Gail Simone's Blog, page 348

Hi Gail. I noticed that you get the same questions asked over and over and over. That's gotta get annoying. Perhaps it would cut down on that if you created an FAQ page? Just a friendly suggestion.

I have had them in the past and I still got the questions over and over, but it’s a good idea, I will give it some thought. Maybe it will be different on Tumblr!

What's your opinion on hats?

I don’t know what hats.

jasperbat:Catman in Secret Six #1When I started at DC they...

jasperbat:

Catman in Secret Six #1

When I started at DC they had a very specific rule that you could never mention pee or poop in even the most circuitous manner. Not at all. 

You could tell a story where someone gouged someone’s eyes, but not say, “I have to pee.”

I always thought that was a bit strange.

Anyway, here we see where Catman is not Batman. :)

craigmactothefuture:So I just got my copy of Secret Six #1 in...

craigmactothefuture:

So I just got my copy of Secret Six #1 in the mail, and I LOVED IT. Was missing my weekly gailsimone fix.

Too late for a #SecretSixSelfie you say?

WELL TOO BAD.

It’s not too late, I just haven’t gotten all the previous ones up yet!

BUT I LOVE SEEING YOUR GORGEOUS SELFIE FACES!

Hi Gail, I was wondering if you ever noticed a difference in the way dialogue is written for men and women? I've been panicking a lot about it, that I'm getting the dialogue wrong for my female characters. It's more that I just don't want to screw up any c

Okay, there is a common thing that people say now, just to write the dialog for female characters like you would for a male character, and not worry about it. I think the people who say this mean well.

I think that might work for some people to a certain degree, but I can’t help feeling it’s devaluing women in a way, it’s like people who say, “I don’t see race,” when of course, they see race everywhere.

I think it’s closer to say that women have all the same motivations and driving factors that men do. If a motivation works for a guy, odds are it will work for a female character, too. 

And if you are a writer, understanding motivation is really all about putting fuel in the tank. If your character has fuel in the tank, you can drive them places.

I can’t tell anyone how to write women’s dialog. But, I would say a few things to consider.

1) I would say be careful about idealization. I am kind of tired of perfect women, and what I find is, a lot of female readers like the IDEA of a perfect female, but they don’t get as INVESTED in those characters. None of the female Birds of Prey are perfect, none of the female Secret Six members are perfect, Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel are not always flawless. They are allowed to make mistakes. 

2) Be careful that your female characters are not purely reacting to others. I often see, even with good writers, female characters who are mostly swept along for the ride, with no actions coming from their OWN intent and character. This is something that Dorothy Gale got right where a lot of modern characters do not. Give them a goal and let them head towards it.

I realize these aren’t specifically about dialog but that’s such a personal thing. If your character is established, if their wants are out there for the reader to see, it’s much, much easier to put words in their mouth that feel real and vibrant.

Good luck!

Hi Gail, I was wondering if you ever noticed a difference in the way dialogue is written for men and women? I've been panicking a lot about it, that I'm getting the dialogue wrong for my female characters. It's more that I just don't want to screw up any c

Okay, there is a common thing that people say now, just to write the dialog for female characters like you would for a male character, and not worry about it. I think the people who say this mean well.

I think that might work for some people to a certain degree, but I can’t help feeling it’s devaluing women in a way, it’s like people who say, “I don’t see race,” when of course, they see race everywhere.

I think it’s closer to say that women have all the same motivations and driving factors that men do. If a motivation works for a guy, odds are it will work for a female character, too. 

And if you are a writer, understanding motivation is really all about putting fuel in the tank. If your character has fuel in the tank, you can drive them places.

I can’t tell anyone how to write women’s dialog. But, I would say a few things to consider.

1) I would say be careful about idealization. I am kind of tired of perfect women, and what I find is, a lot of female readers like the IDEA of a perfect female, but they don’t get as INVESTED in those characters. None of the female Birds of Prey are perfect, none of the female Secret Six members are perfect, Ms. Marvel and Captain Marvel are not always flawless. They are allowed to make mistakes. 

2) Be careful that your female characters are not purely reacting to others. I often see, even with good writers, female characters who are mostly swept along for the ride, with no actions coming from their OWN intent and character. This is something that Dorothy Gale got right where a lot of modern characters do not. Give them a goal and let them head towards it.

I realize these aren’t specifically about dialog but that’s such a personal thing. If your character is established, if their wants are out there for the reader to see, it’s much, much easier to put words in their mouth that feel real and vibrant.

Good luck!

Guys...

Every day I get a ton of letters asking about plot devices and actor choices for movies and television.

Honestly, it’s fine, I don’t mind. But the answer is always pretty much going to be, “I don’t have an opinion because I don’t watch much television and I don’t know actors by name.”

Seriously. This is not me trying to be ‘above’ television, I think some of the best writing on our planet right now is on tv. I just don’t watch much. When I have free time, I like to read, or play games, or other pastimes. I just don’t sit and watch tv or follow it much. So I have not got any opinion on Buffy, Firefly, SHIELD, Arrow, Flash, or any number of other shows.

As for actors, I just don’t follow celebrity culture. People think I am being twee or false, but it’s true, I don’t know the names of popular actors. When I check out at the grocery store, at least half or more of the tabloid and entertainment covers are people I have never heard of.

It’s not affectation, it’s just how I am wired, I have zero interest in that stuff. Sometimes I wish I DID follow things like that so I would know more about current pop culture, but for me it’s like alcohol. I have nothing against it, it sounds perfectly fine, but I don’t care for it, personally. 

It’s not a judgment against others. If you are watching great shows and loving them, that is an indicator of good taste, that’s all. 

So I don’t mind being asked, but honest, I don’t like to talk about things without knowing the subject matter and with actors and TV, I simply don’t. 

MAN, that sounds obnoxious. My apologies, it’s just true. I don’t know when I lost interest, but I haven’t followed a regular drama in quite a long time. Sometimes I binge watch but I usually lack the endurance to keep up and give up in the second season.

Don’t know why, it’s just how it is. I promise, I am not ignoring your questions to be rude, I just don’t know the answer. 

What do you think of Cara Delevingne playing Enchantress

I don’t know who that is.

Do you read reviews of your own work?

I do.

I could make excuses about it but the truth is, I just like to read what people think about a story when they sit down to read it. I always feel like the correct response is ‘thank you for the kind words,’ if they liked it and ‘sorry you didn’t care for this issue, hope you like the next one better!’ if they didn’t.

But I don’t read them in the way a lot of writers do, I think, I don’t obsess over them, my day isn’t ruined if they didn’t like an issue. I have seen writers freak out because a reviewer didn’t like a book in the precise WAY the writer wanted them to, and that’s silly. 

A reviewer is part of the interactivity of art, they have a right to their opinion. It shouldn’t even be in question and I hate the passive-aggressive meltdowns creators have over them sometimes. 

But it took a long time to get to that point, I used to really pay a lot of attention. Same with message boards, I use to really read for threads on new books I had done. It’s…it’s a little bit ridiculous and I am embarrassed I was ever THAT person. But I absolutely was.

Now, it’s different, when I have friends flip out over reviews, I try to remind them people have a right to not like your book. It’s rarely personal, and even if it is, that is ALSO their right. 

It’s one of the first bits of advice I try to give new creators. Don’t try to control the narrative, don’t try to argue people into liking your book. If you MUST correct factual errors, try to do it from a place of respect, not scorn.

I still mess up sometimes, but it’s pretty rare. 

What's the age difference between Dick and Babs? Am I right in thinking Babs is older than Dick pre-Flashpoint, and younger than Dick in the New 52?

Hm.

I honest to god don’t remember. I think Babs was a little older than Dick pre-new52, and it SEEMS like they reversed that a little in the new continuity but I can’t recall for sure. Sorry!