How to Create Strong Female Characters

Creating Strong Female Characters Female characters do not have to excel at fighting, hide their emotions or put others down to be strong... there are many alternatives. 1. Give them a goal Whether you are writing fantasy, romance, historical or crime, give your female character a goal to complete by the end of the novel. 2. Give them an ability Having a goal shows ambition and independence, but it takes a certain level of motivation and strength to finally achieve it. Give your female characters an ability that helps them achieve their goal. Perhaps your female protagonist is training to become a qualified doctor, but suddenly meets the man of her dreams - make sure she accomplishes her goal despite the distractions. If you are writing science fiction, maybe they are the only character who can decipher alien languages. Perhaps in your mystery novel, your female detective has the ability to think logically. Think about Hermione from the Harry Potter series - her intelligence and sharp memory saves the trio from many dangerous situations! 3. It's not all about beauty Quite often, female characters are described as having beautifully curled locks or piercing blue eyes, but what about the rest? 4. Reveal their emotions Yes, it helps to have a visual image of what characters look like, but beauty is not the only thing your female character has. Writing a female character does not mean you have to make them as emotionless as possible. Unless expressing emotions is a struggle for them, suppressing them and acting 'tough' to show strength will only display the opposite. Having an all rounded female character who is more than just a pretty face is much more realistic and empowering. Think about how real people react to certain situations and implement them into your fictional world. Do they blush with embarrassment when messing up in front of their crush? Do they punch walls if something goes wrong? Do they cry when losing someone? 5. Make them struggle Despite their strengths and abilities, give your female characters something they struggle with. Their difficulties do not have to stop them from achieving their goal, but they will appear much stronger if reaching it is not an easy ride. 6. Make them fight back! Whether female character Maybe your female protagonist dreams of being a lawyer but lives in a time where women are restricted. your is getting bullied, threatened or attacked, make them stand their ground. If other characters always have to save their skin, they will end up looking weak and useless. Think about the last book you read - what struggles did the characters face before reaching their goal? This does not automatically mean they have to get into fights - they may have the intelligence to outsmart the villain or have a knack for witty remarks. Picture your favourite female characters and think about the Stand Corrected Editing standcorrectedediting.com Twitter: @StandCorrected_ Instagram: standcorrected_editing Facebook: Stand Corrected Editing ways they stand up for themselves. different powered by P PIKTOCHART