I hope this has been properly established. Just in case it hasn’t, I’m married to a wonderful woman, I like explosions, football, and bacon. If I can have an exploding football while eating bacon, life is good.
Why then, as a beginning author trying to write a novel, do I have a female main character?
Perhaps it is because I am crazy?
It is actually what the story demanded. That’s what popped into my head, and I ran with it.
Still, it is hard enough to come up with a story arc that can hold interest yet believability for 80,000 words. Why complicate things by trying to envision it as the opposite sex?
I know I’ve messed up in the process. I’ve had friends critique things as I go along, and I’ve especially tried to get female perspective on things. My frequent question is “would a woman think/do this?”
Probably the hardest thing I had to deal with is being told my main character, Jenna Dawson, “wasn’t likeable.” I meant her to be a type A, driven personality who is a bit impulsive and impatient (another challenge, because I’m not a type A person). She’s pushing to be an emergency physician, so she has to be strong. The problem became that she was too harsh according to some friends I respect. I’ve had to work on revising old stuff and watch that in my latest writing.
I would say that’s the biggest thing I’ve had to do – get feedback and be open to the criticism. In a recent writing contest, I submitted my first 15 pages. Thankfully, I received good comments on Jenna as an engaging main character. Hopefully I’m learning!
The interesting thing is, according to the Gender Genie, I’m more of a feminine writer. Mike Duran posted about the difference between male and female writers, and used this fun little web site in his discussion. I don’t think the site is very scientific, but it still was interesting to try it out.
Words: 1195
(NOTE: The genie works best on texts of more than 500 words.)
Female Score: 1478
Male Score: 1407
The Gender Genie thinks the author of this passage is: female!
Should writers be afraid of writing the opposite sex? Well, unless a man is writing about monks or a woman’s book is in a nunnery, you’re going to have to anyway. We’re going to use our imagination anyway, so we need to do our research and be willing to change if our females are too manly, or a male lead is too girly.
In closing, here is some classic teaching on the difference between men’s brains and women’s brains. Enjoy!
I hope this has been properly established. Just in case it hasn’t, I’m married to a wonderful woman, I like explosions, football, and bacon. If I can have an exploding football while eating bacon, life is good.
Why then, as a beginning author trying to write a novel, do I have a female main character?
Perhaps it is because I am crazy?
It is actually what the story demanded. That’s what popped into my head, and I ran with it.
Still, it is hard enough to come up with a story arc that can hold interest yet believability for 80,000 words. Why complicate things by trying to envision it as the opposite sex?
I know I’ve messed up in the process. I’ve had friends critique things as I go along, and I’ve especially tried to get female perspective on things. My frequent question is “would a woman think/do this?”
Probably the hardest thing I had to deal with is being told my main character, Jenna Dawson, “wasn’t likeable.” I meant her to be a type A, driven personality who is a bit impulsive and impatient (another challenge, because I’m not a type A person). She’s pushing to be an emergency physician, so she has to be strong. The problem became that she was too harsh according to some friends I respect. I’ve had to work on revising old stuff and watch that in my latest writing.
I would say that’s the biggest thing I’ve had to do – get feedback and be open to the criticism. In a recent writing contest, I submitted my first 15 pages. Thankfully, I received good comments on Jenna as an engaging main character. Hopefully I’m learning!
The interesting thing is, according to the Gender Genie, I’m more of a feminine writer. Mike Duran posted about the difference between male and female writers, and used this fun little web site in his discussion. I don’t think the site is very scientific, but it still was interesting to try it out.
Words: 1195
(NOTE: The genie works best on texts of more than 500 words.)
Female Score: 1478
Male Score: 1407
The Gender Genie thinks the author of this passage is: female!
Should writers be afraid of writing the opposite sex? Well, unless a man is writing about monks or a woman’s book is in a nunnery, you’re going to have to anyway. We’re going to use our imagination anyway, so we need to do our research and be willing to change if our females are too manly, or a male lead is too girly.
In closing, here is some classic teaching on the difference between men’s brains and women’s brains. Enjoy!
As a PA, I examine people all day long. I do a lot of physicals, and it can get routine. I have a little trick that helps me through the day.
When examining my patient, my back is to the garbage can. You know the little black tips on the ear light (otoscope for those medically inclined)? I like to toss them over my shoulder in a no-look shot. I miss more than my fair share, but the patient isn’t expecting it, and it usually makes them perk up a little, enhancing our interaction together.
Laughter is the best medicine, right?
Today I thought about some of the little touches I’m putting into my WIP. They’re the things that may not matter to others, but it keeps my interest in this project I’ve worked on for so long. They also may lead to story threads.
I’m a soccer fan, and I’m listening to the Euro2012 tournament in between patients. I had my heroine be a star player for her high school team (much better than I ever was). At first it was just a character detail from my background work.
Then it became a plot hinge.
It helped me introduce another character and the connection shared between her and my protagonist. I had no idea that it would turn out that way, but it fit perfectly.
Another tech for the dust bin of history…
Another time I saw a magazine ad with the image of a man and woman resting on the beach, his arm around her from behind (the “spooning” position). I liked the picture, so I cut it out and kept it in my writing notebook for kicks and giggles. I didn’t know how I could work it into my story, but I didn’t forget it.
I recently hit a point where it made sense to put this set-up in, sans the beach. It isn’t important in the scheme of things, but it suggests I should listen to my gut whenever I notice details or come up with some character quirk. You never know when these ideas will play out.
Too bad I lost the memory in my old Palm Pilot (remember those?) where I had so many ideas stashed.
As a PA, I examine people all day long. I do a lot of physicals, and it can get routine. I have a little trick that helps me through the day.
When examining my patient, my back is to the garbage can. You know the little black tips on the ear light (otoscope for those medically inclined)? I like to toss them over my shoulder in a no-look shot. I miss more than my fair share, but the patient isn’t expecting it, and it usually makes them perk up a little, enhancing our interaction together.
Laughter is the best medicine, right?
Today I thought about some of the little touches I’m putting into my WIP. They’re the things that may not matter to others, but it keeps my interest in this project I’ve worked on for so long. They also may lead to story threads.
I’m a soccer fan, and I’m listening to the Euro2012 tournament in between patients. I had my heroine be a star player for her high school team (much better than I ever was). At first it was just a character detail from my background work.
Then it became a plot hinge.
It helped me introduce another character and the connection shared between her and my protagonist. I had no idea that it would turn out that way, but it fit perfectly.
Another tech for the dust bin of history…
Another time I saw a magazine ad with the image of a man and woman resting on the beach, his arm around her from behind (the “spooning” position). I liked the picture, so I cut it out and kept it in my writing notebook for kicks and giggles. I didn’t know how I could work it into my story, but I didn’t forget it.
I recently hit a point where it made sense to put this set-up in, sans the beach. It isn’t important in the scheme of things, but it suggests I should listen to my gut whenever I notice details or come up with some character quirk. You never know when these ideas will play out.
Too bad I lost the memory in my old Palm Pilot (remember those?) where I had so many ideas stashed.
I haven’t read it, but My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade is causing a stir in Christian fiction circles. The reason? It mentions poker, has words like “crap” and “boob”, and other such nefarious deeds.
It points out the side of CBA fiction that can be considered puritanical or judgmental. I don’t have a lot of input on this debate today. I’ve been working lately on missional stuff, so I haven’t gotten fully into the writing world again.
I have internet buddies who have discussed this in thoughtful ways. Mike Duran tackles it today in his usual way – challenging the status quo.
I haven’t read it, but My Stubborn Heart by Becky Wade is causing a stir in Christian fiction circles. The reason? It mentions poker, has words like “crap” and “boob”, and other such nefarious deeds.
It points out the side of CBA fiction that can be considered puritanical or judgmental. I don’t have a lot of input on this debate today. I’ve been working lately on missional stuff, so I haven’t gotten fully into the writing world again.
I have internet buddies who have discussed this in thoughtful ways. Mike Duran tackles it today in his usual way – challenging the status quo.
