READER, PLEASE NOTE-This post includes a give-away of one of Michele’s books! See the bottom of post for how to enter!
By Michele Drier
Like a lot of things in life, mystery readers are divided into two camps—those who love description and those who don’t.
It’s not that those readers who don’t like a description don’t want ANY. After all, it’s nice to understand that the setting for the new cozy takes place on a seacoast when the protagonist spends most of her time on the sand.
It could be the desert. Towns east of Palm Springs are called the cove communities, not because there’s any water in sight but because the mountains form “coves,” dips or valleys between the rocky spines that merge into the desert floor. These are alluvial fans, formed of soil washed down the steep mountains over the centuries and they’re relatively flat and easy to build on.
Description helps us “see” the places, the characters, the action, but there are some readers who prefer to “see” these things in their mind. How many of us “saw” Grandma Mazur in the Stephanie Plum books as someone not like Debbie Reynolds? Or pictured 6’5” Jack Reacher as someone taller than Tom Cruise (5’7”)?
As a mystery reader who cut her teeth on Nancy Drew (ahhh, The Secret of the Old Clock!), I’ve always painted pictures of the characters and the settings in my head. I knew what Nancy and Ned and her father the judge and her car looked like, but I don’t remember if Carolyn Keene offered much description in the books.
In my own books, I don’t write much description. Amy Hobbes of the Newspaper Mysteries series, wears her shoulder-length hair in a ponytail and dresses in skirts and over-blouses. Roz Duke of the Stained Glass Mysteries series twists her hair into a topknot and skewers it with a pencil—so she’ll have one handy when she needs to sketch something.
And then there are the Kandesky vampires. Both the men and women are rich, beautiful, shop for clothes in Paris and Milan. The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles is currently ten books long, so each book I’ve added a bit more description, both for the characters and the settings, which are primarily in Eastern Europe.
My aim in writing description is to include information that moves the plot along, but occasionally this runs afoul of some of my critique partners. Just like all readers, the critique group is pretty evenly divided between those who want a lot of description and those who want the bare minimum. I synthesize the comments, adding some description here, tweaking some there, shooting to reach a spot where both types of readers feel comfortable.
How about you? Do you prefer knowing all the details of your favorite character and the milieu he/she moves in? Or do you prefer more of an outline—how tall, hair color and cut to the action?
Michele Drier is a fifth generation Californian. During her career in journalism she won awards for investigative series. She is the past president of Capitol Crimes, the Sacramento chapter of Sisters in Crime, and the Guppies chapter of Sisters in Crime and co-chair for Bouchercon 2020.
Her Amy Hobbes Newspaper Mysteries, set in the California Delta area, are Edited for Death, (called “Riveting and much recommended” by the Midwest Book Review), Labeled for Death and Delta for Death. A stand-alone, Ashes of Memories was published May 2017.
Her paranormal romance series, SNAP: The Kandesky Vampire Chronicles, named the best paranormal vampire series of 2014 by PRG, continues with book ten, SNAP: Red Bear Rising released 2018.
The first book of her new series, Stained Glass Mysteries, Stain on the Soul, was released in 2019 and she is currently working on the second book in the series, Tapestry of Tears.
Visit her webpage, www.MicheleDrier.me
Or her facebook page, ,http://www.facebook.com/AuthorMicheleDrier
Or find her on her author page at http://www.amazon.com/Michele-Drier/e/B005D2YC8G/
One commenter on this blog will be selected to receive a Kindle copy of Stain on the Soul!
26 replies on “Guest: Michele Drier-Do You Want to Know Everything?”
Great post. Personally, I like a lot of description of setting, as it helps put me in the scene with the character, particularly if it’s in a place I’m not familiar with. Don’t need as much description of the character. I love your writing and your books.
Thanks for stopping by, Elaine
Thonie, thanks so much for hosting me. Writing this blog made me think about my own writing! And Elaine, thanks for the comment.
Good post. I’m one who likes a bit leaner description when it comes to characters and let me and the reader make our own picture of the person. But I like to know the setting, thought not in too much detail. Looking forward to reading the new book!
Hi Paty,
Thanks so much for the comment and sorry I won’t see you at Bouchercon this year. New book has a title, Tapestry of Tears, and finishing up the last edits now, hoping to get it published in September!
As an ”expert” reader {since age 12] so, I have read and in some cases reread an untold number of books. Why then do I remember this one incident.? The chapter opens as this man walks out his door enroute to work. We know his name, physical description, family and some background and then suddenly and violently he is murdered. Now he is really a ”nobody” just used here to move the story along BUT in the short time I was getting to know and perhaps care about him he is GONE. To me a very powerful writing tool because now I have a personal score to settle with the killer. Corny ? maybe but why else do I recall almost every word. Can’t remember the book, or the rest of the story BUT THAT stayed with me. Thank you……………………Hi Ms T.
As an ”expert” reader {since age 12] so, I have read and in some cases reread an untold number of books. Why then do I remember this one incident.? The chapter opens as this man walks out his door enroute to work. We know his name, physical description, family and some background and then suddenly and violently he is murdered. Now he is really a ”nobody” just used here to move the story along BUT in the short time I was getting to know and perhaps care about him he is GONE. To me a very powerful writing tool because now I have a personal score to settle with the killer. Corny ? maybe but why else do I recall almost every word. Can’t remember the book, or the rest of the story BUT THAT stayed with me. Thank you……………………Hi Ms T.
THAT, Ed, is what every author strives for in creating a character–engagement. Thanks for the eloquent words.
Interesting, because I realized i hadn’t thought about the importance of descriptions, one way or the other. I see now that I do like descriptions of both locations and individuals but I think understanding a location I would not otherwise know is primary. In stories where little description of individuals is given, I relate more to what they say and think to understand who they are.
Thanks for your thoughts, Radine
I like a lot of description, the kind that sets a mood and tone, such as what Donna Tartt creates in The Little Friend and Joanne Harris in Five Quarters of the Orange.
Thanks for your comment, June!
So nice to see you, Michele–even if not in person. I guess I like a middle road of description–however, if the story is compelling, I don’t really notice the rest.
Hi Marilyn, Thanks for the comment, I think I agree with you!
Thank you, Michele, for your post. Very helpful. I walk that line in my cozy mystery series. How can I hint at or peek at gore without staring it in the face? It’s tricky.
Thanks for weighing in, Jo. Balance is the key but everyone’s fulcrum is a little different. Tricky is right!
Hi Jo, it is tricky! And particularly in a series. thanks for the comment.
My mentor told me to write as though I have a camera on my shoulder and describe to the reader what I see so they can see it, too. However, he’s also been my editor and some of my lengthy descriptions were edited out as “too much”. He has 80 books on the market and is internationally known, so I figure he knows the ropes. However, from now on, my motto will be moderation with descriptions when I write.
Thanks for that tip, Jackie. A camera on my shoulder–visual helps really reach me. Thanks!
You’re right, moderation is key to a lot in life!
I’m a “less detail” type of reader. In fact, I get bogged down if there is too much detail and start skipping ahead. I think it’s hard to find that perfect balance of not too much and not too little.
I also get bogged down with too much. One of my favorite authors, Mary Stewart, was guilty of it and I skipped over most. But her plotting, characterization and dialog were sharp enough to keep me turning the page.
I love Mary Stewart as well, Thonie, but you’re right!
I agree, John., finding a balance that works for you as a writer is difficult.As a reader, I tend to skim description as well.
Fun post. I love to learn about other places, but I, too, skip over too much description. And as to the characters, I create them in my mind’s eye, without too much assistance from the writer. I try to do that in my books as well.
Thanks for the comment, Kathy. I usually have pictures in my head of the characters and settings before I read any descriptions, too.