How to write strong women characters

What is the course about?

From love-interest to superwoman, how far - and how well - has the portrayal of women in fiction shifted since the #MeToo movement began and trans women have made gains in their fight for representation in popular culture? This one-off course in celebration of International Women's Day explores strong women in fiction and helps you find a way through the stereotypes and clichés to develop a truly powerful and authentic voice for your characters.

This is a live online course. You will need:
- Internet connection. The classes work best with Chrome.
- A computer with microphone and camera is best (e.g. a PC/laptop/iMac/MacBook), or a tablet/iPad/smart phone/iPhone if you don't have a computer.
- Earphones/headphones/speakers.
We will contact you with joining instructions before your course starts.

What will we cover?

- How women are portrayed in fiction - the Bechdel and Mako Mori Tests and beyond.
- How to write 'strong' women - what do we mean by 'strong' and how identify and avoid the clichés.
- Tools and topis for writing successful female characters.

What will I achieve?
By the end of this course you should be able to...

- Analyse what makes a strong woman character - and work out when 'strong' may be a cliché.
- Apply a single, simple technique for ensuring your woman characters leap off the page.
- Identify the elements in your story structure that give your woman characters genuine power.
- Feel confident about how to write a strong woman character - and start to create one.

What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?

This course is open to everyone with an interest in strong woman characters in fiction.

How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?

Tutor-led discussion, group exercises, and individual writing.


All writing courses at City Lit will involve an element of workshop. This means that students will produce work which will be discussed in an open and constructive environment with the tutor and other students. The college operates a policy of constructive criticism, and all feedback on another student’s work by the tutor and other students should be delivered in that spirit.

For classes longer than one day regular reading and writing exercises will be set for completion at home to set deadlines.

City Lit Writing endeavours to create a safe and welcoming space for all and we strongly support the use of content notes in our classes. This means that learners are encouraged to make their tutor and classmates aware in advance if any writing they wish to share contains material that may be deemed sensitive. If you are unsure about what might constitute sensitive content, please ask your tutor for further clarification and read our expectations for participating in writing courses at City Lit.

Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?

There are no additional costs associated with this course. Please bring writing materials.

When I've finished, what course can I do next?

Continue your writing journey with one of our introductory, intermediate, or advanced creative writing courses. Browse our online prospectus or give us a call for more information.

All students are invited to join us at Late Lines, our regular performance night for City Lit writers. Students are also encouraged to submit their work to Between the Lines, our annual anthology of creative writing. For the latest news, courses and events, stay in touch with the Department on Facebook and Twitter.