blog It Was a Woman’s World, Too: Christine de Pizan

What are some of the challenges in representing more women in speculative fiction? How can those challenges be overcome?

It seems mostly becoming MC's and considered competent without being called Mary Sue for it. There are probably other places that say it far better then I. And as for the challenges, it seems to be mostly about getting more women in the main roles and just getting people used to it. Why I'm more likely to use a woman MC then the standard man in most my writing.

 

Probably should have also said to look at other historical women like her. The website Rejected Princess comes to mind. Along with those that show up on the Badass List.

 

Female writers were very rare back in medieval times because very few people were literate and books were hand written. Only the invention of the printing press in 1440 did reading and writing become more than a privilege reserved for a few. However literacy levels remained very low among all classes until the early 19th Century when the introduction of universal and compulsory education made literacy almost universal. Until compulsory education was introduced few women could read, let alone write. That''s why we hear very little about female writers in medieval times.

These days there are a lot of female writers, even in fantasy or similar writing, but it might involve having to look around a bit. The British are well known for producing many female writers, even in fantasy writing, but a lot of them don't get published in the United States so Americans never get to hear about them. Here in New Zealand women dominate the fictional writing scene to the extent there's too much emphasis on writing books that win the Man Booker Prize and other high end literary awards, not enough on books that are both ripping good yarns and big enough to K.O a religious missionary on my doorstep.

As for female protagonists there are simply so many stupid and contradictory do''s and don't's about writing female protagonists these days that people just stop bothering with female protagonists. I prefer to give the middle finger to such lists and just write stories about female characters whatever way I want. I've always hated beautiful princesses, Mary Sue characters, angst riddled teenage heroines and female perennial victims of whatever evil is in the headlines these days so none of them will populate my fantasy writing. I like my fictional women to be like the women I like to meet in real life: intelligent, sharp as a whip and fiercely independent.

 

And women read and write, but men don't (Way of Kings)!

 

REJECTED PRINCESSES! I was going to mention that, but you got there first. Love those stories. I have the book.