What about you guys? Any thoughts on writing against gender? What about female writers writing men? Is there a significant difference either way?
Like you, my characters just are. They show up with personalities, a history and a story that needs telling. I see them as fully formed humans, with flaws and good points, wishes and fears. I know them as people and gender never comes into it. The characters have that all sorted out before they arrive. I don't have an issue writing against gender, men are as easy as women.
There are a lot of writers who don't write the way you and I do. They sit down and decide they need a certain type of character to fill a role in a novel, and then pick gender, personality traits, etc. and make them fit. I've known writers who have long lists of hair and eye color, likes and dislikes on character sheets and fit their characters together like a puzzle.
My guess is that some of those writers, not all!, might have more difficulty writing against gender because they view their characters as constructs to fill a role, not as people.
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2009-02-27 05:16 pm (UTC)Like you, my characters just are. They show up with personalities, a history and a story that needs telling. I see them as fully formed humans, with flaws and good points, wishes and fears. I know them as people and gender never comes into it. The characters have that all sorted out before they arrive. I don't have an issue writing against gender, men are as easy as women.
There are a lot of writers who don't write the way you and I do. They sit down and decide they need a certain type of character to fill a role in a novel, and then pick gender, personality traits, etc. and make them fit. I've known writers who have long lists of hair and eye color, likes and dislikes on character sheets and fit their characters together like a puzzle.
My guess is that some of those writers, not all!, might have more difficulty writing against gender because they view their characters as constructs to fill a role, not as people.