How do you write from an opposite gender perspective?

[BrightShinyGirl]

I'm not sure where you're drawing the line for what constitutes an 'actual' guy, but I didn't see anything about Mike that made him seem unconvincing to me. I suppose some people might think that he should have been more aggressive under the influence of a drug that causes estrus responses, but nothing you wrote made it seem like their personalities were altered outside of their sex drives. Him trying to fall into old patterns of behavior to prop up the familiar hierarchy between them following an unprecedented event seems entirely credible.

Thanks! I can’t write “bros”. I think some guys, if confronted with a bizarrely horny female acquaintance, would be like “heh, sweet!” If Mike didn’t read false to you, great!

 

[Omenainen]

I don’t think in terms of there being a gender that is opposite to mine. Every character I write is me in one way or the other. Their stories are my stories.

 

[LonRivers]

There’s another thread on here about men vs women who write and gender bias. I want to discuss another topic- how do you, as a writer, approach your characters of the opposite gender?

I’m a man, however I have achieved some success with writing female characters. Lesbian stories, female seduces male, various perspectives. How do I do this? Well, in my case, I don’t describe things with which I’m not familiar. I don’t dwell on the feel of his cock penetrating her pussy, for example. I just say he’s penetrating her or she’s giving him a blowjob and leave it at that. I concentrate more on describing emotions, universal impulses, and images. These things are easier to push across for me. Readers can usually do their own visualizations, I hope.

I’ve done male perspective also, but I find myself using the same style more often than not. I don’t have experience with nonbinary characters’ perspective.

Please feel free to add to this thread if you like.

Do you know what it is like to be inside a woman during sex? Describe what YOU feel, but from her perspective, For example; when you feel yourself sliding into her, you feel her opening up, moving aside to accommodate your cock and gripping you. Describe that feeling from her perspective. She can feel you filling her up, feel you entering her and the feeling of your body heat, etc.

As far as emotional feelings, generally men and women share the same emotions. Women MAY be more sensitive than men, but men can be just as sensitive or loving, caring or spiteful and mean. If you have a female friend or family member that you know quite well how THEY would react or how they would do something, put yourself in their mindset.

I know lots of women and I have learned a lot of things over the years. I am by far no expert on the female mindset by any means, but know enough to make it work for a story.

The biggest thing that you need to remember is that people are people. They cannot be characterized as one thing or another. Everyone is different. Lesbians are not always "Butch" or manly. Gay men are not always flamboyant or girlish, unless this is the way that the character needs to be.

And readers will let you know one way or another if you are doing good or not. But write what is comfortable for you, and if it works, then you are doing good.