How do I create uniquely male characters?How do you develop a strong female character?Pitfalls of writing a...
Problem of parity - Can we draw a closed path made up of 20 line segments...
Has the BBC provided arguments for saying Brexit being cancelled is unlikely?
How is the claim "I am in New York only if I am in America" the same as "If I am in New York, then I am in America?
Dragon forelimb placement
Python: next in for loop
Prove that NP is closed under karp reduction?
Risk of getting Chronic Wasting Disease (CWD) in the United States?
Do I have a twin with permutated remainders?
Can a Warlock become Neutral Good?
Why doesn't Newton's third law mean a person bounces back to where they started when they hit the ground?
"to be prejudice towards/against someone" vs "to be prejudiced against/towards someone"
Which models of the Boeing 737 are still in production?
Why are electrically insulating heatsinks so rare? Is it just cost?
Did Shadowfax go to Valinor?
Have astronauts in space suits ever taken selfies? If so, how?
What's the output of a record cartridge playing an out-of-speed record
What does it mean to describe someone as a butt steak?
Email Account under attack (really) - anything I can do?
Why Is Death Allowed In the Matrix?
Theorems that impeded progress
How can I prevent hyper evolved versions of regular creatures from wiping out their cousins?
Show that if two triangles built on parallel lines, with equal bases have the same perimeter only if they are congruent.
Mathematical cryptic clues
How is it possible to have an ability score that is less than 3?
How do I create uniquely male characters?
How do you develop a strong female character?Pitfalls of writing a main character of different gender to the author, specifically first-person perspective?Does there have to be a difference when writing different genders?When developing a stage play, whose gender matters more? The characters' or the actors'?How to write about transgender issues while avoiding cognitive dissonance?How do I keep the gender of my main character purposely ambiguous?How to write female characters as a male writer?Needing Help Fleshing Out Male Character So He's Not Just a Stock CharacterHow to add depth to primary female character that contrasts well with primary male charactersA critic made a comment that my female character sounds like she was written by a manAvoiding the “not like other girls” trope?
In How to write strong female characters, Standback says that the best way to write a strong female character is to make her uniquely female, the type of character that can not possibly be male and isn't a stereotype.
Lately I have found the opposite problem. In the first draft of my last fiction piece, 75% of the characters were female. Making characters female has become an easy trick for me to make them feel unique. Every variation of a male military commander seems to have been done. A female commander leading her own battalion seems more interesting.
How can I apply the lessons learned from writing strong female characters to male characters?
Of course one solution is to simply write stories with no male characters, but that's not always what I want to do.
(If it matters for the answer, I myself am male.)
creative-writing character-development science-fiction gender
New contributor
add a comment |
In How to write strong female characters, Standback says that the best way to write a strong female character is to make her uniquely female, the type of character that can not possibly be male and isn't a stereotype.
Lately I have found the opposite problem. In the first draft of my last fiction piece, 75% of the characters were female. Making characters female has become an easy trick for me to make them feel unique. Every variation of a male military commander seems to have been done. A female commander leading her own battalion seems more interesting.
How can I apply the lessons learned from writing strong female characters to male characters?
Of course one solution is to simply write stories with no male characters, but that's not always what I want to do.
(If it matters for the answer, I myself am male.)
creative-writing character-development science-fiction gender
New contributor
add a comment |
In How to write strong female characters, Standback says that the best way to write a strong female character is to make her uniquely female, the type of character that can not possibly be male and isn't a stereotype.
Lately I have found the opposite problem. In the first draft of my last fiction piece, 75% of the characters were female. Making characters female has become an easy trick for me to make them feel unique. Every variation of a male military commander seems to have been done. A female commander leading her own battalion seems more interesting.
How can I apply the lessons learned from writing strong female characters to male characters?
Of course one solution is to simply write stories with no male characters, but that's not always what I want to do.
(If it matters for the answer, I myself am male.)
creative-writing character-development science-fiction gender
New contributor
In How to write strong female characters, Standback says that the best way to write a strong female character is to make her uniquely female, the type of character that can not possibly be male and isn't a stereotype.
Lately I have found the opposite problem. In the first draft of my last fiction piece, 75% of the characters were female. Making characters female has become an easy trick for me to make them feel unique. Every variation of a male military commander seems to have been done. A female commander leading her own battalion seems more interesting.
How can I apply the lessons learned from writing strong female characters to male characters?
Of course one solution is to simply write stories with no male characters, but that's not always what I want to do.
(If it matters for the answer, I myself am male.)
creative-writing character-development science-fiction gender
creative-writing character-development science-fiction gender
New contributor
New contributor
edited 8 hours ago
Cyn
17.5k13781
17.5k13781
New contributor
asked 9 hours ago
TMuffinTMuffin
362
362
New contributor
New contributor
add a comment |
add a comment |
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
I think what's tripping you up is the idea that your male characters need to be characters that could not possibly be female. This probably comes from traditions of valuing what men do and devaluing what women do. So many women aspire to do "male" things. Showing them succeed at that can be a way of showing their uniqueness. But very few men aspire to do "female" things, and those that do are either part of a queer subculture and/or are ridiculed for it.
You can't easily have male characters who can just be male because plenty of women have stepped up and done what the men do. But even those women can still also do things that only women do, because men don't step up and do them.
My advice is to forget about someone existing to represent his or her gender and just write unique characters. The way to do that is to fully flesh the character out. Every human on this planet is unique once you get to know them well enough.
Gender is part of someone's character for sure, and all the cultural norms and baggage and qualities will be part of someone's makeup. What s/he does with them is part of what makes him/her unique.
So your male character may or may not do things that are traditionally male. But every breath he takes is infused with his culture, the society he lives in, the expectations of the company he keeps. You don't have to spell this all out (it would get deathly dull), but know that he is aware of it (at least on some level) and it will influence how he acts, what he says, and the choices he makes.
Little things can make all the difference. For example, a man I know well is a feminist, does not fit into American standards of what a man should look like, and couldn't care less about how his sexual orientation is perceived. But give him a task that involves carrying things and he will overload himself to just below the point where he topples over. Especially if the other person(s) who can carry things has an injury (no matter how mild). No extra trips either, if at all possible. And honestly, at least in America, this is such a stereotypical male trait. There are jokes and memes about it. For some reason, this is the masculine hill he dies on.
Your character will never forget he's a man. Even if he chooses not to fit in as one. So ask yourself, does he feel comfortable in his own skin? How does he feel he compares to an ideal man? He may laugh at that, but he still knows. Or he may cringe. Either way, he knows everyone else judges him that way.
Don't look at uniqueness as what a character does, but, rather, who s/he is. A female battalion commander may have an unusual position, but it doesn't make her interesting.
I know it's possible to write characters that happen to be male, but since my stories involve sci-fi and/or queer characters, I would usually simply make such characters non-binary, agender, genderless, etc.
– TMuffin
7 hours ago
1
@TMuffin It's awesome to have a wide variety of genders and sexual orientations in your work. But better to choose such characters and not default to them because you don't feel comfortable writing male characters. I hope this was helpful.
– Cyn
6 hours ago
add a comment |
With males, you have the action trope templates--and with females, a lot of writers just take those and make the character female. Basically, take it, and FLIP IT!
So maybe, take some female arch-types and plot-movers, and make her a him. Strong-willed princess in need of rescuing? Make that a prince instead. Maybe they aren't as capable and talented as the female lead. So they support...
Now, if you want an example of a completely different archetype that is actually the lead and is male--there's a "new", awesome guy on the horizon, in the form of Newt Scamander and the Doctor of Doctor Who. This hero doesn't slay monsters. They befriend them, they help save them so that they aren't really monsters any more. This is explored in this video, as an example of a different kind of masculinity.
For extra fun, I enjoy writing characters and switching the genders. Take this TV Tropes list: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AlwaysFemale Or this one: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/discussion.php?id=jiq33bjm68tjyaqkv3mshphi and build from there. For example: the Hot Librarian. Instead of making that a lady, make him an indispensable (but hot,especially when dressed to go out, and also outwardly buttoned up and conservative with a bit of a hidden kinky side) source of research for whoever your hero is, and who maybe has a bit of a crush on said hero.
The thing about "strong characters" is that different people mean different things when they say that. They can mean complex individuals. Or they can mean that strong characters actually matter to the story--that they are the main "mover and shaker" driving the plot. Just because your stereotypical battalion commander happens to be female might not make her a "strong character" for those who are looking for complex individuals with a rich inner life and so on. But for those who are just looking for a plot driver, she would be.
If you face the facts, not everyone can be the main character. Some are just going to be support or lightly sketched. The reason why there's been such a push for quote "strong female characters" or plot movers is that in the past the ladies have gotten relegated to being props or plot devices rather than fully realized people. That's because the archetypal hero, the blank relatable character is has been by default, male. If you see a gender neutral robot with no sexual characteristics, it's seen, by default, as male and white, and being female and/or anything other than white would be seen as an ADDITION or ATYPICAL--at least in America.
So there's really far more on the axis to play with beyond just gender. There's ethnicity, sexuality (asexual has been coming up more frequently, but there's always been asexual characters in lit), household structure (there's everything from extended family households to singletons living in what amounts to a closet in the big city or singles living with stable couples because renting a room is cheaper, and the family structure they originally came from) and beyond.
The issue is that actually, in real life as in literature, you have no idea what most people's situations are. And a lot of times it's not important until you become closer friends or in literature, until these details actually MATTER to the plot and protagonist.
I would say that if the most interesting thing about your characters is their gender--that's a problem. Characters are characters. They are there to be interesting AND/OR fulfill a function in your plot.
add a comment |
To me, uniqueness is not found in any one trait, but in the combinations of traits. You avoid writing a stereotype by acknowledging the stereotype exists, and then finding a natural way to subvert it. You can have a firm male commander that doesn't bark commands, but explains what he wants and why. It still isn't a debate and he isn't looking for suggestions (unless he says so), and he'll inform you of this quickly without leaving any wiggle room, but he thinks people work better if they understand what the next larger goal is.
Subvert the stereotype, and change the personality and background of the male to support this subversion and make it "natural". You have control of his history; perhaps he had to raise five younger sisters on his own and this is how he taught himself to manage them. How many stereotypes did that?
Every one of us lives a unique life, and has a unique brain, attitude and beliefs and preferences for other people. You don't have to deeply imagine him, you just need to give him some life trauma (e.g. a huge family responsibility when young due to losing his parents, in the above example, or some other psychic or physical trauma) that changes him, so he can't live the stereotypical life, and becomes something else.
It is possible to shirk stereotypical gender norms without major trauma or life-events. Rejecting the mold for the sake of rejecting being cast in a mold is a cliche in itself. One could simply not be the stereotype and therefore reject it for no other reason than it isn't them.
– bruglesco
6 hours ago
@bruglesco Semi-true. I think we are the product of our experiences, if it "just isn't them" that is likely true for reasons, about how they grew up, were taught, etc. That is more difficult to explain in fiction, and mostly not feasible for secondary or tertiary characters, so a common writing trick is to condense that to a single key experience in their past; which IS necessarily life-changing. It is a brief way to give the reader a sense of depth in what is actually not a very complex character; and it also avoids the charge of stereotyping. The chosen "event" doesn't happen to everyone.
– Amadeus
6 hours ago
add a comment |
Wow, what a loaded question! I'll try to answer without stepping on any toes.
Getting at what makes a person "male" or makes a person "female" is something philosophers and psychologists have been debating since before Plato. While I think the postmodern gender studies definition is both flawed and unhelpful, I agree with the underlying rejection of traditional association of various traits with specific genders and specific individuals.
Qualities like bravery, assertiveness, and directness are not innately male, nor are empathy, sociability, and sensitivity exclusively female. Individuals of both sexes have different mixes of these qualities and their expression of them can change over time. Whether this means a person's gender changes, or if it's only the qualities, not the femaleness or maleness that shift, it's really irrelevant. You can't simply use traits to depict an individual's gender.
As a writer, it's not necessary or even useful to impose such an interpretation on your reader. Instead, you need to describe the character's behavior and let the reader interpret that through their own philosophical framework.
Descriptions of body language, speech patterns, and even thoughts and intentions can give the reader all they need to visualize the sex or gender of your character.
If you want to make them uniquely male there are several sex-specific behaviors and characteristics you can note about the character: scratching in public, baritone voice, legs spread apart while sitting, physical dominance displays (rough-housing, handshake dominance, etc.) And then there are a number of social customs more typical of males--being loud, being chivalrous (or the opposite, engaging in harassment), etc.
Describe how the man acts and thinks. Let the reader decide what about that is male or manly.
New contributor
add a comment |
Your Answer
StackExchange.ready(function() {
var channelOptions = {
tags: "".split(" "),
id: "166"
};
initTagRenderer("".split(" "), "".split(" "), channelOptions);
StackExchange.using("externalEditor", function() {
// Have to fire editor after snippets, if snippets enabled
if (StackExchange.settings.snippets.snippetsEnabled) {
StackExchange.using("snippets", function() {
createEditor();
});
}
else {
createEditor();
}
});
function createEditor() {
StackExchange.prepareEditor({
heartbeatType: 'answer',
autoActivateHeartbeat: false,
convertImagesToLinks: false,
noModals: true,
showLowRepImageUploadWarning: true,
reputationToPostImages: null,
bindNavPrevention: true,
postfix: "",
imageUploader: {
brandingHtml: "Powered by u003ca class="icon-imgur-white" href="https://imgur.com/"u003eu003c/au003e",
contentPolicyHtml: "User contributions licensed under u003ca href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/"u003ecc by-sa 3.0 with attribution requiredu003c/au003e u003ca href="https://stackoverflow.com/legal/content-policy"u003e(content policy)u003c/au003e",
allowUrls: true
},
noCode: true, onDemand: true,
discardSelector: ".discard-answer"
,immediatelyShowMarkdownHelp:true
});
}
});
TMuffin is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fwriting.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f44432%2fhow-do-i-create-uniquely-male-characters%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
4 Answers
4
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
I think what's tripping you up is the idea that your male characters need to be characters that could not possibly be female. This probably comes from traditions of valuing what men do and devaluing what women do. So many women aspire to do "male" things. Showing them succeed at that can be a way of showing their uniqueness. But very few men aspire to do "female" things, and those that do are either part of a queer subculture and/or are ridiculed for it.
You can't easily have male characters who can just be male because plenty of women have stepped up and done what the men do. But even those women can still also do things that only women do, because men don't step up and do them.
My advice is to forget about someone existing to represent his or her gender and just write unique characters. The way to do that is to fully flesh the character out. Every human on this planet is unique once you get to know them well enough.
Gender is part of someone's character for sure, and all the cultural norms and baggage and qualities will be part of someone's makeup. What s/he does with them is part of what makes him/her unique.
So your male character may or may not do things that are traditionally male. But every breath he takes is infused with his culture, the society he lives in, the expectations of the company he keeps. You don't have to spell this all out (it would get deathly dull), but know that he is aware of it (at least on some level) and it will influence how he acts, what he says, and the choices he makes.
Little things can make all the difference. For example, a man I know well is a feminist, does not fit into American standards of what a man should look like, and couldn't care less about how his sexual orientation is perceived. But give him a task that involves carrying things and he will overload himself to just below the point where he topples over. Especially if the other person(s) who can carry things has an injury (no matter how mild). No extra trips either, if at all possible. And honestly, at least in America, this is such a stereotypical male trait. There are jokes and memes about it. For some reason, this is the masculine hill he dies on.
Your character will never forget he's a man. Even if he chooses not to fit in as one. So ask yourself, does he feel comfortable in his own skin? How does he feel he compares to an ideal man? He may laugh at that, but he still knows. Or he may cringe. Either way, he knows everyone else judges him that way.
Don't look at uniqueness as what a character does, but, rather, who s/he is. A female battalion commander may have an unusual position, but it doesn't make her interesting.
I know it's possible to write characters that happen to be male, but since my stories involve sci-fi and/or queer characters, I would usually simply make such characters non-binary, agender, genderless, etc.
– TMuffin
7 hours ago
1
@TMuffin It's awesome to have a wide variety of genders and sexual orientations in your work. But better to choose such characters and not default to them because you don't feel comfortable writing male characters. I hope this was helpful.
– Cyn
6 hours ago
add a comment |
I think what's tripping you up is the idea that your male characters need to be characters that could not possibly be female. This probably comes from traditions of valuing what men do and devaluing what women do. So many women aspire to do "male" things. Showing them succeed at that can be a way of showing their uniqueness. But very few men aspire to do "female" things, and those that do are either part of a queer subculture and/or are ridiculed for it.
You can't easily have male characters who can just be male because plenty of women have stepped up and done what the men do. But even those women can still also do things that only women do, because men don't step up and do them.
My advice is to forget about someone existing to represent his or her gender and just write unique characters. The way to do that is to fully flesh the character out. Every human on this planet is unique once you get to know them well enough.
Gender is part of someone's character for sure, and all the cultural norms and baggage and qualities will be part of someone's makeup. What s/he does with them is part of what makes him/her unique.
So your male character may or may not do things that are traditionally male. But every breath he takes is infused with his culture, the society he lives in, the expectations of the company he keeps. You don't have to spell this all out (it would get deathly dull), but know that he is aware of it (at least on some level) and it will influence how he acts, what he says, and the choices he makes.
Little things can make all the difference. For example, a man I know well is a feminist, does not fit into American standards of what a man should look like, and couldn't care less about how his sexual orientation is perceived. But give him a task that involves carrying things and he will overload himself to just below the point where he topples over. Especially if the other person(s) who can carry things has an injury (no matter how mild). No extra trips either, if at all possible. And honestly, at least in America, this is such a stereotypical male trait. There are jokes and memes about it. For some reason, this is the masculine hill he dies on.
Your character will never forget he's a man. Even if he chooses not to fit in as one. So ask yourself, does he feel comfortable in his own skin? How does he feel he compares to an ideal man? He may laugh at that, but he still knows. Or he may cringe. Either way, he knows everyone else judges him that way.
Don't look at uniqueness as what a character does, but, rather, who s/he is. A female battalion commander may have an unusual position, but it doesn't make her interesting.
I know it's possible to write characters that happen to be male, but since my stories involve sci-fi and/or queer characters, I would usually simply make such characters non-binary, agender, genderless, etc.
– TMuffin
7 hours ago
1
@TMuffin It's awesome to have a wide variety of genders and sexual orientations in your work. But better to choose such characters and not default to them because you don't feel comfortable writing male characters. I hope this was helpful.
– Cyn
6 hours ago
add a comment |
I think what's tripping you up is the idea that your male characters need to be characters that could not possibly be female. This probably comes from traditions of valuing what men do and devaluing what women do. So many women aspire to do "male" things. Showing them succeed at that can be a way of showing their uniqueness. But very few men aspire to do "female" things, and those that do are either part of a queer subculture and/or are ridiculed for it.
You can't easily have male characters who can just be male because plenty of women have stepped up and done what the men do. But even those women can still also do things that only women do, because men don't step up and do them.
My advice is to forget about someone existing to represent his or her gender and just write unique characters. The way to do that is to fully flesh the character out. Every human on this planet is unique once you get to know them well enough.
Gender is part of someone's character for sure, and all the cultural norms and baggage and qualities will be part of someone's makeup. What s/he does with them is part of what makes him/her unique.
So your male character may or may not do things that are traditionally male. But every breath he takes is infused with his culture, the society he lives in, the expectations of the company he keeps. You don't have to spell this all out (it would get deathly dull), but know that he is aware of it (at least on some level) and it will influence how he acts, what he says, and the choices he makes.
Little things can make all the difference. For example, a man I know well is a feminist, does not fit into American standards of what a man should look like, and couldn't care less about how his sexual orientation is perceived. But give him a task that involves carrying things and he will overload himself to just below the point where he topples over. Especially if the other person(s) who can carry things has an injury (no matter how mild). No extra trips either, if at all possible. And honestly, at least in America, this is such a stereotypical male trait. There are jokes and memes about it. For some reason, this is the masculine hill he dies on.
Your character will never forget he's a man. Even if he chooses not to fit in as one. So ask yourself, does he feel comfortable in his own skin? How does he feel he compares to an ideal man? He may laugh at that, but he still knows. Or he may cringe. Either way, he knows everyone else judges him that way.
Don't look at uniqueness as what a character does, but, rather, who s/he is. A female battalion commander may have an unusual position, but it doesn't make her interesting.
I think what's tripping you up is the idea that your male characters need to be characters that could not possibly be female. This probably comes from traditions of valuing what men do and devaluing what women do. So many women aspire to do "male" things. Showing them succeed at that can be a way of showing their uniqueness. But very few men aspire to do "female" things, and those that do are either part of a queer subculture and/or are ridiculed for it.
You can't easily have male characters who can just be male because plenty of women have stepped up and done what the men do. But even those women can still also do things that only women do, because men don't step up and do them.
My advice is to forget about someone existing to represent his or her gender and just write unique characters. The way to do that is to fully flesh the character out. Every human on this planet is unique once you get to know them well enough.
Gender is part of someone's character for sure, and all the cultural norms and baggage and qualities will be part of someone's makeup. What s/he does with them is part of what makes him/her unique.
So your male character may or may not do things that are traditionally male. But every breath he takes is infused with his culture, the society he lives in, the expectations of the company he keeps. You don't have to spell this all out (it would get deathly dull), but know that he is aware of it (at least on some level) and it will influence how he acts, what he says, and the choices he makes.
Little things can make all the difference. For example, a man I know well is a feminist, does not fit into American standards of what a man should look like, and couldn't care less about how his sexual orientation is perceived. But give him a task that involves carrying things and he will overload himself to just below the point where he topples over. Especially if the other person(s) who can carry things has an injury (no matter how mild). No extra trips either, if at all possible. And honestly, at least in America, this is such a stereotypical male trait. There are jokes and memes about it. For some reason, this is the masculine hill he dies on.
Your character will never forget he's a man. Even if he chooses not to fit in as one. So ask yourself, does he feel comfortable in his own skin? How does he feel he compares to an ideal man? He may laugh at that, but he still knows. Or he may cringe. Either way, he knows everyone else judges him that way.
Don't look at uniqueness as what a character does, but, rather, who s/he is. A female battalion commander may have an unusual position, but it doesn't make her interesting.
edited 7 hours ago
answered 7 hours ago
CynCyn
17.5k13781
17.5k13781
I know it's possible to write characters that happen to be male, but since my stories involve sci-fi and/or queer characters, I would usually simply make such characters non-binary, agender, genderless, etc.
– TMuffin
7 hours ago
1
@TMuffin It's awesome to have a wide variety of genders and sexual orientations in your work. But better to choose such characters and not default to them because you don't feel comfortable writing male characters. I hope this was helpful.
– Cyn
6 hours ago
add a comment |
I know it's possible to write characters that happen to be male, but since my stories involve sci-fi and/or queer characters, I would usually simply make such characters non-binary, agender, genderless, etc.
– TMuffin
7 hours ago
1
@TMuffin It's awesome to have a wide variety of genders and sexual orientations in your work. But better to choose such characters and not default to them because you don't feel comfortable writing male characters. I hope this was helpful.
– Cyn
6 hours ago
I know it's possible to write characters that happen to be male, but since my stories involve sci-fi and/or queer characters, I would usually simply make such characters non-binary, agender, genderless, etc.
– TMuffin
7 hours ago
I know it's possible to write characters that happen to be male, but since my stories involve sci-fi and/or queer characters, I would usually simply make such characters non-binary, agender, genderless, etc.
– TMuffin
7 hours ago
1
1
@TMuffin It's awesome to have a wide variety of genders and sexual orientations in your work. But better to choose such characters and not default to them because you don't feel comfortable writing male characters. I hope this was helpful.
– Cyn
6 hours ago
@TMuffin It's awesome to have a wide variety of genders and sexual orientations in your work. But better to choose such characters and not default to them because you don't feel comfortable writing male characters. I hope this was helpful.
– Cyn
6 hours ago
add a comment |
With males, you have the action trope templates--and with females, a lot of writers just take those and make the character female. Basically, take it, and FLIP IT!
So maybe, take some female arch-types and plot-movers, and make her a him. Strong-willed princess in need of rescuing? Make that a prince instead. Maybe they aren't as capable and talented as the female lead. So they support...
Now, if you want an example of a completely different archetype that is actually the lead and is male--there's a "new", awesome guy on the horizon, in the form of Newt Scamander and the Doctor of Doctor Who. This hero doesn't slay monsters. They befriend them, they help save them so that they aren't really monsters any more. This is explored in this video, as an example of a different kind of masculinity.
For extra fun, I enjoy writing characters and switching the genders. Take this TV Tropes list: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AlwaysFemale Or this one: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/discussion.php?id=jiq33bjm68tjyaqkv3mshphi and build from there. For example: the Hot Librarian. Instead of making that a lady, make him an indispensable (but hot,especially when dressed to go out, and also outwardly buttoned up and conservative with a bit of a hidden kinky side) source of research for whoever your hero is, and who maybe has a bit of a crush on said hero.
The thing about "strong characters" is that different people mean different things when they say that. They can mean complex individuals. Or they can mean that strong characters actually matter to the story--that they are the main "mover and shaker" driving the plot. Just because your stereotypical battalion commander happens to be female might not make her a "strong character" for those who are looking for complex individuals with a rich inner life and so on. But for those who are just looking for a plot driver, she would be.
If you face the facts, not everyone can be the main character. Some are just going to be support or lightly sketched. The reason why there's been such a push for quote "strong female characters" or plot movers is that in the past the ladies have gotten relegated to being props or plot devices rather than fully realized people. That's because the archetypal hero, the blank relatable character is has been by default, male. If you see a gender neutral robot with no sexual characteristics, it's seen, by default, as male and white, and being female and/or anything other than white would be seen as an ADDITION or ATYPICAL--at least in America.
So there's really far more on the axis to play with beyond just gender. There's ethnicity, sexuality (asexual has been coming up more frequently, but there's always been asexual characters in lit), household structure (there's everything from extended family households to singletons living in what amounts to a closet in the big city or singles living with stable couples because renting a room is cheaper, and the family structure they originally came from) and beyond.
The issue is that actually, in real life as in literature, you have no idea what most people's situations are. And a lot of times it's not important until you become closer friends or in literature, until these details actually MATTER to the plot and protagonist.
I would say that if the most interesting thing about your characters is their gender--that's a problem. Characters are characters. They are there to be interesting AND/OR fulfill a function in your plot.
add a comment |
With males, you have the action trope templates--and with females, a lot of writers just take those and make the character female. Basically, take it, and FLIP IT!
So maybe, take some female arch-types and plot-movers, and make her a him. Strong-willed princess in need of rescuing? Make that a prince instead. Maybe they aren't as capable and talented as the female lead. So they support...
Now, if you want an example of a completely different archetype that is actually the lead and is male--there's a "new", awesome guy on the horizon, in the form of Newt Scamander and the Doctor of Doctor Who. This hero doesn't slay monsters. They befriend them, they help save them so that they aren't really monsters any more. This is explored in this video, as an example of a different kind of masculinity.
For extra fun, I enjoy writing characters and switching the genders. Take this TV Tropes list: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AlwaysFemale Or this one: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/discussion.php?id=jiq33bjm68tjyaqkv3mshphi and build from there. For example: the Hot Librarian. Instead of making that a lady, make him an indispensable (but hot,especially when dressed to go out, and also outwardly buttoned up and conservative with a bit of a hidden kinky side) source of research for whoever your hero is, and who maybe has a bit of a crush on said hero.
The thing about "strong characters" is that different people mean different things when they say that. They can mean complex individuals. Or they can mean that strong characters actually matter to the story--that they are the main "mover and shaker" driving the plot. Just because your stereotypical battalion commander happens to be female might not make her a "strong character" for those who are looking for complex individuals with a rich inner life and so on. But for those who are just looking for a plot driver, she would be.
If you face the facts, not everyone can be the main character. Some are just going to be support or lightly sketched. The reason why there's been such a push for quote "strong female characters" or plot movers is that in the past the ladies have gotten relegated to being props or plot devices rather than fully realized people. That's because the archetypal hero, the blank relatable character is has been by default, male. If you see a gender neutral robot with no sexual characteristics, it's seen, by default, as male and white, and being female and/or anything other than white would be seen as an ADDITION or ATYPICAL--at least in America.
So there's really far more on the axis to play with beyond just gender. There's ethnicity, sexuality (asexual has been coming up more frequently, but there's always been asexual characters in lit), household structure (there's everything from extended family households to singletons living in what amounts to a closet in the big city or singles living with stable couples because renting a room is cheaper, and the family structure they originally came from) and beyond.
The issue is that actually, in real life as in literature, you have no idea what most people's situations are. And a lot of times it's not important until you become closer friends or in literature, until these details actually MATTER to the plot and protagonist.
I would say that if the most interesting thing about your characters is their gender--that's a problem. Characters are characters. They are there to be interesting AND/OR fulfill a function in your plot.
add a comment |
With males, you have the action trope templates--and with females, a lot of writers just take those and make the character female. Basically, take it, and FLIP IT!
So maybe, take some female arch-types and plot-movers, and make her a him. Strong-willed princess in need of rescuing? Make that a prince instead. Maybe they aren't as capable and talented as the female lead. So they support...
Now, if you want an example of a completely different archetype that is actually the lead and is male--there's a "new", awesome guy on the horizon, in the form of Newt Scamander and the Doctor of Doctor Who. This hero doesn't slay monsters. They befriend them, they help save them so that they aren't really monsters any more. This is explored in this video, as an example of a different kind of masculinity.
For extra fun, I enjoy writing characters and switching the genders. Take this TV Tropes list: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AlwaysFemale Or this one: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/discussion.php?id=jiq33bjm68tjyaqkv3mshphi and build from there. For example: the Hot Librarian. Instead of making that a lady, make him an indispensable (but hot,especially when dressed to go out, and also outwardly buttoned up and conservative with a bit of a hidden kinky side) source of research for whoever your hero is, and who maybe has a bit of a crush on said hero.
The thing about "strong characters" is that different people mean different things when they say that. They can mean complex individuals. Or they can mean that strong characters actually matter to the story--that they are the main "mover and shaker" driving the plot. Just because your stereotypical battalion commander happens to be female might not make her a "strong character" for those who are looking for complex individuals with a rich inner life and so on. But for those who are just looking for a plot driver, she would be.
If you face the facts, not everyone can be the main character. Some are just going to be support or lightly sketched. The reason why there's been such a push for quote "strong female characters" or plot movers is that in the past the ladies have gotten relegated to being props or plot devices rather than fully realized people. That's because the archetypal hero, the blank relatable character is has been by default, male. If you see a gender neutral robot with no sexual characteristics, it's seen, by default, as male and white, and being female and/or anything other than white would be seen as an ADDITION or ATYPICAL--at least in America.
So there's really far more on the axis to play with beyond just gender. There's ethnicity, sexuality (asexual has been coming up more frequently, but there's always been asexual characters in lit), household structure (there's everything from extended family households to singletons living in what amounts to a closet in the big city or singles living with stable couples because renting a room is cheaper, and the family structure they originally came from) and beyond.
The issue is that actually, in real life as in literature, you have no idea what most people's situations are. And a lot of times it's not important until you become closer friends or in literature, until these details actually MATTER to the plot and protagonist.
I would say that if the most interesting thing about your characters is their gender--that's a problem. Characters are characters. They are there to be interesting AND/OR fulfill a function in your plot.
With males, you have the action trope templates--and with females, a lot of writers just take those and make the character female. Basically, take it, and FLIP IT!
So maybe, take some female arch-types and plot-movers, and make her a him. Strong-willed princess in need of rescuing? Make that a prince instead. Maybe they aren't as capable and talented as the female lead. So they support...
Now, if you want an example of a completely different archetype that is actually the lead and is male--there's a "new", awesome guy on the horizon, in the form of Newt Scamander and the Doctor of Doctor Who. This hero doesn't slay monsters. They befriend them, they help save them so that they aren't really monsters any more. This is explored in this video, as an example of a different kind of masculinity.
For extra fun, I enjoy writing characters and switching the genders. Take this TV Tropes list: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/AlwaysFemale Or this one: https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/discussion.php?id=jiq33bjm68tjyaqkv3mshphi and build from there. For example: the Hot Librarian. Instead of making that a lady, make him an indispensable (but hot,especially when dressed to go out, and also outwardly buttoned up and conservative with a bit of a hidden kinky side) source of research for whoever your hero is, and who maybe has a bit of a crush on said hero.
The thing about "strong characters" is that different people mean different things when they say that. They can mean complex individuals. Or they can mean that strong characters actually matter to the story--that they are the main "mover and shaker" driving the plot. Just because your stereotypical battalion commander happens to be female might not make her a "strong character" for those who are looking for complex individuals with a rich inner life and so on. But for those who are just looking for a plot driver, she would be.
If you face the facts, not everyone can be the main character. Some are just going to be support or lightly sketched. The reason why there's been such a push for quote "strong female characters" or plot movers is that in the past the ladies have gotten relegated to being props or plot devices rather than fully realized people. That's because the archetypal hero, the blank relatable character is has been by default, male. If you see a gender neutral robot with no sexual characteristics, it's seen, by default, as male and white, and being female and/or anything other than white would be seen as an ADDITION or ATYPICAL--at least in America.
So there's really far more on the axis to play with beyond just gender. There's ethnicity, sexuality (asexual has been coming up more frequently, but there's always been asexual characters in lit), household structure (there's everything from extended family households to singletons living in what amounts to a closet in the big city or singles living with stable couples because renting a room is cheaper, and the family structure they originally came from) and beyond.
The issue is that actually, in real life as in literature, you have no idea what most people's situations are. And a lot of times it's not important until you become closer friends or in literature, until these details actually MATTER to the plot and protagonist.
I would say that if the most interesting thing about your characters is their gender--that's a problem. Characters are characters. They are there to be interesting AND/OR fulfill a function in your plot.
edited 2 hours ago
answered 6 hours ago
Erin ThursbyErin Thursby
1,942412
1,942412
add a comment |
add a comment |
To me, uniqueness is not found in any one trait, but in the combinations of traits. You avoid writing a stereotype by acknowledging the stereotype exists, and then finding a natural way to subvert it. You can have a firm male commander that doesn't bark commands, but explains what he wants and why. It still isn't a debate and he isn't looking for suggestions (unless he says so), and he'll inform you of this quickly without leaving any wiggle room, but he thinks people work better if they understand what the next larger goal is.
Subvert the stereotype, and change the personality and background of the male to support this subversion and make it "natural". You have control of his history; perhaps he had to raise five younger sisters on his own and this is how he taught himself to manage them. How many stereotypes did that?
Every one of us lives a unique life, and has a unique brain, attitude and beliefs and preferences for other people. You don't have to deeply imagine him, you just need to give him some life trauma (e.g. a huge family responsibility when young due to losing his parents, in the above example, or some other psychic or physical trauma) that changes him, so he can't live the stereotypical life, and becomes something else.
It is possible to shirk stereotypical gender norms without major trauma or life-events. Rejecting the mold for the sake of rejecting being cast in a mold is a cliche in itself. One could simply not be the stereotype and therefore reject it for no other reason than it isn't them.
– bruglesco
6 hours ago
@bruglesco Semi-true. I think we are the product of our experiences, if it "just isn't them" that is likely true for reasons, about how they grew up, were taught, etc. That is more difficult to explain in fiction, and mostly not feasible for secondary or tertiary characters, so a common writing trick is to condense that to a single key experience in their past; which IS necessarily life-changing. It is a brief way to give the reader a sense of depth in what is actually not a very complex character; and it also avoids the charge of stereotyping. The chosen "event" doesn't happen to everyone.
– Amadeus
6 hours ago
add a comment |
To me, uniqueness is not found in any one trait, but in the combinations of traits. You avoid writing a stereotype by acknowledging the stereotype exists, and then finding a natural way to subvert it. You can have a firm male commander that doesn't bark commands, but explains what he wants and why. It still isn't a debate and he isn't looking for suggestions (unless he says so), and he'll inform you of this quickly without leaving any wiggle room, but he thinks people work better if they understand what the next larger goal is.
Subvert the stereotype, and change the personality and background of the male to support this subversion and make it "natural". You have control of his history; perhaps he had to raise five younger sisters on his own and this is how he taught himself to manage them. How many stereotypes did that?
Every one of us lives a unique life, and has a unique brain, attitude and beliefs and preferences for other people. You don't have to deeply imagine him, you just need to give him some life trauma (e.g. a huge family responsibility when young due to losing his parents, in the above example, or some other psychic or physical trauma) that changes him, so he can't live the stereotypical life, and becomes something else.
It is possible to shirk stereotypical gender norms without major trauma or life-events. Rejecting the mold for the sake of rejecting being cast in a mold is a cliche in itself. One could simply not be the stereotype and therefore reject it for no other reason than it isn't them.
– bruglesco
6 hours ago
@bruglesco Semi-true. I think we are the product of our experiences, if it "just isn't them" that is likely true for reasons, about how they grew up, were taught, etc. That is more difficult to explain in fiction, and mostly not feasible for secondary or tertiary characters, so a common writing trick is to condense that to a single key experience in their past; which IS necessarily life-changing. It is a brief way to give the reader a sense of depth in what is actually not a very complex character; and it also avoids the charge of stereotyping. The chosen "event" doesn't happen to everyone.
– Amadeus
6 hours ago
add a comment |
To me, uniqueness is not found in any one trait, but in the combinations of traits. You avoid writing a stereotype by acknowledging the stereotype exists, and then finding a natural way to subvert it. You can have a firm male commander that doesn't bark commands, but explains what he wants and why. It still isn't a debate and he isn't looking for suggestions (unless he says so), and he'll inform you of this quickly without leaving any wiggle room, but he thinks people work better if they understand what the next larger goal is.
Subvert the stereotype, and change the personality and background of the male to support this subversion and make it "natural". You have control of his history; perhaps he had to raise five younger sisters on his own and this is how he taught himself to manage them. How many stereotypes did that?
Every one of us lives a unique life, and has a unique brain, attitude and beliefs and preferences for other people. You don't have to deeply imagine him, you just need to give him some life trauma (e.g. a huge family responsibility when young due to losing his parents, in the above example, or some other psychic or physical trauma) that changes him, so he can't live the stereotypical life, and becomes something else.
To me, uniqueness is not found in any one trait, but in the combinations of traits. You avoid writing a stereotype by acknowledging the stereotype exists, and then finding a natural way to subvert it. You can have a firm male commander that doesn't bark commands, but explains what he wants and why. It still isn't a debate and he isn't looking for suggestions (unless he says so), and he'll inform you of this quickly without leaving any wiggle room, but he thinks people work better if they understand what the next larger goal is.
Subvert the stereotype, and change the personality and background of the male to support this subversion and make it "natural". You have control of his history; perhaps he had to raise five younger sisters on his own and this is how he taught himself to manage them. How many stereotypes did that?
Every one of us lives a unique life, and has a unique brain, attitude and beliefs and preferences for other people. You don't have to deeply imagine him, you just need to give him some life trauma (e.g. a huge family responsibility when young due to losing his parents, in the above example, or some other psychic or physical trauma) that changes him, so he can't live the stereotypical life, and becomes something else.
answered 8 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
58.1k574186
58.1k574186
It is possible to shirk stereotypical gender norms without major trauma or life-events. Rejecting the mold for the sake of rejecting being cast in a mold is a cliche in itself. One could simply not be the stereotype and therefore reject it for no other reason than it isn't them.
– bruglesco
6 hours ago
@bruglesco Semi-true. I think we are the product of our experiences, if it "just isn't them" that is likely true for reasons, about how they grew up, were taught, etc. That is more difficult to explain in fiction, and mostly not feasible for secondary or tertiary characters, so a common writing trick is to condense that to a single key experience in their past; which IS necessarily life-changing. It is a brief way to give the reader a sense of depth in what is actually not a very complex character; and it also avoids the charge of stereotyping. The chosen "event" doesn't happen to everyone.
– Amadeus
6 hours ago
add a comment |
It is possible to shirk stereotypical gender norms without major trauma or life-events. Rejecting the mold for the sake of rejecting being cast in a mold is a cliche in itself. One could simply not be the stereotype and therefore reject it for no other reason than it isn't them.
– bruglesco
6 hours ago
@bruglesco Semi-true. I think we are the product of our experiences, if it "just isn't them" that is likely true for reasons, about how they grew up, were taught, etc. That is more difficult to explain in fiction, and mostly not feasible for secondary or tertiary characters, so a common writing trick is to condense that to a single key experience in their past; which IS necessarily life-changing. It is a brief way to give the reader a sense of depth in what is actually not a very complex character; and it also avoids the charge of stereotyping. The chosen "event" doesn't happen to everyone.
– Amadeus
6 hours ago
It is possible to shirk stereotypical gender norms without major trauma or life-events. Rejecting the mold for the sake of rejecting being cast in a mold is a cliche in itself. One could simply not be the stereotype and therefore reject it for no other reason than it isn't them.
– bruglesco
6 hours ago
It is possible to shirk stereotypical gender norms without major trauma or life-events. Rejecting the mold for the sake of rejecting being cast in a mold is a cliche in itself. One could simply not be the stereotype and therefore reject it for no other reason than it isn't them.
– bruglesco
6 hours ago
@bruglesco Semi-true. I think we are the product of our experiences, if it "just isn't them" that is likely true for reasons, about how they grew up, were taught, etc. That is more difficult to explain in fiction, and mostly not feasible for secondary or tertiary characters, so a common writing trick is to condense that to a single key experience in their past; which IS necessarily life-changing. It is a brief way to give the reader a sense of depth in what is actually not a very complex character; and it also avoids the charge of stereotyping. The chosen "event" doesn't happen to everyone.
– Amadeus
6 hours ago
@bruglesco Semi-true. I think we are the product of our experiences, if it "just isn't them" that is likely true for reasons, about how they grew up, were taught, etc. That is more difficult to explain in fiction, and mostly not feasible for secondary or tertiary characters, so a common writing trick is to condense that to a single key experience in their past; which IS necessarily life-changing. It is a brief way to give the reader a sense of depth in what is actually not a very complex character; and it also avoids the charge of stereotyping. The chosen "event" doesn't happen to everyone.
– Amadeus
6 hours ago
add a comment |
Wow, what a loaded question! I'll try to answer without stepping on any toes.
Getting at what makes a person "male" or makes a person "female" is something philosophers and psychologists have been debating since before Plato. While I think the postmodern gender studies definition is both flawed and unhelpful, I agree with the underlying rejection of traditional association of various traits with specific genders and specific individuals.
Qualities like bravery, assertiveness, and directness are not innately male, nor are empathy, sociability, and sensitivity exclusively female. Individuals of both sexes have different mixes of these qualities and their expression of them can change over time. Whether this means a person's gender changes, or if it's only the qualities, not the femaleness or maleness that shift, it's really irrelevant. You can't simply use traits to depict an individual's gender.
As a writer, it's not necessary or even useful to impose such an interpretation on your reader. Instead, you need to describe the character's behavior and let the reader interpret that through their own philosophical framework.
Descriptions of body language, speech patterns, and even thoughts and intentions can give the reader all they need to visualize the sex or gender of your character.
If you want to make them uniquely male there are several sex-specific behaviors and characteristics you can note about the character: scratching in public, baritone voice, legs spread apart while sitting, physical dominance displays (rough-housing, handshake dominance, etc.) And then there are a number of social customs more typical of males--being loud, being chivalrous (or the opposite, engaging in harassment), etc.
Describe how the man acts and thinks. Let the reader decide what about that is male or manly.
New contributor
add a comment |
Wow, what a loaded question! I'll try to answer without stepping on any toes.
Getting at what makes a person "male" or makes a person "female" is something philosophers and psychologists have been debating since before Plato. While I think the postmodern gender studies definition is both flawed and unhelpful, I agree with the underlying rejection of traditional association of various traits with specific genders and specific individuals.
Qualities like bravery, assertiveness, and directness are not innately male, nor are empathy, sociability, and sensitivity exclusively female. Individuals of both sexes have different mixes of these qualities and their expression of them can change over time. Whether this means a person's gender changes, or if it's only the qualities, not the femaleness or maleness that shift, it's really irrelevant. You can't simply use traits to depict an individual's gender.
As a writer, it's not necessary or even useful to impose such an interpretation on your reader. Instead, you need to describe the character's behavior and let the reader interpret that through their own philosophical framework.
Descriptions of body language, speech patterns, and even thoughts and intentions can give the reader all they need to visualize the sex or gender of your character.
If you want to make them uniquely male there are several sex-specific behaviors and characteristics you can note about the character: scratching in public, baritone voice, legs spread apart while sitting, physical dominance displays (rough-housing, handshake dominance, etc.) And then there are a number of social customs more typical of males--being loud, being chivalrous (or the opposite, engaging in harassment), etc.
Describe how the man acts and thinks. Let the reader decide what about that is male or manly.
New contributor
add a comment |
Wow, what a loaded question! I'll try to answer without stepping on any toes.
Getting at what makes a person "male" or makes a person "female" is something philosophers and psychologists have been debating since before Plato. While I think the postmodern gender studies definition is both flawed and unhelpful, I agree with the underlying rejection of traditional association of various traits with specific genders and specific individuals.
Qualities like bravery, assertiveness, and directness are not innately male, nor are empathy, sociability, and sensitivity exclusively female. Individuals of both sexes have different mixes of these qualities and their expression of them can change over time. Whether this means a person's gender changes, or if it's only the qualities, not the femaleness or maleness that shift, it's really irrelevant. You can't simply use traits to depict an individual's gender.
As a writer, it's not necessary or even useful to impose such an interpretation on your reader. Instead, you need to describe the character's behavior and let the reader interpret that through their own philosophical framework.
Descriptions of body language, speech patterns, and even thoughts and intentions can give the reader all they need to visualize the sex or gender of your character.
If you want to make them uniquely male there are several sex-specific behaviors and characteristics you can note about the character: scratching in public, baritone voice, legs spread apart while sitting, physical dominance displays (rough-housing, handshake dominance, etc.) And then there are a number of social customs more typical of males--being loud, being chivalrous (or the opposite, engaging in harassment), etc.
Describe how the man acts and thinks. Let the reader decide what about that is male or manly.
New contributor
Wow, what a loaded question! I'll try to answer without stepping on any toes.
Getting at what makes a person "male" or makes a person "female" is something philosophers and psychologists have been debating since before Plato. While I think the postmodern gender studies definition is both flawed and unhelpful, I agree with the underlying rejection of traditional association of various traits with specific genders and specific individuals.
Qualities like bravery, assertiveness, and directness are not innately male, nor are empathy, sociability, and sensitivity exclusively female. Individuals of both sexes have different mixes of these qualities and their expression of them can change over time. Whether this means a person's gender changes, or if it's only the qualities, not the femaleness or maleness that shift, it's really irrelevant. You can't simply use traits to depict an individual's gender.
As a writer, it's not necessary or even useful to impose such an interpretation on your reader. Instead, you need to describe the character's behavior and let the reader interpret that through their own philosophical framework.
Descriptions of body language, speech patterns, and even thoughts and intentions can give the reader all they need to visualize the sex or gender of your character.
If you want to make them uniquely male there are several sex-specific behaviors and characteristics you can note about the character: scratching in public, baritone voice, legs spread apart while sitting, physical dominance displays (rough-housing, handshake dominance, etc.) And then there are a number of social customs more typical of males--being loud, being chivalrous (or the opposite, engaging in harassment), etc.
Describe how the man acts and thinks. Let the reader decide what about that is male or manly.
New contributor
New contributor
answered 2 hours ago
MichaelMichael
1112
1112
New contributor
New contributor
add a comment |
add a comment |
TMuffin is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
TMuffin is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
TMuffin is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
TMuffin is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.
Thanks for contributing an answer to Writing Stack Exchange!
- Please be sure to answer the question. Provide details and share your research!
But avoid …
- Asking for help, clarification, or responding to other answers.
- Making statements based on opinion; back them up with references or personal experience.
To learn more, see our tips on writing great answers.
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
StackExchange.ready(
function () {
StackExchange.openid.initPostLogin('.new-post-login', 'https%3a%2f%2fwriting.stackexchange.com%2fquestions%2f44432%2fhow-do-i-create-uniquely-male-characters%23new-answer', 'question_page');
}
);
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Sign up or log in
StackExchange.ready(function () {
StackExchange.helpers.onClickDraftSave('#login-link');
});
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Sign up using Google
Sign up using Facebook
Sign up using Email and Password
Post as a guest
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown
Required, but never shown