When I read a good novel, I identify so strongly with the main female character that I picture her as looking a lot like me—not necessarily the plump, little, old lady I am today, but the idealized version of me at the character’s age (maybe a little more voluptuous, taller, and put-together than my actual self).
If the author describes the character as she envisions her, my subconscious won’t necessarily accept it. If the character’s inner dialogue matches my thought process, she’s obviously me. I cast myself playing her part in the movie version running in my mind.
Doesn’t everybody do that?
Apparently not. Because in my critique groups, people often say to me, “Could you describe your main character so I can visualize her?” Why shouldn’t readers visualize the character any way they want to—any color, any ethnicity, any age, any socio-economic group, unless the story truly needs for the details to be spelled out?
In the olden days, authors often gave a complete description of their characters as they introduced them. The problem with that strategy is that the action stops. Nothing’s happening. You’re telling, not showing.
You don’t see that so much in contemporary fiction. Now authors are sneaky about throwing in little bits of description here and there. Charlotte sighed and ran her fingers through her curly, auburn hair. I struggle with that as a reader, especially if I see Charlotte with straight brown hair like mine. But is her hair’s texture and color important? Does it move the plot forward?
Probably not.
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I think I’d rather know more about Charlotte’s nature or motivation. Why does she make the choices she does? What is she hoping to accomplish? Who is she trying to get even with?
I see the necessity for describing a person in a nonfiction story, especially if the person isn’t a well-known celebrity. Then you want to see the person as he exists, or at least through the eyes of the author.
But in reading fiction, you want to experience the events as if they were happening to you. You want to reside within the characters. That altered state is easier to enter if the character can look just like you. Too much description breaks the spell.
Granted, this is just my opinion. Write your story true to your vision.
So, what do you think about character description? Do you think authors should describe characters’ physical appearances? Or should they leave room, if appropriate, for the readers’ imaginations to take over? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
This guest post was contributed by ARHuelsenbeck. Former elementary general music teacher ARHuelsenbeck blogs about the arts and the creative process at ARHtistic License. She is currently writing poems, picture books and short stories, a YA mystical fantasy and a Middle Grades novel. You can follow her on Twitter, and see some of her artwork, photography, and quilts on Instagram.
A Writer's Path 
I think a little bit of description is always a good thing. Remember, some readers can’t visualize (yes, we aphantasics read, too — some of us are even writers), and having a few physical details to attach to a character is far better than a complete blank.
“But in reading fiction, you want to experience the events as if they were happening to you.” No, I want to experience the events through the viewpoint of that character; I don’t want that character to be me. Many readers don’t want to ‘self-insert’ or whatever, and also, many readers consider ‘no description, so you can imagine anything you want!’ to be a cop-out.
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Good points.
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The Devil is in the details. If you’re watching a movie or have pictures or drawings of your characters; you probably don’t need to describe their physical appearance. When all you have is text, the situation changes. Minor characters may not need a detailed physical description. But, with major characters and your protagonist, you need to provide details, even about their physical appearance. Where, when, how, and much you provide is another matter.
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Last line should have said, “Where, when, how, and how much you provide is another matter.” Does anyone know how to edit or modify your post after it’s posted? This should be an easy fix, but I couldn’t figure out how to do it.
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Yeah, WordPress blogs don’t let commenters edit. I knew what you meant, and so will most people. Writers aren’t perfect–they make mistakes on first drafts. It comes with the territory.
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I know most writers feel that way. I will add physical details if I think they’re important, like when a character’s race is a factor in the story.
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I totally agree with the idea of letting the reader decide–to a great extent–what a protagonist looks like. Antagonists, however, ought to get more description, if nothing else, to make them look as bad, corrupt, lascivious, or compelling as needed.
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Very interesting. Something I had not considered before.
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I enjoy character descriptions but it can become annoying… if too much of the story is about how they look and not who they are… so a little goes a long way … I will usually mentally recast characters if a character description contradicts how I imagined them… but really cool artistic things can happen when there is no physical descriptions like in Toni Morrison’s Paradise so intention is also important anyways great post ❤️💕💕
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If the author has an image in mind, why not share it? If think in description, often character comes through as well. But, as most here have said, it depends on the story.
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I’m writing a book in which the main protagonists are a mother and daughter. Problem is, I’m writing it in first person POV. (Yes, I realise this can be tricky to do as a man). I agonised for a while about not being able to describe the narrator (the mother) and decided to instead have her comment on her and her daughter’s similar appearance. It seems to be working pretty well.
As to the comments above, I tend to agree with the writer; sometimes it’s best to rely on the reader’s imagination.
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I totally agree. As a reader, I imagine characters in my mind anyway. Or, if the book is long enough, sometimes forget the description given earlier. As a writer, I only describe a character’s physical looks if it is important and I don’t inventory their features when I do. Plus, the book is for the reader, not me. Let them have at it. Thanks
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