Into the Fire

Passionate thoughts about the world of writing and the Power of God

                             ThEC9UCARV

A lovely picture capturing more than physical features. This is the job of an artist. Whether a sketch artist, a painter, a sculptor, whatever the medium, it is the objective to create an accurate portrait of the one where you intend to center your attention – both for yourself and for those who want to view what you do.

And so it is with story writers. Painting with words is not as precise. Some authors choose to make their physical descriptions of characters vague, leaving their "portraits" up to the readers. I'm a character-study kind of writer, and I want you to see what I see. I might give you too much information, but that's how it goes with me. These characters are as real as I can make them, and although actually "seeing" them is not a visual I can give you, I can help you to see what I see because, for me as a writer, that character does not depend on you and your imagination, it depends on me and mine. Now not every character will be given an in-depth description so you will have some leeway to lend your imagination to "my" people, but the main characters? You will read their features, their gestures, and, yes, probably the color of their eyes.

When you read, do you prefer vague or actual images in your characters?

 

Father, apart from you, I can do nothing. Help me to be who you designed me to be. In every way. In the Name of Jesus, Amen.

Posted in

3 responses to “Portraits . . .”

  1. BK Jackson Avatar
    BK Jackson

    I prefer for the author to draw the picture, not be vague. When I think of favorite Zane Grey novels for example–physical description was a powerful part of his stories.
    Authors spend too much time trying to be vague and it’s pointless. Even when an author paints a picture of a character with words, some level of the reader’s own imagination is going to conjure who they think they see.
    I also think when an author is precise about her/his characters it shows the reader that the author knows what they are doing. It shows confidence in their work.

    Like

  2. Brenda Anderson Avatar

    In most cases, I want to know. I want to see what the author is seeing. Give me description, even if it’s not popular anymore.
    But, I recently finished a literary work (that I didn’t care for) and I couldn’t care less what the characters looked like (but then maybe that’s because I didn’t care for the book …).

    Like

  3. Nicole Avatar

    Ladies after my own heart.
    SOME literary novels present an arrogance, thinking their specifically created words will paint these unique pictures that somehow involve yet transcend the reader’s imagination. If no one cares or isn’t even remotely attracted to their characters: what is the point?

    Like

Leave a comment