8 Ways Your Writing Reveals that You Don't Understand Women

Summary

In this video, the speaker discusses common mistakes male authors make when writing female characters, and offers practical advice for improving representation. Topics covered include avoiding passive female characters, addressing physical and psychological realism, ensuring female characters have agency and independent story arcs, and steering clear of stereotypes and cliched descriptions. Key points focus on creating authentic, multidimensional female characters, offering a balanced portrayal of women in fiction, and steering clear of harmful tropes that reduce them to stereotypes or overly sexualized depictions. The video aims to help authors write stronger, more believable female characters.

Takeaways

• 😀 Female characters should not be portrayed as incapable or passive. They need to be active, competent, and capable in their roles.
• 😀 Male authors often neglect the physical realities women face, such as periods, makeup, and other bodily experiences.
• 😀 Beauty should not be the primary measure of a female character's value or moral goodness. Avoid stereotypes linking beauty with goodness or ugliness with evil.
• 😀 Female characters must have independent story arcs that don't solely support male characters. They should not just serve as props or sidekicks.
• 😀 Ensure female characters' psychological depth is explored, especially in terms of safety concerns and social experiences that differ from male characters.
• 😀 Female characters need to make meaningful, independent decisions that affect the plot. Avoid reducing them to mere plot devices.
• 😀 Avoid writing female characters with only stereotypical traits, whether they are overly feminine or lack traditionally feminine qualities altogether.
• 😀 Avoid clichés in physical descriptions of women, such as focusing too much on body parts or using overused adjectives like 'dainty' or 'curvy'.
• 😀 Female characters should not be reduced to their looks or physical measurements, as this can feel objectifying and shallow.
• 😀 Create well-rounded female characters who are not defined by romance or their relationships with men. Make sure they have diverse and independent personalities.

Q & A

What is one of the biggest mistakes male authors make when writing female characters?

One of the biggest mistakes is making female characters appear incapable. A common example is when female characters ask, 'What do we do now?' which makes them passive and dependent, rather than capable and active in the plot.

Why is it important to have capable female characters in a story?

Having capable female characters is crucial because it helps avoid portraying women as passive or incapable. A test to check this is whether there’s at least one female character who excels in her role or job, much like Tauriel in *The Hobbit*, who is a skilled fighter.

What is the common issue with male authors' portrayal of women and physical realities?

Male authors often display ignorance of basic physical realities, such as not acknowledging women's menstruation, makeup routines, or how women experience certain bodily functions. For example, not considering the impact of makeup on a woman’s appearance or assuming that ovaries 'make decisions' when a woman is attracted to someone.

How do physical descriptions in writing affect female characters?

Overemphasis on physical appearance, especially beauty, can reduce a female character to a shallow stereotype. The script highlights that beauty is often wrongly associated with goodness, and female characters are sometimes only valued for their looks, as seen in some books where antagonists are described as unattractive.

What is the problem with the portrayal of female characters as sidekicks or props for male characters?

The problem is that female characters are sometimes reduced to serving male characters' storylines, without having their own independent arcs or significance. The *Moc Mory Test* helps avoid this by ensuring that female characters have their own story and agency, not just supporting male characters.

How should writers incorporate the psychology of female characters?

Writers should pay attention to the psychological aspects of female characters, especially in situations where safety or social dynamics are at play. For instance, a woman walking alone at night or traveling in an unfamiliar country would realistically be concerned about her safety, which should be reflected in her inner dialogue.

What is the *Bechdel Test*, and how does it relate to writing female characters?

The *Bechdel Test* measures whether a story includes two named female characters who have a conversation about something other than a man. It encourages writers to give female characters more depth and independence from male characters.

What role does agency play in the development of female characters?

Agency refers to a female character's ability to make meaningful decisions that impact the story, independent of male influence. A test called the *Sexy Leg Lamp Test* asks whether a female character could be replaced with an object and still serve the same purpose in the story. If the answer is yes, the character lacks agency.

What are the dangers of stereotyping female characters?

Stereotyping can occur when a female character is written with overly feminine traits, such as being obsessed with yoga, gardening, or baking, without depth. Conversely, writing a 'man with boobs' character, who has no feminine traits at all, is another form of stereotyping. Both extremes fail to capture the complexity of real women.

How can male authors avoid cliches when describing female characters?

To avoid clichés, male authors should steer clear of reducing women to body parts or focusing on measurements, such as height, weight, or bust size. Overused adjectives like 'dainty' or 'curvy' can also reinforce stereotypes. Instead, they should aim for more nuanced, authentic descriptions that reflect the character's full identity.