Wednesday, February 22, 2012

Men vs. women

I'm quite sure I've asked this question before in some form or other, but it comes up all the time when I'm writing, or more particularly, revising as I'm doing now.

I find it much easier to get into the heads and hearts of my male characters than I do with my women. For some reason, despite the fact that I set out to write strong women, and I think I'm pretty strong myself, my women tend to start out whiners. And wafflers. And I have to work pretty darned hard to make myself toughen them up.

Maybe it's because I'm not fond of Xena syndrome. You know, women who kick ass, take names, chew bubble gum -and- still manage to wow in an evening dress, while insulting everything with a penis for laughs. Maybe I just don't know my female characters well enough before I start writing. They don't tend to pop into my heads fully-formed like the men, it's true. Maybe I have some deep-seated, therapy-required issue with members of my own sex and should make an appointment ASAP.

Whatever the reason, they give me fits.

But I'm working on it.

Here's a buffed up dragon-girl for your snippet-reading pleasure:

Anger blazed in the glare she returned. When she backed away, disappearing into the shadow beneath the beast's legs, she didn't do so in retreat. Oh no, she'd issued a challenge. Even when Berdhan could no longer see her face, he could feel the weight of the invitation. If he dared he would have a fight on his hands. 
  
Come and get me


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