Writerly Non-Sex Kinks M-Type Thing

[dawn_felagund]

Taken from Oshun ...

Name five ‘non-sexual kinks’ you have as a reader/writer: that is, five writing techniques, themes, settings, or character types that really draw you into a story. (If they are different for you as a reader than as a writer, please name both!)

Comments

[dawn_felagund]

I'm not well-read in contemporary fantasy myself. Most of my reading these days is either for grad school or as part of lesson planning. I'm counting the days till that alleviates somewhat ... :)

I mentioned Brienne a couple times up-thread as a character that I think does well in the woman-with-sword role because picking up a sword doesn't confer automatic awesomeness onto her. The reaction of others to her and her own comfort in her identity feels very realistic for the society in which she lives.

I agree about Katniss (I'm not familiar with the other two!), who I would define as good at survival, which happens to include skill with a bow. However, popularly, it seems to me that Katniss is often admired for her skill with a bow. The other stuff matters less. Now, I'm not saying that young girls are going to find it as exciting to learn to identify edible versus poisonous berries as to become a sharp-shooting archer, but it does seem that a lot of Katniss's image as a strong woman focuses on her skill with a weapon. (Tauriel from the Hobbit movies--PJ in general, since he initially intended to have Arwen at Helms Deep--was forefront of my mind when I wrote #5.)

[tehta]

I completely agree about PJ, and movies in general (including the Hunger Games) romanticizing weaponry and fighting in general. I just have not seen this in books I have read.

And obviously I don't know how young girls in general perceive Katniss, but everyone I have spoken to admires her toughness and her genius for rebellion (and ability to attract hunky boys, sigh.) I don't see why it would be bad if she inspires some girls to try the bow, instead of inspiring them to, say, party every night, or backstab their friends, or rely on men for everything. If nothing else, archery requires discipline. I just don't see the problem.

I don't know. The idea that female protagonists are unrealistic or wrong if they have any exciting skill that is coded as "male" worries me a bit -- especially if it is a skill a woman could actually possess! Some women do want to do "male" activities, myself included.