Balancing a Character's Description?

LOG · Mar 12, 2009

How do you figure out how much description of a character is enough? I don't want so much there's no room left for the reader to think, but also not so little that they have no visualization of the character I'm trying to make.
(Mini-Rant: Tolkien was good with Aragorn, somewhat with other characters, I can actually visualize him, can't with alot of the minor characters, like Elrond. Shakespeare...oh Shakespeare, freaking ghosts walking around. Laurell Hamilton...*coughselfinsertcough*)

The Lonely One · Mar 12, 2009

I would say key in on the most representative traits or clothing items etc. and leave the insignificant at bay. A homeless man in a pimp hat says something you'll never get across with laundry list description.

LOG · Mar 12, 2009

The Lonely One said:
A homeless man in a pimp hat says something you'll never get across with laundry list description.

Yeeeeah...what does that say?

Matera the Mad · Mar 12, 2009

If the character's looks matter to the story, describe. If the description is of the Jim ran his fingers through his wavy brown hair as he gazed into the mirror with his blue-gray eyes sort, don't.

FennelGiraffe · Mar 13, 2009

Only describe those elements of your character's physical appearance that stand out. However, also be aware that having a "special" appearance doesn't make the character special. (Unless there's a very specific story reason for it.)

The Lonely One · Mar 13, 2009

JJM said:
Yeeeeah...what does that say?

Probably says more about me than the character :roll:

maestrowork · Mar 13, 2009

It comes down to how much do you trust your word choices and your readers' imagination to fill in the blanks. If you find that you have to run a laundry list of descriptions and your readers end up conjuring a different visual anyway -- then you're doing it all wrong.

"A man as tall and thick as a tree stump" is enough to both give a vivid imagery and prompt your readers to imagine the man... better yet: a tree stump of a man -- cut out the unnecessary adjectives.

maxwelledison · Mar 13, 2009

maestrowork said:
"A man as tall and thick as a tree stump" is enough to both give a vivid imagery and prompt your readers to imagine the man... better yet: a tree stump of a man -- cut out the unnecessary adjectives.

I agree with that.

As a reader, I tend to develop my own visualization of characters pretty quickly after they're introduced. It throws me off, then, to have an author get into a lot of character description later on, because usually it's nothing like what I imagine the character to be. Only describe what's necessary.

There are subtle ways of revealing characteristics, too. "Jane looked up at Jimmy" implies that Jimmy is tall, for instance.

wrinkles · Mar 13, 2009

Minor characters that appear only once, I hardly describe at all. For characters that reappear, I match the description to the context. If he takes her at a party, that's a good time to describe her dressed to the nines (always wondered what that meant). At the beach would be a good time to describe her body. During sex it would be appropriate to describe her in other ways. Meeting his parents you could describe her when she was stressed and anxious to make a good impression, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera.

KikiteNeko · Mar 13, 2009

Less is more.

Ex 1: A shrieking man tore off his clothes and attacked a chipmunk.

is better than

Ex 2: A man with straggly brown hair and a gray pinstripe suit outside of the shoe store suddenly began to shriek in a way that would horrify a small child. He then dropped his paper coffee cup and dashed in the direction of some brown chipmunks; he undid his crisp, silk tie and attacked a petrified chipmunk like a chicken on corn bits.

wrinkles · Mar 13, 2009

Meant to say above, If he takes her to a party, or meets her at a party. Not both.

Balancing a Character's Description?

LOG

Lagrangian

The Lonely One

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

LOG

Lagrangian

Matera the Mad

Bartender, gimme a Linux Mint

FennelGiraffe

It's green they say

The Lonely One

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

maxwelledison

wrinkles

KikiteNeko

.

wrinkles