leasurely position, resting one hand on a knee, aka the infinite tailbone calamity pose

I'd call this just about the perfect balance between detail and efficiency. Go with something like this.

 

[bananapink]

With left hand on propped knee, he sat languidly in pensive silence...

 

[CupcakeNinja]

Greetings fellow daoists,

I, Arrogant Young Master, am great, but even I recognize how high the Heavens can reach, how wide the great Dao is. I have contemplated upon my Writing Dao's Mysterious Truths, but sadly this one's cultivation is too low and is unable to concisely portray this sitting posture. This one has also consulted the Myriad Terms Heavenly Understanding Scripture but has not identified any compatible terms.

Spoiler: How would you describe to readers how this person is sitting?

I invite all daoists to challenge their own Writing Dao and give an answer, and this junior hopes expert cultivators are willing to share insights on how to write a person moving into this sitting position (and other positions difficult to describe) and out of it.

thats the "im gonna pretend to just be sitting down but im actually giving you a subtle hint to come and let me ride your tongue till i cream" pose.

 

[ArrogantYoungMaster]

not if he asked me that

Forgot "cross-legged" was a phrase

she sat on the floor, one leg outstretched. her left arm rested on her left knee that was raised, clutching a soda can. she tilted her head in confusion, her red eyes holding a certain sense of uncertainty.

just describe her arms legs torso etc, you should get it. also, is it really important to describe her sitting posture to the t? like, is that something unique to her or something? you know, like L? if it's not, i think just a vague description would work most times.
also, cross legged is not a leisurely pose.

The level of detail in the description necessary to tell the reader exactly how they are sitting would drag down the pace of the story. You are writing a story, not a screen play, so you can omit some details and allow the reader's imagination to fill in some gaps. They will not see things exactly as you see them, but that's fine.



I'd call this just about the perfect balance between detail and efficiency. Go with something like this.

The sitting posture isn't that important, this daoist wanted to test the limits of how detailed/efficient I can write scenery, but this one admits placing too much focus on it.

Sigh Maybe it is the will of the Heavens to leave the very detailed elements up to the reader's imagination...

 

[Gryphon]

With one hand keeping her body steady and the other resting on her single upright knee while the other leg stretched flat on the floor, she gazed at me with a look that could be described as curious apathy.