[Guest]

a romance between a brawnier girl and a wimpier seeming guy? It doesn't have to be genre romance and the guy doesn't have to actually be cowardly or mentally weak, but just any romantic relationship with a more physically imposing female than male. For me both of my currently published novels have this trope... the next one won't though since the MAN is 6'8 and 380 pounds.

 

[Nathalie Hamidi]

Mine is not brawnier but is actually more powerful than the love interest. Does that count? 

 

[Guest]

Mine is not brawnier but is actually more powerful than the love interest. Does that count?

Having greater magical/supernatural/etc. powers, being smaller but physically stronger yes... talking physical imposing-ness.

 

[Carradee]

*raises hand*

It's more epic fantasy than romantic fantasy, but the main romantic sideline of A Fistful of Earth features a brawnier girl than guy. The following book will feature a bulkier girl than guy, though the guy will be better at combat than she is. He's slender, and she's…um, big.

I have plans for another title wherein the FMC will be a mercenary and the MMC will be a crippled wizard. (Okay, so that pair shows up in A Fistful of Earth, but I want to write the story of how the two of them got together.)

Those are the only ones I can think of that might fit what you're saying, though I have a novelette in betaing that features a girl who looks like a kid who likes a military guy, so you'd expect him to be stronger and all than she is…except she's a 200-year-old vampire, and he's a 40-year-old human.

 

[Guest]

*raises hand*

It's more epic fantasy than romantic fantasy, but the main romantic sideline of A Fistful of Earth features a brawnier girl than guy. The following book will feature a bulkier girl than guy, though the guy will be better at combat than she is. He's slender, and she's…um, big.

I have plans for another title wherein the FMC will be a mercenary and the MMC will be a crippled wizard. (Okay, so that pair shows up in A Fistful of Earth, but I want to write the story of how the two of them got together.)

The first and last fit what I'm talking about perfectly. The one with the guy being a better fighter could still fit if the girl appears more physically threatening (you don't have to be stronger/more imposing to be a better fighter), but I'm guessing from your wording she might just be chunky?

 

[Carradee]

The first and last fit what I'm talking about perfectly. The one with the guy being a better fighter could still fit if the girl appears more physically threatening (you don't have to be stronger/more imposing to be a better fighter), but I'm guessing from your wording she might just be chunky?

She's part giant (it's fantasy) and therefore large-framed, plus she's on the heavy side. She's fairly strong, but he's a better fighter and he trains more, so they're probably comparable, strength-wise, but he knows how to use it better. He's very slender, though, because he's pretty much an elf, so unless they're showing enough skin to make obvious who has the muscles, she'd probably look more threatening than he would.

 

[Guest]

She's part giant (it's fantasy) and therefore large-framed, plus she's on the heavy side. She's fairly strong, but he's a better fighter and he trains more, so they're probably comparable, strength-wise, but he knows how to use it better. He's very slender, though, because he's pretty much an elf, so unless they're showing enough skin to make obvious who has the muscles, she'd probably look more threatening than he would.

Then yeah that would qualify, since a giant bouncer who's an average fighter is probably more imposing at first sight than a skinny martial arts expert.

 

[SBJones]

In my trilogy, the love interest woman is far more powerful than the main hero.  However by the end of the trilogy, he catches up with his own powers, and she remains fairly static in hers.  She starts out fully trained and experienced in fighting and racks up a body count through the three books that's a multiple of everyone else combined.  He starts of completely ignorant of his powers and they ramp up through growth and experience.  He does spend a lot of his time in book one trying to impress her and fails miserably at it.

One thing that ended up happening was at the end of book three, during the final battle they fought as a team for the first time.  It was a lot of fun to write and it stepped up the action to a new level.

 

[41413]

My heroines tend to be physically stronger than the heroes, yes.

Question: Is there a particular reason you keep starting new threads like these? Are you trying to find books to read, or just really fixated on discussing brawny women, or...? No judgment. Serious question.

 

[Guest]

just really fixated on discussing brawny women

And there aren't enough 'content' threads IMO so I provide some. Also I meant more 'looks physically imposing' as opposed to being factually more powerful.

 

[Nathalie Hamidi]

My heroines tend to be physically stronger than the heroes, yes.

Question: Is there a particular reason you keep starting new threads like these? Are you trying to find books to read, or just really fixated on discussing brawny women, or...? No judgment. Serious question.

I personally would like more threads about:

• red-haired women
• sashimi
• turtles and octopi

because it is a fixation of mine.

 

[George Berger]

And there aren't enough 'content' threads IMO so I provide some.

How about a 'content' thread that doesn't have anything to do with your fetish, just for the novelty?

 

[Guest]

How about a 'content' thread that doesn't have anything to do with your fetish, just for the novelty?

The scars/ugliness one didn't have to do with their size/strength...

 

[41413]

I was thinking of starting a thread called, "How many of you write books with heroes meant to resemble Ewan McGregor from Moulin Rouge? Or Chris Hemsworth. Or Richard Armitage. Any of the above, really."

No...really. If you have a book like that, call me.

I love unique craft threads, and gender/feminism is of particular interest to me. The main problem with this kind of thread popping up repeatedly is that it's not really a great launching platform for a real discussion. It's just a show-of-hands question. Since many folks have answered similar threads before, would you instead like to discuss why you're so fixated on very strong women getting punched in the face a lot, and the messages you're attempting to convey in your fiction?

 

[Guest]

Since many folks have answered similar threads before, would you instead like to discuss why you're so fixated on very strong women getting punched in the face a lot, and the messages you're attempting to convey in your fiction?

I'm not sure I'm actually trying to convey a message there as having something different from the norm by focusing on the heroines' ability to take punishment and damage soak, and also I just find that style really cool... so you're read the Gothic Warrior shorts I presume?

 

[41413]

No, I just remember you posting once about having one of your female characters pinned to the ground and punched senseless, because being a damage sponge is Super Hawtt. I have a good memory for things that creep me out.

In paranormal fiction, particularly, I think you'll find women are frequently the strongest badass around in one way or another, whether by virtue of strength, magic, or willpower. Joss Whedon kind of set a precedent for that fifteen years ago. The urban fantasy genre is 90% books like those you've described as well. Strong female characters are not outside the norm.

Whether or not we intend to have a message behind our books, fiction often speaks loudly about the author's worldview anyway: his politics, his life, the way he regards women and himself. Although a good story always comes first, you might want to consider the level of detail about your inner thoughts that you're sharing with the world in these stories, and your very public forum posts.

 

[Monique]

I was thinking of starting a thread called, "How many of you write books with heroes meant to resemble Ewan McGregor from Moulin Rouge? Or Chris Hemsworth. Or Richard Armitage. Any of the above, really."

No...really. If you have a book like that, call me.

I love unique craft threads, and gender/feminism is of particular interest to me. The main problem with this kind of thread popping up repeatedly is that it's not really a great launching platform for a real discussion. It's just a show-of-hands question. Since many folks have answered similar threads before, would you instead like to discuss why you're so fixated on very strong women getting punched in the face a lot, and the messages you're attempting to convey in your fiction?

Oh, Chris Hemsworth and Richard Armitage....

Anyway, yes, I'd echo this sentiment. *Why* we (you) write the things you do is far more interesting than a "me too" sort of thread. What is about these characters/situations that turns you on (as I writer, I mean). Why do you like to hurt them? Do your stories have a hurt/comfort vibe? Is it something else?

 

[Guest]

In paranormal fiction, particularly, I think you'll find women are frequently the strongest bad*ss around in one way or another, whether by virtue of strength, magic, or willpower. Joss Whedon kind of set a precedent for that fifteen years ago. The urban fantasy genre is 90% books like those you've described as well. Strong female characters are not outside the norm.

I know, but the emphasis on the damage soak is what I think might be fairly unique...

 

[41413]

I know, but the emphasis on the damage soak is what I think might be fairly unique...

What about the idea of a woman soaking up so much damage is appealing to you? The act itself? The way she overcomes it?

 

[Guest]

What about the idea of a woman soaking up so much damage is appealing to you? The act itself? The way she overcomes it?

The way they overcome it is, I find it more badass when they take a lot of damage and show epic toughness by still prevailing. Often the damage soak is the difference between winning and losing in my stuff, although the heroines certainly don't lack for strength/skill/speed either.