I have a story I'm writing entitled Amanda's Lament. She's a girl who falls for this new student. The problem I'm facing is how do I make their relationship blossom from just friends to lovers. Here's another problem, how do I make it so it's Teen friendly and also make it into a nice lesbian story without sexual interactions? My main characters are named Amanda and Mia, these two girls become friends, but I haven't gotten to more interesting romance. I was wondering if anyone had any tips on how to make it look convincing to me and the readers. So can you help me?
Disregard, for a moment, the fact that your character is a homosexual. While it makes for an interesting story angle, and sounds intriguing, let's ignore it for a second. What makes one person fall in love with the other? That's a hard question in itself, but you have to consider. Are there certain traits that draw this character to the other character? Does Amanda have a certain happy-go-lucky attitude that Mia just drinks up? Or is Mia so shy and quiet that Amanda finds the need to protect her? What draws them to each other? Then you can add back in the homosexual angle. Naturally, there's going to be some conflict. Society has an inexplicable grudge against homosexuality at the moment, so it's believable there be some strife. What's going to draw Amanda and Mia so closely together that they disobey taboo to be with each other? Of course, if the characters don't have those types of draws, change them. You are, after all, the artist here. Mold them as you would clay. Finally, for the sexuality bit, learn to censor yourself. Anything you wouldn't see in a PG-13 movie, don't put in your book. Kissing is usually totally fine, as well as some other things, but don't write explicits. If you want to suggest something, saying things without saying them is always the way to go. Something like opening a scene where they wake up together in the same bed, or remarking how they were fixing ruffled clothing is always safe. Good luck, and I hope I helped.
Most of your questions we can NOT answer for you as they are in many ways, what makes a writer, a writer. The ability to weave a tail or story that holds peoples attention. I can give you some tricks that might help you get a path going, and then work from that. Like.. Wire frame for you to add the clay to... (Ok maybe that was not a good analogy) Or like a Skeleton and you need to add the flesh. The steps are simple: They meet - the Meet is when they actually Notice each other as opposed to brush shoulders in school or someplace. They Talk - This is when they click it off... similar interests and things like that. This is the process of attraction/friend/awkward feelings time. They Fall in Love - This is when one (or both) realize that they fall for each other. The Sex Scene: The best solution for this is the "Fade to Black" trick. They kiss, they grasp each other, they fall on the bed ...(fade to black)... the next morning they are giving each other smiles and feeling 'on top of the world' or 'guilty as all everything' There are many other ways to do this.. but the key is to build tension. I hope some of this helped.
The best way to write anything is pull from your experiences. Fiction is more than just a story, it can commonly amount to nothing more than a semi-biographical piece. I'm certainly not saying your story is about your life, but A good way to map characters development is through your own. I mean, think about how you have met someone special, and spin something off of that. It makes your story more natural and more believable.
I agree. You have to make the story and characters your own but let them have their tale. Taking experience from your life is a good way to do this. Some of my friends are bi, gay, or lesbian, or 'confused', as I've heard some call them. But they're happy even if society or their parents are against them. Of course a few have chosen to hide from most people. Personally this angers me as people should be able to respect other's choices and decisions. After all it's their life not everyone elses'.
Here is what I would do, and I don't know if it is write or wrong. I pretend I am a director of a movie when I write. With words I show the scene as if I was the director telling the camera man where to point his camera. I would use this for the romantic scenes. Like a director I would choose to show what I would show if I were filming a PG-13 film. Same goes with the sound department. I would tell my actors, hey you cannot say that, this is a PG-13 film. As far as how or why they get close. Homosexuals grow to love each other int he same way everyone else does. I agree with the first poster. Treat them as two normal people falling in love. Naturally though you will need to consider how their relationship affects everyone else around them. Many will be opinionated, and perhaps will call them names. They might lose friends in the process, and so forth.
