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Making a character in a book seem realistic and interesting is no easy task. It’s not down to just your skills as a writer, though. You actually have to know a bit about who you’re writing about. In other words—do your research. Unfortunately, some male writers out there seem to have major problems writing female characters and seem shy about asking their female friends for advice.

The ‘Men Write Women’ page on X (former Twitter) documents these scary and cringe-worthy examples of men writing about women without having any idea about them or their anatomy. The project was started back in 2019 when Meghan Vondriska launched her version of the ‘Men Writing Women’ Reddit community. Now, the ‘Men Write Women’ X page has over 69k followers, and there are over 2k fans who follow their Instagram page.

“Women just want to be written as human. That’s it. There isn't some wild scientific equation to writing women, and it isn't difficult. Write them as human, with complex feelings, not as body parts that happen to be put together into a feminine form,” Vondriska told Bored Panda.

Let’s take a look at these examples of how men write women and see what Vondriska has to say about this annoying depiction.

More info: MegVondriska.com

#1

This Is The Best One Yet

Book page with a paragraph describing woman trying to pee

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    #2

    We Don’t Get Real Pockets In Pants Because We Have Tiny Purses In Our Vaginas!!! (Stuart Woods, Desperate Measures)

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman purse

    menwritewomen Report

    #3

    "3 And A Half Milliboobs Per Handful"

    Book page with a paragraph describing breast measurement

    Christimay , www.reddit.com Report

    What Does it Mean When a Woman is Written by a Man?

    At times, male authors depict female characters as sexualized, unrealistic beings who are mere accessories that meet the desires of these authors. Men portraying women in this manner is called the male gaze. The male gaze or a woman written by a man tends to focus on the body rather than the character itself. When women are objectified without giving them a voice in the story, it’s typically said that the woman is written by a man.

    #4

    Yes, Men Would Be Amaaazing At Handling Pregnancy - Evolution Really Screwed This One Up. Bonus Points For “No Woman Gets Raped Unless She’s Looking For It.”

    Book page with a paragraph describing pregnancy

    cheribella Report

    #5

    Well Damn, Where Are All My Kids Then??

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman with stretch marks

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    #6

    Let's Not Forget This Gem Either

    Book page with a paragraph describing females' nipples

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    Women Written by Men: What Does Vondriska Say?

    “I’m an avid reader, but the straw that broke the camel’s back was a novel my boyfriend lent me, where the female character was described by her breasts, and the male character was described by his personality.”

    “Working in advertising, I tend to be Very Online, so taking my anger to Twitter seemed like a natural parallel. I was familiar with the Men Writing Women subreddit, but created a Twitter account in order to craft a consistent narrative and to build a community that wasn’t hidden behind anonymity,” Vondriska revealed what inspired her to create ‘Men Write Women.’

    Vondriska, from Wisconsin, devours 3 to 5 books each week. (Meanwhile, our piles of started-but-unfinished books keep on growing.) According to her, a lot of male writers who tend to be thought of as the “founders of the literary canon” are continuous offenders. “John Updike, for instance. But the greatest repeat offender is definitely Stephen King. His portrayal of his female characters is honestly offensive,” Vondriska said.

    #7

    Ugly Women Without Good Personalities Should Kill Themselves [rivers Of London By Ben Aaronovitch]

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman with a good personality

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    #8

    This Made My Breasts Frown

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman breast

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    #9

    That's Not How Any Of This Works

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman being aroused

    menwritewomen Report

    Male Authors Writing About Women Actually Well

    However, it isn't all doom and gloom in the literary world. There are male writers who can write women well, too. “Terry Pratchett is wonderful, and I’ve yet to see a submission from Michael Crichton,” Vondriska shared that she, like many of us, is a Pratchett fan. Vondriska also pointed out that, in her opinion, the best writers are well-read. So, she encouraged all of us to read more and (most importantly) read more widely.

    “Pay attention to what you’re reading and who you’re reading. You have to make sure your bookshelf isn't made up of just men. Add in some spice—some female authors, some nonbinary authors, or authors of color. And lastly, just because you were assigned a book in high school doesn't mean it’s good!”

    #10

    Unsurprisingly, The Book's Terrible Writing From A "Proclaimed" Writer Does Not End Here (The Wedding Plot, Jeffrey Eugenides)

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman looking at herself in the mirror

    menwritewomen Report

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    #11

    Male Authors Writing Women Are Actually Just Horror Stories And Here's Why

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman talking about college girls d

    isapphic Report

    #12

    Ah Yes, Exactly How I'd Describe Myself (The Diamond Age, Neal Stephenson)

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman telling about herself

    menwritewomen Report

    What is the Female Gaze Theory?

    The female gaze theory refers to the female point of view in the story that focuses on the realistic depiction of the characters rather than objectifying their bodies. Usually, when netizens say, “written by a woman,” they are talking about this realistic female gaze that gives depth to the character rather than their physical appearance.

    #13

    I'm Sorry, Her Breasts Do What

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman breast

    alexis_writes1 Report

    #14

    She's Eleven And Scared But Let's Talk About Her Nipples

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman nipples and lips

    Professor_Owl Report

    #15

    This Whole Book Has Both My Eyes And My Boobs Rolling

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman breast

    icomebearingpoop Report

    #16

    Be Horrified With The Rest Of Us

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman appearance

    meganaderr Report

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    #17

    Breasts Totally Get Scared

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman breast

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    #18

    The Count Of Monte Cristo- 1884

    Book page with a paragraph describing thirty-six years old woman

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    #19

    Plz Put This On My Tombstone #submission (The Dogs, Scott Smith)

    Book page with a paragraph describing Ambers' appearance

    menwritewomen Report

    #20

    *me To My Friend* Excuse Me, May I Please Borrow Your Eyeballs?

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman eyes

    menwritewomen Report

    #21

    She Was Flesh And Blood, Not The 2D Woman He Was Used To Objectifying On Television, And For That She Was All The More Special (A Time On Earth, Vihelm Moberg)

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman appearance

    menwritewomen Report

    #22

    Literally No Woman Would Ever Do This (Misterioso, Arne Dahl)

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman and man being intimate

    menwritewomen Report

    #23

    Only Sluts Have Hairy Legs (The Things They Carried, Tim O'brien)

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman legs

    menwritewomen Report

    #24

    Thank God For The Bikini Wax.

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman body

    sausageroll101 Report

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    #25

    Wish I Had Pillowy Breasts! Taken From Ben Fountain’s Brief Encounters With Che Guevara

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman body

    inquisitorial_25 Report

    #26

    The Rest Reads “Dad Is Looking Like He Made A Better Decision Every Year”. What?!?

    Book page with a paragraph describing son talking about his moms' appearance

    sadhairahcaz Report

    #27

    This Is A Totally Anatomically Normal Thing For Breasts To Do #submission (We Can Remember It For You Wholesale, Philip Dick)

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman breast

    menwritewomen Report

    #28

    #menwritingwomen No Wonder Some Of Them Think Our Breasts Stop Us From Doing Stuff If They Think We’re As Obsessed As They Are. We Can’t Get Away From Them. Oh Must Do This Important Thing But Wait!

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman breast

    KathrynEvansInk Report

    #29

    'the Shining', By Stephen King. Its Always Breasts

    Book page with a paragraph describing woman breast

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    Female Characters Are More Than Just Their Bodies

    We understand your anger. It’s impossible to read the thread without getting infuriated about this poor depiction of women. You can take out your anger about these male writers and express yourself in the comments. After all, women are so much more than just their bodies. Share this not just with your fellow feminists but with other friends and family, too. It’s high time we call out these unfair depictions, don’t you think so?

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    #30

    I’m Not Sure It’s Physically Possible For My Eyes To Roll Any Further Back In My Head (Code Of Honour, Marc Cameron)

    I’m Not Sure It’s Physically Possible For My Eyes To Roll Any Further Back In My Head (Code Of Honour, Marc Cameron)

    menwritewomen Report

    #31

    I'm Sorry Her What Winked?? (Eeny Meenie, Mj Arlidge)

    I'm Sorry Her What Winked?? (Eeny Meenie, Mj Arlidge)

    menwritewomen Report

    #32

    In This, We Are All Joe (Open Season, Cj Box)

    In This, We Are All Joe (Open Season, Cj Box)

    menwritewomen Report

    #33

    David Mitchell Accurately Describing The Plight Of Woman For Something So Simple As Picking A Seat On The Bus. They're Not All Bad

    David Mitchell Accurately Describing The Plight Of Woman For Something So Simple As Picking A Seat On The Bus. They're Not All Bad

    BrocolliRob865 Report

    #34

    She Has A Fine, Beautifully Fleshed Skeleton, Guys. Author Jack Finney.

    She Has A Fine, Beautifully Fleshed Skeleton, Guys. Author Jack Finney.

    _renji Report

    #35

    Two Pages In. I'm Afraid To Keep Reading.

    Two Pages In. I'm Afraid To Keep Reading.

    Bashfulapplesnapple Report

    #36

    An Excerpt From A 1950s Newspaper Article, Very Obviously Written By A Man

    An Excerpt From A 1950s Newspaper Article, Very Obviously Written By A Man

    DorneForPresident Report

    #37

    Breasts Now Have Entire Personalities

    Breasts Now Have Entire Personalities

    menwritewomen Report

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    #38

    Oh Yes, Totally Normal Metaphor For A Woman's Ability To Carry Children (The Stand, Stephen King)

    Oh Yes, Totally Normal Metaphor For A Woman's Ability To Carry Children (The Stand, Stephen King)

    menwritewomen Report

    #39

    I Just...

    I Just...

    AFuckingPagan Report

    #40

    For Those Asking, This Is Iq84 By Haruki Marukami

    For Those Asking, This Is Iq84 By Haruki Marukami

    menwritewomen Report

    #41

    Keeping Your Emotions In Your Nipples Since 1980 (Number Of The Beast, Robert A. Heinlein)

    Keeping Your Emotions In Your Nipples Since 1980 (Number Of The Beast, Robert A. Heinlein)

    OdinsEyedrops Report

    #42

    Ah Yes, Women's Most Base Instinct (Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep, Philip K Dick)

    Ah Yes, Women's Most Base Instinct (Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep, Philip K Dick)

    menwritewomen Report

    #43

    I'm Reading Joss Whedon's Original Script For Wonder Woman

    I'm Reading Joss Whedon's Original Script For Wonder Woman

    Punziella Report

    #44

    Living In Squalor? Don't Buy A Vacuum, Just Get Yourself A Woman! (John Grisham)

    Living In Squalor? Don't Buy A Vacuum, Just Get Yourself A Woman! (John Grisham)

    menwritewomen Report

    #45

    Talking About The Appearance Of A Woman In A Concentration Camp. Voluptuous?! Really?!

    Talking About The Appearance Of A Woman In A Concentration Camp. Voluptuous?! Really?!

    MyLifeInNeon Report

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    #46

    Can't Wait For Everyone To Tell Me This Is 'Just How The Character Thinks' Because The Narrator Is A Damn Dog (The Art Of Racing In The Rain, Garth Stein)

    Can't Wait For Everyone To Tell Me This Is 'Just How The Character Thinks' Because The Narrator Is A Damn Dog (The Art Of Racing In The Rain, Garth Stein)

    menwritewomen Report

    #47

    This Detective Just Can’t Handle Meeting Women

    This Detective Just Can’t Handle Meeting Women

    Princess_Nell Report

    #48

    14 Pages In. These Girls Are 16. What The Hell Is "Light And Eager" Morning Sweat??

    14 Pages In. These Girls Are 16. What The Hell Is "Light And Eager" Morning Sweat??

    hupigi Report

    #49

    I Don't Even Know Where To Begin With This "Speaking Of Which, Her Breasts" Sir We Were Not Speaking Of Them At All "A Body Assembled Of Flat Planes" What Is She, A Piece Of Woodwork? (The Murderer's Daughter, Jonathan Kellerman)

    I Don't Even Know Where To Begin With This "Speaking Of Which, Her Breasts" Sir We Were Not Speaking Of Them At All "A Body Assembled Of Flat Planes" What Is She, A Piece Of Woodwork? (The Murderer's Daughter, Jonathan Kellerman)

    menwritewomen Report

    #50

    Men Write About Women

    Men Write About Women

    Report

    #51

    Ah Yes, A Completely Normal Way To Describe One’s Daughter.

    Ah Yes, A Completely Normal Way To Describe One’s Daughter.

    wherethewindssigh Report

    #52

    The Very Real Scientific Explanation™️ Of How Babies Are Made #submission (Cat Magic, Whitley Strieber)

    The Very Real Scientific Explanation™️ Of How Babies Are Made #submission (Cat Magic, Whitley Strieber)

    menwritewomen Report

    #53

    Well, My Tits Have Stood Up And Walked Out (Cosmopolis, Don Delillo)

    Well, My Tits Have Stood Up And Walked Out (Cosmopolis, Don Delillo)

    menwritewomen Report

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    #54

    I Hate When My Titties Get In The Way Of Fighting

    I Hate When My Titties Get In The Way Of Fighting

    menwritewomen Report

    #55

    What??

    What??

    Blind_Nycteris Report

    #56

    Please Hear Me When I Say That Stephen King Has Literally No Chill And His Writing Of Women Is More Terrifying Than Any Novel He's Ever Written

    Please Hear Me When I Say That Stephen King Has Literally No Chill And His Writing Of Women Is More Terrifying Than Any Novel He's Ever Written

    menwritewomen Report

    #57

    This Is More Terrifying Than The Clown, Tbh (It, Stephen King)

    This Is More Terrifying Than The Clown, Tbh (It, Stephen King)

    menwritewomen Report

    #58

    Honestly I Think This Is The Most Sexist Description We've Gotten Wtf David (John Dies At The End, David Wong)

    Honestly I Think This Is The Most Sexist Description We've Gotten Wtf David (John Dies At The End, David Wong)

    menwritewomen Report

    #59

    It's Not Sexist If You're Comparing Her To A Boy!!!

    It's Not Sexist If You're Comparing Her To A Boy!!!

    menwritewomen Report

    #60

    Rosalind Franklin Was A Badass, And This Is How James Watson Described Her, The Woman Who Discovered The Molecular Structure Of Dna

    Rosalind Franklin Was A Badass, And This Is How James Watson Described Her, The Woman Who Discovered The Molecular Structure Of Dna

    menwritewomen Report

    #61

    Literally What Part Of A Breast Looks Like A Goddamn Flower #submission (Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks)

    Literally What Part Of A Breast Looks Like A Goddamn Flower #submission (Birdsong, Sebastian Faulks)

    menwritewomen Report

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    #62

    Ah Yes, Nothing Like Seeing Some Casual Sexism Slipped In (Enders Game, Orson Scott Card)

    Ah Yes, Nothing Like Seeing Some Casual Sexism Slipped In (Enders Game, Orson Scott Card)

    menwritewomen Report

    #63

    Mmm Please Only Describe Me As Carb-Based Foods From Now On

    Mmm Please Only Describe Me As Carb-Based Foods From Now On

    menwritewomen Report

    #64

    Marion Deserves Better. "Had An Affair With Her When She Was Eleven." Face Vomiting (George Lucas, Stephen Spielberg, And Lawrence Kasdan Brainstorming Marion's Character In Indiana Jones)

    Marion Deserves Better. "Had An Affair With Her When She Was Eleven." Face Vomiting (George Lucas, Stephen Spielberg, And Lawrence Kasdan Brainstorming Marion's Character In Indiana Jones)

    menwritewomen Report

    #65

    Know We're Not Supposed To Poo-Poo Someone's Fetish, But This Is Downright Weird (Paris Trance, Geoff Dyer)

    Know We're Not Supposed To Poo-Poo Someone's Fetish, But This Is Downright Weird (Paris Trance, Geoff Dyer)

    menwritewomen Report

    #66

    --I Don't Even Know Where To Begin But There's No Reason This Book Should Have 3.5 Stars On Amazon #submission (Journey To The Year One Billion, Gary Martin)

    --I Don't Even Know Where To Begin But There's No Reason This Book Should Have 3.5 Stars On Amazon #submission (Journey To The Year One Billion, Gary Martin)

    menwritewomen Report

    #67

    Tbh After I Lost My Virginity I Thought, "Huh, So That's Sex..." (Til We Have Faces, Cs Lewis)

    Tbh After I Lost My Virginity I Thought, "Huh, So That's Sex..." (Til We Have Faces, Cs Lewis)

    menwritewomen Report

    #68

    Men Write About Women

    Men Write About Women

    Report

    #69

    Men Write About Women

    Men Write About Women

    Report

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    #70

    Me: Maybe I Should Finally Give Writing A Real Shot Also Me: Nah I'm Not That Good, Why Bother Men:

    Me: Maybe I Should Finally Give Writing A Real Shot Also Me: Nah I'm Not That Good, Why Bother Men:

    menwritewomen Report

    #71

    Ah Yes, The Only Three Professions A Woman Can Hold (Cocaine Nights, Jg Ballard)

    Ah Yes, The Only Three Professions A Woman Can Hold (Cocaine Nights, Jg Ballard)

    menwritewomen Report

    #72

    Bc The Only Thing To Mourn About A Woman's Death Is Her... Body? (World Without End, Ken Follet)

    Bc The Only Thing To Mourn About A Woman's Death Is Her... Body? (World Without End, Ken Follet)

    menwritewomen Report

    #73

    Men Write About Women

    Men Write About Women

    Report

    #74

    Are Your Breasts Proud ?

    Are Your Breasts Proud ?

    BringMeDatCorpse Report

    #75

    After Reading This, My Breasts Are Now Crying Things

    After Reading This, My Breasts Are Now Crying Things

    menwritewomen Report

    #76

    I'm From The Midwest So When I'm Surprised My Breasts Say "Ope, Sorry About That!

    I'm From The Midwest So When I'm Surprised My Breasts Say "Ope, Sorry About That!

    menwritewomen Report

    #77

    All Confrontational Women Were Molested At Some Point.

    All Confrontational Women Were Molested At Some Point.

    reddit.com Report

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    #78

    This Pussy Bites Back #submission (The Devil All The Time, Donald Ray Pollock)

    This Pussy Bites Back #submission (The Devil All The Time, Donald Ray Pollock)

    menwritewomen Report