Writing Tip for the Day: Characters

Many novels I read in Science Fiction/Fantasy have weak willed women characters.  There are a few by such authors as David Weber, Eric Nylund, Timothy Zahn, and Michael A. Stackpole who have amazingly strong female characters, even if they are not the main character. The current Star Wars novel series Fate of the Jedi have weak willed women characters. These are not female characters who are just made up for the role in the series or book. No. These are characters like Leia Solo and her daughter Jaina, just to name them. Troy Denning, the current headwriter for the series since 2006 has been performing character assassination. It just raises the question: hoe does one avoid weak-willed female (and male) characters?

• Write them as having heroic traits. Not every time does a woman need to be saved by the handsome man. Nor do they need to be angsty and need support from characters who reads flat. Make the female strong and independent to a point. She does not always need to win, but she should have courage and a strong backbone. For male characters, DO NOT always have them angsting or always there to save the day. Try having them as heroic, but not always winning.
• Character Assassination. If you write a character long enough in a novel or short story or novella, and have some one test read it, and they question certain actions about said character, chances are, you've assassinated the feel the character gave the reader when they got to know him. I find it easy to create 3D characters using the following format: Name______, Age_____, Occupation_______, Positive Traits_______, Negative Traits_______. It works for me and I never give the impression that I've assassinated any character of mine.

Remember, drama and angst may be loved by certain people, but most readers will not stand for it. Most readers love well rounded characters, and respect the author for having them too.