It won’t go away, will it?
There are authors out there (Sophia McDougall, Juliet McKenna, Kate Elliott, Melanie Rawn, Robyn Hobb * to name a few) who do write more than the stereotype, they go beyond the usual kick-ass girlie wins every time tropes.
But.
Kick-ass sells.
Strong, intellectual, reasonable, packed full of wisdom leading ladies, they don’t appeal any more than the bloke that sits on the sofa all day scoffing pizza and knocking back the beers. The druid who appears only when there’s some terrible world threatening disaster about to break free from the underworld? That’s ok though. The sword toting cloak adorned hunk who always has the right words at the right time, and that natural put down. He’s ok too.
Sleeps With Monsters: Strong Female Characters and the Double Standard
Our protagonists are leaders, they lead us through a story. So don’t ask yourself what makes a man or a woman strong. Instead perhaps we should be looking at it from a different perspective.
What makes a CHARACTER strong? What characteristics does a PERSON have to give them that depth you’d want to find in a leader? What personality would you want in someone you’d trust?
*The list features all female authors. I know. I wonder why?