Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Strong Female Characters



In my latest novel, The Last Cabin, I’ve tried to build in stronger female characters. Not just for the sake of doing it, but to craft the story around central women that drive the story forward. I’ve come realize and reevaluate my past writings and have come to the conclusion that a strong female character is the essential element in any good story.

I know some of you may or may not agree on this point, but I’ve even begun rewriting my previous Civil War novel on the precept that it needs strong central female characters to make the novel something truly worth reading. In my quest to ever broaden my horizons I wanted to ask who your favorite all-time female characters are.  

Some of my personal greats would include everything from Jane Eyre to Scarlett O’Hara to Princess Leia. Pretty much anything from a Jane Austen novel or the ancient Irish epic of Deirdre get high marks from me as well. So when it comes to writing a really intriguing female character, who would you draw upon for inspiration?

3 comments:

  1. I love my female characters strong- but conflicted, it makes them more interesting. So Elizabeth Bennett from Pride and Predjudice is near the top, Sabriel from Garth Nix's book of the same title, Alanna of Trebourne from Tamora Pierce's Goddess Quartet, and possibly Katniss Everdeen from The Hunger Games Trilogy.

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  2. Elizabeth Bennett, definitely, but nice call on Sabriel!I totally forgot about her:)

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  3. I love Elizabeth Bennett and Scarlet O'Hara- two of my all-time favorites!

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