6 TRAITS OF STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER

6 TRAITS OF STRONG FEMALE CHARACTER

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1.  Does she make things happen? Does she make choices–good and bad–that move the story forward? Will her choices make a difference? A #strongfemalecharacter doesn’t wait for others to act; she is willing and able to act. She doesn’t wait to be rescued; and, she often rescues others.

In Street Harvest, Jaimie Wolfwalker, defies the police to rescue children from human traffickers.  (Street Harvest, Book 2, Special Crimes Team)

2.  Does she demonstrate intelligence?

#PatriciaBriggs’ character, Mercy Thompson, is a skinwalker coyote and a mechanic in the human world. Her opponents, and even allies, are werewolves, vampires and the fae–all of who are many times stronger than Mercy. She compensates by using intelligence and courage to prevail.

3.  Does she show passion about something other than some “hottie” or some “sex on a stick” guy? Is she willing to face great odds because she believes strongly in something? (justice, protecting the weak, and so on)

Jaz Wheeler (Run or Die) is determined to remain on Hopewell Farm in spite of the six men who are just as determined to chase her away, or to kill her.

4.  Does she possess traits that the reader can relate to and that makes the reader care about the character? Is she a loyal friend,  compassionate, intelligent, tenacious, strong-willed, fearless? This does not mean she isn’t flawed. The best characters show traits that we can admire, but also traits that we find less admirable–such as suspicious, stubborn, has a temper. People don’t relate well to perfection because we aren’t perfect, and can never be.

Sergeant Nita Slowater (Sketch of a Murder,Book 1, Special Crimes Team) has a quick temper that landed her in the #SpecialCrimesTeam when she punched out a reporter. Her temper flared because the reporter was implicated in her best  friend’s murder. (temper vs loyalty)

5.  Is she resourceful? When faced with stronger opponents, greater force either mental or physical, greater resources–such as the bad guy owns the town– can she figure out a way to survive; to defeat her opponents?

In #SuzanneCollins, Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen faces incredible odds, yet she finds ways to overcome those odds and not only survive, but to defeat her opponents.

6.  Does she change over time? A strong character will grow and change during the course of a story.

Sergeant Nita Slowater starts out with a prejudice against reporters and FBI agents. Over the course of the story she comes to understand that not all reporters are willing to get a story at any cost and not all FBI agents turn traitor.

Basically, a strong female character will demonstrate many of the same traits as a strong woman in real life:

  1. She considers who she is and what she wants for herself. She honors her instincts. She sets goals for herself.

  2. She shares her ideas and thoughts, regardless of what others think. She stands up for herself and others. She meets challenges and does not wait for others to act.

  3. She is willing to learn and to teach. She is confident in her own abilities.

  4. A strong woman will bloom wherever she finds herself.

Do you enjoy reading stories with strong female characters? Please leave a comment. I’d love to hear!

Sketch of a Murder, Book 1, Special Crimes Team, http://www.amazon.com/author/ayawalksfar

Street Harvest, Book 2, Special Crimes Team, http://www.amazon.com/author/ayawalksfar

Run or Die http://www.amazon.com/author/ayawalksfar

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