Does "Sex" Matter to You?

[Stacy]

Hi All,

 

Okay, get your minds outta the gutter, LOL! I mean in terms of what you read and write, does the gender of the main character matter to you?

Since we're all crime fiction writers, I'd love to see what you think. As readers, do you prefer the MC to be of a certain gender for you to be interested in the book?

As writers, do you prefer to write your MC as a certain gender? If so, please explain why.

 

Now to answer the questions, sex doesn't matter to me when it comes to the MC. I like female and male main characters. As long as the books are written in 3rd person I'm happy. Sorry, just not a first person chick, LOL.

 

I also write male and female MC's. It all depends on what I think fits the story best. I have the best of both worlds with the detective series I'm doing. The MC's are a female and male cop team and so they both get plenty of attention in the book and at times is shown from each other's eyes.

 

How about you guys? What do you prefer or does it not matter?

 

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net

[Lydia Sadler]

The gender doesn't matter to me, either. I like the narrative style as opposed to the first person. But if the story goes back and forth, that can sometimes be intersting as well.

[John Desjarlais]

I've written both but my stronger characters are women. Go fig. And I don't mean stronger physically - just more complicated and compelling. My current MC is a Mexican American woman who was a minor character in my previous novel. Readers tell me she is very interesting and that they are glad that the next book will feature her. They even convinced me to have her as a guest blogger at my blog so they wouldn't have to wait for the book to come out.

[W. S. Gager]

My main character is male in my Mitch Malone series and it is written from a first person point of view. I have had lots of males that I know well comment on the fact they were surprised by how true to his sex he was. They've asked how I got that perspective. I didn't want to tell them it was from watching them for years, but that is part of it. If you are good at characterization, the character will shine through regardless of the sex.

[I. J. Parker]

Quite right! A good writer watches all the time and wonders what makes people tick and what makes them different from each other. In fact, it's entirely possible to ask the other person questions about certain peculiarities. :)

[Kemosabe]

My MCs are mostly strong aggressive females. I like to read and write about them because they are outrageous. They are above the mold. When they battle and win they accomplish more because they come from the so-called weaker sex.

[Stacy]

I am glad to see so many male writers writing female MC's! I will read any MC but as a woman, I of course relate to women better! I also love to read about strong women. I hate weak-minded women. I also think that whether the MC is male or female, the author should be true to the character.

I had a feeling that what some folks say about male readers not liking to read books with female MC's in crime fiction was a myth. I've always heard (from industry folks), that male readers often don't like to read books from a woman's POV but I thought it was nonsense from the beginning. It's the same as when people say men don't read crime books from women. I don't see that from the male readers I know. They read from everyone and that makes me feel good being a female crime writer. I want everyone to enjoy my work and not look at my sex or the sex of my characters as a reason to avoid my work.

I think people say this because they hear a few men saying something then they run with it. Just because some men don't like to read books by women or whatever, doesn't mean they all don't. Just like I know some women who say they don't like to read books with male MC's at all. But just because these women don't doesn't mean no woman does.

There's so many folks generalizing things in the industry and stirring things up. I am glad that from my end, these "myths" don't seem to be true. Maybe in the older days it was but, I don't think it is now. At least, I don't see these types of sexist attitudes coming from readers myself.

Or am I just being naive? Have any of you guys experienced this stuff personally as writers?

Best Wishes!

http://www.stacy-deanne.net

[I. J. Parker]

Well, actually there are more female readers than male readers. Hence both male and female authors cater to them. That means more tough female protagonists, because that's what (younger) women like to read about. Men generally prefer action-packed books, while a large portion of the older women still like safe, pleasant little murders in the vicarage.
The world is full of sexist attitudes, and since reading a book is a very private entertainment, readers don't have to be PC.
I must say I'm very pleased that I have as many male fans as female ones, and a lot of couples where both love the books. I must be doing something right.