No, but even my own fic default character is male. I realize that’s a habit. But it’s hard to breakMost of my books tend to be about women, funnily enough. But I grew up on a lot of Tamora Pierce…
See almost every story I read growing up, it was male heroes. I grew up on a lot of classics and King Arthur and Robin Hood and Phineus Fogg were all men. Later I got into scifi and fantasy and the trend continued with Lazarus Long and Ender and Baginsses.
TV wasn’t any better with Captain Kirk and Picard and Bridger and Sheridan. Sam Beckett and The Doctor.
Movies gave me Indiana Jones and William Wallace.
I realize this should make me want to write more female characters. I know the problem with representation. But it’s still very, very hard for me to write female characters, though I do try. At least I’ve written River and Tamara.
This is also another part of why I changed my major.
Hey! I’ve been eavesdropping on your conversation because I’m noseyyy
I had this same problem for a long time, until I kind of sat myself down and told myself “Alanna. You know plenty of ladies that are just as interesting as the guys you read about. Just write your ladies with the same attention that you would your dudes.”
Don’t get so hung up on the fact that they’re ladies. See them as characters first. Focus on traits that you find interesting and fun and engaging and go from there. We’re conditioned by society to see more value in male narratives, so challenge that. Drop a lady in a hero’s journey or a coming-of-age story. Make her cocky and flirty and funny and cool all the things you find engaging about the guy characters you like.
It’s actually really fun once you get past the initial knee-jerk reaction. 🙂
No by all means come in 🙂 I value your opinion too!
Your absolutely right, they should be characters first and given all the attention that entails.
I know it’s my issue, not anyone else’s. I really want to take my idea of the Doctor’s Daughter meeting John Hart and Jack Harkness’s daughter and them having wild crazy adventures together while she looks for information on her parents.
Or turning it into original fic about a pansexual space pirate and her lesbian girlfriend….