5 Tips for Writing Non-binary Characters in Fiction

Bringing more representation into our worlds (and many fantastical worlds beyond) is one of the best parts of storytelling. As stories are becoming more inclusive with queer representation, it’s exciting to see more gender diversity being celebrated within fiction as well.

As a non-binary author who has two books coming out this year both with non-binary main characters, I wanted to give you some tips and insights that will hopefully help you feel more confident including more gender non-conforming characters into your stories too! Hopefully these tips will start to get the wheels turning and spark new inspiration for you.

When you think of a non-binary person, what image pops into your head? Is it a lean androgynous person wearing amorphous clothes with no visible discernible sexual traits (beards, breasts, etc)? One common misconception about non-binary characters is that they must appear androgynous, not only in their attire but also their physical features.

This can be a really limiting belief that boxes in a lot of non-binary people who can’t or don’t want to be androgynous. Sometimes people can treat non-binary folks like if they can’t imagine them as a Ken doll, then they won’t respect their gender or pronouns. Really, we should be able to have a character who asks for a tampon or scratches their stubble without them being misgendered for it. Non-binary people exist from the neck down too. Bodies don’t need to be mysteries to be respected.

Get into the details! Make your character an individual. Non-binary isn’t a singular third gender, rather it is an umbrella term that encompasses a spectrum of gender identities beyond the gender binary. No two people within any community are exactly alike. Remember that each individual's experience and self-description will differ.

For example, my two books releasing this year have very different non-binary main characters. Because I write high fantasy, instead of having characters just say they are agender or genderfluid etc, these concepts are explored through the character’s self-description of their gender identity and their pronouns.

In The Evergreen Heir, Neelo (they/them) is an introverted bookworm with a more masculine style and fixed gender presentation. In A River of Golden Bones, Calla (she/they) is a warrior royal who discovers that her gender is actually much more fluid and flows between and beyond the concepts of man and woman. Their style, pronouns, and expression isn’t fixed in the same way that Neelo’s are. Two completely different characters, styles, personalities, and pronouns, but both characters would consider themselves through our real-world lens as part of the non-binary community.

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Sexuality is different than gender identity. Non-binary characters, like anyone else, can have sexual desires and experiences. There are certainly non-binary people who are asexual, but sometimes authors can default to this because they’re afraid to give their non-binary characters a sex life or even sexual attraction to another individual.

In The Evergreen Heir, Neelo is demisexual. In A River of Golden Bones, Calla is bisexual. Some of my characters experience dysphoria with specific parts of their bodies or prefer specific words to describe those body parts, while others don’t. Just like with any real-life partner, so much of this comes down to communication through dialogue within a scene.

Maybe you don’t write on-page spice, but still it’s okay to give your non-binary characters crushes, desires, partners, needs, etc. in the same broad spectrum of sexualities as you write any of your characters. It’s okay to have bodies, and it’s okay to use them!

Creating well-rounded characters is a fundamental principle of writing, regardless of gender identity. We’ve all read examples of poor representation where a character’s entire personality was their queerness. If your character is only in your story to tick a diversity box, you’re doing it wrong. Even if they are a small side character, they should still be integral to the story. Give them a purpose within the story just as you would with any side character.

Do your research and ensure that your portrayal avoids harmful stereotypes and misconceptions. If you’re not writing from within your own experience, this is where paid sensitivity readers can come in handy too. Doing this work will contribute to the depth and authenticity of your character and create more honest representation. Writing any well-rounded character, whether they play a big role or small within a story, requires a nuanced and empathetic approach.

Some authors choose to have a pronouns guide in their books. I see this especially with characters with neo-pronouns. You may also just use the context within the prose. If you are writing a character with they/them pronouns, for example, be strategic with the introduction of your character.

Structure your sentences so that your readers understand what pronouns a character is using. If your main character hasn’t met this non-binary character before, it might be as simple as introducing themself and their pronouns and ask the character their pronouns in return. If the character’s pronouns are already known to your POV character, describing things singular to the individual can help with this: “Their hand, their book, their shirt, etc.” It’s clear you are speaking about the individual and not a group.

While you may have effectively communicated your character's pronouns within the narrative, it is essential to brief your entire team too. Editors, marketers, and anyone attached to your story should all be aware of your character's pronouns and gender identity to maintain consistency throughout the publishing and marketing process. A shared understanding among all involved will help you prevent unintentional misgendering or misrepresentation of the character.

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