The other day, as I was catching up on my TBR pile, I found myself being repeatedly thrown out of book. It wasn't for lack of pace, uninteresting premise, or dull characterization; it was for the constant physical description of the main character.
Description is a tricky thing to handle in books, especially if the narration is told from the first person (as was the book I was reading). Sometimes I notice the description, other times I do not. Why? What makes for a smooth, almost invisible description of a character's looks, and what makes for a jarring one?
Some of this is a matter of personal taste, of course; I am someone who prefers physical description of character's in books rather vague.[1. There is one, rather important exception to this rule: I would rather be told, upfront and as soon as possible, if a character is NOT WHITE. It is all-too-easy to erase a character's ethnicity—think of people's reactions to Rue being black in The Hunger Games—and I prefer direct, irrefutable textual evidence of a character's not-whiteness.] But there are some writers who are very particular about their characters' looks, and whether or not their descriptions throw me out of a narrative come down to a few things:
1. The description feels shoehorned in.
Your mileage may vary on this one, but nothing is more distracting than reading a passage where plot is moving forward, only to have it interrupted with descriptions of the character's hair or eye color. For example, a sentence like this would jar me: She packed her bags, determined to flee the country. Before shutting the suitcase, she made sure she had enough blue and green blouses, to set off her sea-green eyes. Just because she was a fugitive of the law didn't mean she had to look like one.
I feel there is a time and a place for descriptions. When characters meet for the first time. When characters are being compared (or comparing themselves) to others. When a character's looks affects how others perceive him or her. Think of all times you think of the way someone "looks" in real life; a character should be thinking along similar lines. For instance, when I look in the mirror, I am not lingering on my dark eyes, strong jaw, and sharp chin. I am wondering whether or not I look tired, or if the spaghetti I had for dinner left any marinara on my face.
2. The description feels, for the lack of a better word, too "favourable".
This...is tough. While I prefer showing over telling in prose, there are some times when telling actually trumps showing. I especially feel this way when it comes to describing someone attractive. What people find attractive varies from individual to individual, and a detailed description of a character's physically appealing qualities makes me roll my eyes. Phrases like her long, slender legs or his well-muscled forearms are perfectly fine, but instead of being shown physically that a character is attractive, I'd rather been shown emotionally.
So how to write description in such a way that isn't distracting? I think people, when they come across others they haven't met before, will focus on one or two things that stand out. Race/ethnicity, an unusual birthmark, or perhaps a haircut. J.K. Rowling does this quite well; Harry's lightning-shaped scar, his untidy hair, and spectacles; Hermione's bushy hair and too-big front teeth; Ron's red hair, freckles, and lanky height. These are distinguishing physical characteristics that help the reader recognize the character, both on the page, and in other mediums, like the screen or fanart.
Very few people will notice the dimple in someone's cheek, or the relentless symmetry of his or features upon first sight. It is only after some time that we begin to build mental images of each other. It is the same with characters; when presented with a laundry list of characteristics, I will probably forget what the character is supposed to look like. But if we get the details bit by bit, they reinforce and solidify a mental image, similar to how we would create mental images of those we know best.
What do you think? Do you have pet peeves or quirks that distract you when it comes to physical descriptions of characters in books? Leave us a comment below!