----- Original Message ----- From: "Kerry Schooley" <
gsp.schoo@skylinc.net>
> I'm biased toward male writers and characters. I
don't think there's much
> difference between the sexes. Yes, women have these
different hormones,
but
> men seem to work up a irrational heads of steam for
their own reasons. Men
> have this bit of iron in their nose that gives us a
basic sense of
> direction, but we still get lost.
>
> The main difference is cultural. Being physically
weaker and having less
> authority (usually) woman may be prone to resentment
(occasionally) and
are
> forced to exercise power by proxy or in spheres left
to them by men
(usually).
Sorry, Kerry, but I must live on a different planet. I see
the difference between the sexes as vast (incidentally, I see
the main difference as biological, rather than cultural). For
example: women give birth, men don't. You could write a book
with the repercussions of that single difference (and
somebody undoubtedly has). For instance, a child asking a
priest what the difference between knowledge and faith was
might receive the following reply: "Child, your mother knows
that you're her daughter. Your father, well, he has faith
that you're his."
In terms of women writing male characters, I think the key
point to remember is that our instincts are different. For
example, a woman with a problem: male instinct is to help her
solve it. A man with a problem: female instinct is to offer
sympathy and support.
I'm going to shut up now before this descends into John Gray
territory.
Al
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