Reactions to non-heterosexual main characters

Discussion in 'Character Development' started by @theunheardwriter21, Nov 27, 2018.

  1. cosmic lights

    cosmic lights Contributor Contributor

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    As long as the romance is done well, non-cliche, and has a genuine place in the story and just isn't tagged on because everything needs a love story I'd have no problem with it at all.
    However, I would probably cringe at explicit scenes, as a heterosexual woman I don't like reading deep details about another woman's lady garden or would I want to see it in my head between two women or two men. Maybe gay people get cringes thinking about straight people doing it.

    But other than that personal thing I have no problem with reading same-sex romances. Falling in love is natural, I don't think genders should matter.
     
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  2. Homer Potvin

    Homer Potvin A tombstone hand and a graveyard mind Staff Supporter Contributor

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    Methinks this concept may not be as groundbreaking as you think.
     
  3. minstrel

    minstrel Leader of the Insquirrelgency Supporter Contributor

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    As a gay guy, I get cringes just thinking about a woman's "lady garden." (My fingers got the willies just typing that.)
     
  4. Spirit of seasons

    Spirit of seasons Active Member

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    When I sit down to write something new the first thing I think about is: how can I add a female/female pairing to this? The only non gay novel I wrote or tried to write was my first attempt before I even thought of Evergreen. It failed for many reasons, some of them very obvious.
     
  5. Homer Potvin

    Homer Potvin A tombstone hand and a graveyard mind Staff Supporter Contributor

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    Not touching that one.
     
  6. Iain Aschendale

    Iain Aschendale Lying, dog-faced pony Marine Supporter Contributor

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    If you're writing a romance, the status of the people involved be it sexuality, gender identity, power (im)balance or whatever is going to be one of the key things your readers are looking for, so I can't see any problem at all with writing an M-M story. I wouldn't read it, but I wouldn't read an M-F romance either, it's just not my genre. Outside of the romance genre you're taking more of a risk with a gay character, but a lot of that is going to depend on how much their sexuality figures into the book. My MC is gay, but other than a few admiring glances he's going to cast towards other men, that's where the sex in the book ends. It would be the same if I made him straight, I'm just not going for a book about sex and/or romantic relationships. Will I lose some readers (if it ever gets finished)? Possibly. OTOH, I might gain some for the same reasons, it's a risk I'm willing to take just because I feel like writing it that way.
     
  7. Iain Aschendale

    Iain Aschendale Lying, dog-faced pony Marine Supporter Contributor

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    That's cuz you're straight, gay guys don't have that problem.
     
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  8. Rzero

    Rzero Reluctant voice of his generation Contributor

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    Yep. I did misread that. I thought it was a slightly odd as a response to a comment on asexuality, but it still made sense. I see the ambiguity in the wording now. what you meant makes more sense. My bad.
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2018
  9. jannert

    jannert Retired Mod Supporter Contributor

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    As a heterosexual woman, I totally agree. Erkkkkk. Tweeeeee.... I'm not a fan of cutesy euphemisms for any aspect of sex or body parts, and that one is particularly victorian-prude. Bleahhh.

    Okay, in the context of @cosmic lights 's post, I think it was meant to be satirical. Okay. Okay. Ohmmmm...Ohmmmmm....
     
    Last edited: Nov 28, 2018
  10. LoaDyron

    LoaDyron Contributor Contributor

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    You can write whatever you feel about your characters, as long as they keep interesting that's what you should write. It doesn't matter if they are gay, bi, transgender, hetero; that part is not what is going to define them but a part of their personality. Now if in your book you are going to include sex, just be careful how you present it. Is not an easy job. Think what do you want to say. Do you want to describe in detail their sex scene? Do you want to value more emotional than physical description? Or do you want to balance both?


    this video explains what types of sex scenes exist so you can have an idea what can be more suitable for your story if you will write a sex scene.

    I hope this helps you and have fun :)
     
  11. big soft moose

    big soft moose An Admoostrator Admin Staff Supporter Contributor Community Volunteer

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    Incidentally one of the characters in my Fantasy WIP , Dark Fire, is a tree... just using the appropriate pronoun is tricky because he/she self pollinates (tbh I just use the name most of the time)
     
  12. badgerjelly

    badgerjelly Contributor Contributor

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    I am confused by the OP. That is my reaction.

    It is no different than saying “I’m writing an historical novel about estranged lovers who journey across the world to be together against all odds.” Go ahead and write it then and I’ll be willing to read and give my input when there is something to actually say about your writing.

    What is your intent? Why are you writing it? They are the questions your should be asking yourself - enjoy :)
     
  13. @theunheardwriter21

    @theunheardwriter21 Member

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    To clarify, since I honestly became lost half way through the replies, the story revolves around two women.

    No, I do not go into graphic detail regarding explicit scenes - which at this point, I don't include at all (to far extents).

    I have no idea how that tangent about Shia LaBeouf started, and how it is relevant.

    I do not fear rejection by readers because of the status of my main characters, nor do I fear the opinion of the public eye. I made this post out of curiosity and in order to personally do due diligence. My apologies for anyone who interpreted my post the wrong way.

    -T
     
  14. Pandaking908

    Pandaking908 Member

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    I don't mind at all! Go for it! It's just that I would personally not want to be subtle about it. Just do it. Don't be afraid. One thing that I didn't like about the new Fantastic Beasts movies is that it hinted at Dumbledore and Grindelwald being gay characters, however, it did it in a very overly ambiguous way. In other words, the movie never outright conveyed that they were gay characters. The thing is that in pretty much all stories, heterosexual characters are pretty much always portrayed overtly. So I would personally want to write a non-heterosexual couple to be just as overt as heterosexual relationships are portrayed in movies, books, or any other form of media. Gay relationships are just like any other relationship. Now obviously I have very strong opinions about this subject, and I'm fine if some people disagree with me on this. I also don't want to make you feel like I'm setting up any rules here. Also, I don't mean to criticize the new Fantastic Beasts movie too harshly(Trust me... That movie had way bigger problems.) I just wish they would have taken it a step further with the gay relationship; that's just my opinion. But it's still nice that relationship was there. I'm just throwing in my two cents here. You do you.
     
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  15. mykl ruby

    mykl ruby New Member

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    Like someone else has said I can read, enjoy, empathise, and fully immerse myself in stories involving not hetro characters, as long as its well written.to me its like reading young adult books when your in your 40's, and reading lots of fiction about a womens struggles when im not a women-if that makes sense . personally I think its pretty cool your writing it from this perspective. Think we need more of it.read somewhere reading books is a way of seeing the world through someone elses eyes, and makes the ready more empathetic.
     
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  16. LadyErica

    LadyErica Active Member

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    I often have lesbians in my stories, and I'm often asked why. My answer is always the same: Because it fits the story better. For instance, I have a story with five ladies in their 20s as the main characters. Does this mean there can't be romance involved? And if I want romance, do I have to bring in a guy just for that? I think it's just so much easier to focus on only those five ladies, and let two of them be a couple. It let me keep the romance part in, and at the same time, it avoid the whole guy issue. I don't mean to sound sexist or anything, but I think if I had to add a guy or two to the story, it would change the story too much. Same if it was a story about five guys. Adding a woman to the mix would change things around too much, even if she was gay. (So no romance options.) A bunch of girls or a bunch of guys are both very different from a mixed gender group. And again, I don't mean that in a sexist way, of course.

    That said, I do think it's vital that there is a reason for the sexuality to even be known. If the MC isn't going to have any kind of romantic relationship with anyone, what does it matter if he or she is straight or not? I think pointing out his/her sexuality could be too distracting from the plot. Take someone like Indiana Jones, as a good example. He always has a nice lady with him on his adventures, but he never really gets romantic with any of them. Of course it's easy to assume he's straight, but has that ever been confirmed? If he was gay, would that change the movies at all? In a way, I think it would... but not in a good way. People could easily be so focused on him being gay, that they forget to focus on the actual story. And yes, I know about Crystal Skull, but the less we talk about that, the better. :D But even if he has a wife and son now, it doesn't mean he's straight. He could still be bi, or even reluctant to admit (even to himself) that he's gay. Maybe the whole thing with Marion was a one night thing, and the reason he never got serious with her was because he doesn't feel that way about women?

    Grrr... I said in my greeting post that I tend to ramble on sometimes. And I guess I just proved my own point. :oops:
     
  17. Glen Barrington

    Glen Barrington Senior Member

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    Old, straight, white guy, here. If you don't write your story from a position of conviction, and of carrying out a vision, then all you got is a story that MIGHT sell, but which won't be anything special in anyone's eyes. I say write the story first, and then worry about people's reactions second.

    You can always move away and change your name if the negativity is too strong. :superwink:
     
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  18. Cave Troll

    Cave Troll It's Coffee O'clock everywhere. Contributor

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  19. Mark Burton

    Mark Burton Fried Egghead Contributor

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    You've encountered what I thought you would when I first read your question: you've got more opinions here than the number of people answering your question. What does that tell you? It tells me that the best approach is to write for your audience. If you're going to write for an audience of presbyterian housewives, I think it might go down like a lead balloon. On the other hand, if you're writing romance aimed at the LGBT+ community, it might even be seen as passé. It's horses for courses; figure out who your target audience is and write for them. Also, don't second guess yourself or you'll never finish.
     
  20. Spirit of seasons

    Spirit of seasons Active Member

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    I like mixing romance and adventure. I guess that is how Evergreen came into being. It is a story about staying in love. People always think that romance means the chase and the kiss scene at the end. I chose to have Lyla confess her feeling for Rose early in the story in chapter 8. Their feelings are mutual and they support each other through out the story. Even when things are dire and hopeless. I tried so hard to break them apart but even the “breakup” in the middle of the story wasn't enough to keep them apart. They make promises to each other in the form of vows and wedding rings and they face the adventure head on, together.
     
    Last edited: Dec 1, 2018
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  21. LadyErica

    LadyErica Active Member

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    I don't mean to derail the thread, sorry. I just wanted to point out that my audience is always myself. Always. I write stories I want to read. If others like them, that's great. If they don't like them, I don't really have a problem with it. All I can do is try to write the best story possible. The thing is, I think each story needs to be personal to yourself. If you write a story you have no intention in reading yourself, why should anyone else care to read it? As I said, I often have lesbians in my story. That doesn't mean I write for the LGBT community. I write for anyone who cares to read the stories. Two characters happens to be gay, but it's not a big deal to me, or to most people in the stories.

    For that matter, I have a Nazi in the current story I'm writing, and he's not afraid to say what he means. But it's not just his words that could be an issue. I write his parts like hating black people or Jews is perfectly normal. Even when describing things in his parts, I can use a rather racist tone. But that's just how he sees the world, not how I see the world. There's a huge difference there. My idea is that it's how he sees the world, and I want the story to be realistic enough from his point of view. If people have a problem with that, then fine with me. I don't mind.

    The point is, I always write stories I want to read, and don't really care about a target audience. I believe if a story is good, people will read it. It doesn't matter who you aim it at. Harry Potter was mainly aimed at children and teens, but a lot of adults are reading it too. Books by Stephen King are (or at least, should) be aimed at adults, but a lot of teens and pre-teens read them. People love good stories. The "target audience" is mostly for marketing.
     
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  22. matwoolf

    matwoolf Banned Contributor

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    I keep homosexuals out of my fiction. If they want to to be gay on the page I don't have a problem with that just not in my books for straight folks. I market my series of picture novellas to the white nazis, and the racist cliques and the misogynist libraries of our forlorn community.

    Thank you, brothers.
     
  23. The Dapper Hooligan

    The Dapper Hooligan (V) ( ;,,;) (v) Contributor

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    Then you'd love my story about how Hitler, through all research of the occult, found that the only way he could win the war was to shoot himself, so he could fight The King of The Jews head on.
    Unfortunately a scientist forgot to carry a 2.
     
  24. Rzero

    Rzero Reluctant voice of his generation Contributor

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    He does kiss them on camera and have sex with them off camera (remember the scene where he and his father realize they both slept with the German lady?), so he's probably straight but maybe bi or in the closet.

    Sexuality, like age, ethnicity, geography or economics can inform a character. It can have a huge impact on past and present experiences. It doesn't have to, necessarily, at least not in ways that affect the portrayal of the character. I'm not a fan of stereotypes in real life or in fiction, but there are social mores, mannerisms, colloquialisms, etc. more common to one group than another. For instance, you might not write the same dialog for a southern black grandmother as a gay club kid from Boston. Conversely, you can just as easily leave most of that up to the reader. Some authors explain their characters physicality and background in minute detail, while others leave everything but actions and personality open to interpretation in the mind's eye. Without specific indicators, characters don't usually "sound" gay, straight or otherwise inclined, especially in print.
     
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  25. mykl ruby

    mykl ruby New Member

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    its a shame when theres token partners in novels and films,because thats the accepted model.but according to who i'm never sure.some of them are wasted opportunities and are more like set dressing.and you brought up a awesome piont about indiana jones.gender roles and stereotyping and assumed male/female behaviours have been constantly changing,but a lot has remained the same.im looking forward to the day when asexual characters show up
     

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