The X Chromosome Factor: How to Write a Strong Woman

In the above picture, you see the Greek goddess Athena. What does she say to you? What type of feminine air does she invoke in you? Is she timid, fussy, or frightened?

Take a closer look, and you'll see the answers to the questions I'm asking. She may be wearing an elegant gown of gold; however, she's anything but fussy: she's fierce. She holds a spear and a shield. She wears the headdress of a warrior, because that's exactly what she is: she's the goddess of warfare.

But, just like every other woman, she's more than that. And that's the most important thing to understand when writing a strong female character. People tend to make their strong woman stereotypically harsh and cold, lacking all feelings and emotions. And usually, quite frankly, she's a whore. Because that's the biggest stereotype of all, isn't it? The stereotype that women gain power through sex.

Athena didn't. Throughout mythology, she remained a virgin. The Dark Ages are gone, fellow writers! Women in this day and age don't have to rely on sex to gain the benefits of society and power, just as the goddess Athena didn't.

And like Athena, other strong women have countless layers. Athena wasn't only the goddess of war. She was also the goddess of peace, which many would say is the flip-side of war. She was the goddess of wisdom, reason, handicrafts, and strategy; just as well, she was the patroness of heroes.

Athena represented the practical aspects that make women strong. While Hera, Artemis, and Demeter represented the other feminine attributes, Athena represented those which rivaled men. And still, she was revered.

Why is that? Why, in what we call the ancient times, did people -- even men -- worship a goddess who was strong, virtuous, and dynamic? I think we all know the answer to that: it's because she seemed so human.

And that's what you want to convey, above all else, when writing a strong female character: you want to convey her humanity. You want to show all of her layers. A woman might be war, but that same woman might also be peace. And it's not because she contradicts herself; rather, it's because she's real.