tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post3086052859384389127..comments2024-03-06T05:24:11.328-05:00Comments on Kelly Hashway: What Makes a Good Female Lead?Kelly Hashwayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comBlogger60125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-91632204653498133452012-06-14T10:45:59.747-04:002012-06-14T10:45:59.747-04:00Hermione is such a great choice!Hermione is such a great choice!Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-70302433415646187992012-06-14T10:18:42.107-04:002012-06-14T10:18:42.107-04:00I think my model female lead is Hermione Granger -...I think my model female lead is Hermione Granger - she's intelligent, resourceful, organized, intuitive, and loyal.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08311305166391446029noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-53701765420134627102012-06-05T09:10:21.486-04:002012-06-05T09:10:21.486-04:00I agree. I don't have to like a character. In ...I agree. I don't have to like a character. In fact, some of my favorite characters are the ones I don't like. Any strong emotion works for me. ;) And, yes, they must be real. That's mandatory.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-78027366469520802452012-06-05T08:15:27.112-04:002012-06-05T08:15:27.112-04:00I'm not looking for any characteristics in par...I'm not looking for any characteristics in particular. I don't even care if a female MC is likable (think Olive Kitteridge). What I do like is that the character feels fully fleshed out. That they feel real- their motivations, character traits, etc. are comprehensible to me as the reader. I like a character that feels like it was thoughtfully created and not an extension/alter ego of the author.365_books_a_yearhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01921897822848823960noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-33386085092611089992012-06-01T09:08:25.363-04:002012-06-01T09:08:25.363-04:00I like female characters who basically don't f...I like female characters who basically don't fall in any category. They're confusing and unpredictable, and that's what makes them relatable because we all get confused sometimes and do things we wouldn't normally do.Unexplained Authorhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06551265353869734888noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-13895531040656936682012-06-01T07:10:50.901-04:002012-06-01T07:10:50.901-04:00If we are going over 21, then I'm adding Stell...If we are going over 21, then I'm adding Stella to my list. :)Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-90477402315417079772012-06-01T07:10:23.835-04:002012-06-01T07:10:23.835-04:00Do you prefer male leads?Do you prefer male leads?Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-34904992822850488352012-06-01T07:09:23.978-04:002012-06-01T07:09:23.978-04:00LOL. So true!LOL. So true!Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-2493883505598331712012-06-01T01:36:08.828-04:002012-06-01T01:36:08.828-04:00Well, there's stubborn good, and stubborn bad!...Well, there's stubborn good, and stubborn bad!Mark R Hunterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07685591390353442531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-41634255694496952982012-06-01T00:35:56.596-04:002012-06-01T00:35:56.596-04:00Passion, honesty, strength, compassion, brains, wi...Passion, honesty, strength, compassion, brains, with, humor, a bit of sexy, vulnerability, and the ability to find her own path.. <br /><br />Dagny Taggart - I want to be here at least once a week.<br /><br />Scarlet - she gets to kiss Rhett<br /><br />Jane Eyre - she has all those attributes I admire, and she's flawed and loves who she loves<br /><br />Wi Warshawski - great female detective, rememberabe (to create a character that lingers is every writer's dream)<br /><br />I know, I know.. not under 21's, but I like stories about women with history, moxie, and a story to write .Brendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08425528423649700111noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-14094245229909290382012-05-31T23:56:01.627-04:002012-05-31T23:56:01.627-04:00I'm racking my brain, but I don't seem to ...I'm racking my brain, but I don't seem to have a favorite female lead.Bethhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09962862566388212238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-88342485910931654502012-05-31T20:57:16.644-04:002012-05-31T20:57:16.644-04:00"Someone who can laugh at herself, but can al..."Someone who can laugh at herself, but can also pick up a sword and fight for herself or others when necessary."--I couldn't have said it better. :)Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-75858395493348163912012-05-31T20:00:03.861-04:002012-05-31T20:00:03.861-04:00I love this. I agree that it's the humanity of...I love this. I agree that it's the humanity of the character that draws me in. The ability to show vulnerability matched with confidence. Oh, and sense of humor! Someone who can laugh at herself, but can also pick up a sword and fight for herself or others when necessary. :0)Mary Weberhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13105702811351449027noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-39034039484539036252012-05-31T19:06:54.314-04:002012-05-31T19:06:54.314-04:00I love a sense of humor. I think every MC should h...I love a sense of humor. I think every MC should have one. But that's just me. :)Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-19960979307697589072012-05-31T18:59:19.350-04:002012-05-31T18:59:19.350-04:00I like a female lead to be smart, strong, decisive...I like a female lead to be smart, strong, decisive, to have a sense of humor about what she does, to show compassion. I write mine that way. She's not perfect... but she's a challenge to write, and I've come to really like her.William Kendallhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00331324250821836822noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-34152195893291338602012-05-31T16:25:23.045-04:002012-05-31T16:25:23.045-04:00I agree, Katie. And I loved Jane Eyre. Being about...I agree, Katie. And I loved Jane Eyre. Being about to persevere and break boundaries is so great to see in fiction in real life.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-14616685360715210532012-05-31T16:03:18.356-04:002012-05-31T16:03:18.356-04:00I like the ever-evolving female. This is a bit old...I like the ever-evolving female. This is a bit old school, but we travel with Jane Eyre from girlhood to womanhood as we watch her learn. She struggles, but perseveres. <br /><br />Also, Dolores Price from Wally Lamb's "She's Come Undone." She goes through painstaking trauma, but keeps moving upwards. I love notion that she completely unravels (hence, she's "come undone,") but then re-ravels and becomes whole once again.<br /><br />As human beings we are always regenerating. This is true of both genders, but sometimes with the particular prejudices women face, it's all the more powerful when a female lead breaks the boundaries of her own suffering.Katie Checkleyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08819366618668244772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-85114872049575692952012-05-31T13:16:20.800-04:002012-05-31T13:16:20.800-04:00Ooh, another one for stubborn. ;)Ooh, another one for stubborn. ;)Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-35575649503635347602012-05-31T12:57:09.160-04:002012-05-31T12:57:09.160-04:00This is always a good subject for me, as a male wi...This is always a good subject for me, as a male with a published romance novel! But as I've said before, my favorite female lead isn't a woman at all, but a girl: Dorothy Gale, late of Kansas, now a resident of the Emerald City and going on 120 years old.<br /><br />I fell madly in love with her as a kid (the book Dorothy -- who's blonde, dammit! -- not the older and weaker 1939 movie version). Looking back now, I see what made her such a strong character: Despite all the odd things that keep going on around her she remains firmly down to earth, headstrong but compassionate, curious and imaginative. When her best friend Ozma brings her to a palace to live and makes her a princess of Oz, Dorothy changes not one bit. She's always up for adventuring and helping others, and although she's generally described as "sweet", when facing bad guys she's brave and stubborn. I could go on and on about her, to this day.<br /><br />Oh, wait -- I just did.Mark R Hunterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07685591390353442531noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-66992861989319856902012-05-31T06:19:09.799-04:002012-05-31T06:19:09.799-04:00Ooh, the one who is quiet and you don't expect...Ooh, the one who is quiet and you don't expect them to explode. :)Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-77917145855325749192012-05-31T06:18:16.599-04:002012-05-31T06:18:16.599-04:00I've had manuscripts like that too, where the ...I've had manuscripts like that too, where the MC grows throughout the story and becomes more likable. It's good to show growth.Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-66031612690570912502012-05-31T06:17:37.532-04:002012-05-31T06:17:37.532-04:00You're welcome. And thanks for sharing your fa...You're welcome. And thanks for sharing your favorite female lead. :)Kelly Hashwayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13936313159809041986noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-22122577420472378842012-05-31T05:57:25.795-04:002012-05-31T05:57:25.795-04:00I like female leads who aren't too outspoken a...I like female leads who aren't too outspoken about their hurts. I like how they hold things in sometimes only to explode or do something extraordinary later on. (Part of their learning of who they are/what they are made of ...)<br /><br />I like heroines who defy the authorities in their own cool, quiet ways.Yanting Guehhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04788603550626277974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-79416009703221488732012-05-31T04:45:45.847-04:002012-05-31T04:45:45.847-04:00My female mc are prickly and very flawed. A few CP...My female mc are prickly and very flawed. A few CPs didn't like my female mc at times during the book, but they all loved her by the end, so that's good! :-)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07735576044552810103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6086062096420008519.post-88082075436075399622012-05-30T23:38:09.853-04:002012-05-30T23:38:09.853-04:00I like characters (male or female) who are strong ...I like characters (male or female) who are strong and determined, but principled and "classy" at the same time.<br />Great post - thanks!E.D.https://www.blogger.com/profile/08362521696011839816noreply@blogger.com