Along the same lines as Adrian's question about writing for the opposite sex, I wondered how everyone felt about writing for the opposite sexuality. As a hetero, do you feel awkward about writing gay story lines? If you are gay do you struggle writing straight romance? I have straight, gay and bisexual characters in my book. I found the gay characters the most difficult to make believable as I kept wandering into stereotypes. In fact, with one very gregarious character I had to develop a whole back story unrelated to his sexuality before I could take him seriously. Anyone else had difficulties adding characters outside the experience of their own sexuality? What do we think are the main pitfalls of writing outside your own experience in any context?
Victoria: :) You know...I dont know that I gave the thought of what two men alone might say to one another more than a fleeting thought...mostly I though about what impact the convo would have upon character/plot development and which traits/emotions needed to be highlighted. I have quite a few male friends, some who have even managed to disregard my gender :P I also tend to listen a lot...in pubs, cafes, walking down the street. You never know when a scrap of convo or gesture can be used in your writing. You would also be surprised by how open people can be when they believe they have anonymity in a crowd, or secluded spots. From this I can glean enough to suppliment my own charas. (Obv more intensive (if somewhat problematic) research would be need if set in RL, certain locales, eras ect).
Ritesh:
1. You have not read the genre enough, but nor is your point wholly untrue. It is not a matter of never, but one of marginalization. It's a very complex issue, with deep roots: perhaps better to start a separate thread for further discussion rather than hijack this one. However check out #DiversityinSF on Twitter and you will find a lot of current talk, recs, links to further discussion ect. Its a hot issue.
There's also this article from Strange Horizons that I happened to be reading earlier: Set Truth to Stun: Reimagining An Anti-Oppressive SF/F (Not specifically relating to erotica or explicit material, comments from people in the industry regarding the community aspect)
http://www.strangehorizons.com/2013/20130923/1older-a.shtml
If you do fancy trying a fantasy book that contains diversity/sexualities you are unfamiliar with try Jacqueline Carey's 'Kushiel's Dart'. It's beautifully written and has an excellent espionage/adventure plot. 'Love as thou wilt'.
2. 'it wouldn't appeal to the audience at large' You got stats for that? I doubt it. Most people are not Straight White Males (--for further genre/life reading see Scalzi)
3. Gay, Bi Behaviour. They behave just like other people. Because they are people. With the full range of character traits that you would find in straight people.
4. Saying you don't like gay/bi people because of their implied immorality is offensive. Saying sorry after doesn't really stop the offense, it just shows that you are aware of how offensive what you are saying is. Which begs the question; why?
5. Look if, as a writer, you just don't want to write things you are unfamiliar with then: Cool, that's your choice. However the above question is an important one to consider, if only to yourself. Specially in light of what you *are* writing...and whether you have honestly experienced that.
Because when people start implying that people who are not whatever norm they are upholding (ie Straight) think and behave differently, are immoral, or incapable of raising children ect they are firmly in bigotry territory. When they also imply that any sexuality other than there own male hetro one is intrinsically different then this leads uncomfortably to the dominance of male hetro sexuality, the male gaze, rape apologist territories.
Consider those things, watch the news, read some papers (real ones, not red tops) then ask yourself: Do I really want to be propagating that? Look at where all that hate has led.
Well, truthfully, I'm not exactly comfortable with with writings of such character's, honestly my imagination might contain all sorts of things from Gargoyles, to Santa smart Elves, but never, things such as gay character's or bisexual characters. Perhaps, I have compared and looked through most of the best pieces in my genre to find that none of them contain this sort of thing, I personally wouldn't write it, as it wouldn't appeal to the Audience at large. But if I were to even try to write something like that, for fun, or for myself, I probably couldn't, as I practically don't even know how gay, Bisexual people behave, and I suppose my brain wouldn't be able to form much of a story with a bunch of character's like that, character's which I don't really like. No offence to anybody, I hold to my own believes and morals, and so can the many others, hope I didn't offend anyone. But I must add, this was quite the odd question, never have I ever though or considered such a thing.
Victoria, I forgot to add welcome back.