Hi all, I was wondering how people feel about describing a characters looks, as readers and writers? Quite often, I go through an entire story without giving any details of what a character looks like. I know it is probably wrong but it happens. I think it's because, as a reader, I'm not interested in what they look like unless it affects the story. Do people find it difficult to connect with characters without a description or are you cool without it. I should say I'm coming at this as a short story writer, just incase that changes your thinking. Would like to get some opinions and see if it is something I should work on. Cheers
I like character descriptions. All of them. I hate cliche expressions though. If your character has high cheekbones, I'm going to hate them too . Almond eyes gets the page torn off and made into a paper plane. If you don't mention anything about a character, I'd consider you forgot about it and will pout. Connecting with a character doesn't have much to do with descriptions, but a description can help. A lot. Also, don't forget that a character description doesn't have to read like a form you fill for the statistics: eye color, face shape, nose shape. Be creative.
I think it is fair to say I forget it, it just doesn't seem important. Perhaps it should. Sometimes I add a little detail here and there if it fits with what a character is doing but that's about it.
I add description if it's important; currently I have a new 13yr old girl in an important role, I use very brief description so the reader knows it's a 13yr old girl without me specifically saying 'it's a 13yr old' Most often I find I like an image of the character to develop in my imagination as I'm reading. Because of that I HATE films of books which I love because the film destroys my mental image of the characters, eg. Lord Of the Rings, Galadriel??? REALLY??? and as for Arwen, there aren't enough curse words in the English language for what they did to the Evenstar. In my opinion. I think description of characters should be strictly 'need to know'.
It is easier to pull off when you have multiple MCs that interact regularly, and can casually mention a few things that hint at what another looks like. And even then it is pretty vague outside of expressions or something that is specific to that character. Just like books that have the characters on the cover kinda defeat the purpose of having an expectation of what you would like them to look like in your own imagination. All you need is just enough so you can create them in your own way, as the reader will be able to see what they want of them.
I'm like you -- I don't find what the characters look like particularly interesting unless it actually matters. But I do try to give some descriptions, because as plenty of long, laborious threads on here have shown ( ), it does matter to some folks.
I give descriptions and I like description. What a character looks like says a lot about who they are, so physical description isn't just about painting an image, it's also about characterization.
I tend to have a strong image in my head about how my characters look. It's one of my favorite things about writing.
I like descriptions. I use them, and I like reading them. The last book I read didn't really have a description of the main character, but it had descriptions of the other characters. I found myself wondering what the main character looked like.
I think it matters. It adds another layer to your character, and in a short story a little description can go a long way. A lot of writers want to be minimalist writers and/or believe they are such. But there is a difference between bare bones and a blank slate.
My style of writing is to literally, all at once, give all major physical features that are important to a character while keeping it vague enough that it doesn't read like a robotic list and it lets the reader paint their own picture of a character using the snippits of features I give. I developed this style because it's a HUGE pet peeve of mine in writing when a story describes a character as "tall with black hair" or whatever, and I build this image of them in my head, but then sometime later in the story it'll say "he rubbed his mustache". Like god damn it man don't tell us some or most of the features of the character and then later say "oh btw here's something else". Maybe some people like features told in small increments like that, but I hate it.
I just wanted to add that character description is the sort of thing that can give a story texture and make it more unique. It's an opportunity but by no means a requirement.
I like them, and I use them. When I read a story that doesn't have them, I'm not invested in the character and am easily distracted enough that sometimes I don't bother to finish the book...sort of like, "If the author doesn't care about this character, why should I?" That said, the description of the person doesn't have to be overly long...just precise. I also agree with @Odile_Blud in that it says a lot about who they are.
Thanks all. Looking at the replies, I think it's something I need to work on. I don't really have anyone to talk to about writing so I appreciate you taking the time to reply.
I don't mind too much either way. I end up having strong images of them in my head anyway, although I understand what others have said about how it shows a lot about a character. A vague description is usually enough for me to feel I have a sense of them. The only thing that really annoys me is when the description comes quite far in. By that point I've already got an image of them in my head and to find out they are meant to look completely different is frustrating - I usually can't change the way I think of them at that point because I'm too invested. Even worse is when the description later turns out to be a plot point.
I'll write - his cheekbones were as high as your eyes could reach, and her lips were as plump as cushions on a cake. Now, I know that is difficult for you to envision, reader. But imagine a cake that kissed you back? Well, she was that cake. And at a discount 99c - and at five o'clock on a Wednesday afternoon, there was no way she was staying on the shelf.
It depends on the style of the writer and the type of fiction. I would enjoy reading a certain style of description in a Virginia Wolfe novel that I would not want to see in a Suzanne Collins novel. That said, I'm struggling with this issue myself. Currently, my goal is to plant the seeds of description about what is unique about a character that will inspire the reader's imagination. I want the reader to make the character their own, and not force my vision down their throat.
Very much depends on the writer and their descriptive skills: I'm a huge fan of metaphor and imagery, just telling me a character was blonde, blue-eyed and curvy does nothing. But really good visual cues can be a joy in themselves (two of my favourites are Wodehouse and Chandler, who can give you a brilliant and entertaining picture in a few words). Dickens does incredibly detailed and vivid descriptions that clue you in to the character's... well character, which is a style that needs to be less obvious now but it still fun. In short fiction though, I'd pare it down to just what definitely adds to the impact of the story: and quite often, especially with a tiny cast, itmay feel like padding.
I add what they looks like a quick overview as a reader you do want to picture the character in your mind someway. Example Black hair Caucasian and if its a action how built he is. You don't have to go into detail. Like color of eyes unless it fit with the story. Like a romance maybe. I wrote quick overview.
I think it adds to creatures/species that don't exist, since it can be radically different from what we are used to. It can also be a way to show just a little more realism to the story, but not in 1st POV unless you force them to look in a mirror just to have an excuse to describe them.
Unless their physical description is an important part of the plot and it is paramount that it must be described, I prefer to receive more personality and emotional characterization than physical features. My advice is to plan out the characters inside and out and then, if you want to, slip some physical details into the writing. But please, an entire chapter devoted to her long, glossy hair, plump, rose-red lips, and cute fishnet stockings won’t do any good.
As a reader, if you hand me an exhaustive dossier for each character without a reason that makes sense to me, I start to just leave those dossiers on the desk, unread. (I'm looking at you G.R.R. Martin.) As a writer, it depends on the character POV I'm using. Let's take one of my typical gay protagonists. We'll call him Carlos. He will engage Julie, Bob, and Marty in the same scene, three different situations. Julie Carlos decided to ask Julie to be his lab partner. She had a practical, no-nonsense approach in class that went along with her practical, no-nonsense attire and utilitarian ponytail. A quick scan of the room said she was the smart one, the one to partner with to get an A on the project. Carlos tapped her on the shoulder and said, "Wanna' be partners? I have an idea for a project already." He passed her the outline and she scanned it quickly, one side of her mouth curling up into an appreciative smile. "Yeah. This looks great." Bob As soon as Mrs. Taylor announced the project, Bob flashed his eyes wide at Carlos. Carlos nodded. Sure, why not. Bob wasn't the sharpest knife in the drawer, but what are best friends for if not to get a C together in a class project. Bob had also become the fat kid over the summer and he still didn't know how to play that role. Funny that the gay kid would be his shelter in the storm. Everyone changed seats to sit next to their partner for the project. Bob squeezed into the desk next to Carlos and said, "Any idea for a project?" "Yeah, look at this." Carlos passed him the outline and Bob scanned it quickly, one side of his mouth curling down in concern. "You think we can do this?" "Of course. Relax. Most of this is already in my dad's shed." Marty Carlos watched the other students immediately grab a partner. It looked choreographed. Like they had practiced over the summer. How does that even happen? His best friend Bob picked Julie. What a traitor. Hard to blame him, though. She was the smartest kid in class and his best chance of not getting an F. The only other kid still looking around was Marty Silvers. God, why do You hate me? Marty Silvers was un-talk-to-able, in a different social clime, and so beautiful. Carlos felt like an orc next to Marty, the silvan elf. Marty flashed him a cheeky smile. The kind of smile only beautiful, confident people can pull off. He acknowledged Carlos with a tip of the head that Carlos would subsequently practice in the mirror, vying for the same nonchalance that would never, ever materialize. Marty slid into the seat next to Carlos. Carlos wasn't sure how he got there. Magic. Had to be. Those eyes. Can human eyes be that blue? Is that really possible? And that hair. Marty passed his hand through it and it fell in perfect brunet waves, laughing at Carlos. Yes. Laughing hair. "Hey, man. I guess it's you and me." When Carlos was ninety seven years old and on his deathbed, he would remember the sound of those words. The first words Marty ever said to him. "Got any any ideas?" Carlos wordlessly slipped him his outline. Marty read it with an appreciative little grin. "Cool. Looks like I picked well." Did he really say that? No. Not possible. Not Marty Silvers, the most beautiful guy to ever grace these halls. "Yeah, I guess you did." Okay, I get it now, God. I understand. Feel free to take me at any time. Okay, so, nothing Pulitzer-winning there, admittedly, but my point is that what I describe, how I describe it, the detail and lengths to which I describe it, is completely dependent on Carlos, the POV character, not on me or the reader. In this scene, to little gay Carlos: Julie is The Smart Kid™ and doesn't have boobs or eye color or a physical shape (though obviously she has all these things) because these things are of no consequence to Carlos, the gay kid. Bob is The Best Friend™, but still another guy whose physical attributes he would notice. Marty is God-Boy of High School™ and poor little Carlos is caught in his glamour (in the original sense of that word).
I like character descriptions. It doesn't have to be paragraphs dedicated to description and nothing too in-depth, but I like to know some of the basics so I can have a picture of them in my head. I visual what I read so it's like a movie to me and no character description is like watching a blank face or shadow body moving through the scenes.
