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Source: https://writers.stackexchange.com/a/33712
License name: CC BY-SA 3.0
License URL: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/

 **"When a woman picks up a fantasy novel with a female protagonist today – and that is all she knows – what would she expect?"**

I expect growth in characters regardless of gender and I don't care (too much) where they start on the competency scale. But they'd better end up further along, through insight, and trial and error.

I'm most happy when a character's **strength** is recognized not in traditional terms - but rather in a variety of possible other manifestations.

In particular, I most enjoy those female protagonists that have strengths in the following areas:

1. Resilience 
2. Cleverness
3. Stamina / Persistence
4. I prefer that they hold to ideals
5. I prefer that they are relational and that this impacts their decisions.
6. I prefer ethical protagonists (but find deceptive characters fun.)

I don't care about sword fighting and archery, particularly in a female protagonist. If that is all she has I am not interested in her.

There is a sexist notion 'out there' that one strength of the female gender is being the go between, the oil in the system, the sweet and soft middle between two crusty oreo cookies. This idea can be taken to an extreme (bad; stereotypical). But to write those qualities out of the story in an effort to make a female protagonist 'stronger,' is a mistake. If the female pro-tag does not have insightful and relational qualities, then someone else in the story needs to. In my opinion. A story should have relationship as an element.

What I dislike in female protagonists is a direct mimicking of a historically classic male protagonist, particularly when such characters lose the qualities (above) that I think are intriguing.

I am not looking for a witch or a magical power. I like female protagonists that buck the system, such as the Renunciates on Darkover. they have their code worked out, they are true to it, they face opposition from society, they persevere, and (very incidentally) some fight with swords.

Original score: 5