Comicality

Look..."Wandavision" was friggin' AMAZING!!! "Falcon And The Winter Soldier" gets better and better with every episode (Which is saying a lot, because the first episode was incredible!)...but Jesus! Come on, you guys! I've got stuff to DO! Can you stop being insanely AWESOME for a little bit so I can catch my breath??? How are they so consistently GOOD??? It doesn't make any kind of logical sense! Honestly! You can't keep this up forever! Quit bringing all of my childhood dreams to life, already! Hehehe!

Because...reasons.

You know, when I started the Comicality Library on Voy (http://www.voy.com/17262/), I found out that even when I tried to alter the length of the posts that were acceptable...my chapters were still a little bit too long to fit within the confines of the space that I was given. And I didn't want to put 85% of a chapter in one post, and a measly 15% in the second post, just to split them up to make them fit. That would have looked weird. And, to me, looking weird is bad presentation. As Stan Lee used to say...you have to write comic books as if it's everybody's first comic book. And when I write stories, even if I'm fifty chapters in or more...I try to approach it as if this is their very first introduction to 'Comicality'. If I screw up that first impression, chances are they won't be back. So let's get it right the first time if we can, right? So I would go in, and I would follow the little gray bar on the right side of the screen...and try to split my most current chapter into two equal halves instead. What I found out, very early on...is that when I did that with my chapters, adjusting a few paragraphs or sentences here and there, that the posted chapters were already split in half. Almost as if I had done it subconsciously. And any one of you can go to the Library link on my site right now and see proof of that in one of the archives when the chapters were longer in word count. (I shortened the chapters so that I could get them out quickly and much more frequently without the usual long waits between chapters. But if you were to divide those smaller chapters in half, the same rule would apply) And that got me to thinking about my writing process a bit more...making something clear to me. A story isn't just one arc from beginning to finish. Instead, its a bunch of smaller arcs from chapter to chapter that are all working to reach the same goal. Every separate chapter has a beginning, a middle, a climax, and an end. So I began thinking of them that way all the time. The middle of my chapters are the highest reaching arc of that particular rainbow, and that, in turn, leads me to the end of the chapter. It almost never fails. Like I said, without even knowing that I was doing it...it just became the norm of how I write my stories from chapter to chapter. There's an inciting incident, an escalation, a high point, and then a bit of a 'cooling off' period as the chapter comes to an end. Even if it ends on a cliffhanger. Why does this happen? Well, it comes from a lot of intense planning ahead of time before my fingers ever even touch the keyboard. What am I doing? Where am I going with this chapter? How was it affected by the previous chapter? How will it impact the chapter to follow it? And how is this all still keeping me in line with my theme, the tone, and my characters' motivations in the long run? All of these thoughts are necessary to proceed when it comes to writing a tighter, more cohesive story. This is how you can navigate your way through each chapter and still make things happen the way you want them too. However...there are going to be times (Not maybe...not possibly...but inevitably)...when you're going to find yourselves painted into a corner, with no feasible way out. If it hasn't happened to you yet, chances are, it will at some point in one of your future projects, and I've learned a few do's and dont's over the years that I'm hoping will help you guys out in the future. Don't worry about it, or think that it is making any statement on your talent as a writer. Trust me, it comes for us all eventually. It's best to be prepared for it, and maybe have a few tools at your disposal to get yourself out of it when it happens! For this article...we're talking about painting yourself into a corner! So lets get started! I'm sure that most of you have already heard of this phrase before, but just to reiterate...imagine that you have a paint brush in your hand. You're painting the floor beneath your feet. You keep going and going and you are almost ninety percent done with the whole room....then your back and shoulders hit the wall. You're standing there...with a very small patch of un-painted floor beneath your feet...JUST enough for you to stand in that corner with nowhere to move, no steps to make without ruining the hard work you've put in and leaving footprints in the paint until it dries. Hell...you could be stuck there for HOURS without being able to move in any direction at all. What do you do? Hehehe! This is the idea of painting yourself into a corner. Just with your writing. Sometimes, we all want to 'raise the stakes' of what's going on in our stories, or we give our main characters some extremely heavy problems to deal with, or put them in a serious predicament that seems like it's nearly impossible for them to get out of. And hat's awesome...IF you know how to get them out of it! Hehehe! If you find yourself headed in that direction, and you're enjoying the ride without having any idea as to how you expect to solve the problems that you've put in the way of your main character...then you're, very quickly, going to find yourself painting yourself closer and closer into that corner. I mean, how are you going to fix the elements of your story that you broke on purpose? Is it intriguing? Yes. Is it entertaining? Of course. But the conflict will ultimately fall flat if you don't already have some kind of believable resolution in mind. Don't get your audience all worked up and then just say, "Well...they just got out of it because they're awesome." Um...what? NO! That's not what your readers were looking for. That's not the payoff that you promised them when escalating the situation and working up to some kind of explosive or particularly clever dash around the major obstacles that you put in your main character's way. That's not cool at all. This is the time to recognize and appreciate the merits of planning your stories ahead of time. Have an idea in place before you start traveling down that particular rabbit hole. I definitely think that all authors should be 'flexible' with their writing, and allow room for spontaneity in their work as they're lost in a creative moment. Just understand the potential traps that comes with that kind of writing. Because you can find yourself putting your characters into a position that they really can't get out of without some kind of unrealistic 'miracle' rushing in to save them. And that can detract from a really great story for readers who are looking out for that sort of thing. You may have heard the term, 'Deus ex machina', many times...but didn't really absorb the meaning of what it means when it comes to your ideas and your own writing. It's a Latin term that means, 'God from the machine'. It basically means that a situation is solved by some random person or situation just 'magically' happens at the last minute without reason, and somehow solves a truly difficult problem with ease, and without explain how or why? To highly exaggerate the idea...one boy asks another, "Wait are you a homosexual???" And while the other boy stutters for an answer...SUDDENLY the Earth gets invaded by the flying saucer people of Neptune! Hehehe! Whew...dodged a bullet there, right? NO!!! Don't do that! Just....don't ever do that! LOL! Unless you've built up your story in a way where another character or group of characters or certain circumstances are set and ready to swoop in at the last minute to save the day...don't cop out and worm your way out of a difficult situation with an easy (and instantaneous) fix. That drains sooooo much energy from your story. Avoid the Deus ex machina as much as possible if you can. Your readers will get more entertainment out of watching your main character struggle to overcome that difficult obstacle, or maybe even LOSE against it...than they will with some kind of 'shrug of the shoulders' solution to the big mess that you spilled out at their feet. This is your audience. They're expecting you to put some work into your project. So put it in. If you find yourself getting closer and closer to that corner...have your character mirror your feelings as a writer. How do I do this? What am I supposed to think? How can I get out of this dilemma? It's ok to let your main character struggle. I know that I put mine through the ringer all the time! LOL! God forbid, if I were to ever meet them in person! They'd probably chase me through the streets with torches and pitchforks! But that is the core of literary drama and tension. Creating problems, raising the stakes, and having your main character fight like hell to figure out a solution. Doesn't that sound like a story you'd want to read? No story can start with a 'happily ever after' vibe...and end with a 'happily ever after' vibe, and still be interesting. No matter WHAT events happen in between. Guaranteed joy doesn't intrigue an audience. Questions do. Take that tidbit of advice to heart. To sum it all up...make sure that you have at least a clue as to how you're going to wrap up the problems that you put you're characters through. Planning is essential. Always. You can decide to change and alter or bend the details later...but don't put your 'James Bond' in an inescapable trap and make it truly inescapable! Because, when it comes time for him to find a way out...you're going to either get so frustrated looking for a solution that you're on the verge of a brain aneurysm...or you're going to try to think up a way to save him that adds up to...'because God saved him'. Neither one is going to be satisfying to your readers. Write every story as though you're getting paid a million dollars to do so. And, who knows? Maybe one day you will! That's my article on painting yourselves into a corner. I hope a few of these tips will give you a little something extra to think about! Seezya next time! Have fun!

It is April, folks! And you know that we have a massive vampire celebration every April and October around here! So, the six month wait is over, and if you're a big fan of the "Gone From Daylight" series...you are going to have a LOT of fun with what's coming your way this month! And, if you're not...you'll still have a bunch of new faves to read too! I wouldn't leave you guys out! Promise! ::Whispers:: You should really read "Gone From Daylight" though! Number one story on the whole website! Just sayin'... Tonight, I'm happy to say that a story that I began some years ago that I was really excited to write and never really got a chance to dive into the way that I wanted to is now back in the mix! "GFD: Persona" reads more like a psychological vampire thriller than anything else, and I've got all of my extensive notes and plans all together, and chapter two is about halfway finished! So, check it out! I think you'll like this different take on the GFD idea! Let me know what you think when you get a chance! And expect much much more this more! https://gayauthors.org/story/comicality/gfd-persona/ I have such wonderful things to show you! >:) More "Gone From Daylight" coming on Sunday!!!

"GFD: Persona" After two long years worth of bloodshed in darkness, the feel and acrid taste involved with the draining of an unwilling donor down to their very last drop of life essence still left me with a sickening sense of nausea. I had mentally come to the point where I knew what had to be done. What had to be done in order for me to survive. But I can't say that it helped my emotional state all that much. Even now...I awaited every new hungry blood cycle with an unimaginable se

Jason has been a vampire for two years now...still young for a crossover. But he's dealing with a life in darkness, and has his dream boy, Noah, right there at his side. However, after drifting off into his sleep cycle to rest during the daylight hours, Jason wakes up to find himself in a world that he hasn't been a part of for a very long time. What happened? Where is he? As he shifts from one reality to another, Jason is forced to question which one is real...and which life he belongs to.

I'll get it to you today! Enjoy!

I've got one. Do you just want it early? Or should I wait?

Right now? I'd say no. But...then again...never say never, right?

Youtube decided to start censoring all gay teen short films, and wiping out all favorite lists that include anything that MIGHT make the gay youth feel okay and normal about who they are. Just out of nowhere, for no reason. Saying that it violated their 'child safety' rules and regulations. But that's bullshit! So I'll be posting ALL of the stuff that I had suddenly 'removed' from my youtube account without warning. You guys please feel free to stop me when you find a short film that you think is 'dangerous' (Their words, not mine) for gay teens. K? What's so offensive about liking and sharing the stuff that I find on Youtube? Why am *I* getting a strike on my account??? Wednesday is now "Gay Like Me" short film day. Since 'shame' is the agenda for those who don't have to live with it these days. Every week! Every Wednesday! I'll be right here with another one! FUCK those people! Seriously! These are all gay short films that I had on my account that, for some reason, they found so dangerous and offensive. Like I said...you tell me what YOU think about them, and why they needed to be erased from my account. Is *THIS* what they were so afraid of??? Maybe I'm missing something here. Enjoy! This week's Short Gay Film - "Tyler"

Hehehe, dad strikes back again! now it's 2 to 1 of them making fun of each other! LOL

So the date has been confirmed now! My mom and I are going to get our first of two vaccine shots this coming Tuesday! And I realize that nothing is foolproof and it'll take time to weave myself back into a sense of normality again, but it's a hell of a jumpstart! So I'm grinning from ear to ear! I look forward to making the last year a 'fairy tale' that I tell a younger generation about someday. Sighhhh....relief...

What creates a story? What creates an unexpected thrill? What connects the writer to the readers that they're attempting to entertain? These are all questions that should be lingering in the back of your mind when you're writing your story. NOT in the forefront, because writing a story isn't all about catering to an audience. Instead, it should be about exploring your true self and your deepest emotions. Having an audience enjoy and appreciate what you do is a thrilling side effect to all of the hard work that you put in to making it a reality and then finding the courage to share it with others. But that response shouldn't be your only reason for writing. Because that response is not guaranteed, and that can be intimidating in the long run. So make sure that you're having fun and pursuing your passion when putting a project together. That's the most important, and most genuine, part of being a writer. K? Now, back to the initial question...what creates a story, a character, and a connection to the people investing their time, energy, and emotion, into what you're writing? The big secret? It's not the big story as a whole. Sounds weird, right? But I've learned over the years that it's not the major story as a whole that really keeps people coming back for more. Sure, it's a PART of it...but what keeps people reading are actually the 'little' moments. While readers may be excited in the overall story, the sprawling character archs, and the intricate twists and turns of the plot that I might throw out there during major events in the narrative...it's the little moments that most of my readers remember most. It's something that I took note of, and made sure to remember that while I was writing whatever epic scene I happened to be focused on at that particular moment. There was an earlier article where I talked about the BIG, monumental, moments in your stories. Making them as huge and as amazing as you possibly could through the build up and the payoff. This time, however, we're going to shrink things down a bit, and talk about the smaller pieces of the puzzle that makes your entire project more memorable from beginning to end. There are ways to do this, but we first have to look at what makes a certain event or plot point in your story something that people will want to cherish and hold on to. Something that will grab them and drag them from one larger special moment to the next. There is 'magic' in those micro moments in between moments. If that makes sense. And that magic is what you're going to use to keep your readers engaged and interested in the story so those bigger moments end up having the kind of impact that you want them to have. (In other words, don't let the readers fall asleep on you and then try to shake them up and get those gears spinning again later. Hehehe! A mind in motion tends to stay in motion. It takes time to re-engage, and it'll slow down the pacing of your story significantly.) So let's get together and talk about creating a much more memorable story by concentrating a bit more on those smaller moments combined... Now, what do I mean by 'smaller' moments? I think we should start there. There are many stories that have huge, dramatic events in them. A big reveal of a deep dark secret. A fight breaks out. A sudden heartbreak. An unexpected betrayal. And all of these things can make for a great story. But, as I've said many times before...you can't keep that up, chapter after chapter after chapter. It gets tiresome after a while. Big moments, in my opinion, should be used sparingly. How can they have any real impact if you keep having them every chapter? It takes skill and practice to pace your story and space these major events out in an effective way. So that begs the question...what do you do with the 'space'? What I love to do during these moments, is build characters up and really give the readers a glimpse into their personality. Like...who would this person be when he's not following along with the plot of the story I'm telling. That's part of the magic that I'm talking about. Who is this really cute boy when he's not being gawked at by the main character? Or following the breadcrumbs that I set out there to get him together with my protagonist? These are the questions that I ask myself when I'm putting a story together. And the best way to show that, is by creating these little moments of friendship, or cuteness, or pain, or anger, or shyness. Small moments. It doesn't have to be anything major. It can be a simple gesture, a blush, a conversation...hell, it could be a simple line of dialogue. Just a few words can create a moment in your fiction that will become memorable beyond anything that you ever expected it to. I think the best example of this comes from the original "Terminator" movie. He walks into the police station, asking for the person that he's there to kill in cold blood...the cop behind the counter tells him to wait...and he says, "I'll be back." now, that wasn't meant to be a big tagline or major writing achievement. But that ONE line of dialogue ended up being one of the biggest catch phrases in cinematic history! I mean, who could have predicted that? But...watch the movie again. The build up to that moment, the aftermath a few seconds later...study it. Try to figure out why those three simple words have such an impact, and think about how a seemingly innocent moment in a film could resonate so heavily with audiences for years and years to come. This is one of the things that I've thought about a lot, even before the Comicality stories. The big events in a story are highly entertaining, but people always quote the little things. This is that connective tissue that I'm always talking about. It will keep your readers invested and excited for the next big reveal. I definitely focus on enjoying and getting my audience to appreciate these little moments, so they can get to my characters on a deeper, more emotional, level so that it never feels like there's any 'down time' in my chapters. Even when there isn't something hugely dramatic going on in my story...you're still entertained and learning more about some of the quirks and humorous antics of the boys that I'm writing about. The same goes with action, sci fi, or horror, or anything else you might be writing. Remember...tiny moments. They mean more than you might think they do. I wanna share this fan made video with you. (God, he's sooooo good! I could NEVER do that!) He's put together what has to be at LEAST 100 different movies together, if not more! Edited it, set it to a beat...it's amazing! But, what I want you to pay attention to...is the fact that most of the clips that he uses are only a fraction of a second long! Thats it! But they're all 'little moments' from these hugely popular movies, TV shows, Netflix series, and anime...and even though they go by in the blink of an eye...I'm willing to bet that many of you can easily recognize the movie, know the scene, and can easily call it out if asked to! Because it sticks with you, right? Hehehe, you know that scene! And it was awesome! You got an instant memorable flashback in a fraction of a second. How crazy is that? Check it out! I totally understand that we're not all writing blockbuster Summer action movies here on GayAuthors, hehehe...but I believe that the same technique applies to all kinds of stories, in every genre. Little moments are what give your bigger moments meaning. Something simple. A shared joke, a whispered secret, a bashful grin. All of these things matter when creating a three-dimensional story and bringing your characters into contact with one another. Like I said, I've learned to really appreciate these little moments and utilize them to their full extent whenever I can. Maybe, in "Left Without Words", Shane gets a peek up the leg of Dimitry's shorts. Maybe Ariel spills an ice cold milkshake on a potential love rival, or Tristan passes his Youtube crush on an escalator in the mall. These scenes have power. They're memorable when many of the other scenes in my stories aren't. They can be used to create tension, fear, worry, joy, laughter...don't let opportunities like this pass you by, while racing to the next big event in your storytelling. These little moments are a PART of the storytelling. Whether its an emotional breakdown of an abused boy in front of his friends, or simply throwing a snowball at the cute boy next door. Let these little moments fill out the personality of your main characters and create someone that your readers can get to know on an intimate level so that they'll be all the more invested in what happens to them when you tell your story. To me, the most important thing to remember is that a story is not just about 'plot'. Don't use your characters as simple tools to tell your story. Give them life. Let them breathe. Allow them to interact with one another and explore the space that you've built for them. It'll make for a better story overall, and your audience will gravitate to them in ways that you never expected. Use those little moments to flesh out and give your story 'life'. You'll be surprised how much it adds to the everyday, 'cute boy meets another cute boy, and they have sex...because....cute' formula. People have read that story a million times already. How are you going to be different? Go for it! And make a classic that your readers will enjoy! I hope this helps out! Good luck in your writing, and I'll seezya soon with more! Take care!

Awwww! Happy birthday, Merrick! He's gettin'' tall now! He might have to adjust his moves to keep from falling over. Hehehe!

Youtube decided to start censoring all gay teen short films, and wiping out all favorite lists that include anything that MIGHT make the gay youth feel okay and normal about who they are. Just out of nowhere, for no reason. Saying that it violated their 'child safety' rules and regulations. But that's bullshit! So I'll be posting ALL of the stuff that I had suddenly 'removed' from my youtube account without warning. You guys please feel free to stop me when you find a short film that you think is 'dangerous' (Their words, not mine) for gay teens. K? What's so offensive about liking and sharing the stuff that I find on Youtube? Why am *I* getting a strike on my account??? Wednesday is now "Gay Like Me" short film day. Since 'shame' is the agenda for those who don't have to live with it these days. Every week! Every Wednesday! I'll be right here with another one! FUCK those people! Seriously! These are all gay short films that I had on my account that, for some reason, they found so dangerous and offensive. Like I said...you tell me what YOU think about them, and why they needed to be erased from my account. Is *THIS* what they were so afraid of??? Maybe I'm missing something here. Enjoy! This week's Short Gay Film - "Yeah, Kowalski"

Dawwww...it's only been a few years, but he looks sooooo little! And please...PLEASE...can we stop with the gun violence? I mean, seriously. Just...stop. K?

I got through a lot...but I've still got 344 to go! I'm working on it! Talk to ya soon!

Do you feel better, now that you got that out of your system? To be honest, I'm the one doing all the 'heavy lifting' here. But it's ok to vent every now and then. I can understand that. Now have a beer and relax... When the new chapter is posted, I'll be sure to keep an eye out for your comments and support. K? '62Sooner'...I'll be looking forward to see what you think. I'd appreciate the feedback. It's the only payment I get for doing this, after all.

HOT DAMN, I am so in love with that boy!!!! Sighhhhh....COME HERE!!!

I'm answering stuff as fast as I can! But I didn't vanish on ya. I'm just tired, that's all. I've been at this three and a half hours now, and my fingers are screaming at me to stop typing. But I'm going to keep going for a little be longer. Be patient with me, K? Your emails mean everything to me! MWAH!!! Love you lots! And I'll get back to you soon! Promise!

Thanks, you guys! ((Hugz)) Awww, @Myr, I don't think they're 'snooty'. It's not to everybody's taste, and that's cool. For others writing in their specific range of what they want to read, I hope this will help them appeal to them too. Just in a different way. Also, @Arch Hunter...one thing I had to learn the hard way, after years and years of hard work...hehehe, the readers you're talking about are NEVER happy! Like...not ever. So don't sacrifice a single minute of your creative energy or a single of your story trying to please them. You don't write for them, you share your story WITH them. That's your job. It would be cool if that made everybody happy, but...you know...life. Hehehe! You write your stories your way. There are people out there who will get it. Promise.

Awesome! Thanks! I'm trying to remember who his voice reminds me of! It's gonna drive me crazy for a little while... At first, I was thinking Noah Urrea...but not quite. I think it's somebody else.

Hahaha! Raise your hands if you saw the title of this writing article and immediately groaned and rolled your eyes at the idea of hearing me talk about it! Yes, yes...I know. If you thought it was a secret, it's not. I am well aware of my use of teen angst in my stories, and have gotten countless angry emails about it over the years. Trust me...I know. BUT...if any of my readers feel angry, impatient, worried, or sexually FRUSTRATED beyond belief, when reading my stories...then congratulations! LOL! Welcome back to your teenage years! Did you all live a different life than I did at that age? I lost my virginity when I was 13, and that's pretty damn young now that I'm looking back at it. And I was still living with heavy doses of angst every single day of my life from then until college! In fact, it was a constant struggle with sexual frustration and hints of depression over being in love with my best friend (Who I was sharing a tiny apartment with at the time) that caused me to create the "Shack Out Back" website in the first place! It was a release from all of those bottled up feelings that I was forced to hide from the world. And that was in college. So if readers are angry and want me to hurry things along, I'm always compelled to ask... "Do you remember what it was like to be that age and discovering love for the first time?" Now, all of us have different experiences growing up, and I get that. But the obstacles that I put in my characters' way are (in my opinion) extremely realistic and relatable to my readers. Frustration and all. What 15 year old just goes 'all in' to a frightening situation like that, being fearless and reckless and unaware of the consequences that may follow his desperate, yet insecure, actions? I mean, let's be honest here...was that YOU when you were a teenager? There might be a few of you guys out there who came out of the closet when you were ten and never looked back...but for the huge majority of us, I'm assuming that it wasn't that easy to tell the most beautiful boy that you've EVER seen in your life that you're madly in love with him and want to ask him out on a date. Hehehe, maybe that's just me. For this article, we're talking about 'angst' in teen stories...and how folks can just calm down and see it as a GOOD thing in the long run! Geez! Get yourself a drink and relax, for crying out loud. It's just a story. I think one of my own biggest flaws is not being able to write as fast as my audience can read. I simply can't do it. I'm not a robot. I need to sleep, I need human interaction with my friends and family, I watch movies, I cook dinner, I play video games...I actually exist outside of the 'Comicality' persona that I've created online. And to people that want to click a link to a story, and gobble up ten whole years worth of hard work and emotional expression in a single day without a definitive end to the story...it aggravates them to the point of wanting to threaten me with physical HARM! LOL! So putting angst in my stories is like a huge 'cock block' to them, and I apologize for that. I'm not trying to get you all triggered and bent out of shape. I'm actually trying to tell a story worth telling, here. K? Hang in there. Have some patience. Just because you read it all in a single day doesn't mean that I wrote it all in a single day! Slow down. Pace yourself for God's sake! The thing about angst, when it comes to writing a story, is actually a tool that I use to carry my readers on a journey. It creates a story arc for the main character that brings them from being isolated and afraid...to finally embracing their true feelings and accepting themselves for who they are...to eventually winning the ultimate prize, and gaining access to the heart of their dream boy. It's a plot device that gives the character something to 'struggle' with emotionally and eventually overcome in order to earn their reward. I mean...do you get it? How many stories could I write with a boy just seeing another boy from a distance, and thinking, "Wow! He's hot!" So he just walks over and says, "You're hot! Wanna come over to my house later for some sex?" and the other boy says, "I'm gay too! Awesome! Let's go!" And the rest is all written fictional porn? It's good for a 'quickie', I suppose...but I try to hold myself to a higher standard than that, if I can. What is their relationship? What do they have in common? How do they interact with one another? A majority of sex is a mental and emotional experience. It's not just sticking your dick in a moist hole for three minutes. I mean, that can be a sexy interlude for some...but it's not going to cut it if you're looking to tell a longer story with any depth or romance involved in it. Trust me...people will jack off to your story, roll over, and go to sleep. And that will be the end of that. So you can decide if that's the level of involvement hat you want to have with your readers or not. To me? Angst is what makes the story 'exciting'. As I've said in earlier articles...you draw your readers in with the questions you present to them. What is he thinking? What can I do with this feeling in my heart? What will happen if I tell him how I feel? How will I survive if he rejects me? We've all been there at one time or another. It's a basic, widely known, part of our human experience when it comes to love. It's SCARY the first few times you have to navigate your way through it. And you'd think it would be much less frightening when you get older...but it really isn't. You're putting your heart on the line, people. When you're writing your story, act like the stakes are as high as they should be when it comes to approaching love for the first time. There should be doubt, and fear, and desire, and confusion, and determination, and excitement, mixed with sadness, and hopelessness, and distance, and embarrassment. Love is a complicated emotion. Walk around and explore every aspect of it. And take as long as you feel you need to do that. Don't let people who are trying to rush rush RUSH to the point con you into speeding things up. You're a writer. You tell your story the way you want to tell it. And do it at your own pace. It'll be fine. In fact...it'll be better. Angst in your narrative is what gives real 'value' to the reward that follows. Or even the lack thereof. The point is, it adds a layer of tension and depth to your project by raising the stakes and making your characters that much more enticing. You get to dive into their inner struggles as well as their outer obstacles. Embrace that! And use it as a tool to invoke emotion and concern for your main characters. There's nothing wrong with 'porn without plot', if that's what you want to write. But if it isn't, and you want to do something different...then make your protagonist work to get what he wants. Write out that inner dialogue that gives your readers a glimpse of who they are as a person. Who they are on the inside. It's ok to let them make mistakes. It's ok to let them chicken out every once in a while when it comes to the big 'confession' of how they feel. You, as a writer, are allowed to make your characters less than perfect. Less than 'brave'. Just because some people are banging their fists against their heads because the want to hurry up and get to the sexy stuff...that's no reason for you to abandon your game plan and your original idea for the story. Those people can wait. And if not...they can leave. Bye! Will you really miss the insults and the criticism when they're gone? Hehehe, yeah...that's what I thought. Check out this short film. I think it really displays what the angst of a gay teenager feels like, perfectly. Very well done! Also, it features Seamus Davey Fitzpatrick (Who played 'Damien' in the remake of "The Omen") and Dante Palminteri (Son of Chaz Palminteri, who's just awesome in general! "A Bronx Tale" with Robert De Niro ROCKS!!!). Yeah, this is how you use teen angst to empower the emotional connection to a story. Keep that in mind. The whole point is...give your main character somewhere to go. I realize that a lot of people have a ten second, TikTok, attention span these days...and that's heartbreaking all by itself, hehehe! But focus on the emotion of your story. That angst? That confusion and worry and frustration? That's going to connect to a lot of people. And even when they complain...they're going to come back again and again to see what happens next! I know this from experience. The folks who have the time to complain...will also have the time to come back and read the next chapter. They might not ever tell you that they enjoyed it...but they did. Hehehe, so just keep doing your thing, and keep letting your characters grow and evolve and EARN that first kiss. That first sexual experience. That emotional 'coming out' scene. Take your time...build it up...and when you (and ONLY you!) feel like it's time to drop that bomb...go for it. Your audience will go CRAZY for it! Let them wait. You know what you're doing as a writer. So do it. K? Teen angst...if you're writing a teen story, or even an adult story...try to remember what it's like to be totally captivated by another person, and how difficult it might be to just 'sexually ASSAULT' them on sight! Hehehe! Let your main character and their love interest warm up to things first. Massage your narrative. And weave them together before blowing your entire load in the first few paragraphs. It's ok to take your time with these things. K? Relax. A little angst goes a long way. And it's going to make that big 'moment'...that monumental payoff...all the more special when you decide to let people read it. As always, I hope this helps you guys out with crafting your own stories from scratch! I'm giving away all of the secrets that I can! Hehehe! One of you is gonna have to take my place someday. So start practicing now! Go! And do it better than I did! Love you! And I'll seezya soon!