Sarah Kate Ishii's Blog, page 5

"Only in our dreams are we free …"

“Only in our dreams are we free. The rest of the time we need wages.” — Terry Pratchett, Wyrd Sisters

I love this quote by Terry Pratchett. It struck me as soon as I read it, and often rings back into my mind.

What do you dream of?

If you had no need to worry about wages and paying the bills, what would you do with your time?

Life is time. And we know that work is us renting our time for others. What value we put onto that time is the wage we’ll accept. And we do our best to make it worth it.

But if you didn’t have to do that, if you could do anything you wanted and knew money wouldn’t be an issue, what would you do?

Terry always seeds societal glimpses and issues into his work. I love it. It inspires me. I love to add societal problems into my own writing too. Writing is telling stories about people, and these are issues of humanity.

Real, human issues.

There’s a lot of talk at the moment about people finding ways to live their own lives. To become entrepreneurs and use their skills for freelance. To carve their own paths to make wages in ways that might more closely align with their morals and dreams and goals.

One day, people reckon we might end up in a world where there are lots of small companies or solo trade workers, rather than massive groups of businesses.

Would that work for you?

Would that be a way we could get our wages and still get closer to our dreams?

It depends. Many dreams don’t fit into roles or skills, and many jobs that need doing are still basic, that no-one would call a dream. We’ll still need people to collect the rubbish, and still need people to clean.

So it’ll be that ever-cycling issue.

People live in their dreams, and collect wages.

But I think we’re getting closer. Just a little.

What would you do?

Exciting Milestone: Origin Curse's Third Print Run Finishes!

Hey Fantasy Readers,

I'm thrilled to share some incredible news with you – the last batch of my third print run for Origin Curse, the first book in the Dynasty Codes series, has been sent out! The recent book signing event at Dymocks Books in Chermside was nothing short of amazing, where I had the pleasure of connecting with both familiar faces and new readers.

As a self-published author, surpassing the common benchmark of 250 book sales within a book's lifetime is a monumental achievement. What's even more exhilarating? Origin Curse achieved this milestone in less than a year! I'm genuinely humbled and grateful for the fantastic response from my growing community of readers. Thanks for being here.

If you haven't embarked on this fantasy journey yet, now's the perfect time to live the immersive world of Dynasty Codes. I've heard from readers it's an emotional one. Origin Curse is available directly through my website at https://www.sarahkateishii.com/ – simply get in touch directly to secure your copy. For international readers (non Australia), the series is also accessible on Amazon and major online stores.

I find myself exactly where I need to be – crafting fantasy worlds that transport readers without the hassle of packing! The adventure doesn't stop here; exciting times lie ahead as I can't wait to share more fantasy worlds with you.

Stay tuned for updates, and thank you for being a part of this incredible journey!

✨ #FantasyBooks #DynastyCodes #BookSeries #AuthorMilestone #BookCommunity

"Did you need to do a creative writing course to write a book?"

Nope.

I found studying creative subjects at a higher level killed my drive and creativity.

Forced to study in too close detail and analyse, when all I wanted to do was create.

Study creative writing if you want. If you have the drive to study the topics they’re teaching.

But if you want to write, write.

And you don’t need a course to do that.

What every writer needs: the idea notebook

Big ideas start small.

When people think of writing a book, they think of the overwhelming final product. The beautiful cover, binding, cream paper, typed text that reads well and almost looks effortless. We forget about the years that go into it, that every word was written one by one.

The small idea that sparked it in the first place.

I was on a course recently where the instructor had been at a networking event dinner that was also attended by Bill Bryson, a writer I highly respect. A prolific writer. One who has written so many books and has a calming, easy-to-read voice.

He said Bill spoke to a few of the people around them about keeping a little notebook where he jotted small ideas and snippets and anecdotes he experienced daily. Funny anecdotes, quirky observations. Even moments that might seem inconsequential that he admitted will likely not end up in one of his books, but he just never knew, so he wrote it down anyway.

My instructor recommended everyone keep a small notebook to jot their little ideas and anecdotes in too.

Why bother? My life is so inconsequential, you might think. Nothing that could spark ideas for a book. He might just have a more interesting life.

But, brilliance doesn’t announce itself. No trumpets or fanfare that you scramble to write down before it disappears again.

Sometimes it tiptoes in amongst the daily buzz, leaving you with a nugget you don’t understand.

So write it in your idea notebook.

One day, that snippet or idea might grow into something bigger, or join with something that just clicks into a blog, or even a book.

This idea notebook isn’t about crafting entire novels or groundbreaking essays. It’s about giving a home to your thoughts so you don’t lose sight of them or forget them. A place you can review them. They might one day grow into something bigger.

In a world that often celebrates the grand finale, let’s appreciate the backstage efforts too. And Bill Bryson’s approach is so simple and easy to get started. Just take note of life’s small wonders, the ideas that ping into your head. Questions you want answering. Then, who knows, they might merge with something to create something extraordinary.

Grab a tiny notebook and a pen from the dollar store and leave them in your bag at all times. The smallest scribble today could be the seed for your next big adventure in writing.

Building Creative Muscles: Embracing the Whole Journey of Writing, Breaks and All

We live in a fast world, where productivity often takes centre stage. We’re expected to get so much done, immediately, that we often forget skills like creativity are writing are muscles. And like our physical muscles, they need constant exercise, nurturing.

I recently touched on this in a tweet. Last week, my kid was sick. He’s only tiny still, so it means all-round the clock medicine, and this time it involved meltdowns at night and long midnight walks to calm him.

We were exhausted.

In that place, I dropped the extras in life and switched to survival.

It really made me realise the importance of forgiveness and gradual progress, whether you’re at the start of your creative journey, or in the middle of it like me and find yourself forced to take a break.

The writing journey: it’s gradual

You look at the finished book, and it’s natural to think of writing as a destination. But it’s not. It’s a journey. And like any skill, writing takes time, patience, practice.

I said writing is a muscle, and much like working out at the gym, with writing you need to build your skills gradually.

It’s okay to be at the start. To stumble over words, find word counts hard to reach, to grapple with ideas. Forgive yourself and commit to working on it little by little.

Creativity: a muscle to be strengthened

Sometimes we see people in the place we want to be and it seems creativity is that elusive quality we want and can’t seem to reach, possessed by a select talented few. Thankfully, it’s not. Like writing, and working out, you can develop it. Day by day. Whether it’s crafting stories, poems, or journalling — any form of expression — the more you engage with your creative side, the stronger it becomes.

If you’ve ever worked out, you’ll know workout routines are the same. Progress seems slow at first, but the effects start becoming more pronounced over time.

And then the best news is, this works hand-in-hand with your writing. The more you strengthen your creativity, the more in touch with your writing journey you’ll be, and vice versa.

Who needs perfect?

Forgiveness is crucial in this space. You don’t need to be perfect at the outset. (I had to tell myself that A LOT. I still do.) Remember, everyone starts somewhere, and progress is continuous.

Don’t be hard on yourself if the words don’t flow effortlessly.

Don’t be hard on yourself if the ideas are fuzzy.

Each writing session, no matter how short or light, is a step forward.

Bouncing back after a break

We know life is unpredictable, and there will be times when external factors demand your attention more than your writing or your creativity. At times like this, embrace the need to take a break. Athletes allow their bodies to recover, so make sure to remind yourself that writers, or creators in general, need to step away when they need to too. Or you’ll burn out, and it’ll be harder to return.

Returning after a break is challenging, but do your best to make the break as short as possible, remind yourself it’s an opportunity for growth and resilience, and then start chipping away at it when you do begin again.

Like you’re building a muscle. Little by little. Until you regain your writing and creative muscles.

For me, taking a week off to look after my sick kid was a must, but I also felt guilty for letting my writing habits slip. And it wasn’t just those. It was exercise, journalling, meditation. Everything I’ve been working on crashed down.

Now, I’m at the start again. Rebuilding those habits, those little daily muscles. But I understood I needed that time to prioritise family and health. Now, I can begin working again in the right mindset. And I’m not going to start by trying to hammer our several thousand words in a hardcore writing session.

I’ll start little by little, until I get used to it again.

[Come back to this] in Writing

Ever get stuck searching for the perfect word while writing?

Maybe it's a character's name or place name, a creature or piece of magic, or even a whole piece of research.

When you're in drafting mode, you don't want to slow your flow down by stopping to search for the perfect word or concept that fits.

Enter: [Come back to this].

When a word or concept threatens to halt your flow, drop a symbolic reminder that will remind you to come back to it in your rewrites or edits. Then keep going.

Some people literally use [come back to this], the full angle brackets and words.

I like to just us a series of '???' or 'XXX', as I will never have either of these deliberately in my work and it stands out so easily.

Once you're finished your draft, you can use the Ctrl+F function to find them and either do a round of just going back through and fixing them up, or fix them up as you go back through an edit round.

I can't remember the last piece of work I didn't do this on. It's so useful.

Save drafting for drafting, and editing for editing. [Come back to this] and ??? and XXX.

Embrace the unfinished and let your ideas flow without disruption. You can come back for the rest.

The Power of Small Actions in Life and in Storytelling

In a world that often celebrates grand gestures and huge achievements, it's easy to overlook the impact of small actions. It's like we're conditioned to believe that success is synonymous with big. But let's take a moment to appreciate the force of 'subtle'.

Think about a pebble. How often in your life have you dropped it into water or skimmed it across the waves? Watched the ripples lap outwards? Those ripples extend way beyond the initial splash. And like this, small actions we take in our daily lives ripple outwards and shape our world in unexpected ways.

Take time to check in with a friend. Send them a message. Make a genuine connection. Help someone out. Pay extra for your coffee now and then for someone else to have one for free. Do 5 minutes of a chore you've been putting off because it feels overwhelming. Smile as you greet someone.

When was the last time someone's small act of kindness make your day a little brighter? Or something you did just a little a day add up before you realised you'd achieved a great deal? These small things each day may seem trivial at first, but they add up.

It's the same in books. Both in writing them and in the stories we write about.

A book is a massive achievement. You can't write it all in one go. Instead, it's a series of small efforts. Writing little and often until it finally becomes a full book. Don't panic about the end result. Just sit there and do a little each day.

And for your stories. We seek grand plots and glory in books. We think it all has to be big final events. But I often think about hobbits. Particularly Sam, Merry, and Pippin. Their actions are tiny. Asking an ent to travel South, for example. But the impacts it had were huge. And Sam was kind. Always. His kindness kept Frodo tethered in his darkest times. Remember to include the small daily kindnesses and efforts in your stories too. Just like in the real world.

In a society that glorifies overnight success, remember (in your life and in books), change comes from small steps.

Small actions. Consistent. Daily commitments to making a difference.

Don't underestimate the power of your small actions. It's the cumulative effect of small ripples that will shape the world around you, after all.

The First Time Will Be Bad: The Creative Journey

You might have heard the advice that your first time will always be bad, but you gotta do it to get to your hundredth time. By then, you’ll be better.

You know, your first workout will be bad. The first time you play a music instrument will be bad.

And that's okay, because you're learning and you've never done it before, so how can it be good?

Just start. Then show up every day, little by little, and get better.

That's why I wanted to self-publish my first books.

I'd love to get into trade. One day I will. I have so many book ideas I want to write and so many ahead of me. I'll get there some time. But I went by this thought. I didn’t expect my first time to be my best, of course.

My first book, fortunately, had great reviews and people are loving it. But when I first tried writing it years ago, I hated it. It was bad.

But first drafts are always bad. So that’s fine.

I put it away for a while, kept trying to grow, and came back to it and worked on it and worked on it. So much rewriting and then many rounds of editing with my great team of pros.

Fortunately, my first book came out well.

But at the same time, I know I can be better. It's still my first. Each time I write a book now, I get better. I feel it getting easier, see it getting better.

That's why I try to write every day. To keep the habit going, the pattern there. Learning my voice. Little by little.

I’m writing more and more short stories and articles too. Practising. Working towards my hundredth time.

I wanted to approach trade with a stronger skill. My first series is 3 books with a side book. I've written 2 of those now, and am drafting the third. But I also want to start working on some of the non-series projects I have, and some of these I will submit to trade.

Because now it's not my first book.

I used my first books to build my skills. To show my work and my style. To get used to the world of writing and being an author and getting out there. Getting readers, starting to build a platform. Interacting with people. Going to events and signings and meeting real readers. Getting feedback from my work. It's all part of the process of growing and getting better.

I see my writing like a journey, and I hope as each book is created, people will see my writing journey. Getting better each time. Finding my voice a little more each time. Trying different themes and ideas each time. Exploring worlds and cultures and stories.

Don’t pressure yourself the first time.

You don't have to be great at first. Or even on the second time. Of course you won’t be. You’re starting out, learning, trying. Finding the way.

Just show up. The first time will suck. That's totally fine.

Keep going towards the hundredth time. And then some more.

And enjoy it.

And by losing the expectation that you have to be good the first time, you’ll enjoy it more anyway.

Then celebrate small victories, even if they're not yet perfect, and find joy in the act of creation itself.

Learning and trying new things is always about the journey. The creation.

Don’t expect too much of yourself.

Just show up.

Where Are the Female Friends? Creating Authentic Female Friendships in Fantasy Literature

One of the joys in my life is my friendships with other women. These people provide great conversations, laughter, fun, support, and give me a great sense of connection. Yet, in the realm of fantasy literature, it’s surprising how rarely we encounter such authentic and complex female friendships, if at all.

I want to discuss that here. And challenge it.

Why is there an absence of female friendships in fantasy books? If you’re a woman, think of all your female friends and the bond you have with them. If you’re not, think of the friendships you have with women, but also the friendships you see women having with other women around you.

We should represent that in storytelling, and I want to discuss how authors can draw inspiration from real-life friendships to bring authenticity to their narratives. (And in the process, just bring more women into their books full stop. Because let alone a lack of female friends, there’s a lack of females at all.)

The reality of female friendships

I’m going to talk specifically about f/f friendships now, because that’s the main space I actually see it lacking in fantasy. We’re getting more female protagonists, which is great. But there are still no female friends. (I’m not going to get started on the ONE book I saw a female friend who was awesome and then she got killed. Don’t kill off the ONE female friend and isolate the female MC in a 99% male dominated character list. Please. I instantly put down the whole series and will not touch it EVER again.)

In real life, many women form strong bonds with other women. We know this. These friendships can be a source of solace, strength, fun, and shared experiences. Female friendships are a key part of many women’s lives.

I don’t think that needs saying much deeper. So let’s get back to female friendships in fantasy.

Translating real-life friendships into fantasy

The absence of authentic female friendships in fantasy is a huge missed opportunity to connect with readers. As authors, we have a great opportunity to draw from real-life to create more engaging and relatable narratives.

You know, if it’s grounded in reality, it gives a solid base for readers to engage with the world you’ve built.

But many authors miss that whole ‘grounding in reality thing’, thinking ‘it’s fantasy, it doesn’t need to be grounded in reality’.

Wrong.

That’s how people relate to your work.

So how do we put real-life friendships into fantasy?

Observe real-life friendships. Look at the female friendships in your own life, or other people’s female friendships. How do you/they interact, support one another, have fun, laugh over things? What are the dynamics and quirks and moments that make those friendships unique and relatable? Talk to your friends. How do they have female friendships, and ask them about challenges they’ve faced or the best moments they’ve shared. What qualities make their friendships with other women special? Character inspiration. You know your characters better than anyone. Use the above to create well-rounded and believable characters by drawing inspiration from personalities and dynamics of people you know to help you craft your characters based on the personalities you want for them. Not all characters have the same personality. Or, well, they shouldn’t. Shared experiences. Make sure your incorporate shared experiences into your characters’ friendships, even from before the start of the story. Real friendships are formed through adventures, challenges, vulnerability, so make sure your characters bond over similar experiences. This will strengthen their emotional connection and make the friendship feel real. Even have them laughing over things that happened before the start of the book to show people a friendship can have existed before. So dialogue is key too. How do they talk together, about things they go through? Inside jokes? Nicknames or playful name calling? Like real friendships, characters need to have conflicts and resolve them. How do they fight? What challenges do they face? And how (if at all) do they fix it? This will add depth to their relationship and show the strength of their bonds. And remember, different people fight in different ways. How do your characters lift each other up and support each other? Offer guidance? Help each other grow? Highlight the positive impact they have on each other. Again, remember everyone shows things different. Showing love and support for one person might be verbal, while another it might be through acts of service. Make it match their personalities. Diversity: Reflect real life by having interactions between different backgrounds, races, and perspectives. Avoid stereotypes. No cliché female roles please. People have fulfilling lives and varied backgrounds and stories. We don’t just talk about love or makeup or clothes. Give your characters unique personalities and goals that go beyond serving as plot devices. Put yourself in the shoes of your characters and aim to make sure there is a great emotional connection with the readers. And finally, get beta readers to give feedback. Do the friendships feel real? Especially ask for readers that have strong f/f friendships. Their input can really help you refine the characters and their relationships and make sure the friendship seems real.The importance of female friendships in fantasy

Okay. So now you know how to easily put female friendships into your fantasy work so your work is grounded in reality and so is familiar to your readers (how easy was that. It’s just, like, normal friendship, right? Odd?!) and now we’re going to have a quick reminder of why.

Why is it important, you ask?

Well, at this point I hope you’re not asking that, but let’s dive in anyway.

Let alone the fact there’s not enough women in fantasy full stop, but how realistic is it that your token women doesn’t have any female friends?

Oh, but Sarah, she’s a tomboy and grew up in a tiny village, has seventeen brothers, and a mother who slaves by the fire to cook their food. There are no other girls her age. Pfft. (Mate, now that’s the problem I’m on about.)

It’s important because it’s authentic. It’s real. It matches the world. Women have women friends! Heck, other genders have women friends too. Give everyone women friends! Women friends exist. Full stop. It allows female readers to relate to the character on a personal level, as they see their own experiences mirrored. “No way! That’s just like me and !” Enriched characterisation: Showcasing different friendship dynamics can provide depth to character development that you might not get elsewhere, which will up-level your writing. Authentic friendships can evoke strong emotions, so it will make the narrative more engaging and memorable. If someone gets emotionally impacted by your work, that’s the win for an author. Empowers female readers. Win. Readability: It’ll make your book more readable for women. I can only speak for myself, but I’m so bored of the ‘only male friends’ thing or the ‘no friends at all thing’ to the point I find the book unreadable and will just put the whole book down. Break the stereotypes that women in fantasy are only defined by their relationships with men. Women can have fulfilling lives beyond romantic interests.The rundown

I hope you get the picture now. Female friendships in fantasy stories are essential but somehow often overlooked. Why? Incorporating authentic and diverse female friendships into your fantasy book can create more relatable, empowering, enriching stories, so it’s a total no-brainer.

Women have strong f/f friendships in real life, so they should in books, too.

It’s time for fantasy to reflect the experiences women have in the real world. To let readers see themselves and their friends in the books they read.

I’m fed up of that Mary Sue character who has no female friends. She’s boring. She’s glass. We don’t live or thrive in isolation, so why should she? Let’s build robust characters who have epic female friends around them. And plenty of them.

On Female Protagonists: The Need for Real Women in Fantasy Literature

One thing I love about fantasy is that it’s a realm of limitless possibilities. Writers can make their own worlds, and imagination knows no bounds. It’s really inspiring.

Dragons, wizards, dwarfs, naga, magic, djinn, demons, goblins … heroes embarking on epic quests and little people saving the world. You think of it, you can write it.

I really do love it.

But there has been a lingering issue in the genre, one that’s been around for years.

I noticed it as a child.

I thought it would have been fixed by now.

It’s the overemphasis on male protagonists and lack of other genders in the books and worlds we fantasy authors are creating.

I mean, this is 2023, right?

We’ve made huge leaps and bounds in gender progression recently, but still the male dominance seems to be hanging on in fantasy books.

And look, I know we have more female MCs. But where are the other female characters? And characters of other genders? It's not representative of the world we see at all.

In this article, I'll talk specifically about female characters. But someone with more knowledge than me on greater diversity does need to chip in so we can tackle that too.

The world is 49.5% female (check here) but we only have 1 or 2 token females at a time in fantasy books. It’s time to end that.

Let’s discuss.

The dominance of male protagonists

For decades, fantasy literature has been dominated by male protagonists. Especially all the popular stories and favourites.

I mean, we have Frodo Baggins, Bilbo Baggins, Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, Ender, Rincewind, Rand al’Thor … I could go on.

And while these characters have captivated readers worldwide, myself included (I’m not counting myself out of this), it’s also essential to acknowledge the need for more diverse representation. To get the character list more 50/50 like it is in the real world.

Female characters often find themselves relegated to secondary roles, or not even that. They serve as background characters (even then, only a couple of them), love interests, damsels in distress, and occasionally sidekicks.

And let’s not forget that these worlds often have the majority of characters as male. I’m talking particularly about named characters here, but even then I don’t recall many unnamed females floating around in the background of these stories either.

Not sure about that? Write a list of the characters from a fantasy book nearby. What’s the percentage of females?

The Mary Sue trap

And look, yes, I do know that great efforts have been made to introduce female protagonists. Particularly lately. And there are way more female fantasy writers which is the main reason this is happening.

But there’s also a common pitfall: the ‘Mary Sue’ trope. You know, the flawless girl with an unrealistic set of skills and abilities.

Now, I believe there’s a real reason for this. It’s almost like we feel the need to make the woman larger than life to compete with the male favourites in other books.

Much like how women need to work harder in real life to be noticed and stand alongside men in similar roles, I think the Mary Sue trope came from having to make the female protagonist incredible, larger than life, and so fascinating that she couldn’t be ignored.

I get the need.

But the trouble is that is disconnected them from the reality of readers’ experiences and can be challenging to relate to.

Now don’t get me wrong, I know some women like to self-project onto the incredible female MC for a while as she reads, but then it gets old or can make someone feel down.

What we need are ‘real’ women characters.

And creating a ‘real woman’ character means steering clear of this trap and crafting someone who reflects the complexity of actual women.

The call for authenticity

We’re all wanting authentic female characters in fantasy literature. Just check out the reviews female readers leave on popular books with the stereotypes.

We want our characters multi-dimensional, with strengths and weaknesses like everyday people, hopes and fears, and a wide range of experiences. (‘She was a strong fighter because she was an only daughter and grew up with several older brothers’, I’m looking at you!) Like, really? Is that the only reason people can think of women being good fighters?

Real women come in various shapes, sizes, backgrounds, and personalities.

Look at the women around you.

How many of them do you actually see in fantasy stories?

Chances are, very few.

It’s time fantasy literature acknowledged this diversity and included real women. Everywhere.

Creating authentic female protagonists

It doesn’t have to be hard.

I acknowledge that my reading experience, with the limited female characters and majority males, put my writing head in that stereotypical place to begin with.

We write what we know, right? And so far, we know these stories.

But it’s time to challenge that, break the mold, and write the stories we see in daily life and translate them into fantasy worlds.

When you think about it, it’s easy to create real female characters, including female protagonists.

1. Appearance: Again, look at the women around you. What do people really look like? I feel like all the women I read about in stories look the same. Characters from different stories (or even the same story) blur together. Which, in terms of reading immersion and memorability, isn’t good. Use features from the people around you to inspire those you write about and build variety to reflect the true diversity of women.

2. Complex backstories: Give your female protagonists rich and multifaceted backgrounds. We always hear the same old story. But life isn’t like that. Explore their family dynamics, cultural influences, personal histories. Their personalities and how they handle their backstories too. This depth and difference adds layers to their character and makes them more relatable.

3. Flaws and imperfections: Real women are not perfect, and neither should your female protags. Are your male characters perfect? Nope. So why would the females be? They’re not sex icons. Allow them to make mistakes, face challenges, grow from their experiences. This makes their journeys more compelling to follow. (PS, where are my grey MC femmes? Why are morally grey characters usually males?)

4. Strengths beyond combat: While physical prowess is often essential in fantasy, it’s not the only strength. Often people think to make a ‘strong female character’ they have to make them physically strong. But that’s not the case. How many other ways can you list that people are strong in real life? Beyond strength? Focus on a variety of strengths that go beyond combat skills. Intelligence, leadership, diplomacy, and resilience are just a few I can list. (And now I’m happily daydreaming about Princess Leia. Thank you Star Wars for that diplomatic queen!)

5. Diversity matters: Make sure you represent a wide range of female experiences. Include characters of difference races, sexual orientations, gender identities, and abilities. This ensures that all readers can find someone they identify with. Plus it’ll more likely mirror real life then. A world isn’t just one thing.

6. Agency and independence: Empower your female protags with agency and the ability to drive the plot forward. On their own. Without the help of men. They should be active participants in their own stories, not passive observers. Women can be vicious in going for what they want. Haven’t you seen us?

7. Supportive relationships: This is a big one for me that I just don’t get in fantasy books. Where are the relationships? And not just romance. But, like, real relationships. Showcase meaningful relationships with other characters, both male and female. Healthy friendships (another big one. Why are there rarely good female-female friendships? That’s a post for another day …), mentorships, families, found families, colleagues, partnerships. These all add to a female protagonists characters. Look around you at the people you know. They all have so many different kind of relationships. Even just people you vaguely get on with for the sake of being civil. We’re a social animal. Give your characters their social life. Even in a war, people embrace relationships and people around them, right? Even if it’s a ten minute bonding at the bakery as the characters are stopping in a town for bread and she meets her absolute soul sister in a place she’d never expect and they just talk for what feels like ages until she’s dragged away and has to move on. Where are those sorts of interactions?

8. Romance or not, who cares? And look, this is the big one. I acknowledge people give females relationships. But they only ever seem to be romance. And how often is it with the other MC? The male one? How realistic is it that the main woman of the story will fall for the only other male in that time? We interact with people all the time and don’t fall for them. You can go to work and work on a project with a man without thinking he’s the love of your life. She can go on an adventure with a tired grumpy warrior and think he’s a pain in the ass and then not learn to love him, ya know? They can end the story just comrades, glad it’s over. ‘See you, pal. We did a good job, now I want to hang around someone who remembers to bathe and doesn’t get pissed off over every little thing and blame it on his trauma. You need to heal, and it’s not my job to fix you coz I have my own life I want to get back to and enjoy. Maybe flirt with that bakery chick again.’

And, look. I know I’m not there yet. I’m still guilty of falling into the trap of stereotypes now and then. But these are the things I’ve been listing to myself that I need to actively focus on in my own fantasy works too.

I hope this list helps you when you think of how you can grow the diversity of your characters.

It’ll really level up your writing.

Conclusion

Fantasy literature has the potential to be a catalyst for change in the way society views and values women. After all, in fantasy, you have very few limits. The only limits are your imagination.

Why do you have to write fantasy the same way everyone else does?

Find your own path. Write real people, those around you. Including real women.

By crafting authentic, multidimensional female protagonists who remind us of real women, people we know, authors can break free from the limitations of traditional gender roles and create more inclusive and diverse fantasy worlds.

Worlds people will enjoy more because it’s progressive, real, enjoyable for more people.

It’s time to move beyond the dominance of male MC-focussed stories, or stories with majority male characters, and embrace the rich variety of real women in fantasy tales.

And it’s not just about having female protagonists but also about having well-developed female characters in various roles. More of your character list being women. Real women. Not just the token 1 or 2.

Remember, currently 49.5% of the world is female. Is that accurate of your cast list too?

The power of imagination lies in its ability to both reflect and shape the world we live in, giving people greater immersion into our stories, and it’s time we make these worlds more inclusive and representative of all genders and backgrounds.

#FantasyFiction #Representation