How can female - driven fiction avoid tired storylines?

In female - driven fiction, some tired storylines include the 'rebellious girl tamed by love'. It implies that a woman's strong - willed nature needs to be subdued by a man's love. Another is the 'female character who sacrifices her dreams for her family without any real self - exploration'. This often shows a lack of agency for the female character. Also, the 'woman who is only defined by her beauty or relationship status' is a tiresome plot. It reduces the complexity of female characters and fails to show their other important aspects like intelligence, ambition, or creativity.

The key is to make your characters complex and relatable. Give them clear goals, flaws, and motivations that drive the story forward.

First, you need to have a clear idea of the story you want to tell. Plan out the plot, characters, and their voices carefully. When it comes to the voices, look for people with good vocal range and acting skills. During the production, pay attention to the pacing. If it's too fast, the listener might miss important details. And don't forget to add suitable sound effects at the right moments to enhance the overall experience.

First, create complex characters. Give them a backstory, desires, and flaws. For example, a character who wants to be a famous artist but has a fear of failure. Then, let their actions be guided by these aspects. Also, show their internal thoughts and feelings. This can be through internal monologues or reactions to events. For instance, when faced with criticism, how does the character with the artist dream respond? Does it fuel their determination or make them doubt themselves more?

In character - driven fiction books, the focus is mainly on the characters' development, their personalities, and their internal struggles. For example, in 'The Bell Jar' by Sylvia Plath, it's Esther's mental state and her journey of self - discovery that are at the forefront. In plot - driven books, the events and the sequence of what happens are more important. In a mystery novel like 'The Da Vinci Code' by Dan Brown, the plot twists and turns are what keep readers hooked. Character - driven books often explore themes through the characters' growth, while plot - driven ones may use characters more as vehicles to move the plot forward.

Practice mindfulness. Be more aware of your thoughts and when you start to drift into fictional thinking. Try to bring your focus back to the present moment and the real world around you. This can be as simple as taking a few minutes each day to just observe your surroundings without any fictional overlay.

To create engaging characters in character - driven fiction, start with giving them unique personalities. For example, a character who is extremely shy but has a great sense of humor. Then, give them flaws. No one is perfect, and flaws make characters more relatable. Also, give them clear goals. A character who wants to become a famous painter but has self - doubt will be interesting to follow. And don't forget to show their emotions vividly.

Plot-driven fiction is where the story mainly progresses based on the sequence and development of events. The plot takes the lead, driving the characters' actions and decisions.

Character-driven fiction is all about the characters being at the center of the story. The plot develops mainly based on their decisions, growth, and interactions.

Start by listening to real conversations. Notice how people talk, the words they use, and the pauses. Then, apply that natural flow to your characters' dialogue.