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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/44133
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

I am much like you in my process in that I see my characters’ persona but not their appearance unless it is important.

I mention my MC’s height, his eye colour as that has bearing later on and that some regard him as handsome. I did a google search to discover that the eye colour I had chosen restricted his hair colour to three possibilities - I chose one. Later, a cousin of mine asked me to describe this character as he has a much more visual approach.

I have characters that are only described by something that makes them unique. I have one who wears very expensive suits and drinks only the best scotch. It is up to the reader to take him and colour him as they please. Is he short, tall or average height? I know what I think he looks like, but his words and actions are what matters. I give him a name and the reader can run with that.

Others, where it matters, I describe in broad strokes. Visualizing characters is something we all do.

Detailed descriptions can be great, painting a clear image of a character.

The freedom to make a character look how the reader pleases is something I enjoy. It allows the reader to invest those traits they imagine the character possesses based on hints given by the author.

Original score: 4