forum What type of female characters would you like to see more of in a story?

Started April 27, 2019 by @Kinarymo

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Okay, so i'm really curious about this one. What kind of female characters excite you in a story? And what kind of cliches would you like to see less of?

Not exactly what you're looking for probably but…

Maybe this will help.

Those were amazing Voltron references and I agree with literally everything she said in the video

Yes. Red's Trope Talks are my absolute favorite writing advice.

I think the thing I would personally like to see more of when it comes to female characters is people hearing "Strong female character" and stop immediately jumping to "Tomboy" P.S I love Overly Sarcastic Productions too

Yeah, I'd like some strong women who are traditionally feminine.
Also if your female character EVER says or thinks 'I'm not like other girls', you need to start over.

I'd like to see less of the female characters who are insufferable bitches but it's ok because the author is passing it off as feminism. If a male character would be called problematic for acting the same way it doesn't count as feminism.

Also more single girls too. I know I say it a lot, but I don't love romance in books, not everyone needs to be in a relationship, etc, etc. It would be nice to have a book where the girl isn't constantly making heart eyes at the cute boy that she just met, and to also just have a girl who isn't constantly relying on said cute boy to constantly save her ass.

One more thing is female first person narrators who have an actual personality please God I am begging you. I mean, also just in general, but I feel like it's more prevalent with female characters for some reason.

if your female character EVER says or thinks 'I'm not like other girls', you need to start over.

Yes this! Or at the very least, follow it up with something truly outrageous. Because half the time it's like "I'm not like most girls… I read books. I don't wear makeup. I play sports. I like video games. I eat food. I breathe air… I'm so special and unique (◠‿◠✿)" You're not special or unique for doing things that a lot of other girls do. That's the opposite of unique.
Also, I'm going to add that all of this applies to writers who imply that their character isn't like most girls. I feel like the whole "Im not like most girls" thing is kind of a rookie mistake, but a lot of authors get away with it by never saying it outright and you end up with a female MC who is just really judgemental of traditionally feminine characters.

Also have a variety of girls, both physically and personality wise. In my original story I have:

• A fairly short and chubby dressmaker who's depressed and not skilled at physical combat, but quite intelligent and witty
• A tall, slim girl who's very soft-spoken, painfully shy, compassionate, and works as a field medic. She's suprisingly hardcore at times and can and will sprint through a firefight to reach an injured soldier.
• Another tall, slim girl (they're sisters) who is passionate, awkward, and sometimes says weird things that don't make sense out loud, but she means well. She's a recon agent and quite smart and witty once she opens up to you.
• A short, compact girl who is tough, no-nonsense, and determined to make a difference. She's fairly high in the chain of command of the rebel army (mainly because her brother is in charge of it and there's not really a strict chain of command). She's snarky and fierce, but can be genuinely kind at times if she's concerned or frightened for a loved one. Also she turns into a puddle of awkward around the aforementioned field medic girl because she has a big crush on her.
• An average height girl who is selectively mute and sort of aloof from a distance, but when she warms up to you is sweet and kind. She had a horrible childhood and teenage-hood, and desperately wants to help the rebels but is under house arrest.
• A small and slim girl who's only 15 and fighting in the war. She's smart, sort of easily frightened, and innocent.

I have a lot of girls in other stories too, and those are just important female protagonists lol

I'd like to see less of the female characters who are insufferable bitches but it's ok because the author is passing it off as feminism. If a male character would be called problematic for acting the same way it doesn't count as feminism.

True that. I often swap character's genders when writing relationships to make sure that things wouldn't be obviously toxic coming from a guy instead of a girl, since in general female love interests get away with a lot of abuse because of the whole 'she's a sassy snarky independent woman who doesn't need a man but is gonna have one anyways' and punches/is in general cruel to her (usually male) love interest.
The one relationship I have with a girl who berates her love interest is in a Much Ado adaptation/retelling and because she's the Beatrice character. It's also not one-sided, since the Benedick character also is kind of a dick to her, at least at the start, and they realize they have issues and work it out to be a functional couple, since they don't get together until they start to not loathe each other's existence.

if your female character EVER says or thinks 'I'm not like other girls', you need to start over.

Yes this! Or at the very least, follow it up with something truly outrageous.

Now I want to write a story that starts with "I'm not like most girls because I'm secretly a lizard" and then it turns out that EVERYONE is secretly a lizard but just thinks everyone else is human…

As for female characters, I'd like to see: someone who has zero interest in any sort of romantic relationship and genuinely gets frustrated when someone tries to flirt with her in a bar and/or is foul-mouthed ("Hé beautiful" "@#$% of mate") while still likeable.
Also, girls/women who don't fret about the opinions of others and just do whatever they want.

Even though the video said not to steal the characters of boys, we might want to have a girl have a"traditional" boy character personality. For example, I know that in the books that I read the boys tend to be the ones who make the readers and other characters laugh, but maybe I just need to read a different types of books.

Another example of a girl could be a short, slim, overconfident girl who is super flashy and she shows off a lot and is honestly kinda rude 'cause there are lots of those girls in reality but never in books

As for female characters, I'd like to see: someone who has zero interest in any sort of romantic relationship and genuinely gets frustrated when someone tries to flirt with her in a bar and/or is foul-mouthed ("Hé beautiful" "@#$% of mate") while still likeable.
Also, girls/women who don't fret about the opinions of others and just do whatever they want.

I actually have a character like this, I noticed that when I read through some of you guy's opinions it fit my character's description perfectly lmao but yes. I agree. I would love to see more of the tough girl who doesn't give a shit about what others think.

I don't think there should be just one kind of female character in a story. I appreciate when I read stories featuring strikingly different personality types between characters.
But if we're asking what I think is underdone. I'd like to see more neutral characters who aren't weak love interests of overly independent.

@ApatheticLoser , I write the last one a lot myself as well. I'm really bad at the first two though because I don't really get frustrated and don't use swear words. Someone literally has to redo the dialogue for me with rude characters.

Also if your female character EVER says or thinks 'I'm not like other girls', you need to start over.

When we're talking about characters, the only reason they should be saying this is this:
I'm not like other girls in this story, because I have and actual personality which is sustainable, realistic and something you can relate to!

Also if your female character EVER says or thinks 'I'm not like other girls', you need to start over.

When we're talking about characters, the only reason they should be saying this is this:
I'm not like other girls in this story, because I have and actual personality which is sustainable, realistic and something you can relate to!

That is the stuff that girls should have in a story: A sustainable personality, they need to be realistic and not perfect in every single way, and you have to be able to relate to them somehow

Technically every character, even in the background, should have a personality and be realistic. It's just that the main character's is more prominent and spoken about.

Good stuff happening here.

Good stuff happening here.

i agree

Technically every character, even in the background, should have a personality and be realistic. It's just that the main character's is more prominent and spoken about.

Yeah but some authors don't do that

Some authors don't even give their main character a personality 🙃

I feel bad when I don't give characters personalities. It just seems dishonorable to make them in the first place. But y'know whatever cleans your katana.

"Whatever cleans your katana." I approve.

I mean I try to give minor characters personalities but I tend to have big casts so it can be difficult. Hopefully a minor character's appearance is memorable enough to give them at least some traits. For example, Ronan is a really minor character but his main scene is beating up a much younger and smaller man in a fight and enjoying it, so hopefully it shows he's brutal and harsh.