Given that the current topic is about the creation of (or continuation of) female characters, I feel I might as well throw my admission in that I, for whatever reason, find the writing of a female character to be easier or more in depth; as if I suddenly have more to say or do with little logical explanation as to why. As [@PlatinumSkink] said, for some inexplicable reason I find that my female characters are more compelling and or interesting, even parsed against an identical copy of themselves with the only variation being gender.

All of my really refined characters play against type - even my avatar is an admission of that of sorts, as her character is certainly well off the beaten path, as can be defined in the piece alone. Moreover, I feel as if they're more organic, as the only two male characters I've held on to and cultivated evolved naturally, most others were in response to trying to meet certain conditions - like as if they were constructed to fit some role, rather than feeling like they're the result of that niche being open. The two females I've stuck to? They just sort of happened into being characters - just ideas that got set free and kept rapidly evolving on their own and didn't (and don't) feel like they have a definitive end. In fact, there's still a lot more for them to do and become in concept.

Transitioning slightly, I tend to write anti-heroes or characters who are morally ambiguous - three of the four I've kept around for an extended period certainly aren't good persons and are a far cry from anyone you would want to be a heroic person or moral authority. Perhaps they do have truly noble intentions, but frequent horrible, oft violent means (even making great errors in judgment on their personal bias alone) which makes them downright zealots or, in the case of one, fairly monstrous. I find myself making their lives so terrible, not because I enjoy it, but because it feels like it gives an explanation as to who they are and why they do what they do; not justifying their actions, but separating them from the "they're just crazy" and more to, "they really [i]are[/i] convinced they're doing the right thing". It gives a sense of credibility, or so I am lead to believe. Also helps that I'm not fond of "this character does bad and or terrible things because crazy".

As an ending note but slightly-relevant-yet-semi-off-topic, I guess my favored archetype is of the "woman-warrior"; both my favorite character who inspired my username here and I've written for is entirely that, as is the close runner up I've worked on.