Have you ever heard the phrase less is more? Of course you have, and if you’re anything like me the connotations vary vastly depending upon the context in which it is used.
For me, it’s a phrase that provokes a strong personal reaction, whether said reaction is positive or negative depends upon the subject matter to which it refers.
For example, if someone would relate it to, lets say, the number of pairs of shoes I happen to own, my immediate response would be somewhere along the lines of, “shut the fuck up and get out of my house,” as blasphemy of such a degree will never be well tolerated. However, when it comes to character building in fiction it is a sentiment that resonates positively for a number of reasons.
Have you ever read the summary or blurb of a story and felt a connection to one of the character’s only to get into the story and be left disappointed by said character? That the descriptive information delivered midstory by the author killed off the character your imagination had lovingly crafted over 100 or so pages?
I know I have. There is nothing that snatches away enthusiasm quicker than starting a story with the basics of a character build by the writer, then with the turn of each page said character grows and is brought to life within the confines of one’s imagination only for the writer to completely obliterate the fantasy by overbuilding. Especially when it pops up later down the line.
This can be in relation to physical or personality traits, or both. Obviously, the writer has to provide enough information for the reader to conjure a loose image of individual characters, and building the personality and background of each character is typically of fundamental importance to the storyline, but I’m talking about leaving nothing to the imagination or deviating far from the stereotypical norm.
Let me explain it another way.
I personally am not a fan of James Bond movies, but obviously I’m aware of the essence of the character. If I was to ever subject myself to a motion picture of the British spy variety, I know I would feel more than a little disappointed if for example, Danny Devito had been cast the as the starring role (no offense to Danny, he’s an amazing actor but not really the stereotypically 007).
Likewise, if I’d built a story character in my head that resembled Jason Momoa only to have the author add descriptions more reminiscent of Pete Davidson, I’m going to be pissed.
Part of the appeal of stories is that the reader is able to shape the imagery, or their version of it, expanding upon the information supplied by the writer to form a character that ticks all of their personal preferences, whether this be in relation to a character they love or hate. In doing so a unique relationship is created that is far stronger than anything a writer could have created for them, thus increasing the appeal and degree of engagement to a level that becomes personal to the reader.
This is one example of where movies pale in comparison to books. It doesn’t matter how great the actor is, how well written the character is, if I don’t find the hero attractive, (and I don’t just mean in relation to physical attributes) you’ve lost me. And as attraction is so individualistic it’s a feat nearly impossible achieve, on the big screen at least.
Character appeal in a story is no different to real life appeal. It is highly subjective. And therefore, practically impossible to create a character that is universally alluring (apparently Keanu Reeves isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but you wouldn’t catch me kicking him out of bed for eating crackers).
By pigeonholing a character, detailing to the nth degree, and leaving no room for reader interpretation you decrease how enticed that reader is able to become.
Avid readers have huge imaginations. Applying constraints to the most imaginative portion of the population is counterproductive. It distracts from the plot, diminishes the subtext and runs the risk of insulting your target audience by implying they are not able to work things out for themselves, something I found myself guilty of a number of times in my first draft. It wasn’t a lack of confidence in the reader, it was a lack of confidence in my ability to clearly communicate the visual scene I had in my head.
Also, often it can go beyond simple personal preference. What are considered attractive physical attributes vary between cultures and ethnicities.
As a writer you are not losing your creative control, ultimately the image that you build in your mind isn’t going to change because someone else interprets some elements a little differently, whether that be the physical appearance, the tone of their voice or their accent.
My advice would be unless a significant detail is essential to the storyline or indicative of the timeframe, leave it out.
So, leave some blanks, allow the reader to become a cocreator and mold a character that will stay with them long after they turn that final page.