Men writing from a female pov, and vice versa 📚

Anne Cleeves writes well about Jimmy Perez, but how "real" it is I couldn't say, because I'm not a man, so don't really know how a man feels.

Listening to Anna Karenina as a play on radio 4 at the moment having experienced a post puerperal affective disorder myself, I am reminded how brilliantly Tolstoy portrays female characters in general.

off the top of my head women who write major male protagonists well in books:

JK Rowling
Hilary Mantel
George Eliot
PD James
Harper Lee
Louise Penny
Edith Pargeter

In writing for TV, many.

However generally I definitely prefer women writing female characters, but of course there are exceptions.

JackyB

I was struck by Roddy Doyle's portrayal of the battered wife in "The woman who walked into doors". Irish writers often grew up in large families with lots of sisters which gives them a head start.

(Sorry for stereotyping there but my theory is based on what the writers themselves have said)

I was going to nominate Roddy Doyle, too. Paula Spencer is an entirely convincing character, who you would never think was created by a man.

I was struck by Roddy Doyle's portrayal of the battered wife in "The woman who walked into doors". Irish writers often grew up in large families with lots of sisters which gives them a head start.

(Sorry for stereotyping there but my theory is based on what the writers themselves have said)

Tony Warren, the creator of Coronation Street, and his marvellous, iconic female characters

Educating Rita, too, of course

Oh good call for Willie Russell!
I have no idea why he didn’t spring to my mind 🤦‍♀️

Shirley Valentine, one of my all time favourites was written by Willie Russell. To me the film represented a real woman and I was very surprised to learn it was written by a man.

For some reason I find it hard to think of any women authors who write about men in such depth...maybe I've not read enough books yet.