Ireth
Myth Weaver
I've been having second thoughts lately about the climax of my main WIP, after a comment on the synopsis that disparaged the heroine's use of a stereotypically feminine skill (sewing) to save the life of one of the villain's victims rather than directly kicking the villain's butt. I have since changed the manuscript so that she does both (though she isn't the one to kill the villain, she does get a few good punches in), but I'm still waffling. This character is not usually prone to using violence unless in direct self-defense; she does at only a few points elsewhere in the book, and the rest of the time uses guile and wits to escape bad situations. Having her save the victimized character is more in line with her character, IMO. And the method she uses -- stitching up a wound -- is not meant to be stereotypical, but an extension of the characterization I established right from the start of the book. The heroine is an avid cosplayer who enjoys making her own costumes for Halloween and otherwise, so it makes perfect sense that she'd be good at sewing. (The difference/difficulty between sewing cloth and sewing skin is remarked upon as well.)
Maybe I'm just overreacting to one comment among many, but this one really stuck out to me. Is a twenty-first century woman making use of one feminine skill really that much of a bad thing?
Maybe I'm just overreacting to one comment among many, but this one really stuck out to me. Is a twenty-first century woman making use of one feminine skill really that much of a bad thing?