Leigh Michael’s Writing Between the Sexes Class
Mar
26, 2010 |Filed in:
UncategorizedI just spoke with author Leigh Michaels about a conference she spoke at a year ago where she talked about the differences between how men and women think. She gives a great talk and I’d recommend it to anyone who has the opportunity to attend. She said she’s offering another Writing Between the Sexes seminar next month for the FFP chapter of RWA, and maybe later in the year for Carolina Writers online. There’s a link to the first one on the homepage of her website.
I contacted Leigh because of CNN article by Louann Brizendine where she discusses how the male brain works.
I LOVE your blog header – it's gorgeous!! 🙂
Thanks, Shannon! It's a scan of a piece of silk my husband and I brought back from our first trip to China.
Okay, here's a question for your research-what happens when a woman writes like a guy?
I swear I really do have this problem! LOL
Actually, there are some of us who tend to think more toward the male side (and naturally some men who tend to think more toward the female) so your problem is not a problem so much as an opportunity. You can more naturally appeal to both sexes. Coincidentally, I'm in the same situation, Suzan.
One of the things Leigh mentions in her talk (which I did an earlier posting on, so you can search for her name and it should come up if you're interested) is that women tend to ask for permission and/or opinions. "Do you think it's time to get more milk?" means, "You drank the last of the skim!"
Men state facts and make demands. "I will do this. You do that." When I went through my novel, I discovered I'd done almost all of my male conversation with affirmative dialogue. I was ELATED as I have a huge cast of almost all male characters. LOL. I wasn't quite as lucky in my body language, and needed to make changes for the sake of believability.
Leigh goes into LOTS more detail in her talks, of course.
Thanks for mentioning the "Writing Between the Sexes" seminar, Victoria! I'm really looking forward to doing this month-long workshop for FFP — starting in early April.
As for the question about a woman who writes like a guy — good for you, Suzan. You've taken a big step toward making your work appealing to male readers, by making your men sound like men and not like girlfriends. (But watch out that your women still sound like women!)
Thanks for dropping in, Leigh!