- Thread starter
- #21
-
Welcome to the Fantasy Writing Forums. Register Now to join us!
Portraying characters' sexual orientation?
- Thread starter Ireth
- Start date
SeverinR
Vala
Unless it comes up in a story, I don't focus on it. Unless you are writing for that genre (LGBT fantasy) it isn't that important.
One male character is homosexual in one story, I never clearly show it, but other characters mention his like of men, basically because the MC was afraid he would walk in on her.
Homosexuality attitudes are based on culture, if dealing with a different culture, they may encourage it, hate it, or not care about it one way or another. Religions could have any attitude on the issue also. (to maintain a species one must have traditional couples, so some encouragement in religion would be on procreation.) There is also the thought on natural control,
when high population homosexuality thrives, in low population hetero thrives. Nature balances the needs.
One male character is homosexual in one story, I never clearly show it, but other characters mention his like of men, basically because the MC was afraid he would walk in on her.
Homosexuality attitudes are based on culture, if dealing with a different culture, they may encourage it, hate it, or not care about it one way or another. Religions could have any attitude on the issue also. (to maintain a species one must have traditional couples, so some encouragement in religion would be on procreation.) There is also the thought on natural control,
when high population homosexuality thrives, in low population hetero thrives. Nature balances the needs.
Aravelle
Sage
Phin makes a point. Maybe the characters don't know what they are, labelwise. Maybe they're gay, maybe they're gay for reach other, maybe it's a tangled, unrequited love. Maybe Character B himself is confused and has to mull this over.
Caliburn
New Member
Ireth, I think the trick is resisting the pressure to be politically correct and simply writing the story you want to write. If you are interested in exploring their intimacy in greater detail and the story doesn't require it to be downplayed, then I say go for it.
gavintonks
Maester
1 - is this relative to the story as being a love story people need to fall in love?
2 - does it add value to the story
3 - is it important to the energy and action of the story
2 - does it add value to the story
3 - is it important to the energy and action of the story
my views on the story:
I probably understand you want to write about something new and that it may a challenge, but be wary of the pitfalls.
just don't be surprised if people have a go at you for it.
if its going to be a love story why not place it in a time when it was socially unacceptable and than say a few hundred years in the future, when it is.
I probably understand you want to write about something new and that it may a challenge, but be wary of the pitfalls.
just don't be surprised if people have a go at you for it.
if its going to be a love story why not place it in a time when it was socially unacceptable and than say a few hundred years in the future, when it is.
Twilight Flyer
Scribe
I think ultimately, Caliburn hit on it. Write the story as you want to write it.
A whole bunch of years ago, I happened to have the privilege of talking in depth with a well-known sci-fi novelist. He said to me "when you write, write for yourself first. If you enjoy what you write, you'll never fail. Everything after that is all gravy."
Now, if you get your writing in front of someone and that person says "ewww...a gay vampire! I'm offended!", then have a thick skin, say thanks, and move on. You'll never please everybody...that much is certain.
A whole bunch of years ago, I happened to have the privilege of talking in depth with a well-known sci-fi novelist. He said to me "when you write, write for yourself first. If you enjoy what you write, you'll never fail. Everything after that is all gravy."
Now, if you get your writing in front of someone and that person says "ewww...a gay vampire! I'm offended!", then have a thick skin, say thanks, and move on. You'll never please everybody...that much is certain.
Interesting. I write romance in my books- the main 2 characters are a couple but neither is entirely hetero, in the world they inhabit is seen as uncommon for same sex partnerships but not exactly wrong. In book 3 I am considering a gay relationship between 2 female characters however one is bi and the other prefers woman but needs a child so lays with a male for that purpose. Not sure about that though as it doesn't quite fit one of the characters as she is now.
Anyway I think certainly if it is more a celtic christian world same sex relationships would be more hidden, romans were more broadminded in such matters. There are many forms of love, romantic and otherwise and often people don't even realise they care in that way for someone. It could simply be the need for another person, the love of a friend and someone who understands. Or it could indeed be a gay relationship, with all the angst that may bring.
I think for vampires or other immortals age is irrelevant, unless one is a child.
I reckon the questions you need to ask
Is a gay relationship seen as illegal - or illegal enough to warrant say death or imprisonment? If so does this have a big impact on what you have planned.
Is the potential relationship important to the story- now or in the future? There is a risk it consumes the story.
Is it within the characterisation of the 2 people involved? Or future development?
You could have a lot of fun with it and a lot of interesting storyline but you might back yourself into a corner, then again you might find an avenue for a lot of great story teling.
The asexual character- maybe he simply has not found someone who held his fancy, until now. Some people simply aren't that bothered about relationships.
It is your story- go with what you want. There are lots of sexual/romances within fantasy gay or otherwise. Homosexuality is not new and why should a vampire not be homosexual. Often they are emotional creatures and 2 people who become close may simply find they have feelings that weren't there before.
There is a market for same sex relationship fiction and fantasy. At the end of the day if someone is offended that 2 characters are in a relationship then that is their problem. My books have sex in- I state an 18 plus rating and if people are offended well they are free to stop reading.
Write the story which feels right to you. If you don't you will never be happy. You could write in the relationship and see where it goes, if in 3 chapters you don't like it then change it.
Anyway I think certainly if it is more a celtic christian world same sex relationships would be more hidden, romans were more broadminded in such matters. There are many forms of love, romantic and otherwise and often people don't even realise they care in that way for someone. It could simply be the need for another person, the love of a friend and someone who understands. Or it could indeed be a gay relationship, with all the angst that may bring.
I think for vampires or other immortals age is irrelevant, unless one is a child.
I reckon the questions you need to ask
Is a gay relationship seen as illegal - or illegal enough to warrant say death or imprisonment? If so does this have a big impact on what you have planned.
Is the potential relationship important to the story- now or in the future? There is a risk it consumes the story.
Is it within the characterisation of the 2 people involved? Or future development?
You could have a lot of fun with it and a lot of interesting storyline but you might back yourself into a corner, then again you might find an avenue for a lot of great story teling.
The asexual character- maybe he simply has not found someone who held his fancy, until now. Some people simply aren't that bothered about relationships.
It is your story- go with what you want. There are lots of sexual/romances within fantasy gay or otherwise. Homosexuality is not new and why should a vampire not be homosexual. Often they are emotional creatures and 2 people who become close may simply find they have feelings that weren't there before.
There is a market for same sex relationship fiction and fantasy. At the end of the day if someone is offended that 2 characters are in a relationship then that is their problem. My books have sex in- I state an 18 plus rating and if people are offended well they are free to stop reading.
Write the story which feels right to you. If you don't you will never be happy. You could write in the relationship and see where it goes, if in 3 chapters you don't like it then change it.
Last edited:
SeverinR
Vala
Gay Vampires? Isn't that what Twilight is about? The sparkling blood sucker and the flexing puppy are jealous of Bella?
The next book: "Breaking closet"
saellys
Inkling
I love that you know them both well enough to not have any doubts about an attempted relationship. My gut says (and your mileage may vary, as my gut is not yours) that having more conflict is usually a good idea. I would be very interested to read their internal struggles even if I didn't already know how it would turn out, and knowing what you know about the characters, I think it will make for a more satisfying resolution if they reach that conclusion about their arrangement after some textual introspection, rather than leaving it open for readers to wonder. And this way, all the slashfic will be AUs!
I feel you on this. One of my protagonists is pansexual, but by the end of the novel he's in a relatively committed relationship with another man, so I'm trying to take every possible opportunity to ensure that no reader can come away from the book saying "Nah, that guy was gay." His perceived sexuality is fairly important to the story, and even more important to me.
A's perceived asexuality (whether or not he really is ace--I'm very much in favor of more asexuality in literature too, by the by) and social outcast status seem to mesh well with what you said earlier about their discussion and final decision regarding their relationship. Based on what you said in your post, I would expect that A would be a bit surprised at first to find out that B is attracted to him, followed shortly by feeling honored to be the recipient of such love, but after careful consideration he would decide (jointly with B, obviously) that romance was not in the cards for them. Tell me if I'm way off base with any of that. It all seems to flow naturally together as far as I can see, and from what you've said I don't think what you'd established for A by that time would conflict with such an outcome.
Kit
Maester
Being asexual- in itself- can be a tense situation. Character A might have feelings of love that are conflicting with the fact that he feels no sexual desire. This can lead to a lot of internal conflict, confusion, questioning, frustration, and guilt.
- Thread starter
- #33
Ireth
Myth Weaver
I love that you know them both well enough to not have any doubts about an attempted relationship. My gut says (and your mileage may vary, as my gut is not yours) that having more conflict is usually a good idea. I would be very interested to read their internal struggles even if I didn't already know how it would turn out, and knowing what you know about the characters, I think it will make for a more satisfying resolution if they reach that conclusion about their arrangement after some textual introspection, rather than leaving it open for readers to wonder. And this way, all the slashfic will be AUs!
I feel you on this. One of my protagonists is pansexual, but by the end of the novel he's in a relatively committed relationship with another man, so I'm trying to take every possible opportunity to ensure that no reader can come away from the book saying "Nah, that guy was gay." His perceived sexuality is fairly important to the story, and even more important to me.
A's perceived asexuality (whether or not he really is ace--I'm very much in favor of more asexuality in literature too, by the by) and social outcast status seem to mesh well with what you said earlier about their discussion and final decision regarding their relationship. Based on what you said in your post, I would expect that A would be a bit surprised at first to find out that B is attracted to him, followed shortly by feeling honored to be the recipient of such love, but after careful consideration he would decide (jointly with B, obviously) that romance was not in the cards for them. Tell me if I'm way off base with any of that. It all seems to flow naturally together as far as I can see, and from what you've said I don't think what you'd established for A by that time would conflict with such an outcome.
Good points. ^^ But the thing is, the circumstances of their relationship are going to change significantly in the second draft from what they are in the first -- in the first draft they simply meet and become friends, whereas in the second draft A helps B after B is robbed violently of his eyes, and their relationship, whether romantic or not, grows as A helps B heal physically and emotionally, and B teaches A about being a vampire. A is at once caregiver and student, while B is mentor and care-recipient. Further complicating the matter is the fact that A hates the vampire who turned him, but (spoilers!) the vampire who turned him is actually B, who doesn't remember having turned A because of the trauma of losing his eyes, and A doesn't recognize B for who he is. The mentor/student relationship is there in the first draft; it's the caregiver and care-recipient (there has to be a better word for that) relationship that really changes the game. They'll have two years for their relationship to grow before things really get complicated, and anything could happen between them in that time. I'm not going to detail every aspect of those two years, but still.
- Thread starter
- #34
Similar threads
