Young Writers Society

I've been working on a YA fantasy fiction novel for almost a month now. That's not very long, but I've been developing some characters. A lot of the concept art can be seen in the art section of the literary forums.

Anyway, I'm not sure if I want my main character/s to be boy/s or girl/s. After reading a few things in the fantasy fiction section as well as a few published novels, I've come to remember why I severely dislike female protagonists.

Initially, the protagonist was going to be a girl. But looking at it, planning what I'm going to write, I'm going to hate doing it. So, instead I was going to perhaps make it a duo of brothers. Not twins as that's been done especially in Dragonlance (ala. Raistlin and Caramon Majere).

Now, Corin and Minnow Malsef would be their names. Corin is big, bulky and buff. He's also the main protagonist. He has meat on his bones, a bit of girth to his middle. Meaty arms and strong hands round him out. Minnow is as yet to be determined in body type. Making him skinny would be just like every other brother duo anyone's ever read about. But at the same time, it wouldn't suit to have two bulky brothers.

I just don't know what I want to do. I've pretty well decided that the protagonist is not going to be a girl. I don't think I'd enjoy writing it. I find it easier to write for men and boys.

So I'm not exactly sure what I'm asking. Maybe on the body type for Minnow, maybe opinions on boy v. girl protagonists. I like the latter. Which do you prefer? Boys or girls?

Minnow just makes me think of a skinny kid ^^'

I almost always write with a guy as the main character. I seem to be unable to help it. Perhaps I have some great hate for females? And I usually struggle with my female characters, anyhow. Perhaps it is proof that we are odd creatures when we can't even understand ourselves enough to write about us x_x

Men just fit me better. Perhaps it is because of the plots I tend to think up.

Although, I have thoughts floating around for a novel/memoir I might use as my NaNoWriMo project. Since it'll be events with a lot of my life and emotions cast on it, the main character will be a girl. Although, I'm stuck on what pov to use. But that isn't for this discussion ^^

Stick to the boys! They're so much cuter, anyhow.

Just...don't describe body type, unless it's important to the story- like, you're trying to emphasize how a character is gross or something. But, if it's just for kicks, it's too much of a hassle to think up, and there's always the question of: why can't the brothers be of the same physique?

I like guys, better, too- they tend to be weirder, at least in my experience. XD

I like girls. Not fantasy archetype girls... real girls. And women. They're more fun to write for.

But with your guys, do they have to be extremes? Why does one have to be big and bulky and the other be skinny? It's like Jack Sprat and his wife.

What if they were both normal-sized? Or maybe his brother is slightly less bulky than him, but not so much so, just enough to be different? You don't have to stick with the extremes.

Yeah, Snoink makes a good point. You don't have to go to extremes.

In one novel I'm working on, the main characters are four sisters. They all have different eye colors and hair textures, but they're basically the same height and build - mostly short and fairly solid. No waifs for me!

But I don't think it really matters too much how they look as long as their personalities fit well.

Corin's body type of bulky will play a part in the whole thing. I want to emphasize a change in him through both personality and physical attributes.

In the original character sketches, Minnow was skinny and bitter toward his brother, but all of that is going to likely change. But Corin's body type is definitely relevant to the story itself. I'm not too certain about Minnow's.

I'll probably stick to boys because I cant' stand writing for girls. I don't think I'll ever figure out why.

I severely dislike female protagonists.

I'm going to hate doing it.

I cant' stand writing for girls

It doesn't seem logical to be writing something that you are going to hate in the long run.

I know, I definitely am not fond of many female main characters in fantasy fiction.

(Hermione Granger is getting on my nerves especially much right now.)

However, if you try to break away from the archetypical it can be lots of fun.

But, on the other hand, I find myself liking my male protagonist more than the female one at the moment. Mostly because I feel more tempted to make her hormonal and emotional for added angst.

*whacks hand*

I also agree with Sam. I think I've realized more and more that physical description, more often than not, takes away from the story. I cringe when I see mentions of "raven-colored hair" or "piercing blue eyes" in the first few paragraphs. As long as it's not just because you want to point out the differences between the brothers, I think it'll be alright though. Don't worry about the other brother, just figure out what seems to fit for Minnow.

I don't really have preferentials in what gender my main protagonist is though they mostly tend to e male (easier to write I suppose). However, I'll usually have a female character as the second protagonist. On body type, I suppose unless it's really relevent to the story then you shouldn't wind yourself up too much about it.