Tips for writing!
These days, having a strong female lead is a popular trope in many stories, not just romance. It’s not just a trope, though, is it? Women want to be heard and we want to be equal. If you’re thinking of having a strong female lead star in your story, here’s a few tips to help you get it right.
- She literally kicks butt
- She leads
- She makes decisions on her own
- She makes her own way
- She stands up for herself
- She’s not a door mat
- She can protect herself
- She’ll ask for help when she needs it.
- She learns from her mistakes
- She doesn’t wait around for things to happen. She makes them happen.
- She rescues herself.
You don’t need to have every single hard-ass personality trait, but a few of them will help your lead female stand out and be extraordinary. We all want someone too look up to, someone who gives us hope and strength.
Examples of Kick-Ass Heroines
- Ripley from Aliens
- Buffy Summers from Buffy the Vampire Slayer
- Furiosa from Mad Max
- Kate Daniels (and most Urban Fantasy Female Leads)
- Elizabeth Bennett (okay, the actual kicking butt version is in the P&P and Zombies movie)
- Sailor Moon – she’s a real wimp to start with, but as time goes on, she learns to be more confident.
- Diana Prince aka Wonder Woman
- Lara Croft – Tombraider
The list can go on, but I think you get the picture.
Before you go ahead and create your kick-ass lead, don’t forget to give her a great, meaningful backstory. What motivates her to be so super cool?
Did her ex-marine father train her to be great with weapons because their mother was killed during a home invasion when he wasn’t home?
Has she been searching the world for lost artefacts to prove she’s better than the rich, bored kid everyone thinks she is.
Whatever her backstory is, it needs to be relevant to her new story. And just like your super sexy love interest, she needs a flaw to overcome.
Good luck!
Got a favourite kick-ass female lead? I’m always on the lookout for new books and shows to watch. Let me know!
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