Character description. . .a question

[Agnol]

just my two cents

In regards to erotica I think many beginning and average writers rely on the crutch of physical beauty to make their stories interesting. (Certainly not making reference to anyone in this thread) Yes we all know beautiful people are exciting to look at and watch, but we aren't photographers we are word smiths. Suze Randall's photographs are so much more arousing than many others because they have a setting, a story that is in progress. As a writer that is the kind of material I'm competing against for attention. I personally can't write a better description than Suze Randall can photograph so instead I must make the reader care about the character and if the only way to do that is through a description of the person I'm certainly going to lose, I think.

As a reader I like good descriptions but know that if the author comes out of left field in the middle of the story with some forgotten unimportant tidbit its likely to be ignored. As a writer I try to be general in my descriptions leaving the reader to fill in all the details that are important to them. If you don't care about my characters what do you care how they look anyway?

 

[Caitano]

I read up until and including Bombadil in the Hobbit and stopped reading at that point, just couldn't get into it.

You tell people and tell people, but they always want to start with The Hobbit. That book was a 'prentice job. Start with the Trilogy. At least then, you're reading the part that everyone's so wild about. Just my opinion, of course. But the Hobbit sucked comparatively, just as bad as Bombadil in a lot of places.

Um, say. We've wandered a bit off the main thread, haven't we? :|

 

[MrsDeathlynx]

You tell people and tell people, but they always want to start with The Hobbit. That book was a 'prentice job. Start with the Trilogy. At least then, you're reading the part that everyone's so wild about. Just my opinion, of course. But the Hobbit sucked comparatively, just as bad as Bombadil in a lot of places.

Um, say. We've wandered a bit off the main thread, haven't we? :|

It's okay, I think she got the answer to her question anyways, lol.

I don't remember which book it was but when I was younger I did read the book with Golem's story in it, but I do remember making it through. But I do find it odd now considering that I read Roots in 5th or 6th grade so it's not like I have a low reading level or anything. *shrugs*

 

[Caitano]

In regards to erotica I think many beginning and average writers rely on the crutch of physical beauty to make their stories interesting. (Certainly not making reference to anyone in this thread) Yes we all know beautiful people are exciting to look at and watch, but we aren't photographers we are word smiths. Suze Randall's photographs are so much more arousing than many others because they have a setting, a story that is in progress. As a writer that is the kind of material I'm competing against for attention. I personally can't write a better description than Suze Randall can photograph so instead I must make the reader care about the character and if the only way to do that is through a description of the person I'm certainly going to lose, I think.

As a reader I like good descriptions but know that if the author comes out of left field in the middle of the story with some forgotten unimportant tidbit its likely to be ignored. As a writer I try to be general in my descriptions leaving the reader to fill in all the details that are important to them. If you don't care about my characters what do you care how they look anyway?

I back out of a story with clothing sizes in it. Maybe that's just me. I may be able to go along with you that erotica's a different game, but no way can it be as different as that. I hope that sort of thing is just rookie mistakes.

But some published stroke has that kind of description in it. As a kid, the Midwood novels I read certainly could.

 

[starrkers]

It's okay, I think she got the answer to her question anyways, lol.

I don't remember which book it was but when I was younger I did read the book with Golem's story in it, but I do remember making it through. But I do find it odd now considering that I read Roots in 5th or 6th grade so it's not like I have a low reading level or anything. *shrugs*

I started The Hobbit as a kid too. Put me off Tolkien for years, never finished it, which is rare for me.
When the movies were being made I decided to read the trilogy, or at least have a go at it. I enjoyed it immensely. Then i read The Hobbit and enjoyed that too.
Don't know if it was the greater age or the order I finally read them in.

 

[MrsDeathlynx]

I started The Hobbit as a kid too. Put me off Tolkien for years, never finished it, which is rare for me.
When the movies were being made I decided to read the trilogy, or at least have a go at it. I enjoyed it immensely. Then i read The Hobbit and enjoyed that too.
Don't know if it was the greater age or the order I finally read them in.

Maybe I can try it that way, just have to get a hold of the books. Maybe I can covince hubby to get them or next time I see my dad I can borrow them.