The Ultimate Blueprint On How NOT To Write Female Characters

by Lucy V. Hay

Search "strong female character" online and you'll typically get 400K+ results. Audiences want flawed, complex female characters more than ever and it seems *everyone* is talking about them. Audiences – particularly women - are making it clear they’re BORED with “the usual” characters they see on screen and in fiction generally. They’re demanding more varied role functions and representations in fiction for female characters ... And what’s more, they’re getting them!

In novels, we’ve been treated to female protagonists like Jane in CL Taylor’s bestseller The Lie; or Jenna in Clare Mackintosh’s Kindle number one, I Let You Go; there’s also uber-antagonist Amy Dunne in Gillian Flynn’s modern classic Gone Girl. Active female protagonists have exploded onto the silver screen such as Ryan Stone in Gravity; Mallory in Haywire; or Luc Besson’s heroine of the same name in Lucy.

Women of colour are finally leading TV drama, such as Olivia in Scandal and Cookie in Empire; plus transwomen like Sophia in Orange Is The New Black and Judy in BBC’s Boy Meets Girl have appeared in comedies, not just “worthy” Oscar bait dramas like Dallas Buyers Club. There have even been TV shows in which the entire storyworld is a matriarchy, like The 100.

So, after an extended period in which female characters were seemingly samey or even sidelined altogether, audiences are finally being treated to the female characters we deserve in movies, TV, novels and more. Whilst there’s still some way to go, it’s definitely a step in the right direction!

Yet even with all this GREAT recent output, writers are still struggling with female characters in their DRAFTS. But why? Well chew on these reasons for size and discover how NOT to write a female character ... Enjoy!

Genres: Nonfiction, Writing

28 pages, ebook

First published September 26, 2015

About the author

Lucy V. Hay script editor and blogger who helps writers via her Bang2write consultancy. She is the associate producer of Brit Thrillers DEVIATION (2012) and ASSASSIN (2015), both starring Danny Dyer. Lucy is also head reader for The London Screenwriters' Festival. Lucy is also an author, writing both screenwriting books and crime fiction. Check out her website.

Reviews

[LJ (ljwritesandreviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

So as a wannabe author, I’m always on the lookout for books to help with my writing journey. How NOT to write female characters is definitely one of those books.

The focus of the book is looking at clichés surrounding female characters from kiss ass hottie to adding a female just for the sake of it.

Even though I am female, I still found this book extremely helpful and Lucy V Hay really uses her years of writing expertise to create this informative read. It’s a quick, straight to the point read, written in a no nonsense style which took me less than an hour to read.

I feel like a lot of the advice can be used not just for female characters, but to create any fully rounded character in general, so it’s definitely worth a read.

How NOT to write female character is a quick read, written in a clear and straight to the point style that I’d recommend to anyone who has an interest in writing.

[Elaine - Splashes Into Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is very different from the books I usually read and review as it really is a guide to help writers of all genres consider how they include and portray female characters in their work. It uses examples from other works, including books and films, to illustrate different points and sums each up with 'In a Nutshell' at relevant points in the discussion.

It really is a practical guide to help writers of different forms of fiction to consider and hone their skills, improving their work by considering the different aspects raised. I would definitely recommend this quick read to any aspiring authors, regardless of their intended audience!

[Jane Hunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This a short read, packed with contemporary thinking, pitfalls and tips on what not to do when creating your story’s female characters. This is a reference book, something that can be used to check whether the female characters you are creating, fall into any of the pitfalls listed here.

The first part of the book deals with the current playing field, what the industry expects from writers’ female characters, and the current commercial and political environment you are working in. Knowing your audience and your critics are useful to research. This part of the book imparts useful knowledge and advice, on what you should consider, and what you should be aware of but not necessarily abide by.

The second part of the book concentrates on highlighting and exploring what not do when creating female characters. The tips are well-researched and founded by the author’s experiences. They are concisely written and provide a useful starting point and aide memoir for writers.

As a writer, I find this book informative and I will be using it as a checklist on my current and future fiction writing.

The essential message I take away is to concentrate on the craft. A focus on current commercial requirements is essential, as is an awareness of current political thinking, but a great story is the desired outcome.

This book is currently free on Amazon UK.

[Mimi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Author raises some good points on not conforming to PC or femcrit just for the sake of it, but at the same time looking at one's work and asking whether it serves the story or not.

[Carmen Radtke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lucy V Hay always delivers! A great guide to keep you off the well-trodden path of cliches.

[Caitlyn Lynch · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is quite a short read, and the actual meat of the advice contained in it doesn’t start until about the 60% mark. The first part of the book is basically some statistics on why you should include female characters in your story, which basically boils down to ‘women buy books and watch movies and TV’ which strikes me as common sense, but then I suspect that, being female, I’m not really part of this book’s intended audience demographic.

Some of the advice in the book is excellent, regarding making your female characters realistic and three-dimensional, and honestly? You can’t beat free, which is the permanent price of this book.

I do, however, disagree with the author on two fundamental issues. The first is the Bechdel test, which she airily dismisses as ‘a 30-year-old comic strip’. 30 years on from that comic strip, if your story fails the Bechdel test, you’d better have a really, really exceptional reason why, because if you don’t? Believe me, that female audience whose dollars you’re trying to court are going to notice.

The second issue I have is that the author seems to take issue with the very existence of critics, with a ‘haters gonna hate’ kind of attitude. And yes, I do think Anastasia Steele and Bella Swan were terrible examples of female characters, and yes, their existence in popular literature does actively contribute to a culture where women are (still!) viewed as weaker and lesser. If pointing that out helps even one woman to recognise and escape an abusive relationship, I’ll proudly wear the hat of a Twitter troll. Ignore the court of public opinion at your peril. (Just look at how E.L. James’ latest book is doing, if you don’t believe me. In comparison to 50, it’s sunk without trace).

In conclusion, there are parts of this book I disagree with, but again, I don’t think I’m really part of the target demographic. The lack of concrete examples that don’t work, rather than just pointing to ones everyone knows DO, makes Hay look as though she’s afraid to be honestly critical, and therefore I’m not really sure how useful her advice can be. If you’re approaching this as a non-female person wondering how to include female characters in your writing, this could be useful, but for me? It’s a resounding Eh. Two stars.

[Lynn Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

As someone who has written a handful of manuscripts yet hasn't taken the plunge to publish, there's always something to learn about the writing process. Packed with insightful hints and tips this short book is a useful tool for anyone who enjoys writing. 

I enjoy getting other perspectives about how to write a character and I like this book focuses on females only. Some of the scenarios used to put points across didn't resonate with me because I wasn't familiar with the examples given to highlight a point of view. However, the summing up for each point gets down to the nitty-gritty issue in a concise way to make it relatable to the writer even if the example wasn't a familiar film/book to me. 

Is this book thought-provoking? Yes, as it should be. There's always a better way of looking at how to do write certain things and it's helpful to see potential pitfalls and ways to dig your way out of a writing hole. This book also highlights things I hadn't thought of. Like I said, a lot of practical advice packed into a small space.

I didn't know the author before picking up this title, but it quickly led me to the bang2write website. How was I unaware of its presence? I guess as a yet to be published writer, it isn't possible to find every helpful blog post, website or article, however, I'm grateful I found these two useful sources of information. 

Many books out there in the market place which cover varying aspects of writing fiction and I can say undoubtedly, this 'how to' book is now a part of my go-to reference library.

[Tristan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This short book, a pamphlet really, is currently free on Kindle. It has a simple but relevant argument: write rounded female characters who are plot relevant. Avoid redundant stereotypes, both negative and (here’s the original bit) positive.

The author wants to see more real, flawed, plausible, story-worthy characters rather than the typified positive representations that politically motivated critics apparently demand, and which are increasingly seen in response to this demand, or at least in response to the fear of criticism, of being called out on social media. Politically correct tropes are as restrictive and unentertaining as misogynistic ones. Quite a lot of criticisms of male-written female characters miss the point that female-written female characters can fall into the same or the converse traps.

Realistic, plausible, believable, and entertaining characters are the building blocks of storytelling, whether female or indeed male. I can definitely relate to that, as perfect heroes are boring: that’s why the baddies get all the best lines. Baddies tend to be three-dimensional rather than mere ciphers as writers are not so bound up in convention with baddies. So make all the characters three-dimensional.

This little volume is a bit too short to set out its argument fully, more a blog post than a book, but it is a good read. I’m not sure there’s enough content to read again, but if I do, the score will increase by a star.

[L.S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A useful guide that outlines the pitfalls of writing characters - especially female ones - without considering why that character exists and without falling back on clichéd stereotypes. With modern-day references to prove her points as well as her 'in a nutshell' summary of the key issues, the author gives us a quick read, worthy of notice by anyone wishing to write a good story with well-rounded characters.

Notably, what I gleaned from reading this, and it's something the author repeats constantly, is that it's about GOOD WRITING! Good female characterisation is about the STORY; it includes the emotional as well as the physical, and depends on well-researched information.

This is a quick read, but packed with useful information delivered in a concise fashion, and despite being aimed at female characters, the  advice herein could - and should - be considered when creating any well-rounded, three-dimensional character.

As the author says:

Your female characters can be absolutely anything  you choose - just choose wisely! Not for the sake of politics, agendas, box-ticking or femcrit, but for the sake of your STORY.

Any author - male or female - will take something from this book that helps them to create stronger, more memorable characters. Knowing the pitfalls outlined here will form a great addition to the writer's toolbox.

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the title, it isn't immediately evident that this book is primarily about writing characters for screen. As a novelist, there is some useful information that can equally apply to fiction writing but for the most part, the references to many of the films given as examples were ones with which I am not familiar.
I found the tone a little evangelical at times - it is clear that the author is on a mission - and whilst I am in total agreement with the cause, I found the constant references to her own website annoying after a while. That said, there are some really eye-opening ideas which really make you think about the way that women are portrayed on screen and in books and if that goes some way towards the creation of more realistic female roles in the future then she will have done her job. There is a particularly useful checklist at the end which I would encourage every writer, male or female to keep by their writing space as a reminder.

[Petrina Binney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Although this how-to guide is skilfully put together and contains some good advice, the main idea: treating female characters as people, rather than two-dimensional quota-fillers, felt a little unnecessary.

I know there are plenty of examples, a shocking number, of men who fail to recognise women as people, (in their writing, I hasten to add) and as such give emotions to breasts or make the first descriptor of the character 'beautiful' (which is a rather blah word).

However, male writers who fail to write effective women are in the minority. Good writing, surely, recognises character and story over anything else and if someone truly needs spoonfeeding advice on how to write women, perhaps they shouldn't be writing at all.

[Mike Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Short but complete.

I can't underline enough how remarkably short it is, and as dense as it is informationally, it reads faster than that. It really does leave you wanting more and that's my only critique; I am not even sure what that "more" would be, except more examples, more counter-examples, more showing and even less telling.

This book is worth a read just for the introduction. In a few short (there I go again) pages it tells the would-be writer why they need to pay attention to their female characters. It neatly skewers the illusion still held by many that this inclusion is some "woke" nonsense that will go away again. And it also tells the writer, bluntly, that no matter how well they do, they are still going to be criticized -- from both sides!

Inclusion is like that.

[Caroline Venables · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is an excellent resource for all writers to use, whether they be starting out on their writing journey or whether they are established writers.

Although it is only a short book the author explains the importance of creating strong and credible female characters to enhance your writing. She explains the pitfalls some writers fall into when writing female characters, and gives advice on how to avoid these. There is also a really good check list at the end of the book to use when writing.

Read my review of The Lynmouth Stories

[Francesca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practical advice for writing women

I really enjoyed this direct response to how 2 dimensional female characters are sometimes shoehorned into modern stories. The author gives practical advice for writing well developed female characters. They also acknowledge that sometimes a male centered story can stay a male centered story without adding a flat female character. We do need more strong female characters in literature but add women and stir just doesnt work. Read this book to avoid the pitfalls of a forgettable female character.

[B.L. Twitchell]

My favorite tip:

“Do your research. Find out what works in your genre or type of story, versus what feels stale and old. Put your own spin on it. Come up with something new, but don’t reinvent the wheel for the sake of it.”

This is exactly what I’m trying to do in the cozy mystery adventure I’m writing!

[Chris C. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okedokie

This book presents forward thinking concepts that not everyone subscribes to.
For others, it’s just how they work - they write good male and female characters that FIT and serve to tell a good story.

[Armand Rosamilia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is more like a long blog post than an actual book, with a lot of filler information upfront for the first half of this. Some great points as well as common sense about writing a female character. Just wish there was more meat to it, though.

[Patrick J. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written, useful little book worth reading if you are a writer.
She talks about real issues, that writers deal with today such as dealing with some of the well-defined strictures of political correctness versus still being true to one's characters. In an ideal world, this should not be an issue, but it is in the world of writers today. In some markets, it's obligatory to have a certain proportion of female characters. Shoehorning in female characters where the story does not have a home for them is a hazard. Better to have them in natural place, fitting into the plot. She shows that this is not particularly difficult, but for some writers this may require some uncomfortable mindset shifts. If you want your mind shifted a bit, read this book. If you just want to know what all the fuss is about, she delivers that, too.

[Derek · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great addition to any established or aspiring writer's bookshelf. Lucy references films and books to illustrate the ways in which well-founded female characters can be brought to life on the page, whether they are primary or secondary characters. Recommended.

[Gretchen Bernet-Ward · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little book, well worth reading for insider information!

[Flurry Gone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Avoid stereotypes

The content was fair. Nothing groundbreaking here. Avoid female stereotypes. Good for a women's study class, not very useful for writing.

[Mark Mathes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writers who happen to be male should move to the front of the line to read this useful guide.

[A.M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another short book of great advice from Lucy Hay and Bang2write.
It lists all her issues with writing women in stories.

Where once male-centric stories would have concentrated on – quelle surprise! – the main male character’s story, many are now literally SHOE-HORNING female characters in. Have you noticed how many modern female characters are on the end of the phone in recent movies, crying and wailing, hoping for husbands and boyfriends to come home?? THAT. It’s basically a bad combo of points 2 and 4 in this list: a “facilitator of male emotion” meets The Girl Character”! YUK

I agree; yuk. And if she’s doing a scene in her underwear, I change that yuk to an ewwww… or maybe a jeez, not again.
There might be more female characters but they aren’t fully rounded; they are just there - and then they give them something to react to rather than to do.
The Bechdel test is an incredibly low bar for your work to get over. It’s kind of horrifying that so many movies fail it. In a scene in Thor Dark World, Darcy and Jane chat about how Jane can’t program her own phone. That’s all it takes; Bechdel passed.

This is what I tell my Bang2writers when it comes to “good” representation:
ADD to the picture, don’t TAKE from it.

Exactly. Jane and Darcy add because Darcy keeps Jane real and reminds the audience that she’s an amazing scientist. [and then they write her out of all the sequels… sighs]
I read something this year where there was an Indian character, and he was a computer geek. A cliche. And it annoyed me.
If there had been two Indian characters one of which is a geek and the other something else - the problem disappears. Like the two Latina ladies in Brooklyn Nine Nine. One is a total bad ass and the other an uptight rule abider. Actually, neither is a cliche but Brooklyn Nine Nine constantly subverts them.
Do not get me started on Mad Max Fury Road, we’ll be here all day on how awesome that movie is.
Keep your eyes open; notice this stuff and then try NOT to write it.
And go check out the website
http://www.bang2write.com/
4 stars

[Nick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Successful writers often say characters are what make their stories work, not the other way round - and yet so many budding scribes struggle when creating strong, realistic, empathetic fictional females, seriously harming their chances of selling their work. But what is the answer?

Lucy V Hay's :The Ultimate Blueprint On How NOT To Write Female Characters" is the answer.

At only 28 pages it's a short, sharp caffeine hit of sound advice, easy to take in one sitting, and guaranteed to deliver a lifetime of improved writing.

Here's just a few things you will learn:
- The sounding-board character trap
- The pitfalls of positive representation
- Why high-heels are no bad thing
- When characters become clichés
and
- What's wrong with the Bechdel Test.

Peppered throughout with examples you've actually heard of (such as Ryan Stone in Gravity), and written by the creator of the hugely successful, diversity-promoting online resource Bang2Write, this is a must-read for anyone who wants to create memorable characters for their own successful stories.

[Anthony L. Wolf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good for some perspective

I'd never heard about Lucy V. Hay or her community of "Bang2Writers" before, but I'm sure I'm going to check it out as soon as I have a chance. Albeit condensed in less than 50 pages, this tiny little eBook gives some interesting insight on writing female characters and is especially useful to those male writers who somehow "fear" not getting it right.

As Lucy herself says, the most important thing is building a "well-written, rounded character" immersed in a good story. The rest will come with time.

Although some concepts may sound like a glorification of female characters for the sake of it, Lucy makes an excellent point at trying to put "characters" themselves before gender. The eBook was still in need of some proofreading in a few passages (hence my 4-star review), but, for a free little handbook of non-fiction, I believe this was conceptually excellent. I agreed on many of the points raised.

Overall a nice work of non-fiction, which reads smoothly in the likes of a long article on the nature of female characters.

[Kendall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again Lucy V Hay sets the gold standard for targeted medium-form writing advice. This sort of material isn't found in the big screenwriting books, and the online coverage is usually just generic blather, not useful help. A monograph like this is compact enough to pick up when you feel you're in trouble with your writing, but detailed enough to get you out of that trouble. No nonsense, no BS, just real-world guidance from the word trenches.

[Louise Mullins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a fan of Lucy's web Bang2Write which includes some excellent advice articles for script and novel writers, and although some of the content of this title is included within those blog entries I have already read, there was enough new information in this short guide to remind me what's important when building a female character profile for my fictional narrators. I'd highly recommend this to anyone who pens fiction.

[Lorraine Tong · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful and Instructive

Lucy V Hay’s book on writing or not writing female characters is a must read for compelling , credible, and memorable characters with dimension. Look for the bonus of three short stories at the end. Such value! Highly recommended to all writers.

[Jazmin Pulli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Highly inspiring for writers of novels and screenplays with female characters (as protagonists and antagonists)

[Melissa Hedges- Rankin · Rating 5 out of 5]

‪Short but sweet downloaded book that is truly helpful in effectively presenting 'true to life'  and female characters in screenwriting.‬