Tuesday 19 June 2012

Guest Post: The Hero Inside Every Woman

The Hero Inside Every Woman
By Diane Lynn McGyver

Let’s first set the stage: I grew up in a house with seven brothers and two sisters; all but one sibling was older than me. I gravitated towards the boys because they did more enjoyable things—fishing, camping, go-carts, hiking, swimming—than the girls—knitting, dishes, laundry, house-cleaning, baking. Boys also played Cowboys and Indians, Cops and Robbers and various other games where at least one of the cast starred as the hero.

Being a tomboy, rough and tough like my brothers, I took turns at portraying the good guys and the bad guys. This gave me the opportunity to envision what both sides of the conflict experienced, and as it turned out, it was a great help when I later constructed characters—both hero and villain—in my stories.

But what it really taught me was a girl could be a hero, too. Unlike being a helpless princess in a silly fairy tale, I could be the Lone Ranger or Tonto, Spiderman, Captain Kidd or Robin Hood of Sherwood Forest…or some made-up, female version of these heroes. I could take control and win the day!

It took me a while to translate ‘women can be heroes’ into making my heroes female. Up until about a dozen years ago, I still wrote stories with men leading the way. In my mind I was still the hero, and he was still male.

Then it dawned on me; if I could hike miles with a heavy pack on my back, shoot a bow and arrow, catch more fish than the guys in the boat, swing from a rope and take on challenges that tested my strength and courage, why couldn’t a female in one of my stories? Why couldn’t they be as tough as I?

And so, I began writing strong female characters, ones who didn’t need to be saved by the leading man. Male heroes still populated my stories, but they were balanced by females who were equally brave and equally qualified to save the day.

In the first draft of Shadows in the Stone, the leading female character, Alaura of Niamh, was literally the damsel in distress. She couldn’t save herself, didn’t have anything important to say and was there simply for the enjoyment of the leading male character. He was nice to her, of course, but she had little control of what she did or who she was. She was powerless.

After realizing Alaura’s pitiful state, I injected courage, wisdom and strength into her character. The woman who took shape not only defended herself, but saved the leading man a few times when his strength failed. They became a team, a duo, the way a true partnership should be.

The interesting twist to this story is that once I transformed the helpless damsel into a courageous female, the male character improved as well. He no longer had to manage every challenge single-handedly, do all the thinking or run around saving the female. His character became more complex as he dealt with the plot and his partner in the journey. This new man was more likable, as was the female because she was no longer flawed with constant helplessness.

Heroes come in all shapes, sizes, ages…and both sexes. Now that I know this, my writing is a reflection of this knowledge.

Do you know any strong female heroes? If you're female, have these characters empowered you in your own life?

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About Author Diane Lynn Tibert McGyver

Diane Lynn Tibert McGyver has been writing for as long as she can remember. She and her elementary friend, Beverly Davis, had filled several Camp Fire notebooks with plays and then tried to recruit friends to act them out. Her love of story-telling continued into her teen years.

In the late 1990s, she began submitting her writing for publication. The acceptance of an article in a gardening magazine told her that readers were interested in what she had to write.

Fourteen years and hundreds of publications later, she returned to her favourite form of writing: story-telling. Her first fantasy novel, Shadows in the Stone, was released in May 2012. The second book in the series, Scattered Stones, is scheduled for November.


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Shadows in the Stone by Diane Lynn McGyver

Things aren’t always what they seem to be in a small town in the Land of Ath-o’Lea. Magic creeps in the shadows, waiting to pounce...

Corporal Bronwyn Darrow vows he’ll never fall victim to love again after the woman he adored betrays him. He directs his energies to rising in the ranks of Aruam Castle, aspiring to one day command as captain of the guards. Although he treasures his home and family, he is blinded both by his desire to succeed and a mysterious magic lurking in the shadows of the ancient castle.

Alaura of Niamh, a half-breed enchantress with a deadly past, takes refuge in Bronwyn’s hometown. When the two meet, the spell which binds them is stronger than their fears of falling in love.

As Alaura’s secrets threaten to separate them forever, outside forces attempt to shatter the security of Aruam Castle and eliminate Bronwyn. When an orphan weaves their lives together, they embark on a journey destined to either destroy or deliver them to the passion burning in their hearts.

Buy on: Amazon  |  Smashwords

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19 comments:

  1. My novel features a strong female character, too. Since I write YA, I'm conscious of characters as role models for teens. As such, they must be strong as well as vulnerable, capable but also make mistakes. It doesn't matter if they are male or female.

    Linda Ulleseit

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    1. I agree Linda, in YA, authors need to be a bit careful of what they are portraying to the readers through their characters. Thanks for stopping by!

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    2. I second that. We need more positive role models for everyone, but particulary young women (age 15 to 20). Even when I was that age, I huffed at the females who were portrayed as only objects for the male characters. I wish there were more novels with strong female characters. Thanks for doing your part, Linda. And thanks for reading.

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  2. Anita is the female lead in my novel Apart From Love (available on Amazon and B&N). She is a wild girl, a resilient one, and as the story develops, undergoes a profound change.

    "In my defense I have this to say: When men notice me, when the lusty glint appears in their eyes, which betrays how, in their heads, they’re stripping me naked—it’s me they accuse of being indecent.
    Problem is, men notice me all the time.
    How can a girl like me ever claim to be innocent? Even if I haven’t done nothing wrong, I’m already soiled, simply because of their dirty thoughts. "

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    1. Uvi, I really like books where the character develops as the story moves along. No matter how short the time period the novel is based on, a few hours or many years, characters have to move forward and develop throughout the book. Otherwise, the payoff seems a bit hollow to me!

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    2. I was once told that if a character doesn't change/develop between page one and the end, then it isn't really a story. I think watching a person change (for the good or bad) is why many people read.

      Thanks for sharing, Uvi.

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  3. Great post! I'm all about strong female leads, but I like it better when they don't necessarily start out that way. Character development is key to a good story. I agree with Diane that it makes the male characters more believable, too. Not everyone can be superman!

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    1. Harmonylit, it was very interesting to see how the male reacted to my stronger female. She entered the story as a naive 18-year-old, but by the last page, she has both readers and the leading man guessing about her abilities. So I agree with you; I like it when they (both women and men) don't start off strong but develop along the way.

      Thank you for reading.

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    2. Thanks so much for stopping by Terra, this is right up your alley! Your series' main character is also a really strong female! I'd know, as I've read both the books! LOL

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  4. I appreciate this post, and the fact you allowed yourself to hear your character. Women can be beautiful and strong, thoughtful and competitive, insecure and calculating. We are multifaceted humans with the ability to shift and change with the times and circumstances as they present themselves.

    I am all about strong female characters, and their strengths are not necessarily the same. MY two main females in my Tuatha series are Dru and Katerina. They're very different women with very different lives, yet they have their own strengths. Dru is a flower-power wild-child who isn't afraid to take risks and walk on the edge of danger. She's powerful in her ability to be alone, to think for herself, to learn, and to take risks. Plus, she does not need a man to feel complete. (This is in addition to her fantastical powers.)

    Katerina, however, is delicate and graceful. She's a dancer that was raised in a very harsh environment, and her strength comes from her ability to not only know right from wrong, but to choose right regardless of the path ahead. She has an unwavering moral compass. She is disciplined and organized. Though her physical strength does not match others, she is so much stronger emotionally and mentally because of her ability to remain calm and think.

    Strength is much more than just muscle.

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    1. You are right: strength is much more than just muscle. Characters can shine with various strengths: wisdom, intelligence, moral...

      What I dislike are the stories which contain the card-board females who are there only to bolster the male ego. Women are quite capable of directing their own destiny, and I enjoy reading stories where their actions are more inline with reality.

      Thank you, D., for sharing your thoughts.

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  5. Thanks, Alexia and Ritesh, for having me over for a visit. It's great meeting new people and reading about how they portray their female characters.

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  6. OMG. I love this post! I am sick to death of damsels in distress. Huge thumbs up to you. Is Shadows in the Stone your published piece? Are there more coming?

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    1. Tara, thank you. Damsels in distress are depressing.

      Yes, "Shadows in the Stone" is my published fantasy novel. The draft to book two in The Castle Keepers series has been completed. I'll spend the next few months editing it, then it's off to the editor. I hope to see it released by the end of the year. Book three is scheduled for June 2013.

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  7. I stopped reading romance for a while as I just could not take all the helpless females needing to be rescued. Thanks for writing books with strong women.

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    1. Tasha, I occasionally read the odd romance novel, and like you, I'm turned off by the helpless females. A few have angered me enough to not finish the book. I know a few women who devour these types of books because they do love the idea of being saved by the man. I'm just not one of them.

      Thanks for stopping by, Tasha.

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  8. I am a big fan of strong female characters and absolutely adore Alaura of Niamh in Shadows in the Stone. She is both feminine and tough. My books are for middle readers, 8 - 12, and I like to think of my main character, Amanda Ross, as being a strong twelve year old. One of my favourite characters growing up was Anne Shirley, of Anne of Green Gables fame. She was a very strong female character and I admired her courage. I am a fan of Diane Tibert and am eagerly awaiting the second book!

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    1. I loved Anne's spunk as much as I loved the spirit of Laura Ingles on Little House on the Prairie. Elizabeth on the Waltons also comes to mind.

      Strong, young, female characters are great role models for young girls. The 8-12 age is an important time in a girl's life. I'm glad they have the opportunity to read books with stong female characters like Amanda Ross. These types of characters often leave a lasting impression.

      Isla of Maura, the young girl in "Shadows in the Stone", was created using the same ideas I used for Alaura of Niamh. She benefits from Alaura's teaching, but she's on her own when things begin to go wrong.

      Thanks for reading, Darlene.

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  9. I love strong female protagonist.awesome post!

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