How to evolve characters and make the reader love the protagonists?

raisin · Sep 1, 2010

Three said: ↑

1 - Women overanalyze, and men underanalyze.
If you're having a really bad day and he asks you if you're ok, if you say yes he'll believe you. Even if you're definitely not ok. He'll take your word for it and go on merrily about his day. If you get emotional later he'll be totally surprised. After all, you said you were fine. Makes sense, right? Unfortunately, women don't always work this way.

By the same token as taking your actions for face value, he thinks of his own the same way. This isn't by any means to say that men are "simple creatures" (lol), incapable of irony, sarcasm, hyperbole, understatement and all those other wonderful literary devices. What it does mean, however, is that if he suddenly starts going to the gym every day determined to get in shape, you start worrying and ask him if he's doing it for your benefit and he says "No, I just want to get in shape," it doesn't mean he's embarrassed about his self esteem issues and thinks you'll think less of him for having them. It means he just wants to get in shape.

2 - Women are overemotional, men are underemotional.
Being a woman, you know how sometimes you get upset over something very minor, or even over nothing at all? It pretty much goes without saying, but men never ever do that. Ever. If he's mad, it's because he has a really good reason.

And they don't need a straight out apology to resolve an issue. Proving you were right, or him proving himself right is often enough. Sometimes (and this might be a personality thing) they can even let go of an unresolved issue. One thing doesn't change though. Once the issue is resolved in his eyes, he lets it go permanently. None of this female "the straw that broke the camel's back" tally system. Issue resolved, slate clean. Never spoken of again.

On the topic of emotion, the idea that a man never cries is preposterous. Men are human. But they don't cry even close to as much as women do over the things that women often cry about. Again, personality enters in to this, but as a general picture, a man may (or may not) cry at the death of his father, or best friend. A man will not cry if his girlfriend of six months breaks up with him. It doesn't, however, mean that he's not upset.

3 - Men hardly ever "share feelings"...
or experiences that invoked sadness, fear, embarrassment, etc. (Funny, or rage-inducing experiences are frequently quoted though.) It takes a lot of trust for a guy to recount personal experiences, and would typically only be recounted to a long time best friend or serious (relationship wise) girlfriend. Unlike women, they generally don't feel the need to share their life-changing experiences.

4 - The subconscious quest for Alpha status.
In the same way that I like to be reassured now and again that my boyfriend still thinks I'm the top pick of females he's seen, he likes to make sure I know he can kick my brother's butt. And the butt of any other guy I know.

But apart from that they think more or less the same, to my knowledge. The rest is just personality and experience. Basically, men are just like women, except that they make much more sense. Hope it helped.
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Very helpful hints. Thank you. I might have known them but never realised they were so. Being an ardent practical feminist I can't agree men always make more sense. LOL.

Lothgar said: ↑

Stereotyping?

I thought we were just comparing notes on how relationships between opposite genders are actually interpreted (as in the "Women are from Venus and Men are from Mars" context)...with a bit of light humor on the side.
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I definitely need the book now. Thanks for reminding. That would help too.

Elgaisma · Sep 1, 2010

Lothgar said: ↑

*Starts to say something, but then decides not to bring up his Scottish heritage and his kilt*
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now that might tempt my brother

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How to evolve characters and make the reader love the protagonists?

raisin New Member

Elgaisma Contributor Contributor

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How to evolve characters and make the reader love the protagonists?

raisin New Member

Elgaisma Contributor Contributor

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