McAnally's (The Community Pub) > Author Craft
Characters
LizW65:
I think you just have to get inside the character's head and not worry too much about gender--as long as their motivations are realistic, the rest will follow.
A few surface things to bear in mind: if you're a woman writing about a man, don't forget to have him shave once in a while. If you're a man writing about a woman, remember that her feet are eventually gonna kill her in those five-inch spike heels. There are apt to be physical differences--weight to height ratio, upper body strength, and so on. The plumbing is different. Men and women are apt to bitch/gripe about altogether different things when they come home from work...you get the idea. And you can always hand your work off to someone of the opposite sex to get their take on it.
meg_evonne:
you might check out the briggs-meyers personality trait sites.
I heard Michael A Stackpole say often in a workshop, "A guy wouldn't say that." I think he's right, then again you sort of need dialog, right? Yes, that was tongue in cheek. Hugs to my male friends on the site!
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: meg_evonne on May 10, 2010, 04:22:23 PM ---I heard Michael A Stackpole say often in a workshop, "A guy wouldn't say that."
--- End quote ---
That neatly sums up my point.
"Guy" is not a biological man. "Guy" is a contemporary social construct of masculinity.
A really gentle, caring, nurturing man, the type who makes a good single parent, is not going to react like a "guy". And they do exist.
LizW65:
--- Quote from: neurovore on May 10, 2010, 06:55:07 PM ---A really gentle, caring, nurturing man, the type who makes a good single parent, is not going to react like a "guy".
--- End quote ---
Um...I happen to live with somebody who is both. Just sayin'.
the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:
--- Quote from: LizW65 on May 10, 2010, 07:34:57 PM ---Um...I happen to live with somebody who is both. Just sayin'.
--- End quote ---
OK. Add a "necessarily" in the appropriate point in my last statement.
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