Which is exactly why I need to STOP that INSURGENT BEHAVIOUR! This is MY story, I shall decide how you imagine it! MWAHAHAHAHHAHAH!!!
Believe it or not, I saw an author on another forum post a thread about his compulsive NEED for readers to picture everything exactly the way he did. It genuinely disturbed and frightened him that they might not see his settings or characters as if they were photocopies from his brain. I enjoy it when readers see things in my book that I didn't mean to put there. Makes me feel all clever and deep and stuff. Unless it's typos. God dammit.
Yes, definitely don't get attached to the very finite details. Just the basic ones. I usually do about four to six elements, depending on what's interesting about them as well as sometimes using bits as metaphors because a good description should be spiced up a bit with character and/or plot and/or themes.
I describe the physicality of the MC in my current WIP exactly two times. 1. You learn her gender. 2. You learn she looks "sick".
I tend to only use descriptions that reflect a character's personality. For example if I want someone to appear obsessed about their outward appearance I will mention their perfect hairstyle, styled beard etc. If I want a woman to be stunningly attractive, I will simply say she is beautiful and have men react to her in such a way, without giving much description. A beautiful woman looks different for each reader. I think tags can work well though, having someone with one feature that defines them and instantly conjures a picture in the readers head. If I say a man has a huge scars on his face and is carrying a sword you immediately get a picture of some battle-hardened warrior, I don't really need to give much more detail imo.
