The Woman Character

I've been thinking about what to post and about the female character.  What makes a character female?  And what characterizes my own femininity?

I know who I am.  I am a Daughter of God.  The Holy Spirit has testified that to me numerous times.  And knowing who I am has helped me define who my female book characters are.


No, my book characters aren't Mormon.  In fact, I will intentionally make them imperfect to show that even good characters don't all have the same standards as me, and that my religion doesn't exist in their world.  Take Sabra the Incarnate, for example.  She has been the biggest mirror into my soul during my writing career, but she does things I would never do, like swear or drink mead (which is her favorite alcoholic drink).  I didn't want her to be exactly like me.  But at the same time, she is filled with good intentions like I am.  She has done many a good thing, like I have.  She has made many mistakes, like me.




Most of my main characters ("MCs") are female, because I can relate to the female character better than I can male characters.  As a girl and now a woman, I have had my own set of experiences that men may or may not ever experience.  Incorporating my own experiences into a female character, such as my joys and anxieties, my quirky humor, or my temperamental moods, can contrast my female characters from the male characters and create a wonderful balance.

I have a harder time understanding the male mind, and so I do not write about a lot of males.  It's kind of ironic, since my first novel character was a male.  I can't say 13 years later if he acted with more female traits than male.  I grew up around 6 boys and am married to a wonderful man, but I still don't understand all the nuances of a male mind that I could apply to male characters.  However, I try my best, and I compare and contrast the male character to the female character throughout my writing.

On my current writing project, the MC is a male, and it's been a challenge understanding his personality, his nuances, his desires and fears, and what makes him stop and go.  I did a recent article on character motivations, and a large part of who this character is clicked for me and made it much easier for me to understand and write about him.

The female character in my own writing and in other books will always be my preference, although there are many good male characters out there.  I feel I am a strong woman in body and soul, and if I can find a good female lead, or write about one, I can relate to that woman the best.  The female character in such an instance is trying to be strong for herself and her loved ones, and trying to stand up for her beliefs.  When you have a deeply held belief, integrity can be hard to hold on to when there's pressure all around you to give in.

Sabra the Incarnate is such a character.  She ends up traveling over thousands of miles, facing evils she never asked for, some of which cause her to question her role in the world and to make choices about saving herself and her loved ones.  She has a lot of knowledge about the divine and about her own power as a witch, which brings greater responsibilities upon her.

As I've grown up, I too have had greater responsibilities presented to me.  Having knowledge of the Gospel of Christ, growing up as an obedient daughter, taking on Church callings, and most importantly, choosing to get sealed in the Temple and start a family --- all have forced me to make a choice: take on the
responsibility, or give into temptations and doubts and rebel.  I have chosen to take on the responsibilities with God's mighty guidance, and it has made me a more mature and happier woman.