Questions about description in writing

Questions about description in writing?

1. Is having a block of descriptive text on just the setting bad? (A paragraph or two)?
I've heard many people say do this, or give it gradually, not "info dump us" as they say. What should I do?

2. For characters: how much description is too much?
Some people say none, others say let the readers get a clear picture of them.

3. Are blocks of description annoying?
Say I have a few Microsoft Word pages full of description (no dividers such as dialogue). Is that bad?

Thanks :) The most helpful (not necessarily longest) answer with get best answer.

Other Answers:

1. Is having a block of descriptive text on just the setting bad? (A paragraph or two)?
I've heard many people say do this, or give it gradually, not "info dump us" as they say. What should I do?
-- If you think it's necessary, leave it. The so-called rules of writing do not need to be followed religiously. They're more like loose guidelines. Just understand them and their purpose and let that help with your writing -- not dictate it.


2. For characters: how much description is too much?
Some people say none, others say let the readers get a clear picture of them.
-- It depends. Some novels get by with only revealing the character's name and gender. The rest is up to the reader to imagine. Other novels give a crystal clear picture of the character's appearance. I think the one that works better depends on the style of the book. Some books are thin on description and rely more on plot and pacing. Others are rich in everything. There's no definite answer to this question.

3. Are blocks of description annoying?
Say I have a few Microsoft Word pages full of description (no dividers such as dialogue). Is that bad?
-- A few Microsoft Word pages? That's pretty bad... That's a lot of straight description for a person to push through and it should be broken up by action or dialogue. I'm one of those people who believes books should be descriptive and that description is absolutely crucial. And even I think that's pushing limits.