Can men write from the woman's perspective?

[ChuckWolf]

In my stories, I aim towards making female characters (most being very sexually aggressive and dominant) into complex, interesting and realistic within the limits of being in improbable stories.

 

[VerbalAbuse]

Maybe I should let this go, but I don't understand what you're disagreeing with me about, or what your point is more generally.

OP asks "can men write from the woman's perspective." I say yes, for several reasons, one of which being that there are many celebrated classics like that. (In hindsight, I see that OP wrote "woman" and I wrote "female" and maybe I shouldn't have conflated the terms, but that doesn't seem relevant now.)

You're saying... what? No, because no classics like that exist because the woman's perspective was inadequately authentic? No, because just having them present in the story isn't enough and they must specifically be a "great protagonist" or have an "authentic voice," to use two terms you introduced, or both? Yes but it's really hard? (In which case, see the following two items on my list).

I did not disagree with you. You're misreading me.
I do believe men can write female perspective.
There's such a thing called research, of course.

 

[alohadave]

Jack's character in As Good As It Gets was the most emotional, reactive, illogical person in the whole movie, but some people may have missed the ironic subtext

I watched that scene recently, and he seemed pretty autistic. I haven't watched the whole movie in a long time to see if that's an isolated thing or not.

 

[JenniferSmithJones]

Theres The Scarlet Letter for one.

More modern options are things like Matilda and many of Terry Pratchett's novels (his women are VERY well done).

There's also a strong argument to be made that Lousia May Alcott would have identified as a trans man if she lived today.

I'd also add: Anything by Henlein. That guy could write compelling female characters! Constantly ignored by Academia and Intellectuals because his female characters kicked ass 60 years before the rest of the world caught on that women can be compelling characters in their own right, even in sci-fi/action/shoot-em-up genres of story.

 

[dirk2024]

I'm working on one now, not only is the main character a woman, but ALL the characters are women. So hopefully I haven't bitten off more than I chew.

 

[Burstplayer]

I've tried it once and it was very different and difficult for me. I took me a solid 3-4 chapters to get the right mindset and create more emotional depth. It also took at least 2X as long to write and come up ideas and dialog from a woman's perspective. I kept bouncing the edits off some female friends as well and that was very helpful. But overall, much more difficult than I bargained for.

 

[JenniferSmithJones]

I've tried it once and it was very different and difficult for me. I took me a solid 3-4 chapters to get the right mindset and create more emotional depth. It also took at least 2X as long to write and come up ideas and dialog from a woman's perspective. I kept bouncing the edits off some female friends as well and that was very helpful. But overall, much more difficult than I bargained for.

OK, the million-dollar question: That story was difficult. WHich of your stories is your favorite? For me it's not the ones that come easy. It's the ones where I have to think, research, consider, weigh different opinions, different courses of action.

So? How does that story compare in your mind with your other stories, for being happy with how it turned out? Difficult ones? Or easy ones?

JSJ

 

[Burstplayer]

OK, the million-dollar question: That story was difficult. WHich of your stories is your favorite? For me it's not the ones that come easy. It's the ones where I have to think, research, consider, weigh different opinions, different courses of action.

So? How does that story compare in your mind with your other stories, for being happy with how it turned out? Difficult ones? Or easy ones?

JSJ

All great and interesting questions JSJ...

For me the ones that almost write themselves tend to be more enjoyable to read and write. The thoughts almost come from my subconscious and pour out easily and I can write a 12 page chapter in just maybe an hour. When I have to really grind out ideas out, it seems forced and not as free flowing to read. To be fair, the stream of consciousness ones always have an autobiographical lean.

 

[RoperTrace]

Women write men all the time. Men write women all the time. It's your writing and your artistic expression. Don't let anyone tell you different.

Didn't Ben Franklin write newspaper articles as a woman?

 

[JenniferSmithJones]

All great and interesting questions JSJ...

For me the ones that almost write themselves tend to be more enjoyable to read and write. The thoughts almost come from my subconscious and pour out easily and I can write a 12 page chapter in just maybe an hour. When I have to really grind out ideas out, it seems forced and not as free flowing to read. To be fair, the stream of consciousness ones always have an autobiographical lean.

Very interesting. For me, it's the stories I struggle with that are my favorites. I'm alwazys fascinated by what stories a writer most likes of their own work. But so much of it is dependent on the other person, the writer, because it's not just the stories, it's the stories and the context. WHat brought these people to this place in their lives? I love that stuff!

 

[rthnck]

i have the opposite problem. I am very comfortable writing from the female POV and horribly awkward and inept when I try to write from my own male POV. Go figure. I think I do OK with my writing. At least the comments seem to agree. As a matter of fact it would appear that all 11 of my stories are with very slight exceptions written from the female POV. My stories

 

[Dnthmn_19]

I've tried twice to write from the woman's perspective, in my series "My Name is Chantal." The little feedback I received was positive. I'd love to hear writers' feedback. (I've always thought it odd that there has been more reads of Part Three than Part Two, written from the male perspective.)

https://www.literotica.com/s/my-name-is-chantal