I made the mistake of reading yet another pair of articles examining what it means to write a “REAL” Strong Female Character.
I should know better, truly. Thousands upon thousands of words expended on the issue! Countless examples and counter-examples in an attempt to make it very clear! Comment after comment debating those words and examples!
And in the end, it’s about as helpful as debating what color the walls ought to be painted while the roof is leaking like a sieve.
I’m a busy woman, so I’m going to make this quite simple and brief:
It doesn’t matter if the sharp pointy thing a woman carries is a darning needle, a plow, a pen, a sword, a scalpel, or a brooch. It doesn’t matter if she wears skimpy black leather, frumpy jumpers, billowing gowns, maternity jeans, heavy armor, or a wimple. It doesn’t matter if she sleeps with everyone, concurrently or consecutively, or if she sleeps with no one at all. If she has kids or hates them. If she spends her time nurturing or demanding. If she talks to women or talks to men, or talks about women or talks about men.
It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter.
Here’s what does matter:
A strong character assesses the situation, accepts responsibility, makes decisions, takes on a leadership role, and initiates action. A strong society doesn’t blink when that character happens to be a woman.
Done.
Comments
I want to plaster this everywhere.
I shall commence to do so.
I want to plaster this everywhere.
I shall commence to do so.
This was brought up on my book blog, too, and it does make me think about my parameters. Would confidence be a better trait, as one commenter suggested? On the other hand, (and this is the hand I claim :) ), is a story stronger for its focus on characters with leadership traits -- even if that character has poor leadership skills?
*ponders more*