Genders in Books
What direction to take? |
As many of you know, I am writing a children’s fantasy chapter book. The first two chapters are posted here on my Work In Progress page. The main character is an eleven year old girl, with a second eleven year old girl introduced into the story. A comment was made that has made me stop and ponder. I know that girls will read books with boys as the main character, but will boys read books with a girl as the main character if there is no boy introduced into the story line? You would think I would know this since I have two teenage boys of my own. My boys liked Inkheart, which has a female lead, but there are plenty of male characters in the story. I am wondering if I should go back and change the secondary character into a boy, or should I create a new male character to bring into the story?
The quandary of an author. Do I write the story just as I first imagined it, or do I write it to appeal to a broader audience? Is it being true to myself to introduce new characters to broaden appeal? Or is this part of the editing process when you start looking at the story with fresh eyes?
Your thoughts and opinions are welcome.
I would say go with your first instinct. I know we write books to appeal to a large audience, but we also write what is important for us to say. You may find as the story develops that a male character may appear. It is always changing and always evolving until you reach a balance in the story that fits. Don't worry so much about pleasing everyone, or how big your audience will be. That is all secondary to the story. Once it is done you will still be editing and changing it until you reach what you have to say.
Good luck with your project.
I agree with Karen. It's your baby! The story will grow as you write it.
one of my writer's group members is both an avid YA reader, but also a bookseller and said Hunger Games was the FIRST book with a female MC that she has seem boys eager to buy. It is unfortunately, but true, that boys are less open minded, and that you just shut off that prejudice by having a boy back up. I think it's a pretty good idea if the story really would be appealing to both.
Write it as you see fit. It'll find a readership when the time comes.
I agree – write YOUR story. Perhaps in the editing, a male character will seem appropriate (or perhaps needed – after all, who wants an all female cast?)… get the instincts down on paper FIRST!
Thank you for all the encouragement. I suspect a male character will emerge in the rewrite (actually I find him already forming in the back of my mind). I think I was looking for a way to get out of more work . . .