Here via Recessional. Thank you so much for this post. I actually boosted the signal in my own writer's blog where all eyes can see... But I admit there was some initial trepidation when I had looked up both authors and readers were more or less divided in their opinions about their work. Also in reading the comments on the post there were a couple from Brown that came off as defensive, bitter, and catty. It did kind of strike me as perhaps a craft issue over just this character happening to be gay judging by Brown's comments.
I actually only signal boosted because of Marie Brennan as I know her through a friend and have been acquainted with her and in that initial flash she had done the same. Now, I totally feel like an idiot. :|
I'm a writer of erotic romance as well as romantic YA, I write both gay and straight couples because I like to have a range. My experience with one gay romance I had written, was actually not to change the characters' orientation, but the ending. It ended on a bittersweet note with the protagonist dying and they wanted an HEA. Understandably, I could see their point even if they passed on it in the end anyway but with the note of 'Just because we don't want it now doesn't mean we won't later.'
Another gay romance I had written and am currently revising, featured a rather effeminate male protagonist that was a full-time cross-dresser. The idea behind it was he wasn't trying to be a woman, he was just this dood in a big floofy gown. Like say... Mana of the J-Rock band Malice Mizer. When I had become so completely stuck in drafting the novel, I was encouraged by friends to make him female. Because to be perfectly honest, he was practically a girl with boy parts, anyway. Initially, I resisted and was hesitant. I tried it out. Once I did the novel was drafted in record time. Once in a while while I'm currently in the revision process, I'm considering revising two different final drafts of the novel. One where the character is once again male, and the other female, then submit either or to companies. :)
Again, thank you for this post. I'm glad to see the bigger picture. :D
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branchandroot
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Date: 2011-09-16 07:05 pm (UTC)I actually only signal boosted because of Marie Brennan as I know her through a friend and have been acquainted with her and in that initial flash she had done the same. Now, I totally feel like an idiot. :|
I'm a writer of erotic romance as well as romantic YA, I write both gay and straight couples because I like to have a range. My experience with one gay romance I had written, was actually not to change the characters' orientation, but the ending. It ended on a bittersweet note with the protagonist dying and they wanted an HEA. Understandably, I could see their point even if they passed on it in the end anyway but with the note of 'Just because we don't want it now doesn't mean we won't later.'
Another gay romance I had written and am currently revising, featured a rather effeminate male protagonist that was a full-time cross-dresser. The idea behind it was he wasn't trying to be a woman, he was just this dood in a big floofy gown. Like say... Mana of the J-Rock band Malice Mizer. When I had become so completely stuck in drafting the novel, I was encouraged by friends to make him female. Because to be perfectly honest, he was practically a girl with boy parts, anyway. Initially, I resisted and was hesitant. I tried it out. Once I did the novel was drafted in record time. Once in a while while I'm currently in the revision process, I'm considering revising two different final drafts of the novel. One where the character is once again male, and the other female, then submit either or to companies. :)
Again, thank you for this post. I'm glad to see the bigger picture. :D