I recently saw a new review of The Beast Hunter on Amazon that praised my colorful characters even though I tend to avoid lengthy physical descriptions of my characters. The reviewer said:
“[I got] so wrapped up in the story that even without detailed descriptions of the characters I had a vivid image of them in my head.”
This got me thinking about how the vast majority of my fans tell me that they find my characters so vivid and engaging that they don’t need to know exactly what these fictional people look like. However, I do wonder if there are some readers who would appreciate a more detailed list of physical traits somewhere for each citizen of the imaginary worlds I create.
To tell the truth, I often hesitate to describe my characters in too much detail because I want readers to imagine them as they see fit. Some fans envision a celebrity, a friend, or even themselves in the character roles, which makes the story more personal. I’ve even had some fans tell me that they picture me as one of my fictional heroes! Whoever they might see when they open the pages to their last bookmark, my goal is to provide enough hints for my readers to identify each character while leaving plenty of room for their own imaginations.
When I read, I often skim over physical descriptions because I prefer to picture the character in my own way rather than trying to match what the author sees, and I think that my typical reader may feel the same way.
All that being said, I do have a rough idea of what each character looks like, and if you read my stories carefully, you’ll see some of the details coming through. Keltin has ruddy hair and captivating eyes. Jaylocke has curly blonde hair and a ready smile. Richard Park’s hair becomes steadily longer and more unruly as he survives on Other World. My hope is that details like this will serve to spark the reader’s imagination without feeling like creativity guardrails.
If you have an image of one of my characters that firmly set in your mind, I’d love to hear what it is in the comments. There’s no right or wrong here. Even if your idea doesn’t match my vision of a character, in the end, that doesn’t really matter. Because when you read one of my stories, it isn’t just my story anymore. It’s ours. And I’m happy to share.
