Things You Should Try to Avoid Doing as an Author

Writing from the opposite sex's POV

Dedicated to Lily3333kitty because she suggested this topic! If any of you have topics you'd like me to do a chapter on just ask in the comments!

Writing from the opposite sex's POV;

Warning; This advice probably isn't the best. These are just tips on ways that can help you write from the opposite sex's POV. I am not an expert in any of these subjects, but especially this one.

Note; before writing and researching you should know at least a little bit of what you want your character to be like. Egotistical? Sensitive? Ect. This will help when you are doing research!

Writing from the opposite sex's POV can be hard. How are you supposed to know how their minds work? 

Well the first thing you shouldn't do is think you cannot do it. Because you can. It is not impossible. And if you think it is impossible then here is a quote for you.

“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!” - Audrey Hepburn.

This doesn't mean that it's easy and you should dive into it. All of us - me included - have tried to write in the opposite sex's POV without preperation. Why are we trying to write from a guy's/girl's POV when we know nothing about what goes on inside their minds? Well we try to get into their minds of course. 

How do we do that? You ask. Well, there are many ways to do this. The easiest and probably most effective way is to spend time with the opposite sex. I'm not talking about a boyfriend or girlfriend. I'm talking about several people you know of the opposite sex. Of all ages too. 

Now when I say "spend time with the opposite sex" I don't mean just spend time with them. Get to know them. Get inside their minds. Ask questions. Research is one of the most important things for your story, but we'll talk fully about that another time. Take notes or record it sometimes too. This will help you remember it and then you can go back to it aswell! 

What do you do if you don't have men or women of all ages to talk to?

Well you shouldn't watch movies! Movies are unrealistic! Nobody really acts that way and school is nothing like they make it out to be. Movies and television shows are unrealistic. As an author you should try to avoid using TV shows and films as research. Unless they are informitive, but those kind of films or shows are quite boring. 

Books. Realistic fiction. That is what might help if you do not have people to talk to, or you're too embarressed to get into their heads. If you are female then read some books written by men in a man's POV. Try books by someone like John Green if you're writing romance. If you're writing horror or something then read horror books, maybe some Stephen King books. If you are male and trying to write from a female's perspective then read some books written by women in a woman's POV. 

Don't complain and say "oh, but I don't want to read Twilight or some shit like that!" You don't have to read books like that. There are some books written from a female's perspective written by a female that can be read by guys too. Not all books are as bad as Twilight! (Sorry if you're a fan!) And that goes for you females who might complain about reading books written by guys too! 

You should also read books where the author has written in the opposite sex's POV. See the difference. 

As I am definately not an expert at this I will give you a bad example of writing in the opposite sex's POV first. Just to let you know I am female so this will be from a guy's POV. Let's call him Austin.

Austin's POV;

             Relationships are pointless man. Totally pointless. There's no way I'm going to try that shit again. Shiela was enough for me. In fact she was too much dude. Girls are good for one thing only. If you get my drift. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.

               Rachel, my doll of the day, clings to my arm. I shake her off and she pouts. Ugh, why are girls so freaking clingy? Pushing her against the lockers I smile at her before taking her lips with my own. It doesn't take long until we're in a heated make out session way too hot for public. 

                  The sound of gagging makes me break away. I turn around to see Shiela stood there hands on her hips tapping her foot with impatience. Great, this is exatly what I need right now. Note the sarcasm. "What whore?" Rachel asks. 

"Yeah because I'm the whore here." Shiela replies sarcastically...

Okay so it's not a full thing like usual, but my mind went blank whilst trying to think of a storyline for the snippet/example. I usually have a random idea, but I didn't today. Anyway you get the drift. The passage is long enough. Right?

Not only is it unrealistic because nobody really talks like that, but it was terrible cliche. Why do all the guys have to be jerks who give up on girls or just use them for sexual pleasure? (More on annoying cliches next time!) Not all guys are discusting jerks!

Another way you should not write when writing from a guy's perspective. (If you're female.)

               Tears are bought to my eyes as I think of Janice. My everything. I don't know what I'd do if she ever left me. I love her so much...

Once again it is short. Shorter than the first, but as you can see it is all touchy feely. Sure your guy can confess his love, she can be his everything, but it will probably take a lot more to bring tears to his eyes. And he probably wouldn't admit all of that in a random confession.

We get that your main character that is a guy is sensitive, but he does not need to sound like a girl. Guys don't go around twirling their hair! (Not all girls do that either, I know!) Boys are not as over dramatic as girls. They're not under sensitive, but it takes a lot more for guys to cry than it does for girls. Or to show as much emotion. 

And guys, not all girls are over dramatic sluts or over sensitive.. Stop sterotyping and do some research!

Unfortunately this chapter does not include a "good" example. What is the reason for this? Well I don't think I'm a good enough writer to do it correctly. I'll attempt it if enough of you ask, I'll just edit this chapter and try to do a good example, but if not then I won't do one. I don't want to disappoint you, or give you the wrong idea of what a good example would be!

What's your opinion? Did I miss anything? 

The next chapter will be about cliches and how to hopefully avoid them!