This entry was posted
on Tuesday, October 14th, 2008 at 3:36 am
and is filed under Promo, Writing Life with the following tags: appearance, characters, heroes, Samhain Publishing, Tea for Two, Writing. You can feed this entry.
Both comments and pings are currently closed.
I like descriptions. Really, no matter how the author describes the hero, you’re going to see him your own way. I remember telling my friend who’d read my paranormal series that the hero of the second book looked exactly like Jensen Ackles and she was like , “No! Don’t tell me that! That’s not what he looks like to me!” And that’s the awesome thing about books VS. movies… even if the author describes the hero perfectly, you’re still going to take the basics (eye color, hair, height) and see that character the way you want to see him/her.
by Crystal-Rain Love October 14th, 2008 at 5:55 amI agree with Crystal. A lot of readers don’t even want the cover faces to be too detailed, because they want the characters to form up in their own way in their minds.
When I’m writing, I cast my characters as if I were shooting a film. And then I watch a lot of films/TV with that actor/actress to ‘upload’ their mannerisms into my mental file for their story. Then, when I’m writing, I access their file and the characters move and talk just the way I need them to.
by julia October 14th, 2008 at 6:51 amI’m of the ‘less is more’ category myself. Paragraphs of description just slow me down. And for heaven’s sake, once you’ve told me his hair is curly or dark or whatever, I’ve got it. I know it already, you don’t need to keep hammering me with it 30 more times during the story.
I don’t usually write with a celebrity in mind. I remember writing a story a few years back (I posted them as free reads online) and a reader commented that she saw the hero as being Heath Ledger like he was in A Knight’s Tale. And I was horrified. I didn’t see him anything like that physically, but then I realized, it didn’t matter what I thought. SHE could identify with the character - and THAT’s what mattered. So yeah, I tend to go lighter on the description.
Same thing with when they make a book into a movie. The guy they chose as Edward in Twilight? Definitely nothing like how I picture Edward. Same with the Harry Potter movies. I prefer to use my own imagination than seeing a picture of someone else’s vision.
by Leah Braemel October 14th, 2008 at 6:56 amCongrats on the release for Tea for Two, Shelley!
I’m also in the less is more camp. It doesn’t matter how detailed a hero is described on the page, in my head he’s exactly the way I want him to be. Currently that involves Clive Owen in a toga, but strangely I’m not complaining
by Christina Phillips October 14th, 2008 at 7:58 amCongratulations on the release!! I’m off to buy it next.
I flip between having a clear image in my head, and not throwing in too much detail. I tend to have an actor or actress in mind when I write, but when it comes to the actual descriptions, I think I tend to go on the light side. I love being able to leave it up to the reader to fill in the blanks.
by Christine d'Abo October 14th, 2008 at 8:22 amYup… agree with the *up there* comments that though some kind of description is needed, less is more. Give me build and coloring, a quirk or two even, but stop at describing his pore size.
(there needs to be an emoticon for DROOL)
by Wylie Kinson October 14th, 2008 at 10:16 amAnd to whomever said ‘Clive in a toga’… I’m all for that!!
It’s a good image to add to my repetoire of Brad in a trojan leather skirt and Gerard in a kilt.
Oh - and congrats on the release, Shelley!!!
by Wylie Kinson October 14th, 2008 at 10:17 amHappy Release Day, Shelley. A character’s personality is always more important to me than their looks, but I want a detailed description of their appearance.
by Jane October 14th, 2008 at 1:49 pmI like that we all look at descriptions differently. It makes for interesting heroes! I know I’m usually disappointed with the actors portraying characters in books I’ve read. It took me a while to get used to Harry Dresden in the TV adaptation. I don’t know why!
Christina/Wylie - Clive in a toga? I suppose that would be all right…
Oh, and thank you all for the release congratulations! I’m a wee bit nervous about this one.
by Shelley Munro October 14th, 2008 at 1:56 pmYay! Congrats on the book coming out Shelley!!
You know, I do it differently with every book I write (which I guess says I’m all over the place, LOL). Some characters I use visuals for and some I don’t. The current book I’m writing, I have visuals for the heroine but not the hero. Weird…
Great blog topic!
by Karen Erickson October 14th, 2008 at 1:58 pmShelley, congratulations on your release! Thanks also for linking to my post at RTB.
As you now know, I’m in the less is more camp regarding description because I find a hero’s personality much more addicting. It’s challenging to root for hero when I all I know about him is how sexy/handsome he is. A few visual details are important, of course, but imho they don’t make or break a hero.
by Heather Massey October 14th, 2008 at 5:00 pmOMG!!!! Happy Release day!!!!
by Jennifer McKenzie October 14th, 2008 at 6:13 pmAnd I usually leave it vague, but book trailers have really changed that for me.
Happy Release day!!
I have four men that rotate in my head. Tom Sellick, my husband (Mr. C resembles Tom Sellick anyway), Jay Tavare,and my currant binge at the moment, Viggo Mortensen. I’ve tried others, really, but there is Viggo, never fails. lol I think writing the characters out is the closest thing I’m going to get to recovery. But then again, who wants to recover from that?
I do leave my descriptions open though, the eye candy is for me.
Again, happy release day. Hope you have great sales!
C~
by Colleen Love October 14th, 2008 at 9:57 pmLess is more, as a reader and a writer. I really like to build a picture in my mind on my own - but no matter what he looks like, if his personality doesn’t suck me in, then it’s over!
I was once asked during a chat, if my book were made into a movie who would I cast as the hero and heroine. I was totally stumped. Not only because I am totally out of touch with the celebrity world, but my characters exist in my head as separate and independent people. I guess if that ever comes to pass, I’ll have to leave that up to the director! LOL
by Jenyfer Matthews October 15th, 2008 at 2:28 amMy character descriptions tend to be lean, although I do put in distinguishing features that would appear in a shadow when the character is around the corner or behind a door. My heroes tend to be tall, dark and hairy. No waxed chests for me or my readers.
Nor do I use photographs for inspiration: all that comes to mind usually after I come up with a name, often unusual. Then I fit the character to the name. A good characteristic builder is coming up with a birthdate for an astrological chart. Then you can determine the strengths and weaknesses, and how that character might act in a given situation. Of course, not all astrological charts are the same, as people are born in different locations…this changes the celestial aspects.
by Barbara Martin October 15th, 2008 at 10:12 amCongratulations on the release of Tea for Two, Shelley! I wish you fabulous reviews and tons of sales.
As for character appearance, I like to have a general idea of his or her looks. From there I can form my own images based on what the writer has told us about personality traits.
by Daisy Dexter Dobbs October 15th, 2008 at 11:59 amThe thing that I like to know is both the hero’s and heroine’s ages. I rarely know their ages in the romances of today. I do like to know the hero’s eye color. I’m big on eye color, one of the first things I notice in men.
by Nancy Henderson October 15th, 2008 at 4:17 pm