What do you think of these parts in books written by men?

Question

This is unfortunately common ways male authors write women. (These are not comedy books)

ChrisMaster69 · Accepted Answer

When lived in Birmingham, we had a regular meet up in a pub as part of a book club.

it was a slightly strange crowd as nearly all of us were in same BDSM group, and book club was on first Thursday of the month, Kinks on the last Tuesday of the month, really bad to get them mixed up.

The opposite to the bits above is from Terry Pratchett, a hero of mine and met him a couple of times. His writing on social side of things, etc was ahead of his time, a lot of stuff was not deliberate, it was just common sense and showed the reflection of social (and political ) life at the time of each book.

The Light Fantastic. Quote from the book.

In fact, the hero, even at this moment galloping towards the Vortex Plains, didn’t get involved in this kind of argument because they didn’t take it seriously but mainly because this particular hero was a heroine. A red-headed one. Now, there is a tendency at a point like this to look over one’s shoulder at the cover artist and start going on at length about leather, thighboots and naked blades. Words like ‘full’, ‘round’ and even ‘pert’ creep into the narrative, until the writer has to go and have a cold shower and a lie down. Which is all rather silly, because any woman setting out to make a living by the sword isn’t about to go around looking like something off the cover of the more advanced kind of lingerie catalogue for the specialized buyer. Oh well, all right. The point that must be made is that although Herrena the Henna-Haired Harridan would look quite stunning after a good bath, a heavy-duty manicure, and the pick of the leather racks in Woo Hun Ling’s Oriental Exotica and Martial Aids on Heroes Street, she was currently quite sensibly dressed in light chain mail, soft boots, and a short sword. All right, maybe the boots were leather. But not black. Riding with her were a number of swarthy men that will certainly be killed before too long anyway, so a description is probably not essential. There was absolutely nothing pert about any of them. Look, they can wear leather if you like. https://www. goodreads. com/notes/11186726-the-light-fantastic/252620-rinaldo/00a0dff7-be69-4754-b107-95bd372af40e? ref=rnsp

IJhonnyI · Accepted Answer

If I'm being honest this isn't common ways a male speaks about women on a book there are specific books and there are other topics and categories you can't just assume because of 4 or 5 books you came in contact with this is how it is for all male authors at the end of the day it just depends on who's writing it and that's that

Mia-Wallace · Accepted Answer

1. I think it's fine. Self censorship just makes crappy books crappier. (And these examples do seem very crappy. For the first example, I have to know what's that book about and what kind of man the protagonist is. He's "from the police" but that's not a character trait. He can be a rude and negative guy and be a cop [see Chinatown]. Still, the sting and negativity in his words and how they hurt is more appropropriate for the character of an ordinary loser - that *can* be interesting to read)

2. Men don't exactly write "women". They write their ideas of women. It's not just interesting but essential to see what they have to say.

I find it exceptionally accurate at times, humorous at times, and vile at times. It's fine. I don't need to take the bad ones seriously.

A friend once said Harry Potter isn't a man, he's a woman's idea of a "good little boy" who never wants to grow up and give up on his mother. He gave me Sword of the Spirits and said "Luke is a real boy with real feelings".

And that kind of helped me. I found he's kind of right. Luke's emotions are complex, intense and real compared to Harry. Harry is mostly just concerned about not looking "bad/evil". He doesn't have much of a character development and his dogma revolves around his dead mom.

3. Good writers write deep characters, not genders. Writing deeper characters are achieved by focusing on the character's vocabulary (a clockwork orange), background, philosophy and values, regardless of his/her gender.

If you're reading books that start by describing the character's hair color and boob size, then maybe it's your choice that's bad.

Some people are just that shallow, and it reflects in their "books". (And everyone is a "writer" these days)

Smoke-n-Growls · Accepted Answer

I fucking love looking at MenWritingWomen on Reddit. And AliensWritingHumans.

Especially when men describe boobs as though they're sentient, or expressive like a dog's ears.

It's ludicrous.

I've started buying cheap penny paperbacks written by men and writing on them in red and critiquing the writing. One, it's helping me learn how not to write shit (and sometimes there's good bits), and two, it's hilarious.

It's a really entertaining way to read and I get to feel better about my own writing skills, lol!

Bee-Hatch · Answer

Honestly there's no context here, it's all cherry picked to illustrate a point you're choosing to make. And leaves us unable to offer informed comments.

Why is context important - the characters could be awful people we are supposed to dislike. The books could be set at a time when that kind of thing was appropriate, in which case is the author making a point? Or the books could be written at a time when that kind of thing was appropriate, in which case we have to just accept it for what it is. It's all points that context would clear up.

wittymilf · Answer

Literature is art that should reflect the artist’s style. I feel much like any art, if I don’t enjoy the style I don’t partake in the art. I also find that women are also really good and at times even more graphic when building characters you can truly imagine that come to life in your head.

exitseven · Answer

I can understand what you are trying to say. I bet it is really funny (or maybe funny is not the word for it) for a woman to read this drivel. In defense to men everywhere I just want to add that to most guys, a woman's body is still a complete mystery. It is a lot like the Holy Grail. It is not designed to be understood by men.

Kaneki05 · Answer

I don't think nothing. Because these aren't book I've read therefore I cannot make a judgment on who they are aimed for or what there purpose is. Nor how good the rest of writing is.
Stephen king has his ending of IT in the book... which is weird as hell. But does that mean IT is a bad book? Nope.

Anonymous · Answer

Wow, the first one is a bit strong, not exactly a beautifully crafted and poetic metaphor.

Then it gets very weird for along time.

But Im confused as to why the last part was included; am I to understand that ladies do not infact get jiggly ovaries?

BeJames · Answer

And what did you expect from books that seem like porn books? That it would treat anyone well? Porn industry is infamous for treating both men and women just as tools to satisfy sexual needs of consumers.

Daniela1982 · Answer

Just your usual romance novels. They talk about men in the same way. I never read any of them for that reason. They seemed more for older single women to me.

Blueeyes81 · Answer

Can't say I've ever read these but can't imagine they are much different than the fabio romance novels written by women. Smut is smut no need to try and psychoanalyze it.

Marianna546 · Answer

Well... I have never read those books. I need context

Th3ft · Answer

WTF!! That is crap! These guys belong in jail just on how crappy their writing is. But it is wrong to talk about woman and their bodies like that.

CrazyGirl2 · Answer

Most of these look like they are from an amateur erotic literature website! Like chick-porn, but written by men for men! It’s ridiculous!

TonyV · Answer

Who cares, if you don't like that writers writing style don't read more of his books.

Lliam · Answer

😂😂😂  How widely read are these bozos? Are they high schoolers?

Anonymous · Answer

This is why I advocate and carried out book burnings.

HighValue · Answer

What kind of armature books were you reading? None of the books I have ever read are like that.

loveslongnails · Answer

There are thousands of male authors. The "worst" you can say is that "some male authors have written about women in this way".  And the world keeps turning.

EnglishEuropean · Answer

It's pretty easy to lampoon male writers (especially bad ones) for being unable to write women characters convincingly. What women tend to overlook is that the reverse is also true.

Likes2drive · Answer

Don’t know but I guess that’s how a man writes an erotic novel compared to a woman, it’s a lot different than a woman writing

JohnK123 · Answer

Ya the same would’ve been true for women… if they had the ability to write and publish works in the far past

joeldalton · Answer

Your life is pretty fucking cushy if this is what you’re bitching about.

Anonymous · Answer

You can find bad things in everything if you look closer at it…

Minahh · Answer

I dont really read books written by men. Those few I've read were by high quality authors but these descriptions are so shallow and I dont like them.

Anonymous · Answer

"This is unfortunately common ways male authors write women." Bullshit ^.

Anonymous · Answer

well they try. I do it much better though. But yeah, I'm not really a fan of the way a lot of guys write that sort of thing.

Bklynbadboy12 · Answer

I thought it was good writing was there something wrong with it

Agape93 · Answer

This was painful to read

SJ1984 · Answer

These are hilarious! :D :D :D

_deeznuts · Answer

guys are kinda goofy sometimes

TallAnon · Answer

Nothing in particular, why?

Xtendable · Answer

It reads like comedy, written by teenagers

AmandaYVR · Answer

Ewwww

RobEurope · Answer

Nothing much its fantasy.

fonduegirl · Answer

Picture of sexism

msc545 · Answer

Very bad writing

OddBeMe · Answer

Pretty funny though.

KuriousityCills04 · Answer

seems fake to me

Jouth · Answer

lol das funny

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