Imaging Character's in books

My exploration of stock photos has uncovered a visual symphony of creativity. Each image plays a unique zen background instrument in the orchestra of my projects, creating harmonious compositions that resonate with audiences and tell stories that linger in the memory. It's as if these photos hold the power to transform mere ideas into living, breathing works of art.

Adult college is an option. It offers the same courses but you are a bit less like cattle being herded!

Thank you so much for sharing, it's really important.

Hi. I'm not sure about facesbecause I don't usually look at people's faces, so they're more like a blank spot but everything else I can imagine easily. Reading sometimes triggers my imagination to the point where I catch myself imagining, thinking that I am not sure if i was actually reading or just making things up in my head, watching a live video, except what I imagined follows the what's in a book

Yes exactly! I do not understand why anyone would prefer to be wrong and either spread their error or appear stupid depending on whether the other people they told knew the truth or not. True information is valuable and should be shared and spread, false info needs to be weeded out. This does not work when people don't like being corrected!

Of course some things are subjective, like which music one prefers. I might feel very strongly that vinegar smells vile and needs to be nowhere near my nose, but it is not wrong for someone to like it as long as they aren't making me smell it! But they would be wrong if they called it citric acid.

People are weird!

AuTriker said:

Oh that's interesting, thank you for correcting my error (not sarcasm, I genuinely prefer to be corrected if wrong) and increasing my knowledge.

This is why I am so much more comfortable on here. I genuinely prefer that too. In my mind it's much better to correct something than have misinformation perpetuated and shared.  

I've no idea why correcting something might elicit a sarcastic response in some people. I suspect I've had a few sarcastic responses in the past, that have gone completely over my head!

Oh that's interesting, thank you for correcting my error (not sarcasm, I genuinely prefer to be corrected if wrong) and increasing my knowledge. As this is not something I have at all I was unaware of the nuance. I can't quite imagine not being able to imagine (I like the irony there). Our spectrum is fascinating in its variety!

There is a distinction between being able to picture something real from visual memory and being able to use creative imagination to visualise a fictional character.

Aphantasia is actually not being able to think in pictures at all. There is a definition at https://aphantasia.com/what-is-aphantasia/

"Aphantasia is the inability to visualize. Otherwise known as image-free thinking.

People with aphantasia don’t create any pictures of familiar objects, people, or places in their mind’s eye. Not for thoughts, memories, or images of the future."

I don't have aphantasia, since I am able to see in my mind's eye images of actual people and places.

What I do struggle with however is creative imagination.

For the question in the op I am not able to imagine a fictional character solely on a written description. Anything I do visualise has to be based on something that I have actually seen, even if just in an illustration from the book.

I think I have a good imagination. I think if the descriptions are very good, I can generally image how the person looks to me. Otherwise, I give the person an ‘impression’ of a person, with mannerisms etc, but no real face. 

Hi, it’s something that I had never thought about. I do use real people when imagining a character. I remember reading to my sons at bedtime which was easy as they always wanted the same book. Occasionally they would ask me to make up a story, I just can’t, I don’t know how people do it. I remember my English teacher setting an essay as homework, her remarks on my efforts was,”well written but I have seen the film as well”

HP35 said:

I struggle sometimes with graphic novels and movies/TV to identify which character is which. It's easier for me to pin identity to a name than to physical appearance.

I get this somewhat. Why do they use actors who look a bit similar to each other when it is surely possible to pick ones who look more different? They only need to look a bit similar if they are related and then it isn't vital unless it is needed for the plot. I do also have some trouble with characters whose names are too similar.

This is something I struggle with and one of the reasons why I don't read. Unless I can see the person then I don't know how they look and for me that takes the fun out of it for me as characters are obviously the main point and normally unique. I prefer TV and movies where I can see who's who.

I don't struggle with it, I just don't do it. I have no problem reading and enjoying a novel while not having the faintest idea of what the main character looks like.

I struggle sometimes with graphic novels and movies/TV to identify which character is which. It's easier for me to pin identity to a name than to physical appearance.

I often find it easier to get an impression of the contours of the text, its architecture and composition, more than an image of the characters. Not sure if this is typical.

I see characters that I read about in fiction, but they tend not to be fully realised, a little fuzzy or hazy. However, if a draw a fictional character, he or she then becomes much more concrete.

Not being able to imagine is called aphantasia and it is something some but not all people on the spectrum have. Some of us have the opposite, a very strong and active imagination. Some book characters I can picture quite clearly and others are rather vague. I think some of it depends on how well the author describes. I don't think I'm bothered by the vague ones though, as i am more interested in the story.

I read that it is better if the main character is not described too thoroughly so more readers can relate to them and more easily see themselves in that role.

I am not sure if this is the same, but I find it difficult when people say shut your eyes and imagine you are in a place they describe and I can't see it. Sometimes this is supposed to help us relax but instead of that I am the opposite as I can't imagine it.

Some novels help you along by having drawings to help you imagine the scenes and the characters.

I'm thinking in particular the Enid Blyton novels from my childhood.