Making a character in a book seem realistic and interesting is no easy task. It’s not down to just your skills as a writer, though. You actually have to know a bit about who you’re writing about. In other words—do your research. Unfortunately, some male writers out there seem to have major problems writing female characters and seem shy about asking their female friends for advice.
The ‘Men Write Women’ page on X (former Twitter) documents these scary and cringe-worthy examples of men writing about women without having any idea about them or their anatomy. The project was started back in 2019 when Meghan Vondriska launched her version of the ‘Men Writing Women’ Reddit community. Now, the ‘Men Write Women’ X page has over 69k followers, and there are over 2k fans who follow their Instagram page.
“Women just want to be written as human. That’s it. There isn't some wild scientific equation to writing women, and it isn't difficult. Write them as human, with complex feelings, not as body parts that happen to be put together into a feminine form,” Vondriska told Bored Panda.
Let’s take a look at these examples of how men write women and see what Vondriska has to say about this annoying depiction.
More info: MegVondriska.com
This post may include affiliate links.
This Is The Best One Yet
wow. so many weird misogynistic stereotypes here. Does this person also believe our wombs detach, fly about our bodies and make us crazy once a month?
We Don’t Get Real Pockets In Pants Because We Have Tiny Purses In Our Vaginas!!! (Stuart Woods, Desperate Measures)
This is horrifying. Has this man ever seen a vagina? I could not imagine jamming credit cards up it.
"3 And A Half Milliboobs Per Handful"
What Does it Mean When a Woman is Written by a Man?
At times, male authors depict female characters as sexualized, unrealistic beings who are mere accessories that meet the desires of these authors. Men portraying women in this manner is called the male gaze. The male gaze or a woman written by a man tends to focus on the body rather than the character itself. When women are objectified without giving them a voice in the story, it’s typically said that the woman is written by a man.
Yes, Men Would Be Amaaazing At Handling Pregnancy - Evolution Really Screwed This One Up. Bonus Points For “No Woman Gets Raped Unless She’s Looking For It.”
Oo. This writer does not like the look of pregnant women, so has decided that women must hate it - you know, because he hates it and they surely all want to appeal to him because he's so awesome.
Well Damn, Where Are All My Kids Then??
Oh someone needs to tell this person men also get stretch marks and they are not ll from having kids. weightloss or gain does it too
Let's Not Forget This Gem Either
Just imagine the reverse: "every hair in my beard becoming a tiny penis"
Women Written by Men: What Does Vondriska Say?
“I’m an avid reader, but the straw that broke the camel’s back was a novel my boyfriend lent me, where the female character was described by her breasts, and the male character was described by his personality.”
“Working in advertising, I tend to be Very Online, so taking my anger to Twitter seemed like a natural parallel. I was familiar with the Men Writing Women subreddit, but created a Twitter account in order to craft a consistent narrative and to build a community that wasn’t hidden behind anonymity,” Vondriska revealed what inspired her to create ‘Men Write Women.’
Vondriska, from Wisconsin, devours 3 to 5 books each week. (Meanwhile, our piles of started-but-unfinished books keep on growing.) According to her, a lot of male writers who tend to be thought of as the “founders of the literary canon” are continuous offenders. “John Updike, for instance. But the greatest repeat offender is definitely Stephen King. His portrayal of his female characters is honestly offensive,” Vondriska said.
Ugly Women Without Good Personalities Should Kill Themselves [rivers Of London By Ben Aaronovitch]
This Made My Breasts Frown
That's Not How Any Of This Works
Oh dear, this guy just revealed himself to be a very very confused virgin.
Male Authors Writing About Women Actually Well
However, it isn't all doom and gloom in the literary world. There are male writers who can write women well, too. “Terry Pratchett is wonderful, and I’ve yet to see a submission from Michael Crichton,” Vondriska shared that she, like many of us, is a Pratchett fan. Vondriska also pointed out that, in her opinion, the best writers are well-read. So, she encouraged all of us to read more and (most importantly) read more widely.
“Pay attention to what you’re reading and who you’re reading. You have to make sure your bookshelf isn't made up of just men. Add in some spice—some female authors, some nonbinary authors, or authors of color. And lastly, just because you were assigned a book in high school doesn't mean it’s good!”
Unsurprisingly, The Book's Terrible Writing From A "Proclaimed" Writer Does Not End Here (The Wedding Plot, Jeffrey Eugenides)
Boobs are testicles. They don't "withdraw" because there is muscle and a rib cage underneath and they are just mounds of fat and milk producing tissue. I feel like so many people here did not pay attention in health class. How can they be so clueless about the female body?
Male Authors Writing Women Are Actually Just Horror Stories And Here's Why
Ah Yes, Exactly How I'd Describe Myself (The Diamond Age, Neal Stephenson)
What is the Female Gaze Theory?
The female gaze theory refers to the female point of view in the story that focuses on the realistic depiction of the characters rather than objectifying their bodies. Usually, when netizens say, “written by a woman,” they are talking about this realistic female gaze that gives depth to the character rather than their physical appearance.
I'm Sorry, Her Breasts Do What
She's Eleven And Scared But Let's Talk About Her Nipples
This Whole Book Has Both My Eyes And My Boobs Rolling
Be Horrified With The Rest Of Us
Men like Conde should not be surprised that sexy women love other women, and he really should try to help that male chauvinism.
Breasts Totally Get Scared
The Count Of Monte Cristo- 1884
Plz Put This On My Tombstone #submission (The Dogs, Scott Smith)
*me To My Friend* Excuse Me, May I Please Borrow Your Eyeballs?
She Was Flesh And Blood, Not The 2D Woman He Was Used To Objectifying On Television, And For That She Was All The More Special (A Time On Earth, Vihelm Moberg)
Literally No Woman Would Ever Do This (Misterioso, Arne Dahl)
In the first place this whole soaking thing sounds like a dishcloth, this guy obviously doesn't know how pads work. In the second place, pads stick to underwear, in my experience you don't just "fish them out", this guy obviously doesn't know how pads work. In the third place, of course the only possible rational reason why a woman would refuse sex is because she's on her period!, this guy is obviously an effing asshole.
Only Sluts Have Hairy Legs (The Things They Carried, Tim O'brien)
dry sounds like she just needs to use more lotion. dry skin is horribly itchy
Thank God For The Bikini Wax.
Wish I Had Pillowy Breasts! Taken From Ben Fountain’s Brief Encounters With Che Guevara
I'm more concerned by the fact he seems to routinely check out boys' butts and uses that as the benchmark of sexy.
The Rest Reads “Dad Is Looking Like He Made A Better Decision Every Year”. What?!?
This Is A Totally Anatomically Normal Thing For Breasts To Do #submission (We Can Remember It For You Wholesale, Philip Dick)
These male authors are making my breasts pulse with resentment. They're really pissed off.
#menwritingwomen No Wonder Some Of Them Think Our Breasts Stop Us From Doing Stuff If They Think We’re As Obsessed As They Are. We Can’t Get Away From Them. Oh Must Do This Important Thing But Wait!
Well this seems to reinforce every ugly stereotype of men being sex crazed horndogs
'the Shining', By Stephen King. Its Always Breasts
Female Characters Are More Than Just Their Bodies
We understand your anger. It’s impossible to read the thread without getting infuriated about this poor depiction of women. You can take out your anger about these male writers and express yourself in the comments. After all, women are so much more than just their bodies. Share this not just with your fellow feminists but with other friends and family, too. It’s high time we call out these unfair depictions, don’t you think so?
I’m Not Sure It’s Physically Possible For My Eyes To Roll Any Further Back In My Head (Code Of Honour, Marc Cameron)
I'm Sorry Her What Winked?? (Eeny Meenie, Mj Arlidge)
In This, We Are All Joe (Open Season, Cj Box)
David Mitchell Accurately Describing The Plight Of Woman For Something So Simple As Picking A Seat On The Bus. They're Not All Bad
She Has A Fine, Beautifully Fleshed Skeleton, Guys. Author Jack Finney.
This feels like something a serial killer would say while thinking about how better to display said skeleton
Two Pages In. I'm Afraid To Keep Reading.
An Excerpt From A 1950s Newspaper Article, Very Obviously Written By A Man
Breasts Now Have Entire Personalities
This guy has probably been firmly and chastely refused by many breasts. I consulted with mine and they confirmed that they would indeed refuse him too.
Oh Yes, Totally Normal Metaphor For A Woman's Ability To Carry Children (The Stand, Stephen King)
I Just...
For Those Asking, This Is Iq84 By Haruki Marukami
Funny enough I have never thought of a person's breasts while mourning their death. Clearly I'm doing it wrong.
Keeping Your Emotions In Your Nipples Since 1980 (Number Of The Beast, Robert A. Heinlein)
Somehow I think that Deety's nipples will soon be perking up at the sound of her master's voice and swiveling toward him.
Ah Yes, Women's Most Base Instinct (Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep, Philip K Dick)
I'm Reading Joss Whedon's Original Script For Wonder Woman
Living In Squalor? Don't Buy A Vacuum, Just Get Yourself A Woman! (John Grisham)
Yes, you know, because when you have a penis, you don't have hands and that makes cleaning impossible.
Talking About The Appearance Of A Woman In A Concentration Camp. Voluptuous?! Really?!
I am mildly concerned how often women in this descriptions tend to be childish/girly/baby-like and that is considered as their best part. Also, with constantly errect nipples that can cut your throat/paper/steel/wood bark
Can't Wait For Everyone To Tell Me This Is 'Just How The Character Thinks' Because The Narrator Is A Damn Dog (The Art Of Racing In The Rain, Garth Stein)
This Detective Just Can’t Handle Meeting Women
"The reason African women have children is so that there's someone else to do the house-work" You WHAT mate?!?!?!
14 Pages In. These Girls Are 16. What The Hell Is "Light And Eager" Morning Sweat??
I Don't Even Know Where To Begin With This "Speaking Of Which, Her Breasts" Sir We Were Not Speaking Of Them At All "A Body Assembled Of Flat Planes" What Is She, A Piece Of Woodwork? (The Murderer's Daughter, Jonathan Kellerman)
Men Write About Women
Ah Yes, A Completely Normal Way To Describe One’s Daughter.
The Very Real Scientific Explanation™️ Of How Babies Are Made #submission (Cat Magic, Whitley Strieber)
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha Why do we even need pregnancy tests?
Well, My Tits Have Stood Up And Walked Out (Cosmopolis, Don Delillo)
I, too, would inhale my food after talking like that, if only to die and save myself from embarasment...
I Hate When My Titties Get In The Way Of Fighting
What??
Please Hear Me When I Say That Stephen King Has Literally No Chill And His Writing Of Women Is More Terrifying Than Any Novel He's Ever Written
Wtf, breasts don't stand "naturally upright" when a woman is lying down, unless they're full of silicone.
This Is More Terrifying Than The Clown, Tbh (It, Stephen King)
Men must be so sad that they can nurse only toilet paper.... calling to them "Nurse us. Nurse us. Nurse us on s**t!"
Honestly I Think This Is The Most Sexist Description We've Gotten Wtf David (John Dies At The End, David Wong)
It's Not Sexist If You're Comparing Her To A Boy!!!
Rosalind Franklin Was A Badass, And This Is How James Watson Described Her, The Woman Who Discovered The Molecular Structure Of Dna
We're all trying to save our daughters from marriages to dull men and bad authors
Literally What Part Of A Breast Looks Like A Goddamn Flower #submission (Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks)
Ah Yes, Nothing Like Seeing Some Casual Sexism Slipped In (Enders Game, Orson Scott Card)
Mmm Please Only Describe Me As Carb-Based Foods From Now On
Marion Deserves Better. "Had An Affair With Her When She Was Eleven." Face Vomiting (George Lucas, Stephen Spielberg, And Lawrence Kasdan Brainstorming Marion's Character In Indiana Jones)
Know We're Not Supposed To Poo-Poo Someone's Fetish, But This Is Downright Weird (Paris Trance, Geoff Dyer)
--I Don't Even Know Where To Begin But There's No Reason This Book Should Have 3.5 Stars On Amazon #submission (Journey To The Year One Billion, Gary Martin)
Tbh After I Lost My Virginity I Thought, "Huh, So That's Sex..." (Til We Have Faces, Cs Lewis)
Men Write About Women
Men Write About Women
Me: Maybe I Should Finally Give Writing A Real Shot Also Me: Nah I'm Not That Good, Why Bother Men:
Ah Yes, The Only Three Professions A Woman Can Hold (Cocaine Nights, Jg Ballard)
Bc The Only Thing To Mourn About A Woman's Death Is Her... Body? (World Without End, Ken Follet)
In his defence he usually has very strong and capable heroines in his stories, and I'm pretty sure a "small thing" can make grief well up for a lost one, without being what one misses the most. I certainly don't think this is as bad as the ones that define a woman by her vagina or giver her breasts feelings...
Men Write About Women
Only unattractive women are smart. Pretty women don't need brains because they have expressive breasts.
Are Your Breasts Proud ?
yes. women are pleased when a man tells her she has whore-colored hair. take notes, boys. -_-
After Reading This, My Breasts Are Now Crying Things
I'm From The Midwest So When I'm Surprised My Breasts Say "Ope, Sorry About That!
All Confrontational Women Were Molested At Some Point.
This Pussy Bites Back #submission (The Devil All The Time, Donald Ray Pollock)
Nobody remembers body parts however once u thought were perfect after 50+ yrs. U only remember how they made u feel. U also forget with time, how they looked
I am suddenly very aware that my breasts are complete underachievers. Does anyone know how I train them to do even half the things listed in this post? Most of the Boobs here seem to have the intelligence and sentience of the average 4 year old human child. I've just tried, but I can't even get mine to express mild disapproval. :-(
I'm beginning to think my breasts are just a couple of freeloaders, is there someway I can motivate them into doing something more than just hanging out and getting in the way?
Load More Replies...
I am amazed at how many have a tenuous understanding at best of female anatomy and how they anthropomorphize breasts and give them more personality than their female characters.
The problem here is that women are nothing but sexual objects to these types of men.
Load More Replies...
Challenge: describe yourselves in the style of these entries. I myself am tall, dark haired and willowy, with eyes like winter ice and breasts that are furious at the world around me.
No, go and describe men in the way these authors describe women. There will be so many confused and frowning penises!
Load More Replies...
I am suddenly very aware that my breasts are complete underachievers. Does anyone know how I train them to do even half the things listed in this post? Most of the Boobs here seem to have the intelligence and sentience of the average 4 year old human child. I've just tried, but I can't even get mine to express mild disapproval. :-(
I'm beginning to think my breasts are just a couple of freeloaders, is there someway I can motivate them into doing something more than just hanging out and getting in the way?
Load More Replies... I am amazed at how many have a tenuous understanding at best of female anatomy and how they anthropomorphize breasts and give them more personality than their female characters.
The problem here is that women are nothing but sexual objects to these types of men.
Load More Replies... Challenge: describe yourselves in the style of these entries. I myself am tall, dark haired and willowy, with eyes like winter ice and breasts that are furious at the world around me.
No, go and describe men in the way these authors describe women. There will be so many confused and frowning penises!
Load More Replies...