Message Board Topic 3/30

[Comsie]

The one thing about the stories online, is that every one can live the fantasy of getting that amazingly perfect boy that we always wanted. We can lose ourselves in the idea of making the move on that very first love, and having it all turn out aces. It's a wonderful feeling. The stories are about magic...why wouldn't we love them?

 

But what about the vast majority of people who AREN'T extremely gorgeous, teenage/college boys, with perfect bodies and witty senses of humor? What about the average looking, average build, boys who live in small backwards towns, are too shy to talk to anyone, and don't have best friends and family who would instantly 'understand' their attraction to the same sex? Where is their story?

 

Should stories be written to reflect their side of the table? Or are these stories meant to be fantasies with pretty boys and dream like adventures? Can the 'average' guy story really attract attention from readers? Or are they all looking to escape the reality of life and immerse themselves in fantasy instead? What do you think? Let us know!

[David McLeod]

...what about the vast majority of people who AREN'T extremely gorgeous, teenage/college boys, with perfect bodies and witty senses of humor? What about the average looking, average build, boys who live in small backwards towns, are too shy to talk to anyone, and don't have best friends and family who would instantly 'understand' their attraction to the same sex? Where is their story?

 

What? Have you been reading my autobiography? Seriously, you've got a great point. The Summer Anthology's theme is "Carpe Diem." Perhaps we'll find some "regular folks" who have the courage to "sieze the day" there. Hmmm. Perhaps there's an idea.

[JamesSavik]

Should stories be written to reflect their (average guy) side of the table? Or are these stories meant to be fantasies with pretty boys and dream like adventures? Can the 'average' guy story really attract attention from readers?

 

Fantasies are a dime a dozen. After the first few thousand, they lose their charm.

 

It is the stories that illuminate something about the human condition that stand the test of time.

 

It is said that there are no heroes: just ordinary people who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances. When we as writers manage to capture even a modicum of this reality, we have created something extraordinary.

[Graeme]

Should stories be written to reflect their side of the table? Or are these stories meant to be fantasies with pretty boys and dream like adventures?

The idea that all stories should be the same is wrong. There are stories that are meant to be fantasies. There are stories that are meant to plumb the depths of human depravity. There are stories that are meant to show something in a new light. They all have their place, and they should all be written.

Can the 'average' guy story really attract attention from readers?

Definitely! But not the reader who is looking for that fantasy. It's a different type of story and that attracts a different type of reader. Or, more accurately, a reader in a different frame of mind. There are times I like to read fantasies and there are times when I want to dive into the life of a 'typical' person. The story itself still has to be entertaining, but the characters don't have to be 'perfect' or have perfect lives.

[LongGone]

But what about the vast majority of people who AREN'T extremely gorgeous, teenage/college boys, with perfect bodies and witty senses of humor? What about the average looking, average build, boys who live in small backwards towns, are too shy to talk to anyone, and don't have best friends and family who would instantly 'understand' their attraction to the same sex? Where is their story?

That is exactly what my stories are about. No hot kids in my stories, no perfect bodies, and definitely shy and friendless with misanthrope parents. That's as real as it gets.

 

 

_{Then again that's my effing life.}

[StoriesByCirrus]

In fiction, "hotness" isn't determined by the reader, it's determined by the reaction of other characters. If Character A finds Character B attractive, then Character B is "hot" whether the reader would agree that he's hot or not. If you leave descriptions vague, then the reader will fill in the blanks on their own (and probably make the character more attractive in the process). And "personality" is complete independent of "beauty". Even ugly characters can be interesting to read about.

 

How many of your stories Com involve protagonists who think that they're average, unworthy, unlovable? But they're attractive anyway because the really cute boy they've been lusting after likes them back. Instant cuteness upgrade!

 

But maybe you want to write a story where boy-doesn't-meet-boy. Realistic? Yes, but you might have to work harder to resolve the story in a way that satisfies the reader. (The hero might not get the boy, but I think the readers would prefer he finished happier than when he started).

[Jeff Burton]

I know this thread is old but, it actually gave me an idea for the Summer Anthology. I'm not sure if it holds to the idea perfectly but... It gave me one hell of a boost in my writing.