Are you the kind of reader who likes to have a detailed description of the hero or heroine in romance books? What about other secondary characters? And do you feel the same way about characters in books of genres other than western historical romance, or romance in general?
To me, there is a big difference in how much character description is needed in romance novels versus other genres, and here’s why.
When we read romance, we put ourselves in the story, empathizing with both the heroine and the hero. Of course, we need enough description to let us be familiar with them both, but this might be a case of “less” being “more.”
In our personal lives, we have preferences in how our romantic “leading men” look, speak, behave, and so on. If our preferences are toward the tall, dark, and handsome hero, it will be hard for us to be vested in a story with a hero who perhaps doesn’t have those traits. Or one who has habits we personally don’t find attractive. (Just as an aside, I notice from watching the original Perry Mason reruns that EVERYONE has a cigarette in their hand–everyone except Della Street, that is. Seeing this series that was shot during those years soon after the stories were written, you realize what a different time that was in our society.)
But back to our character descriptions in the books we read. I knew a woman who didn’t like blond heroes. If he had blond hair on the cover, she’d color it brown or black with a marker. In the book, if “blond” was mentioned, she’d mark through it and write whatever color of hair she’d decided he needed. I asked her about the heroines. “They’re all me,” she answered. “I don’t pay attention to their descriptions.” It made me wonder how many other readers felt this way. By the way, I used this cover pictured below, GOLDEN NIGHTS by Christine Monson, to illustrate the blond hero–those are sometimes hard to find. This story was a fabulous study in character development and how it all contributes to the entire workings of the plot from start to finish. IT’S NOT A SWEET STORY–much grittier, but the writing, descriptions, and plot were unbelievably detailed and worked perfectly to create a very interesting love story.
Stephen King had mentioned at one time in his book ON WRITING that “description begins in the writer’s imagination, but
should finish in the reader’s.”
And in genres other than romance, character description is different–and maybe more important–because the reader doesn’t have any preconceived expectations of the story, such as romance readers do.
When I taught creative writing classes, this description of King’s was one I used to illustrate how so much could be packed in to a short amount of words without being an info dump.
AMAZON LINK FOR ON WRITING BY STEPHEN KING
https://www.amazon.com/Writing-King-Stephen-Paperback/dp/B00NYI71B6/ref=sr_1_2?keywords=on+writing+by+stephen+king&qid=1551361053&s=books&sr=1-2https%3A%2F%2Famzn.to%2F2BWlIin&tag=pettpist-20
This is the beginning of St. Agnes’ Stand, by Thomas Eidson, who also wrote The Missing, which was a very successful movie. Take a look:
He was hurt and riding cautiously. Thoughts not quite grasped made him uneasy, and he listened for an errant sound in the hot wind. His eyes were narrowed—searching for a broken leaf, a freshly turned rock, anything from which he could make some sense ofhis vague uneasiness. Nothing. The desert seemed right, but wasn’t somehow. He turned in the saddle and looked behind him. A tumbleweed was bouncing in front of the wild assaults from the wind. But the trail was empty. He turned back and sat, listening.
Over six feet and carrying two hundred pounds, Nat Swanson didn’t disturb easy, but this morning he was edgy. His hat brim was pulled low, casting his face in shadow. The intense heat and the wind were playing with the air, making it warp and shimmer over the land. He forced himself to peer through it, knowing he wouldn’t get a second chance if he missed a sheen off sweating skin or the straight line of a gun barrel among branches.
And then this, a couple of paragraphs down:
He had been running for a week, and he was light on sleep and heavy on dust and too ready for trouble. He’d killed a man in a West Texas town he’d forgotten the name of—over a woman whose name he’d never known. He hadn’t wanted the woman or the killing. Nor had he wanted the hole in his thigh. What he did want was to get to California, and that’s where he was headed. Buttoned in his shirt pocket was a deed for a Santa Barbara ranch. Perhaps a younger man would have run longer and harder before turning to fight and maybe die; but Nat Swanson was thirty-five years that summer, old for the trail, and he had run as far as he was going to run.
I absolutely love this. Can you feel that you’re right there with Nat Swanson as he’s riding? There are no wasted words, and this is just such an eloquent, masterful description of not only Nat, but the situation and the physical place he’s in as well as the dilemma he’s faced with.
AMAZON LINK FOR ST. AGNES’ STAND BY TOM EIDSON
https://www.amazon.com/St-Agnes-Stand-Tom-Eidson/dp/039913915X/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=St.+Agnes%27+Stand&qid=1551360200&s=gateway&sr=8-1%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3E&tag=pettpist-20
Another excellent way of describing a character and setting the scene at the same time is from another character’s POV. This passage is from Jack Schaefer’s iconic classic, Shane—from the eyes of Bobby Starrett—when Shane first rides into his life.
This is just the very beginning of the book—there is more physical description of Shane a few paragraphs later, but I chose this passage because it lets us know what’s going on in a few short sentences—and that is real talent.
He rode into our valley in the summer of ’89. I was a kid then, barely topping the backboard of father’s old chuck-wagon. I was on the upper rail of our small corral, soaking in the late afternoon sun, when I saw him far down the road where it swung into the valley from the open plain beyond.
In that clear Wyoming air I could see him plainly, though he was still several miles away. There seemed nothing remarkable about him, just another stray horseman riding up the road toward the cluster of frame buildings that was our town. Then I saw a pair of cowhands, loping past him, stop and stare after him with a curious intentness.
He came steadily on, straight through the town without slackening pace, until he reached the fork a half-mile below our place. One branch turned left across the river ford and on to Luke Fletcher’s big spread. The other bore ahead along the right bank where we homesteaders had pegged our claims in a row up the valley. He hesitated briefly, studying the choice, and moved again steadily on our side.
This is tough, because we’re seeing it through two “lenses”—Bobby is nine years old, and this is what he sees, but it’s filtered by the adult Bobby who’s now telling the story of what happened all those years ago.
In writing the story this way, the reader gets the full impact of experiencing the fears, the situation brings, the joy of having Shane there, and the anguish of his leaving all through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy, with the adult overview that lets us know that Shane was not a hero—but he was to Bobby and those small time settlers who needed one so desperately. Yet, leaving was the only thing he could have done and kept Bobby’s view of him untarnished and intact.
Because we don’t know how the story will end, and we don’t know what to expect, we are learning about Shane’s character right along with Bobby so we are actively looking for details and descriptors the author might give us along the way—it will affect our opinion of Shane and let us know if Bobby is a reliable narrator, and it affects the outcome of the story.
I bring this up because in romance, seldom does the description have such a direct effect on the story itself, unless our main characters have scars, afflictions, or disabilities that might have some direct bearing on the story and its outcome.
AMAZON LINK FOR SHANE BY JACK SCHAEFER
https://www.amazon.com/Shane-Jack-Schaefer/dp/0544239474/ref=pd_sbs_14_1/139-0197056-7135558?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0544239474&pd_rd_r=9d5675f9-3b5c-11e9-9aed-c3a00bddb282&pd_rd_w=rNyT6&pd_rd_wg=6hIg6&pf_rd_p=588939de-d3f8-42f1-a3d8-d556eae5797d&pf_rd_r=9AADKSXSE65C5026WN56&psc=1&refRID=9AADKSXSE65C5026WN56%22%3E%3C%2Fa%3Ehttps%3A%2F%2Famzn.to%2F2T4bXZU&tag=pettpist-20
My burning question for today is, what do YOU think? Do you like a lot of description and detail about the WHR heroes and heroines you read about, or would you rather “fill in the blanks” for yourself? Who are some of your favorite characters in books you’ve read–any genre! Be sure to leave a comment–I’m giving away a digital copy of any one of my stories! If you live in the USA and love to read, this just might be your lucky day!
As far as heroines go, most people I’ve talked to are not as concerned with her physical description (maybe because each person sees herself in the heroine?) but are more concerned with her personality traits—is she likable? Is she determined?
If she is not a fierce match for the hero, the story line is doomed.
And what about our hero? Though he can get away with more “questionable” traits, he has to be endowed with almost superhuman strength to overcome everything that’s thrown his way, and that is description that must be thoroughly detailed—not left to the reader’s interpretation.
Thanks so much for stopping by today!
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Cheryl-Pierson/author/B002JV8GUE?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1784406438&sr=8-1&shoppingPortalEnabled=true&ccs_id=e567b82c-b83a-4686-9694-d23369e884bf&tag=pettpist-20
Howdy!
Modern Brunswick stew usually contains chicken or pulled pork. Colonial Brunswick stew was considerably wilder.
Traditionally made with corn, beans and sometimes squash, succotash originated in Native communities long before European settlers arrived. Colonial Americans adopted the dish quickly, which makes sense given that corn appears everywhere in early American cooking.
thick and hearty. It was inexpensive, filling, and adaptable depending on the season and household. Poorer families might eat it plain, while wealthier tables added butter, cream and/or sweeteners.
Hoe cakes fall into the category of colonial foods that sound mildly insulting until you realize they are essentially crisp-edged cornmeal pancakes cooked over fire.
North and South. Yankee and Rebel. Union and Confederate.
Throughout 250 years of American history, a well-loved locket finds its way into the hands of eight spirited heroines—each standing at the crossroads of love and destiny, and each inspired by a true patriot. As it journeys from one heart to the next, these stories unfold with sweet romance, unwavering hope, and a deep love of country, proving that even in uncertain times, love is always worth the risk. Start reading the Petticoats & Patriots series today!
I’m house and cat sitting for a woman who owns the cutest bungalow surrounded by a simple, yet chaotic garden on three sides of the house. Being here, if only for a few days, reminds me of how it’s the simple, little things that can make a house a home. But how did women in days gone by, create such beauty? 
chose to bring when space was limited and every item had to matter. A cast-iron skillet was practical. A good needle was necessary, and a sturdy pair of shoes could make all the difference.
But beside the door, a few stubborn flowers are blooming. That matters.
windowsill? Or when the man who notices she’s tired. The woman who sees past his gruffness and realizes he’s lonely?
Hexagon Quilt–selling for over $6000! But look at the work and the detail that went into this “work of art”!
I loved this series by John Christopher–read it when I was about 12 or 13, and it stayed with me all through the years so that when my own kids were young, I went searching and found it for them! The descriptions of the aliens that were determined to take over earth, the bravery of the young people that fought against them, and wondering what in the world was going to happen kept me reading far into the night! (and them, too!)
One of my very favorite paintings by the most fabulous Jack Sorenson. He does it the old fashioned way–brush stroke by wonderful brushstroke! This one is called “Horse With Christmas Spirit”–love the “details” in this one!
mind, but Diana Gabaldon’s books are full of wonderful descriptions of the landscape, the characters, and so on, and that skill she displays for description makes her stories and characters come to life!
I live in the Southwest and have visited a lot of historical sites that occurred during the settling of the West.
Tombstone, the Oregon Trail and Hoover Dam
Joye, please send me an email at: sarahlambwriting@gmail.com so that I can get that sent to you!