: Re: When you can't even draw a stick man...? (concept art) Good day all. Hope the writing muses are with you all. I was wondering what helps you to imagine details in a scene? I can't say

You are overthinking it.

As a reader, I mostly don't give a rat's patootie about what most of the characters look like or how they dress.

There's a handful of important characters that you will describe in detail in your novel - and you will have described them in bits and pieces throughout the story. I don't need a long winded description of those characters in a scene.

As for the others (new characters introduced in the scene,) I don't want to be flooded with details that impede the flow. A short description that gives a (very) quick sketch of the character's personality is all that fits.

Examples:

Your "military leader" who shows up in a fancied up, non-regulation silk version of the standard uniform is of questionable quality as a commander.
Your "religious" leader who has a couple of heavily armed "choir boys" in attendance is probably more than a simple preacher - this character may give the "military leader" a really tough opponent to deal with.
The "low ranking official" wearing a suit of better quality (finest material, tailor made) than the supposed head of the government might be the "power behind the throne."

Details are to help the reader understand the characters. You want to think in terms of sketches rather than paintings - the minimum of detail necessary make an impression.

Give your readers a framework, and let them fill in the finer details themselves. It is boring as F to read pages upon pages of details that the reader will forget or ignore anyway.

I'm not reading your novel to see how well you can describe a physical scene.

I'm reading your novel to see the ideas and concepts you are presenting.

If you have nothing to say, the level of detail of your (physical) character descriptions won't help - I'll skip all the fluff, figure out that you're telling me pointless anecdotes, and toss your book in the pile of "don't bother, can be used for kindling in the fireplace."

Load Full (0)

: How do you deal with burnout? How do you break through writer's block? I've been working on a book for about four years now. Every time I reach the middle, I get stuck and I go back and

@Cody1607638

Load Full 4 Comments

: Can I reference a Lego Millennium Falcon in my book? I read the post about referencing real and fictional characters but would like to know what you think about this. I am writing a book

@Cody1607638

Load Full 4 Comments

: How to include a software license covering code samples in a book I'm working on a programming book, which will be distributed both electronically and (potentially) in print. It includes many

@Cody1607638

Load Full 1 Comments

: I think silky hair is just too simple as that is one of the most common ways that great hair is described. You could choose a more specific type of brown, like chestnut, chocolate or cinnamon

: Re: When you can't even draw a stick man...? (concept art) Good day all. Hope the writing muses are with you all. I was wondering what helps you to imagine details in a scene? I can't say

More posts by @Cody1607638

: How do you deal with burnout? How do you break through writer's block? I've been working on a book for about four years now. Every time I reach the middle, I get stuck and I go back and

: Can I reference a Lego Millennium Falcon in my book? I read the post about referencing real and fictional characters but would like to know what you think about this. I am writing a book

: How to include a software license covering code samples in a book I'm working on a programming book, which will be distributed both electronically and (potentially) in print. It includes many

: I think silky hair is just too simple as that is one of the most common ways that great hair is described. You could choose a more specific type of brown, like chestnut, chocolate or cinnamon

Login to post a comment!

0 Comments

Back to top