Same here. When I try to create a nice female character that the reader can relate to, they always fall flat. Instead the male ones turn out more interesting and alive. Now I'm writing evil women instead. It's going a lot better!
Well, in my limited experience with reading romance and chick lits, all the characters are roughly the same. Sure, their specific issues are different, but they all behave very similarly. I imagine it might actually be pretty hard to write a good female character in romances - she has to fit the role, which usually means she's weak in some way or she's blind to what makes her truly happy (a man, of course). However, with that sort of mould, it's pretty hard to also satisfy the feminist trends of the strong, independent woman who does not need a man to be happy. Ultimate happiness for the characters in a romance will of course be a relationship, which sorta grinds against the whole independent woman thing. And also, at least me anyway, I enjoy romances partly because I enjoy crushing on the male lead. If you have a crush on the character, you're probably a lot more forgiving. Women tend to be the audience for the romance genre, which means the male lead would be forgiven a lot more easily than the female lead for any mistakes made.
Crushing on a character is sooo much fun It's been a while since I've found one I could crush on though. Currently reading Shutter Island, so probably no hope there You got a favourite book character crush?
Umm, honestly? Hannibal Lecter. I have such a crush on him, and no I'm not trying to be funny or kooky with that statement. I don't wanna think too much about why I'm attracted to him. In terms of romance... I was crushing on the male lead from the book I recommended to you in PM (I'm so bad remembering titles).
I've not read Silence of the Lambs - but Hannibal Lecter!!? I've forgotten you ever recommended me a book... oops. Or do you mean the one by Jennifer Cruise? You Bet or The Bet or something?
No, that was the one a bunch of people read on the forum. It's Hannibal that gave me my crush rather than Silence of the Lambs. But all the books in the series are fantastic.
