by
Andi O’Connor, author of the new novel, “Silevethiel” (Purple Sun Press).
The
fantasy genre is extremely popular with people of all ages. That's fine, except
that in fantasy, women often play such roles as serving as the hero’s love
interest, or the weak heroine who constantly relies on others to protect her,
quickly come to mind. Too frequently, women are used as an ornament in fantasy
stories. Rarely do we see capable, independent female characters who defy these
overused stereotypes. Here are four ways to create stronger women characters in
fantasy:
World
Building
One
of the most important aspects of writing fantasy is creating a unique and
believable world. This carries forward into helping build stronger female
characters. If the society created is more open to the idea of female equality
as a whole, the potential for your characters is huge. Have fun with your world
creation and take it past the obvious choices of putting one or two women in
leadership positions. Be creative. Even the most subtle elements such as tradition
in naming can open up wonderful avenues for your female characters to grow
beyond their customary roles.
Reveal
Something
commonly seen in fantasy is a woman disguising herself as a man in order to
fight in a war. At first glance, it seems rather empowering, but it’s actually
quite the opposite. Having a character conform to society’s expectations
teaches your readers – especially minorities and those viewed to be ‘different’
– to do the same. Don’t let your woman fighter succeed only because of a
disguise. Let her abilities speak louder than her gender and have others come
to accept and respect her for who and what she is. Of course, accomplishing
such a feat wouldn’t be easy in any world—real or imaginary. Let there be
opposition. Take advantage of the opportunity to showcase her struggles. Let
your readers see what she does to overcome the obstacles she faces. How does
she handle her fellow soldiers, superiors, or family members who view her as
inferior? How are the few men who support her treated by their peers? Asking
yourself these types of questions will open up an infinite amount of ways to
strengthen and create depth in your characters—and not just the women!
Clothing
At
first, this point may seem a tad weird, but it’s not! How many times do you
pick up a fantasy novel, look at the cover, and see a woman – holding a sword
or other weapon – wearing something entirely impractical and often a paper’s
width away from being inappropriate? You guessed it—quite often. Yes, the artist
has creative license and the covers aren’t always completely accurate
representations of the characters described in the book, but there certainly
are connections and similarities. Dressing your women fantasy characters –
particularly female warriors – in what is so commonly seen objectifies them and
automatically prevents them from being taken seriously. And rightly so. No one
with even a shred of common sense would charge into battle wearing the medieval
equivalent of a string bikini. They would be dead in two seconds. Be inventive
with armor and clothing creations, but also be practical. Respect the role of
your female character. If you would dress a male in the same situation in a
full suit of armor, then do the same for the woman. Let your female characters
serve a greater purpose than mere eye candy.
Growth
& Development
One
of the best ways to create stronger women in your writing is to allow them to
grow beyond the gender stereotypes. Start with a character that fits her
position to a ‘T’. Perhaps she’s a lady of nobility – meant to produce a long
line of sons. Perhaps she’s a bar wench there to entice the male customers
because of her curves. Whatever her background, put her in a situation where –
either by choice or necessity – she can evolve beyond the proper or subservient
woman she was groomed to be. Allow your readers to see her transformation
first-hand. Give some insight on what she thinks of the woman she becomes and
how others handle her change.
Women
can be, and do, so much more than simply fit inside the complacent molds our
society has designed for them. Treat your female characters as people—not as
decorations. Creating stronger female characters with more depth will open up a
wonderful array of avenues for both you and your readers.
Andi
O’Connor is the author of “Silevethiel” (Purple Sun Press). Connect with her at www.andioconnor.com/.
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Brian Feinblum’s views, opinions, and ideas expressed in this blog are his alone and not that of his employer, Media Connect, the nation’s largest book promoter. You can follow him on Twitter @theprexpert and email him at brianfeinblum@gmail.com. He feels more important when discussed in the third-person. This is copyrighted by BookMarketingBuzzBlog © 2014.
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