Jump to content
  • entries
    5
  • comments
    51
  • views
    4,450

To Write or Not To Write?


ColumbusGuy

1,000 views

I've been reading here for over a year, but only got the nerve to write anything in mid-July after getting out of the hospital. I've been an avid reader all my life, mostly sci-fi and history, but I hadn't written anything since college. In high-school I wrote science-fiction and fantasy since those were my favorite reading material, but in college my professors said I had a very good grip on writing more historical stuff, so I did that for assignments.

 

It took twenty years for me to discover writing sites on the internet, and it took me a year to begin writing at an interactive historical role-play site. I've been doing that for the past ten years with a couple other people, and one of the stories has gay-themed scenarios, but GA is my very first attempt to really write gay fiction. My biggest hurdle is not the fact that it's gay fiction, but that it's sex fiction of any sort.

 

I was not raised in a religious house--though we attended services most Sundays until I was 12--but I am hopelessly a product of my small-town mid-60s childhood! By small town, I mean small--2500 people, in the middle of farm country, everyone knew you by name if not by sight; to smoke or even swear was a big deal and done in secret by kids until high-school, drinking was only at a few parties if you could find someone of age to buy beer outside our dry town; and sex?--you heard about it generally in health class, otherwise you might find an older sibling's magazine...and no one spoke about it other than in whispers amongst your peers.

 

As far as gay sex--an entirely unknown quantity. If you were lucky, you might experiment with a friend, but it was never acknowledged or pursued into older school years. In the days before computers or vcrs, or even cable tv, what was a kid who wasn't straight to do? I can answer that: nothing. Until college.

 

Even in college, encounters were few and far between due to my social awkwardness...most kids came from larger, Eastern towns, so I felt like a local yokel with little to offer. It was only after graduation that I went to my first gay bar...with mostly straight friends with open minds! I'd have two drinks, dance a few times then go home.

 

What's the point of all this, you may ask? Just this: I love to write, I love to try to express my feelings in a way others can relate to...but at heart, I'm still a shy country boy who values friends more than being a social giant...so if my prose seems a bit odd, or even a little self-conscious, I'm doing my best to fit into the 21st Century...I only have to drag myself forward another thirty years, so please be patient.

 

Even the still small voice from the wilderness has something to say....

  • Like 5

7 Comments


Recommended Comments

Please write. IMO there is no way how one should write, aside from using correct grammar and such. Writing is a personal way to express yourself, YOURSELF, not someone you think you should be. If you are a shy country boy so what? If you don't like to write explicit sex scenes, then don't do it, it will make your story awkward. Write what is genuinely you, and readers will notice and appreciate it.

  • Like 4
Link to comment

The answer to the question your post poses is a straightforward 'WRITE'.

 

You say it yourself - 'I love to write, I love to express my feelings'.

That's all the reason you need.

 

You think your prose is a bit odd? What does that matter? Be proud of that. Difference is what provides interest, not sameness.

 

Sex fiction is a hurdle for you?

Then leave it out.

Or - write it in your own terms.

Or - make it less explicit. Set up the situations and let the readers imaginations fill in the details.

Or - just make allusions.

 

If you don't write then the still small voice from the wilderness won't be heard.

  • Like 2
Link to comment

Thanks guys. :)  I've had some very nice comments from the GA community, but only one or two people review my stuff--I was just wondering if anyone liked it--particularly my Jay & Miles pieces. All my prompts so far contain bits of my life, some more than others, but Miles is a lot like I was then, and I hope he will meet with a nice reception as he grows into himself.

Link to comment
  • Site Administrator

So many people equate gay fiction with gay romance. And to be truthful, it's very much part of the eBook world because romance does sell. But there are a lot of people out there who write stories without a lick of romance, much less sex, and still have their work sell--with gay characters. Your stories are what you make them. Don't write it if you don't feel comfortable, but don't let not 'knowing' something necessarily stop you.

 

I'm a woman. Kinda a given that I don't have first hand experience of 2 men having sex and living as couple. Of course, not everything in my life is unrelated, but hell, I met my husband at 16, so I don't even have adult dating experience! But I do have readers and editors who know more than me, and I've taken their advice and ideas with my writing. I can observe the world around me. I read. So I write what I like.

 

What I like is sci-fi, too. I know I've never met an alien, or piloted a star ship, lived through an apocalypse or crashed on a strange new world. Yet I'm able to write it because I just gave it a go and honed my world building skills.

 

So, just write! Give a chance. You may not write everything perfect at first, but then, no one does.

  • Like 2
Link to comment

I must chime in with Cia. Gay romance has gathered a following mostly due to Kindle and eBook availability - essentially the ability of a reader to read whatever they want and not have anybody else *know* what they're reading. There's a definite illicit thrill in sitting on the subway train and reading what half the people in the car with you would consider to be a "naughty book." It's a vicarious thrill and a great number of people enjoy it and pursue it.

 

That said, the trend toward amazing LGBT literature started long before Kindle became a buzz word. The best LGBT titles I have aren't on my Kindle app - they're on my bookshelf and most of them are so old they're dog-eared.Your blog entry made me think specifically of Like People In History by Felice Picano, which is one of my stand-out faves of all time.

 

Now, if you want to write sex and you just feel uncomfortable doing it... then I highly suggest Elizabeth Benedict's The Joy of Writing Sex: A Fiction Writer's Guide. It's by far the best of all the texts I've read, reviewed, and used over the years. Benedict was the first to draw the line between writing sex and writing pornography - two different things - and that's usually the most important lesson we learn as fiction/romance/erotica writers. 

 

Best of luck to you, CG. I hope you do continue to write. Anybody who loves it should do it.

 

Cheers -

Tux

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Wow, Tux...there are books on writing sexy fiction?  I'll be checking to locate a copy...and I've seen references to Like People in another person's work here...that goes on the list too.  My only experience with gay fiction before GA were things in old mags like Stars, Blueboy and Torso...and a few novels by Gordon Merrick.  I did get a couple of the Men on Men anthologies, and the latter two opened my eyes a bit wider--but it took finding GA's friendly environment to think I might try writing something a bit more genteel than simple j-o stories.

You guys are all so great to take an interest in a newcomer!

  • Like 1
Link to comment

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Our Privacy Policy can be found here: Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue..