Into the Fire

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.