Stereotypes in stories.

[newcitywriter]

Ok, so you're meant to write about what you know. So I did this with a writing exercise about a couple in a car, the woman is driving, the man is navigator and refuses to check the a-z as he 'knows the way'.
So yeah, ok, I used stereotypes, but it made it easier for me to come up with two characters, and it was only an exercise. I got my boyfriend to read it, and his only comment was that the characters were stereotypes. Honest, but I didn't know what to do with that.
But how ok is it to use stereotypes in a short story for example, or a play? If we are meant to write about what we know, and stereotypes do exist in real life (where else could they come from?), then can we use them in writing?

[SapphireSeaBird]

Use them, sure, but don't overuse them. It can provide a nice change if you switch things around a bit now and then, plus stereotypes can very easily lead to a piece of writing become cliche.

I know what you mean, in that you want to write about what you know but that doesn't mean you have to stick to stereotypes. You could switch the stereotypes to apply to a difference group; in the case of you couple driving in the car you could change positions so that the woman is the who is driving and "knows the way".

So basically, what I'm trying to say is, yes, it's okay to use some stereotypes to make you writing more realistic and make it easier for you to write, but don't go overboard or it will become very dull, cliche and unoriginal.

[Lykaios]

Everyone is unique, is complex, and is a mixture of things, stereotypes or no. The thing with stereotypes is they narrow your characters, make them dolls with labels rather than actual people. They are generally unrealistic and predictable. They are one or a few things, nothing else - there's no depth to them, which makes them uninteresting or/and dull.

Having said that, stereotypes aren't all bad, they can be used, but they should not limit your character. Think about them as real people. Example: I am a stereotypical nervous quiet girl who reads under the desk at college, mostly only speaks when spoken to and doesn't attend wild and ruckus parties. However, I like to think there is more to me than just that quiet-girl stereotype which I can be easily fitted into. How many quiet, nervous, bookish girls do you know? I know several I but I highly doubt they are a simple as that stereotype or are overly similar in personality. I might be several stereotypes, and I might be surprising, and so might they. We al have our own unique experiences, different lives, reactions, chemistry, understanding of the world, etc. But with using stereotypes, people often forget what makes characters havedepth and go for the simplistic and judgemental.

One question I always ask myself about characters is what would they do if I took them out of their world, whatever it may be (fantasy, historical, futuristic, another planet, etc, etc.), and put them in a place/event/withpeople they would never/rarely experience in their own world. One thing that makes this easy to test is character chats (hopefully be doing these when we get the new chatroom because they're freaking awesome). If you can't imagine what your 1677 Spanish admiral would do/say/think/react if he suddenly found himself in the midst of a New Year's Eve rave, trapped in a mine, or at a Roman assembly, then you need to get to know him better.

His experiences, beliefs, desires, fears, emotions, education, upbringing, and everything that makes him 'him' will determine how he reacts. You don't need to know every aspect of the guy's life, but you should know how he thinks, if that makes sense?

Anyway, back to stereotypes.

They are fine to use, but make sure they are not all you use - give your characters their own breath - we all fit into some stereotype or another, but those stereotypes rarely determine who we are and how we react to situations. What makes your character think he 'knows the way' and what does it show about him that he won't check? There should be more of a reason than he's just a man. He might have had a stroppy mother, might have travelled this road hundreds of times, may not want to admit he's only got an out-of-date A-Z guide . . . possibilities are endless, or perhaps it could be a sign of the kind of relationship he has with his wife - problematic maybe? Or Perhaps they are competitive people, or stubborn . . . etc, etc. Think about it in more than just the stereotypical boundary, expand on it if you use them obviously, show that there is depth there.

And on writing what you know - I've heard a lot of debate about this. I for one, hardly ever write what I know. I love the aspect of research and learning and getting in the heads of characters that are wholly unlike me or people I know. I love getting to grips with places I've never lived (many of my stories are set in cities, for example) and imagining how things I don't understand work (ex: I learned about how ciphers work and are used), and I know people who write fantasy certainly aren't writing what they know when they put their characters in worlds they've only ever known in their minds. Is that the same as writing what you know, though? If so, I think that anything we can imagine is writing what we know, leaving us rather limitless.

Another argument I've heard is that writing 'what you know' is boring because people don't want to read about the every day - that's why they read in the first place, and why writers write. Imagination is more exciting.

Whatever your stance, I wouldn't let knowledge get in the way of what you want to write. If you want to write about something and don't feel you know enough about it - research and learn. Or make it up, bend it to your will. You can do that, so long as you make it believable.

Anyway . . . rambling. :3

/ends
Al

[newcitywriter]

That makes a lot of sense. Thanks. I'll keep what you said in mind.





Use them, sure, but don't overuse them. It can provide a nice change if you switch things around a bit now and then, plus stereotypes can very easily lead to a piece of writing become cliche.

I know what you mean, in that you want to write about what you know but that doesn't mean you have to stick to stereotypes. You could switch the stereotypes to apply to a difference group; in the case of you couple driving in the car you could change positions so that the woman is the who is driving and "knows the way".

So basically, what I'm trying to say is, yes, it's okay to use some stereotypes to make you writing more realistic and make it easier for you to write, but don't go overboard or it will become very dull, cliche and unoriginal.

I knew asking for advice on here would be a good idea ;) x