Self-Bechdel

[schmevil]

So I thought I'd submit my recent stories to the Bechdel Test. I excluded single-character stories and drabbles, because the test requires there being more than one character. :p For what it's worth, there seem to be about equal numbers of dude drabbles and girl drabbles

Comments

[martianhouse]

That's a good idea. I'll have to tally up the numbers. Another possibility would be to look at main vs. supporting vs. background characters, and see what the numbers are for the ladies. And what are their roles?

(Schmevil - logged into my fic journal).

[sandoz_iscariot]

Good idea! (Then I cringe because my main fandom has, like, two female characters.)

[martianhouse]

Yeah. SPN is a killer for that. But this has given me the impetus to explore more of the secondary female characters. So many of them are awesome.

Oh! And I think I forgot to give you feedback. Your Sally Jupiter story was great.

(Schmevil - logged into my fic journal).

[sandoz_iscariot]

Yeah, I'd like to write more about Sally, Laurie, Silhouette, and even the minor female characters who don't even get a name ("Vietnamese Girl," "Nurse") but fleshing out minor characters can be daunting enough without aaaaall the issues that come with writing about women and gender in this particular canon.

Thanks, glad you liked it! :D

[schmevil]

I love the female characters in Watchmen! Tbh I'd much rather read about Sally and Laurie than the travails of Adrian, or whatever. And I keep looking for post-squid Dan/Laurie but it's thin on the ground, alas.

[schmevil]

Well, the Bechdel Test is designed for individual works. I applied it to my fic, as a bellwether of where I am now. I don't think I've screwed up by writing so many pieces from a male pov, or with all male casts, but I do want to make a point of featuring more female characters. So I guess... it seems like I failed the test (to me) because I expected the results to be different? I'm not sure what a good long term goal would actually be. Certainly not every work can pass, unless you make a conscious choice to never write single-character-male-pov, or all make casts. I know that Bechdel herself decided to strongly concentrate on women's stories. I'm not really willing to go that far, although I'd like to tell more stories about women than I'm doing now. ;)

[schmevil]

Yeah, I hear you. Not every story can or should pass the Bechdel test. Some stories need to have an all male cast, or be told from a male pov. Trying to shoehorn in female characters does them, and me, a disservice. I'm mostly interested in reassessing my choices in the planning stages - why am I choosing not to write stories about women? It's a useful exercise, I think.

The Chick. Ew.

[dlasta]

Hmmm, I'm not sure if Bechdel Test works the same way with fic.

[schmevil]

Well, it's certainly proven to be iffy on my stuff, as I write so much stuff with teeny tiny casts.

[dlasta]

You gotta play with the toys you got. And you like what you like.
:)

Most fic is written by women, so maybe the test should be about if *all* characters are believable. When they are 'off screen' are they doing their own thing or are they just hibernating until the 'main cast' needs them again.