This is just MY point of view . . . It highlights a common issue with aspiring writers.

YOU should not describe your characters because YOU are nothing to do with the story. It's all about how the character appears to other characters.

It doesn't matter if YOU think Sleeping Beauty is hot - it only matters what Prince Charming thinks.

I have a female character named "Charlie". Here's how her description and characterisation are built.

C1

"She wasn't black, as in Wesley Snipes black, but you could tell she wasn't Snow White. How a baby that colour got inside Mom's belly seemed to be a major point of contention."

"Grade school, Charlie turned out to be a weird kid, but cool with it. Even if she wasn't my sister I'd still like her. I think we'd be good friends, probably BFFs. My little sister grew to be that sort of chick, free-spirited and easy to get along with."

"She beat that boy so bad he lost his retainer and pissed in his shorts. When Jimmy's best friend tried to enter the argument – she punched him out too. She blacked both his eyes – raccooned that fat little fu**er."

C2

"On paper this battle shouldn't have gone past the first round. Not only was it us two united sisters, Daddy's little princesses, against one evil stepmother but, physically, the woman was the smaller than us. Don't get me wrong she weren't no dwarf – five-six, maybe. But she was giving a good couple of inches away to me and at least three to Charlie. If it came to it, any one of us could have taken her – easy."

C5

"Charlie punched him – full force. A right hook sent him flying out of the chair. The boy didn't know what hit him or where it came from. Before he could regain his feet Charlie was up, standing over him. She drained the remnants of a beer bottle over his face, and held the bottle by the neck, prepared to break it in search of sharp edges to do some real damage.
If I was a religious person I would have prayed. If I wasn't scared shitless and rooted to the spot I would have done something heroic but I stood, motionless, with one thought playing in my mind – Charlie Miller. Use your words!"

OK

Some might declare TLDR but, from the text above - describe the character. Using this method the character is 'built' by the reader rather than being painted by you.

Excerpt 1 tells you "Charlie" is mixed-race female baby.

Excerpt 2 tells you "Charlie is independent but popular.

Excerpt 3 tells you "Charlie" had a violent streak.

Excerpt 4 tells you "Charlie" had grown to 5'9" - 5' 10"

Excerpt 5 tells you "Charlie" was still violent.

Whilst this may seem long-winded - now characterise the narrator.

It's all basic 'SHOW don't TELL' and 'Never stop a story to insert a description*. Building characters, like to story itself is about 'the journey'.

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