25 June 2020

The Evernighties Weekly Blog Challenge - Week 26


Your Characters: Full Figured or Always Slim?


The title of this challenge may target "characters" but it's really about the heroine. Unfortunately, we still have a stigma about the size of women, perpetuated by a myth that only thin women are sexy. There are some authors out there that are trying to break that stereotype, like Sam Crescent, who's heroines are always full figured. She's found a niche in the genre that had been overlooked, and women flock to her books for great story-telling and relatable heroines living out a fantasy.

Most of the time I try to write normal females, which the average weight is about a size 12, but sometimes you have to write what the story dictates. For instance, if you're writing an apocalypse story, where food is scarce, more than likely you're not going to have a heroine that's full figured. And on the flip-side of that, think of the movie "Wall-E"...where everyone lived on floating platforms and never walked. Evolution diminished their bones and rendered them large people unable to get up if they fell off their beds.  

The way your characters look in context of your story is just as important as their mental and emotional development. If you're writing a historical, set in the past, the women back then were shorter and thin. Modern day has brought processed food, ready made deserts, and a softer living...so if your heroine is from the 1700s, thin is more appropriate for that time period.

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