Character's physical descriptions

[testudo]

One thing I'm struggling with is figuring out how much detail with which to describe my characters. For me, when I'm reading erotica, I like to visualize the characters myself, and detailed descriptions get in the way of that. One example of this is I'm not that into blonds, but the erotica I read is full of them. So when I'm writing, I find I tend to avoid giving detailed descriptions so I'm not pushing my own image of the characters on the readers.

I'm worried though that this is just a weird hangup I have, and most readers would prefer to have me describe the characters in more detail. which do you think it is?

 

[SusanJillParker]

One thing I'm struggling with is figuring out how much detail with which to describe my characters. For me, when I'm reading erotica, I like to visualize the characters myself, and detailed descriptions get in the way of that. One example of this is I'm not that into blonds, but the erotica I read is full of them. So when I'm writing, I find I tend to avoid giving detailed descriptions so I'm not pushing my own image of the characters on the readers.

I'm worried though that this is just a weird hangup I have, and most readers would prefer to have me describe the characters in more detail. which do you think it is?

Don't describe your character in one sentence. Instead weave your character's description through out the story.

Show the reader what you see by not only just descriptions but also imagery.

In the way that my mother used to do when she was sexually aroused, Samantha fingered her dark, brown straight hair while watching me undress.

Now not only do we know that you had an incestuous affair with your mother but also we know that Samantha has straight, dark brown hair.

In the same way that my sister stared up at me while sucking my cock, Sam stared at me with her big, brown, beautiful eyes.

Now not only do we know that you have an incestuous affair with your sister but also we know she Sam big, brown, beautiful eyes.

With me being 6'1" tall, without heels, she was up to my forehead.

Now, we know that she's tall, 5'9" or 5'10".

Good luck with your story.

 

[TamLin01]

I rarely bother to bring it up unless there's something particularly distinctive about the way a character looks or unless it's important for the reader to know for one reason or another, such as if you're introducing many characters in a short span and need to help the reader sort them out. Even then, they usually only need one or two distinctive visual markers--hair color, eyes, their outfit, etc--to pick them out.

 

[oggbashan]

Less is more.

If you describe the character in physical detail the reader can decide he/she doesn't like that description. If you leave the physical description generic then the reader can visualise the hero or heroine as the person they would like to see as that character.

If someone likes blondes and detests redheads, and your character is a redhead? You might have lost that reader.

If someone likes petite delicate women and the heroine is six feet tall and built like a sumo wrestler? Unlikely - but that could be a turn-off.

 

[hylas_]

I know exactly what you mean, but I still go for physical decriptions in my own writing. For me, erotic writing only works when I really "get into" my own scenario and "paint" it as vividly as possible, and at least some physical characteristics just are part of that. If that puts off some readers, so be it.

Just don't use numbers (bra size, cock size, weight, etc), but that's a whole other story.

 

[sr71plt]

I use as little detail as is required to serve the story.

 

[Hypoxia]

This depends on the needs of story and players. Vivid characters may need or deserve more detailed descriptions. Also, painting word-pictures can help when dealing with a large cast. Which guys of which ethnicities and appearance are currently rendering her airtight?

 

[Handley_Page]

Just don't use numbers (bra size, cock size, weight, etc), but that's a whole other story.

Hear Hear

Just remember that one man's 'gorgeous' is another man's 'OK'.

 

[SecondCircle]

Depends. I don't think I would beat the reader over the head with line after line of description. There's more clever ways of slipping them hints about the way they look.

I try to leave it sort of vague so the reader can imagine the character as they like. The only exception to this is unique characters. If I've got a specific character to portray, then I will, and the reader can like them or not. It's cool that a reader likes green eyes, but Mary's are dark and haunting. And you can see a little glimmer if wicked excitement in them like candlelight far down a black chasm. That's not a trait that is simply, imagined.

For the rest it's purely subjective I suppose. Describe too much, and it's as you say, it doesn't allow for enough imagination. Describe too little, and the character just seems like a stick figure in a flip book lacking any true feature to turn one's head.

 

[HandsInTheDark]

I go light on description. I also try to make it part of the conversation, not an aside to the reader. People rarely describe themselves. But "Julie? You know, tall, brown hair and those boobs? You know who I mean." Will get it across.

I give even less for guys. Female readers will fill in as much detail as they need. Besides, my male characters get by on personality.

 

[SamScribble]

You can't know what the different readers might want - so just write what you would like to read.

 

[lovecraft68]

I give even less for guys.

Sure Sign of homophobia in authors. Not in the hate crime sense, but in the "If I spend too much time talking about how good looking a guy is people will think I'm gay" sense.

 

[LeandraNyx]

Deleted

 

[oggbashan]

...

I never really got the whole "let's be as vague as humanly possible so we don't accidentally turn off a reader" mentality. If you dumb down your work to appeal to literally everyone, then your work loses its unique flavor and ultimately, you're gonna end up isolating the readers who'd be your most endearing fans. There are lots of good reasons to keep it vague, but personally, I don't think reader appeal is a very good one.

Dumbing down? Being vague? No. A character can develop a significant personality without having a precise physical description whether by info dump or a slow trickle of information. I am more interested in how a character behaves and interacts with others rather than whether they are blonde, brunette or whatever.

BUT - some of my characters are who they are because of their physical characteristics which affect their personality, or how others react to them. IF their build, colouring, or fitness is important to the plot then those details will feature.

I do find too much information about a person's physical appearance can be off-putting if those details have no impact on the story.

Bra and clothing sizes? Never!

Clothing sizes can be awkward because of differences in coding in different countries or historically in the same country.

Conversion charts:

http://www.asos.com/infopages/SizeGuide/pgesizechart.aspx?r=2

A UK woman who wears size 14 can be slim but thirty years ago a UK size 14 was larger than it is now. Underwear used to be labelled Small; WMS - womens; WX - large womens; OS - Outsize women; and on to XOS, XXOS...

Most UK women now would be WX, not WMS.

 

[Bramblethorn]

Like Ogg, I tend to give physical description only where it's relevant to the story. Most often that means things that relate to choices: dyed hair, a hijab, an expensive suit. Knowing a character's height or their cup size doesn't tell me anything of interest about them, so I wouldn't usually include that sort of info. As far as I can tell, it hasn't hurt my ratings.

 

[hylas_]

Besides, my male characters get by on personality.

But your female characters don't? Kinda damning, what you're saying about your own writing...

 

[someoneyouknow]

I use as little detail as is required to serve the story.

Is that like, "Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler"?

 

[sr71plt]

Is that like, "Make everything as simple as possible, but not simpler"?

Well, no. It means if the attribute has relevance to the storyline, include it. Otherwise, don't. Of course, sometimes the character has to be a blond(e) to establish character or to differentiate from some other character.

 

[NotWise]

I'm flexible--or merely inexperienced--when it comes to describing characters. I avoid doing a detailed description of any character as an info dump and never use things like cup size of the length of some guy's veined, throbbing member.

Aside from that, it depends on the story and how it develops. I also vary a lot by gender, not so much in the amount of description, as in what and how it's described. I wouldn't normally describe a woman's hands; I often describe a man's hands. I wouldn't describe a man's lips. I often describe a woman's lips. And so on.

Generally I try to give a minimal description of major characters when they appear to help the reader get started, then add details as the situation needs them.

I suspect that if you have a well-designed character then your readers will ignore your physical description and fit an image of their own creation to your character--something that in their imagination fits that character.

 

[Hypoxia]

You can't know what the different readers might want - so just write what you would like to read.

Rather than trying to cater to readers' unknowable lusts, or asking a motly bunch of amateur scribblers what to do, study what works. Read published fiction. How do 'pros' describe characters? Select mentors -- how do your fave authors portray players? Learn at the feet of the maestros.

 

[yukonnights]

One thing I'm struggling with is figuring out how much detail with which to describe my characters. For me, when I'm reading erotica, I like to visualize the characters myself, and detailed descriptions get in the way of that. One example of this is I'm not that into blonds, but the erotica I read is full of them. So when I'm writing, I find I tend to avoid giving detailed descriptions so I'm not pushing my own image of the characters on the readers.

I'm worried though that this is just a weird hangup I have, and most readers would prefer to have me describe the characters in more detail. which do you think it is?

Your instincts are spot on...not a weird hangup at all. Some description is needed, but I've back clicked many a story that started describing things too much.(if you think about it, does anyone even think all of those details when a beautiful woman is stripping in front of you? "My eyes bulged as she revealed her 48 DDD tits and her trim 16 inch waist only made them look bigger. ) If certain details are important, keep it general...his cock was larger than any I had seen...his cock was the smallest I had ever seen, etc. Now I the reader can fill in the image.

Good question and best wishes on your stories !

 

[sr71plt]

I keep thinking that someday I'll write a first-person story by a young, randy construction worker sitting on a wall and doing the measurement thing for everyone passing by who catches his fancy--because that's a legitimate personality type--and post it here, watch the ratings go through the roof (because of where the interest point is in the span of Lit. readers), and laugh my head off.

 

[NotWise]

I keep thinking that someday I'll write a first-person story by a young, randy construction worker sitting on a wall and doing the measurement thing for everyone passing by who catches his fancy--because that's a legitimate personality type--and post it here, watch the ratings go through the roof (because of where the interest point is in the span of Lit. readers), and laugh my head off.

Give it a shot. Let's see. Maybe you should put that in EC to get a more general audience.

 

[sr71plt]

Give it a shot. Let's see. Maybe you should put that in EC to get a more general audience.

I'd have to decide whether to do it as straight, GM, or lesbian. GM would probably get the highest ratings, because in GM measurements DO matter to the largest proportion of the readers.

 

[LeandraNyx]

Deleted