I’ve read this author’s Zero Sum Game, and really disliked the main character. I would have disliked her just as much if she was a man, though.
It’s, on the whole, good advice here; I’d just caution that if you make the character unpleasant there will be people who aren’t into that, regardless of gender.
The key is to avoid appeal to cliché. Are we supposed to like or dislike the female character because of some cliché, or is there a substantive reason to dislike her.
The key is to avoid appeal to cliché. Are we supposed to like or dislike the female character because of some cliché, or is there a substantive reason to dislike her.
The key is to avoid appeal to cliché. Are we supposed to like or dislike the female character because of some cliché, or is there a substantive reason to dislike her.
The key is to avoid appeal to cliché. Are we supposed to like or dislike the female character because of some cliché, or is there a substantive reason to dislike her.
The key is to avoid appeal to cliché. Are we supposed to like or dislike the female character because of some cliché, or is there a substantive reason to dislike her.
I’ve had some interesting comments on a woman with sharp edges. I have a female antagonist in Mongrel, my WIP. Male beta readers hate her.
About half of female beta readers empathise with her and are disappointed when there’s no romance between her and the protagonist despite his re-iterations that he really really broke up with her. It’s speculative fiction I tell them, not romance. And it’s not about her. But still, they say.
I wonder whether I should make her even sharper. I already took out all her POV scenes.
I’ve had some interesting comments on a woman with sharp edges. I have a female antagonist in Mongrel, my WIP. Male beta readers hate her.
About half of female beta readers empathise with her and are disappointed when there’s no romance between her and the protagonist despite his re-iterations that he really really broke up with her. It’s speculative fiction I tell them, not romance. And it’s not about her. But still, they say.
I wonder whether I should make her even sharper. I already took out all her POV scenes.
I’ve had some interesting comments on a woman with sharp edges. I have a female antagonist in Mongrel, my WIP. Male beta readers hate her.
About half of female beta readers empathise with her and are disappointed when there’s no romance between her and the protagonist despite his re-iterations that he really really broke up with her. It’s speculative fiction I tell them, not romance. And it’s not about her. But still, they say.
I wonder whether I should make her even sharper. I already took out all her POV scenes.
I’ve had some interesting comments on a woman with sharp edges. I have a female antagonist in Mongrel, my WIP. Male beta readers hate her.
About half of female beta readers empathise with her and are disappointed when there’s no romance between her and the protagonist despite his re-iterations that he really really broke up with her. It’s speculative fiction I tell them, not romance. And it’s not about her. But still, they say.
I wonder whether I should make her even sharper. I already took out all her POV scenes.
I’ve had some interesting comments on a woman with sharp edges. I have a female antagonist in Mongrel, my WIP. Male beta readers hate her.
About half of female beta readers empathise with her and are disappointed when there’s no romance between her and the protagonist despite his re-iterations that he really really broke up with her. It’s speculative fiction I tell them, not romance. And it’s not about her. But still, they say.
I wonder whether I should make her even sharper. I already took out all her POV scenes.
Would you describe the disliked character as an alpha? I’ve read a lot of complaints about writers confusing alpha males and assholes, but not as many about writers confusing alpha females with assholes even though it’s really common. It’s apparently hard to write alphas of any gender who are strong in the ways they need to be but aren’t insensitive jerkwads.
Also, I agree that a cast really should have more than one female, but I think it’s limiting to attack Smurfette and insist your characters can’t be anything like her. A lot of writers seem to make female characters strong by making them dudes with tits (and not even likable dudes with tits). That’s clearly not what we should be aiming for.
Would you describe the disliked character as an alpha? I’ve read a lot of complaints about writers confusing alpha males and assholes, but not as many about writers confusing alpha females with assholes even though it’s really common. It’s apparently hard to write alphas of any gender who are strong in the ways they need to be but aren’t insensitive jerkwads.
Also, I agree that a cast really should have more than one female, but I think it’s limiting to attack Smurfette and insist your characters can’t be anything like her. A lot of writers seem to make female characters strong by making them dudes with tits (and not even likable dudes with tits). That’s clearly not what we should be aiming for.
Would you describe the disliked character as an alpha? I’ve read a lot of complaints about writers confusing alpha males and assholes, but not as many about writers confusing alpha females with assholes even though it’s really common. It’s apparently hard to write alphas of any gender who are strong in the ways they need to be but aren’t insensitive jerkwads.
Also, I agree that a cast really should have more than one female, but I think it’s limiting to attack Smurfette and insist your characters can’t be anything like her. A lot of writers seem to make female characters strong by making them dudes with tits (and not even likable dudes with tits). That’s clearly not what we should be aiming for.
Would you describe the disliked character as an alpha? I’ve read a lot of complaints about writers confusing alpha males and assholes, but not as many about writers confusing alpha females with assholes even though it’s really common. It’s apparently hard to write alphas of any gender who are strong in the ways they need to be but aren’t insensitive jerkwads.
Also, I agree that a cast really should have more than one female, but I think it’s limiting to attack Smurfette and insist your characters can’t be anything like her. A lot of writers seem to make female characters strong by making them dudes with tits (and not even likable dudes with tits). That’s clearly not what we should be aiming for.
Would you describe the disliked character as an alpha? I’ve read a lot of complaints about writers confusing alpha males and assholes, but not as many about writers confusing alpha females with assholes even though it’s really common. It’s apparently hard to write alphas of any gender who are strong in the ways they need to be but aren’t insensitive jerkwads.
Also, I agree that a cast really should have more than one female, but I think it’s limiting to attack Smurfette and insist your characters can’t be anything like her. A lot of writers seem to make female characters strong by making them dudes with tits (and not even likable dudes with tits). That’s clearly not what we should be aiming for.
I’m not sure about alpha. She’s a loner whose first solution to any situation is murderous violence, so pretty much a classic male character (and one I have no time for). It’s a really well-written book, but I just don’t like that kind of character.
I’m not sure about alpha. She’s a loner whose first solution to any situation is murderous violence, so pretty much a classic male character (and one I have no time for). It’s a really well-written book, but I just don’t like that kind of character.
I’m not sure about alpha. She’s a loner whose first solution to any situation is murderous violence, so pretty much a classic male character (and one I have no time for). It’s a really well-written book, but I just don’t like that kind of character.
I’m not sure about alpha. She’s a loner whose first solution to any situation is murderous violence, so pretty much a classic male character (and one I have no time for). It’s a really well-written book, but I just don’t like that kind of character.
I’m not sure about alpha. She’s a loner whose first solution to any situation is murderous violence, so pretty much a classic male character (and one I have no time for). It’s a really well-written book, but I just don’t like that kind of character.
I’ll run my alpha female character through your sieve, Andy Brokaw, see how she comes out. Interesting comment.
I’ll run my alpha female character through your sieve, Andy Brokaw, see how she comes out. Interesting comment.
I’ll run my alpha female character through your sieve, Andy Brokaw, see how she comes out. Interesting comment.
I’ll run my alpha female character through your sieve, Andy Brokaw, see how she comes out. Interesting comment.
I’ll run my alpha female character through your sieve, Andy Brokaw, see how she comes out. Interesting comment.
I am a big (BIG) reader and I enjoy character driven stories. I detest 1 dimensional characters and 2 dimensional is not much better. I don’t care how well written a story is if the characters don’t feel like ‘people’ it reads like a text book.
So if your strong female character is just an asshole then that character is flat and unlikable. On the flip side, if your character is “wholly” likable they are also flat and I don’t like saccharin characters either. (gak)
My take:)
I am a big (BIG) reader and I enjoy character driven stories. I detest 1 dimensional characters and 2 dimensional is not much better. I don’t care how well written a story is if the characters don’t feel like ‘people’ it reads like a text book.
So if your strong female character is just an asshole then that character is flat and unlikable. On the flip side, if your character is “wholly” likable they are also flat and I don’t like saccharin characters either. (gak)
My take:)
I am a big (BIG) reader and I enjoy character driven stories. I detest 1 dimensional characters and 2 dimensional is not much better. I don’t care how well written a story is if the characters don’t feel like ‘people’ it reads like a text book.
So if your strong female character is just an asshole then that character is flat and unlikable. On the flip side, if your character is “wholly” likable they are also flat and I don’t like saccharin characters either. (gak)
My take:)
I am a big (BIG) reader and I enjoy character driven stories. I detest 1 dimensional characters and 2 dimensional is not much better. I don’t care how well written a story is if the characters don’t feel like ‘people’ it reads like a text book.
So if your strong female character is just an asshole then that character is flat and unlikable. On the flip side, if your character is “wholly” likable they are also flat and I don’t like saccharin characters either. (gak)
My take:)
I am a big (BIG) reader and I enjoy character driven stories. I detest 1 dimensional characters and 2 dimensional is not much better. I don’t care how well written a story is if the characters don’t feel like ‘people’ it reads like a text book.
So if your strong female character is just an asshole then that character is flat and unlikable. On the flip side, if your character is “wholly” likable they are also flat and I don’t like saccharin characters either. (gak)
My take:)
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