Images/art in character list?

[flickimp]

When a Literary Agent requests a description of characters ... Would I be risking the norm by adding thumbnail artwork alongside the text?

Does being creative have it's daggers?

 

[Jake Reynolds]

I think the agent may also be looking for your style of writing in description and so on- if you add a picture you're locked into describing a picture rather than the character, and an agent won't get as good a feel for your descriptive voice. I wouldn't, but will happily bow down to any published authors' opinions.

 

[The Judge]

I've never seen such a requirement myself**, and I stand to be corrected, but when the agent asks for a description of the characters, I think it's highly unlikely he or she wants to know height, weight, shoe size and colour of hair. What I should imagine is needed is a description of character -- ie what kind of person the hero is, what drives him, why he reacts as he does. In those circumstances, I'm not sure how a picture is likely to assist.


** Angry Robot -- the publishers -- for their open submission month want a "summary of characters", but that's certainly not a description of physical characteristics

 

[HareBrain]

The publisher can't use the pictures, so I wouldn't include them. It could easily look like a misguided attempt to impress them by something other than your actual writing, which is the only thing they'll be interested in.

 

[flickimp]

Agreed!
Hearing it from yourselves just escalates the gut instinct I had!

 

[Evelinn]

This might not have much to do with your question, but as an artist I like to draw my characters too so it’s easier to remember their appearance. An image says little of the personality of course, but it is a fun thing to do for yourself all the same.

 

[Toby Frost]

I wouldn't for the reasons given above. Besides, I have a feeling (unproven) that slight vagueness on appearances is a good idea, as it lets readers put their own gloss on characters and thus identify with them more. After all, what does Frodo or Saruman really look like (or Paul Atreides, Merlin or any other great character)? Whatever you need to say should be in the description, and not all that much is called for beyond the things that make the character exceptional.

(Besides, am I the only person who has difficulty in telling quite a lot of good looking actors apart?)