First impressions about character

Hi everyone,

I am currently sketching out an outline for a new novella and in my notes I came up with a main character who fits this description (will not use same terms in actual text)

- Has a face like Adam Levine or younger Jon Hamm (Madmen)
- Has body like Armie Hammer ( 6f 5, 220 lbs, athletic)
- Has voice like Glenn Gould
- Is a prolific novelist that has publish one book (but written several others)
- Can speak eight languages

He will probable be introduced via a resume with cover picture (need to imagine other characters first impressions before they actually meet him).What impressions would such a character make on you? Would you find him too much ?

Thanks for the input

Good day!

 

First impressions do count and this moment is your character's chance to impress and hook your readers. The entire character arc begins with this moment. What you have presented us with is technically getting to know the character but not setting up his story. I don't care what he looks like, what his body is like, who he sounds like. The fact he's a novelist is interesting to me but unless it's what the plot is about it's not worth mentioning in the first few moments. Same with the fact he can speak eight languages. Introducing him in a resume isn't introducing him in the flesh and it's helping me get to know him much. You didn't offer much information on the plot or why you've chosen to introduce him as a resume. I wouldn't be interested in him based on what you've said. Who is looking at this resume and what are they looking for? What is his competition like? If I worked at a modelling agency I'd be interested pretty much only in the person's looks. If I was publishing his books I'd only care what his writing and pass success was like. Are you introducing him to the readers as a resume only? More information is needed here for that because what ever these people are looking for will taint what they think of him. Remember what they think might affect the readers thoughts when they first meet him.

 

Honestly, on a basic level sounds like a Marty-Stu.
Sounds too perfect on paper, and looks like every
Adonis to ever grace 99.99% of Romance novels.
Way to avoid him coming off too perfect, give him
some flaws to try and round him out a bit.

 

He sounds kinda larger-than-life. I'm sure people like this can and do exist, but yeah, I'm getting sort of a low-key "idealized pulp hero" vibe here. You know, a James Bond or Indiana Jones type of guy. My expectation would be that you designed this man specifically to be a "classic" male ideal, or at least that you want the reader to assume he is.

Of course, you say nothing about his personality, morals etc. It's all superficial stuff, so for all I know he could be a villain. Point is, no matter who he happens to be, I wouldn't expect him to be ordinary.

I mean, I'm a guy who's mainly into fantasy and superhero stories: I deal in exaggerated realities where it's standard for the main characters to be idealized archetypes. In superhero comics it's not uncommon for characters to have photo-model looks, world-class athletic abilities and being one of the world's leading experts in at least one scientific field. A guy like this would be fairly normal by comparison.

I guess what I'm saying is, it depends on what sort of story it is.

 

a resume always has "puffery" you only show what you want others to see. Unless it really matters to the story do you really need it.

 

Well to be precise, for a good part of the story, we will not see this character (at least directly), we will get glimpse of him through rumors circulating in conversations, the resume, and other indirect hints, first impressions are important in this context so I can test the expectations of my audience.

That is why your input is valuable to me.

Hope I was clearer.

Thanks

 

Then it'd depend on how you write these hints. I'm sorry for not being able to tell you more, but how the characters who have interacted with him or have heard of him (in whatever context) will shape how I view him as a reader.

 

Try to imagine as if you saw this person in real life or received his resume on your desk, so aware of all the info above.

Just like to know first impressions.

Thanks

 

I disengaged when you said he knew eight languages. While that might be possible, it seemed too much to me and seemed fake. I do not want to really get into a back and forth set here on whether or not that is possible...I admit that it might be, but the point is for me, it seems doubtful, and doubt means the reader disengages.

I would also be wary of using celebrities to describe characters. I am not sure if you did that here just for us, but I would never put any celebrity name in a novel I wrote, only because if 5 years from now Glenn Gould got throat cancer, it would throw off my whole intent. Better to just describe the voice outright, then the celebrity with the voice you want your character to have.

 

i think the idea of creating a personality of someone especially in novel or stories should be based on the surrounding than character's own persona. for example the other characters , his family members , friends , job or something that will interact or have interacted with character . theses can produce different and strong layers of character from readers point of view . i also agree the point of disengagement of readers when reading something like knowing many languages by character,seems slightly doubtful but may exists .

 

Mostly, I wanted to know if there was a sharp contrast between his physical description (see above) and the commonly held stereotypes about writers and polyglots, and how may readers react to such contrasts.

Thanks

 

How is he a prolific novelist if hes only published one novel ?

Simple, he has only published one but has written several others (he is still fairly young), which are lengthy and ambitious in style and in themes.

 

Amazing, can you give me your name so I can look you up, are you with a publisher, or self-published?

 

That's what it screamed at me, too.

 

What exactly qualifies as a "Marty Stu" in your book, please elaborate.

Thanks

 

If you're wondering what a "Marty Stu" or a "Mary Sue" is - it's an idealised male or female character, often an avatar of the author.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Sue

Your guy is tall, handsome, athletic, smart, without any given flaws at this stage. I think that qualifies.

 

Who includes a picture of themselves with a resume? That makes no sense to me. I would find it hard to take an applicant serious or believe they were professional if they did that. Given you're making him smart, I find it hard to believe he would do something so unprofessional.

 

It is actually still a costum in France and a few other countries (I live in France now)

 

"Custom" sorry