Tips For Writing More "Masculine" Characters
There's nothing quite so jarring as reading a male character who speaks and behaves more like a teenage girl. Whether the differences are biological or sociological in cause, there are definitely some common differences in the way males and females tend to speak and behave that (at least at this point in time - in the future, as societal norms change, who knows?) typically need to be accounted for.
Please note that I am writing this as a general guide, and not as a guide (let alone a rulebook!) for all male or "masculine" characters everywhere, since there will always be justified exceptions - not every man or "masculine" persona finds slapstick hilarious, for example. That said, if you're writing or roleplaying a male character who is presented as or is supposed to be a relatively conventionally masculine male, you should definitely keep many of these in mind. But do remember - you need not apply each and every one to every male character you have.
(And no, if you are female and you feel that any of these apply to you, I am not implying you are male. Females can and do exhibit all of these traits. The human race is a many-splendored thing, and far less dichotomized than society tends to think.)
So here are some things you might do try make your characters appear a bit more "masculine," though of course they need not all apply to each and every male character. (And probably shouldn't, lest you end up with them coming off as caricatured and cartoonish.)
- Often, men tend to be more assertive and direct in general. To reflect this, you might make your character's dialog more direct - get to the point. You might also avoid ending sentences with ellipses (you know, those three dots - ...) unless absolutely necessary. Ellipses almost always indicate someone with a more passive or uncertain nature, whereas men tend to be more assertive. You might try to avoid frequent "uhhhs" and "ummms" - which often indicates a passive/uncertain nature. You might also try to keep your character's wordcruft down - EG, avoid useless words and idioms such as "so, like..." and other such bits of fluff that add no information to what the character is saying.
- You might avoid having your character use "cute" or diminutive words (eg, "kitty" or "tummy") in the presence of people your character would have reasons not want to be perceived as childish or "feminine" in front of. Likewise, your character should probably refrain from gushing about how "cute" or "adorable" something is in front of people xe thinks would look down upon xir for expressing such views.
- You might avoid having your character use frequent dramatic exclamations such as "OHMIGOSH!" and the like.
- While male-type folks do gossip, keep in mind that they're somewhat less likely to use gossip as a weapon, instead going for direct confrontations, whether these confrontations are physical or verbal. (Some exceptions may apply, such as if the character is in a position where xe has a certain image to maintain.)
- Whether or not they act on it, they might have a somewhat higher drive/urge to get into a physical fight with those xe finds sufficiently disagreeable. (This is not to say that they should all be barely restraining themselves from violence every time they get the least bit cheesed off, mind. Someone with reactions that extreme probably has an anger disorder.)
- In general, those perceived as male are often taught and conditioned to appear "strong." This can lead to suppressing "soft" feelings such as sadness or sentimentality, and concealing pain. On the other hand, "strong" emotions such as anger and outrage are more often considered acceptable feelings for a male to express.
- While your characters may be fashion-conscious, keep in mind that being concerned with fashion is perceived as a feminine trait in many cultures. If the society your character lives in would view this negatively, xe may avoid showing too much interest in fashion in front of others.
- In general, male-bodied folks have a somewhat poorer ability to distinguish between color than female-bodied folks, which means spending slightly less time trying to coordinate colors because differences in hues are not as noticeable.
- Male-type folks are often more amused overall by slapstick humor and pratfalls - IE, the type of thing you see on America's Funniest Home Videos.
- If your character has any sort of sexual drive at all, xe should probably appreciate the body of anyone he finds attractive. Your character doesn't have to be a complete lout or lech about it, but it's pretty unrealistic not to have some appreciation of the bod going on. (Actually, this goes for all genders.)
- Keep in mind that whereas female-type people often tend to have fantasies with a fairly strong focus on romance, male-type people tend to have fantasies that focus more on power and overcoming rivals, with romance as the delicious cherry on top.
- Finally, if you're having difficulty writing a male character's speech, try to imagine some guys you know and/or various male characters saying or doing what you plan on writing for your character. Does it sound like something that guy would say or do? If not, modify it until it does.
Also, check out:
Simple Tips To Put Yourself In The Shoes Of Characters Who Aren't You