I have been informed in no uncertain terms that every first draft is terrible; currently I’ve sent it to some people I consider beta readers and am writing something in a very different style while I wait for a response from them.
Then I’ll go for my first edit and see if I can make it better, and on and on.
Thanks for the website links too; Critique circle looks particularly interesting.

If you’re anything like the rest of us, the first draft of your first novel is awful–even if you can’t tell that at this point. I wrote the first draft of my first novel in about three months. Then I spent about 21 months editing and revising that novel until I felt it was publishable and good. I would suggest spending a lot of time getting feedback, whether it’s from friends, a writer’s group, a workshop, or a freelance editor. Work, work, work on it. Also critique other the novels of other new writers so you can learn more about what works and what doesn’t work. I’ve heard good things about critiquecircle.com, and Critters.org is another one that focuses on science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Just be ready to throw out any advice you strongly disagree with!

The above is all just my opinion, of course. Congrats!

What also concerned me was another post-E3 controversy over a supposed rape scene in Tomb Raider. The truth of the story seems to be that it’s only implied Lara’s captors intend to rape her at a certain point, but what confuses is me is why this should be in any way controversial in a mature-rated game. Especially as you’re playing the victim, not the aggressor.

And yet according to the game’s developer some members of the American press have already criticised this approach because it means ‘she whinges a lot’. An exasperating attitude that seems to underline just how immature mature-rated games – and gamers – tend to be.

But I view stereotypes more as empty templates. They define expected attributes of a character.
For instance, I would define the canonical rogue as being limited in a follow way.

- a rogueish character is more likely to be young then old.
- a rogueish character is more likely to be agile and thin.
- a rogueish character is more likely to have a sharp wit.
that kind of thing.

But I’d refute it also means a character should be skimpily clothed or automatically default to sexuality or seduction when female. Even though that does often happen in media. The obvious scene in which the female thief is caught stealing by guards and says some seductive line before jumping out of the window, that kind of thing.

But I don’t think it detracts from the stereotype if that behavior is left out.

Perhaps there is something to be said for specific stereotypes vs. generic ones. i.e. the scantly clad seductive rogue vs. the rogue.

Also, looking at portrayal rather than simply stereotypes, a convincing argument could be made that in society as a whole the most commonly held male ideals about women are physical, and objectify, whereas the most commonly held female ideals about men are mental or emotional, and specifically do not objectify.

I am actually relatively comfortable with what I’ve seen of the portrayal of Lara in the new Tomb Raider, though I admit I’m less happy with a lot of the discussion and the way the producer has spoken about things.

Although in one game the focus is on delivering cheeky one-liners while jumping off some cliff into a lake, and the other one meticulously portraying the hero coming out of said lake while no doubt showing the shaking of the hair in slow motion while the water drips … well no matter let’s not end this in fan/fic.

I think it’s quite possible to have a lara croft game be essentially the same as a drake’s fortune one with the gender swapped.

I do remember reading they are going to make a new lara game with less sexism, but unfortunately they chose to go the gritty reality route, instead of just taking the sexism out. Oh well.