Why Your Female Character Needs to be Female (but not useless)

 

Ah, yes, those whip-smart, sassy female charries who won’t let the bad guys (or guys in general) beat them down.

They’re tougher than nails, always know how to use a gun (despite their lack of experience) and are able to take charge when their flailing male counterparts just can’t get it right.

They argue until they get their way and flash angry eyes with firmed lips when they don’t.

Sound familiar?

Now, on the other hand, we have those ladies who just can’t get a grip. A.K.A what I would call “the damsel in distress”. While it’s okay for girls to be in a bit of a pickle once and a while, it’s not okay all the time.

*shuffles feet* A good example of this would be…*cough*…Princess Buttercup from Princess Bride.

Please don’t send hate mail, or cause riots, or unsubscribe to my blog. I know I’m not in the majority when I say I do not like The Princess Bride.

I can’t stand that movie.

But, (to avoid any of you getting heart attacks and clicking out of your browser) I shall move on and hope you kinda-sorta get the point.

These gals cannot for the life of them defend themselves, get out of their own ruts, or do anything but dramatically fall into the path of the dashing knight as he bravely pushes her behind him.

Sounds to me like we need a heroine.

Not a cold and masculine woman, nor a flimsy and useless girl.

We need a balance. A true lady to fight the good fight.

It’s okay to be smart and tough yet sweet and quiet.

Why do some writers feel the need  to be completely on one side or the other? We saw evidence of this in my last post on male characters.

Whether our culture knows it or now, God created men and women.

Women are different, but not inferior. They don’t have to be masculine or, on the other hand, as breakable as a Christmas ornament. Don’t put those unrealistic expectations on them.

Think about yourself or people you know.

Now, I understand the importance of letting your characters stand on their own apart from your own personality, but just think of personalities in general.

Some people have stronger traits than others, some weaker.

Think of it like mixing colors. There’s lime green and dark forest green. Light blue and royal blue. One has a little darker pigment than the other, right? It’s the same way with our characters. It makes them different. Unique.

Us ladies don’t cry at the drop of a pen or scream in the face of authority (at least no one that I know).

Just made sure to think about the roundness of your character molding for both male and female characters.

Here’s the thing:

You can basically do whatever you want in your writing. You are creative. You have built worlds and created characters who have stories to tell. Why make them like everyone else? They don’t deserve that.

In the end, if all else fails, your awesome lady characters will be epically feminine, sassily sweet and your readers will love you forever and ever.

(Guuyysss look! I used not one, but TWO GIFS! I feel like a computer genius now…)