What do male readers like in a heroine?

[Klinety66]

Just an average girl

She has her weaknesses and flaws but continues to work on them

She cannot be helpless but still needs her love interest's or friends help

Appealing but not over sexed is preferred

And with all main characters be prepared to put them through hell emotionally and physically

Don't be a nice writer

[mrkarifaman]

make a female character men can relate to, without making her a tomboy of 'tough girl'. someone who a guy can understand their choices, and motivation. most importantly, a character that the reader WANTS to follow. that doesnt mean they have to be good or perfect, but characters that the reader wants to know what happens to them. this is done well in the 'a song of ice and fire' series.

ps. im sure im not the only one who will buy your book : )

[hotwhire]

Dont make them whiny, useless, clingy or annoying.

[hotwhire]

I say avoid over sexualizing them. One of the reasons why I cant take Blood Rayne seriously and until now thought tomb Raider was a joke. A good female protagonist should be classy but still appealing. like Lara's rebooted self.

[Maikkacrackshiper13]

I meant I'm a girl not Immature girl stupid frikkin autocorrectDX

[Maikkacrackshiper13]

Immature girl but I think Katniss is good from hunger games but only for the 1st book & eh MAYBE the 2nd cuz the 3rd book sux ass cuz finnick is the only cool thing about it & he... *sob* nvm...

[Maikkacrackshiper13]

@Otamamon *gasp* I love that movie:D!!!! & I only like Sophie wen she's old, cuz wen she's young Shes so irritating she's like "I'm so ugly & sad & have no life". I don't understand how it's possible for a person too be really pretty yet really plain & mousy looking @ the the same time but she can pull it of. Anyway, old Sophie is awesome, howls cool but a drama queen. Calciferol pwns though I luv him so much. Y does the scarecrows like Sophie so much anyway she's irritatingDX?

[gt0sold1er]

A heroine who is resourceful, witty and independent, maybe with a hint of danger. Some examples would be Kerrigan (starcraft), Megumi (Rurouni) Kenshin, Lash (Dresden Files) and Ellen Ripley (Aliens).

[ChromeSeilot]

As long as the heroine isn't someone who is incredibly sassy and dosn't follow the stereotypical strong woman equals an ass kicker, effectively someone who is strong in their own unique way, I'm perfectly fine with any heroine created. Also I think one reason, males don't show much support for female main character stories is because there seems to always be a love triangle. Every single book I read with a female main character seems to have a central romantic plot. Hope this helps.

[TheBestseller1]

When you make the story not about gender and about the story. I think if the story has a strong, very relate able female protagonist then the male counterpart would enjoy the story. I read somewhere where a writer said not everyone is going to like your main lead but sometimes side characters or other main characters, so insert some relate able side characters and other main characters. I know this is 2011 but I hope you get a chance to get this. Thanks..

[Knightsofround12]

WOW, this is an old video but I think I could still answer if you're still writing. Lets see...someone who can stand and act independently on their own will and not be so fucking dependent on another source or person. Another factor I like is...the sense of humor of this person. This one is a bit of a nit pick but hey, I appreciate someone who can throw around a little dark humor.

[Jordanationalismtion]

Well, first, you should review some of the Mary Sue guides out there. I'm assuming you have, but even some of the positive things those guides advocate for a non-Sue character can be unappealing to guys. Generally, we want a girl character who gets things done, and plays some non-Sue roles. Take, for example, Daenarys Targaryen from A Song of Ice and Fire. She gets things done, she rises above her marriage-dictated role, and she's an interesting perspective. SOme call her a Mary Sue, but-

[Jordanationalismtion]

@Jordanationalismtion by the standards of other series, she goes through more personal hell and personal tragedy than most positive female characters in fiction could comprehend. Or, hell, you know who would be an interesting female character? A mostly non-attractive female character of greater age. Those two things alone can be off-setting to the standard female protagonist tropes.

[gchapman1211]

What she fantisizes about from a female perspective. (Not just men, but everything).

[PsychedelicDespair]

You're a really awesome person, I just wanted to say that. XD I write books too and yes, they're horror/fantasy, though I generally don't like to read straight up fantasy novels. I also like to mix in realistic fiction in my stories, so my characters seem like real actual people while real actual problems.

[ZeroMyHero99]

Someone like Hermione Granger!

[EasterGhost]

Someone who's cool and smart, but not all "Ooh, look at me, I'm so much more skilled than all the dudes, yet somehow I have to be rescued by them by the end."

[pegasusjin]

a good main heroine is not just the main character because she is, she must be part of the story and not just be dragged along the ride, she can be young and pretty it doesn't matter but she must be realistic and a little complex, doesn't matter if she is the loner type but she must also be shown why in her actions and not just because someone says so (but that also works if executed well) they can be strong and independent yet if hit by a problem can become vulnerable, depends on the story too

[Panzarkunst]

I see several people list "not slut/whore" as an important attribute. So, the main character should not be a prostitute?

People seem to have very different opinions on what makes a girl a slut. Often all it takes is her dating a couple of guys before eventually hooking up with the one she realises she really wants to be with (coughGINNYWEASLEYcough).

It seems to be way too easy to label a girl a slut or a whore. If you mean "not taking advantage of guys" or something, you can express it better.

[wrylie188]

I don't know about anyone else, but any girl who can snap my arm is ten times hotter IMO

[Prooface3456]

I enjoy seeing a woman who stays true to herself throughout the entire book. Someone who doesn't allow anyone to walk all over her. I enjoy seeing women with dark sides too because I just think it's interesting to see that. I mean, we see men snapping all the time but I think that if a female character did that, it would be very interesting. Of course, as dark as I like them, I would like them to have a soft spot for at least 1 person. It contrasts nicely IMO. I hope this helps.

[CobaltLuster]

Well, for me, it has to be heroines like Buffy. I mean, she fends for her own damn self, without being too whiny or emo about this entire ordeal; that's not to say, of course, that she can't exhibit human emotions. In fact, a good part of me liking a heroine is showing me that, while she can kick serious ass and is very independent and strong, she has a human side, just like any of us. It makes the character way easier to relate to, regardless of gender. Hope this helps.

[samdinol]

I love any heroine that has confidence without being overbearing. I know it's short, but that's pretty much it... for me anyway.

[NaruSakuHina5000]

Well comming from a guy myself then #1 she can't be ossesed with a obvious dickweed pretty boy but for some reason she's completley blind to it. #2 She has to be cute. Not certainly in looks but in behaviour. #3 She has to be able to frikkin see good qualities in other people #4 she MUST NOT be a helpless maiden. #5 She has to be able to see when guys are dark, manipulative and selfish #6 she won't pick the guy who is the stereotypical prince charming. Then she'll be perfect. What do you think?

[GueiGirl]

@NaruSakuHina5000

Amen Bro. Not all men like damsel in distress whores. I think it's sexist of feminists to put words in the mouths of the entire male gender. Everyone is an individual, whether they be male or female.

[Ayatron34]

- Depends on writing.

- Be careful when telling a romance from the female pov. Many Men will obviously have a hard time empathising with a girls feelings for another guy.

- Have a bit of quirkiness or weirdness in the personality or do whatever to make it different from the stereotypes - and if you choose to follow stereotypes than there is no where to hide. Writing must be excellent.

- Dont rely on fanservice or sexy descriptions. Its only words at the end of the day.

[Jekyllkun]

Personally I like strong willed, courageous, and compassionate heroines. To me a strong woman doesn't have to be a heartless b****h; having the courage to love is what I see as important. Also don't be afraid to let her piss off the readers. I mean real people, male or female, piss other people off at times so it makes sense that a good realistic character would do so. Hope this helps.

P.S. I'm a girl, but I have lots of male friends so I have an idea of how men think.

[MetalGearRaxis]

Hmm, what I like in a female character....

I like girls who are strong and can take care of themselves, but I also like them to be soft and cute at other times. Not the sort of strong where they chew up carpet like a vacuum cleaner, IMO that's just unappealing. I didn't really like Ripley for that reason.

I also kinda like girls who can be a little silly and ditzy at times, but not so much that they seem stupid and incompetent. Just every so often.

[goldeneyesoldier]

Unfortunately I cannot remember reliably anything about female novel main characters, as science fiction which I mainly read doesn't offer up much to my memory. Movies and Video games are easier for me to remember. Females that are intelligent,can adapt, are not dependant on anyone to make decisions or help them, are technically able, athletic in physique (but not overdoing it lol).Respected by men as colleagues..Samus Aran from Metroid and Ripley from Aliens come to my mind. Good luck.

[GueiGirl]

@goldeneyesoldier

But they turned Samus into a whore in the Other M. Nothing against sexy game girls, but don't make a strong woman into a Bella Swan slut.

[goldeneyesoldier]

@GueiGirl agreed

[HaloandMetroid]

@goldeneyesoldier Well Samus in every metroid game other than the Other M. Ellen Ripley was also a good heroine.

[ScottieDM]

Maybe you could find some novels written by men with a female lead, or just a strong female. (Yea, good luck, eh?) Perhaps a librarian could be of help.

Drmofothegreat had an excellent idea: "I would like to see a female protagonist be more of a saboteur than an asskicker..."

[Nades129]

Girl with a dragon tattoo, I enjoyed it!

Make a heroine that really despises her "ability or power" but she can't help but just accept it... Sounds cliche though. Or maybe not, because Ive been reading a lot of heroine main characters were they have a masculine qualities....

[Drmofothegreat]

lets see, necrophilia is always good,but that is usually for a male lead(coughwhitezombiecough). lesbians and pedophiles(or both at the same time), also liven things up a bit. but also beauty, such an innocent beautiful creature you cannot think of her being the evil and horrible monster that she truly is.

well these aren't traits of a heroine i know. how about the trickster? using underhanded means to get what she needs done.

the perfect, moral hero bores me underhanded victories are win

[Drmofothegreat]

kinda like the game Thief the god villain Constantine used Garret to get a magic stone eye and after he gets it, he reveals himself as the woodsy lord and takes Garret's eye. you kill him by stealing the original eye again and replacing it with a false one.

i would like to see a female protagonist be more of a saboteur than an asskicker maybe some ambush take downs if the need arises, but it shouldn't cause she should be smart enough to have bag of goodies to minimize physical conflict.

[Drmofothegreat]

for weaknesses drugs, lots and lots of drugs. because hell why not.

an opiate addict thieving saboteur sounds like a good heroine to me. far from perfect, but gets the job done.

[edvykoi]

a strong character who complete without a man such as Max fROM mAXIMUM rIDE Or (thogh not a book) Lightning from FF13 WHO IS extremely independent, not ugly or too gorgous (therefore not cliche) and unique

[TeasyMan]

I read a lot of books with female leads that I absolutely HATE.. And that's usually because they're so weak.. I feel like if you're gonna be the lead you should be able to stand on your own.. Give me a strong female that can kick some ass and not be weaker than everyone else in the book but somehow come out on top..

[csm1025]

I'd like to read a novel with a strong female lead. A girl who can throw a punch! No slapping and hair pulling! Someone who will fight tooth and nail for what she wants or believes is right!

[EmpressJudge13]

I know what you mean. The idea that all girls (fictional or otherwise) resort to hair-pulling and slapping is ridiculous to me. I'm no Amazon myself, but I can throw a decent right hook

[evinessioc]

Have you ever read the Maximum Ride series? Well, I know tons of guys who read that. The main character, Max, is a girl. She's tough physically and mentally.

Then again, there are guys who like Twilight. So...

[edvykoi]

Maximum Ride is amazing i think a book like that deserve more recognition then twilight

[Otamamon]

It depends on the age of the charactor and who they will be iteracting with.

For a teenage heroine, definitely focus on how she handles situations. The problem with characters like Bella is that they don't feel honest; more like the writer is dictating how they should react. As long as your heroine reacts realisticly, then guys can respect that. (Example: 'Thr3e' by Ted Dekker; Jennifer is professional and treats Kevin [love interest and client] as a client first and doesn't fawn over him.)

[Otamamon]

Oh, and the second part of my comment...

If you want to make things more interesting, then have the main character NOT be a teenage/middle-aged girl. Make her an elderly woman who isn't actually capable of supporting herself, but makes a point of doing as much as she can. I do wish that people would recognize more in the briliance that is "Howl's Moving Castle" (Studio Ghibli).

So yeah, convince us that she could exist outside of the story and you'll be ahead of many other authours.

[gruslen]

Oh, I loved that movie so much because of Sophie's characterization. She was one strong character and it was cool because she didn't have to throw a punch to be strong. Plus, she was realistic and just overall... fun. I have to say that Sophie is a prime example of a strong female role.

[awesomeNepic]

@Otamamon Studio Ghibli FTW!

[amdmiami]

I would really like to see more female leads that are truly independent. Bella Swan is not independent because she runs away from home, or jumps of cliffs, I'm talking about a girl who doesn't need a man to make her feel happy. Also, a girl who doesn't bitch and wine about everything, she needs to be able to get over things and put it in the past.

[IchixRukixHime]

why cant Ichigo be the one who gets captured and the girls save him for a change,you know what I mean? and the third Bleach movie,quess what??? rukia is captured again!!! UGH!

[IchixRukixHime]

when I think of a heroine,I think of BRAVE,Unique,Realistic,Serious but can have a good time,Friendly but strong and not whimpy,thats what I think,like one thing Im tired with Bleach is the girls get taken away,first rukia and she's suppose to be a female heroine,but yet she gets taken back to the soul society so easily and then orihime gets taken to hueco mundo,im like what the---??? it pisses me off,

[agenda666]

I love them independent, smart, unique, and realistic.

I dont want to read a book where the girl have this huge crush over a boy that cloud her mind, nor I want to be a damsel in disaster.

I love them strong in mind & sprit, and to be able to help herself without waiting for the knight in shining armor, or worse using her body.

[littlekitsune1]

I'm a female, but... Maybe a lesbian lead? xD That would certainly be a twist.

[goblingirl13]

Hmm, well being female my self, I hope this counts... lol I'm fond of reading about female charcters who are a bit odd in appearence, not just pretty and quirky. But definalte reading about a charcter who looks a little different is always appealing.

[DivineGrief]

Someone that isn't Bella Swan or a slut.

[TomMSTie1138]

@DivineGrief Ditto! A authentic personality is a must. Oh and not impossibly beautiful, with 6-pack abs, a midriff and can kick your ass. That's what I like to call a Scary Sue: the overused female protagonist in most sci-fi/fantasy.

[azerielli]

Hmm... I think you are going to get a lot of generic answers on this one.

Basically I'd say the sex of the main character doesn't usually matter as much as how the person reading relates to them... A good book doesn't have characters that are overly relate able though so it's a fine line.

Example: My friend is male and his favourite Naruto character is Hinata because the way she acts towards Naruto (shy as she has a crush on him) is something that he remembers doing.

[azerielli]

I know... Not what you would expect from a guy right? ^^. In television it's usually sex appeal. In books I do not know.

I'd say the way that the female character reacts to males is important. If she has a friend who is male she treats as just that, a friend it may help. Lot's of YA novels tend to focus too much on romantic aspects of boy/girl relationships instead of friendships.

I'd like to see more boy/girl platonic interactions. I'm guessing there are some boys that do to ^^.

[Rischan789]

I have to agree with you on that. I mean, I have a lot of guy friends that I have no sexual feelings towards. Not every relationship with a guy turns into love.

And I exceptionally hate when the only male friend a heroine has is guy. Is that how horrible she is, that she can't have a relationship with a guy that's platonic unless he's gay?!

[Rischan789]

lol. I meant "the only male friend a heroine has is GAY."

[azerielli]

Exactly. To draw in male readers YA novels really need to have just friendship between the heroine and a male who is straight.

When it's between a male character who's gay then you just get a creepy feeling if he was stright he'd just have to go for her, in most cases these days.

Or, like in Fishigi Yugi, the gay male character DOES fall for the heroine *headdesk*

[azerielli]

Haveing the guys only have romantic relationships, unresolved crushes or the inability to be those things do to orientation, with the heroine is likely a less discussed Mary Sue trait of many YA novels...even some o the good ones.

[Biancatheredhead]

Im writing a book with a female character as well... at first she is sweet and innocent but as she matures she becomes more "badass" and villianish you would say... im not sure if that would appeal to men either.

[EverVigil]

thats pretty hot

[HellDevil75]

It depends on the situation, plot, and what the main character is going through. What would be good of any character though is being a strong(mentally) type of character. To be able to get past hard struggles in the end without always having the guide of a male character the entire time.

[HellDevil75]

Oh, and one more thing: Its always good for the character to have some type of weakness. It can be physically or mentally. Like a really bad scar around the spine in which could make everything more difficult for said character to beat the situation she is in.

Or it could be mentally, like seeing her parents die for example. Things like that have to be focused on clearly to make sure they seem a bit more realistic, and it helps add in depth to the character if done right.

[EverVigil]

(I'll try my best not to be shallow)

I would be interested in a female main heroine/character who:

- is witty and has a sharp tongue.

- is damaged, defensive by nature and almost antisocial but is extremely loyal to those who are close to her.

- is very artsy- loves music, painting, drawing etc.

- is a vigilante- to the extreme where readers won't always agree with her decisions.

- is completely hopeless at some things (like cooking)

- frustrated easily

- is not a cheerleader (gawd please no)

[Cuddlebunzzz]

damn i was gonna say someone like Lara Croft =( not because of her body, but because she's witty and badass most of the time but still has her vulnerable moments and she's not totally heartless. but i don't know much about her since i've only played Tomb Raider: Legend, which is extremely short and only give some of her backstory. i do have some other good people to recommend, but they're not from books since i don't read much any more. i'll send you a message ;) stupid character count...

[CyberSpartan66]

I like to see a character like Elisa Masa from Gargoyles, a strong independent woman who is attractive but rarely shows off her sexuality, who can kick ass, and take control of a situation. Also guys like humor as well so as a suggestion, put in a comic relief, like Sokka from Avatar or throw in a villain who is just so devilishly evil you can't help but lov and hate him

[CyberSpartan66]

P.S.

or her

[xxSup3rMarioxx]

A person with a good backstory(like a disturbing past,ect) or a energetic girl (like Rikku from FFX) need to be hot too

[edvykoi]

i agree though disturbing past is becoming to cliche and overused

[YongWing1]

Me, I personally find Revy of Black Lagoon to be badass, but she's more of an anti-villainess than a heroine, so...

Thing is, your heroine needs to stand out. Study other heroines (ones that DON'T have to strip to get noticed) in pop culture and see what makes them tick, ex. Ripley of Alien, Sarah Conner of T2.

Best advice I can give you is most guys hate stagnant whiny heroines. They love women who are resolute in what they do and say, and take names on the way.

[YongWing1]

P.S. It also helps if your heroine's even less of a goody-goody-two-shoes than what is seen of heroines on broadcast TV.

[silencethedetective]

I'm actually going to be messaging you my response on this. I feel it's too long to possibly post in a comment box. :D

[MelinaPendulum]

Thank you that would be helpful ^^