Seven tips on writing female characters

Here are some straightforward ways to ensure your script gets off to a positive start when it comes to representing women in the right way.

1. RATIO

Easy place to start. It will depend on the project, but try to make sure there is an even spread of male and female characters in lead and subsidiary parts. Even in a male prison or boarding school, there are plenty of opportunities to introduce female characters.

2. PERSONALITY AND PHYSICALITY

Provide equal character detail for both your male and female characters. And please don’t let the female descriptions be solely about physical attributes. Although saying that, if you have multiple female characters, physical differences between them can be helpful for readers. (same for male characters)

3. SHARE THE DRAMA

When the stakes get high and the humour kicks in, check that your female characters are still around (or even better, involved!). Keep an eye out for female characters disappearing or losing purpose through the script.

4. WORK IT OUT

Ensure female characters have professions too. In most scripts the male lead’s job/career is clear, and it does seem a lot of the time they want to be a musician. But that’s another story… These days it is unrealistic for female characters not to have careers, life goals and interests outside of men and having a family.

5. DODGE STEREOTYPES

Really give some thought about whether the doctor, lawyer, builder, best buddy needs to be a man. Quite often they don’t, and the story gets more interesting if they aren’t. And do the nurses, primary carers, receptionists need to be female?

6. TEARING DOWN THE TEARS

Women cry all over the place in men’s scripts. And yet in my real life, I can go days without seeing a woman shed even a single tear. Does the lady in your script need to cry? Have you earnt the right for her to cry yet? Is it sending across the right message? Heck, should it be a male that is crying?

7. TERMS OF ENDEARMENT V PATRONISING

‘Darlings’, ‘honeys’, ‘loves’, these often creep in when men (and women) are talking to women. There are different rules up north, but these terms can feel problematic when it is only females being addressed this way. Obviously, there is nothing criminal in the odd darling here and there, but make sure these terms are appropriate for the world you are creating.

Joanna Tilley runs a companion script service for writers which focuses on female characters and storylines. If you would like to find out more, please click here.