I think my main character is gay. o.O

[Bartholomew]

A running joke from two drafts ago turned into an emotional aspect of the story, and now my character is wrestling with the possibility that she might like women.

My target audience is the typical fantasy reader (a mostly male demographic.) I kind of feel guilty catering to such a low-brow topic (sex, though it never actually HAPPENS, there are a couple of somewhat racey moments)--but the emotions are important. My character is telling the story, and emotion is important to her. This situation can't be dealt with emotionlessly. But I don't want to turn readers off because I'm dealing with a topic that they don't want in their fantasy.

And yes, I'm aware that lesbian activity *is* a common fantasy for my target audience, so shush. :tongue

[rugcat]

My target audience is the typical fantasy reader (a mostly male demographic.) Are you sure? Bookstore owners tell me that more women buy fantasy than do men. Anyone got any solid info?

[Bartholomew]

Women are more likely to read fiction, period. Men read less fiction, though I couldn't cite my source for the life of me. Still, I could have SWORN Fantasy was a predominantly male demographic--I might be going off of Dungeons and Dragons players and MMORPG demographics and making an assumtion... but I don't think so.

Solid numbers on this would rock.

[sunandshadow]

Sex is an important part of a well-rounded adult life, I see no reason to consider it lowbrow.

[SpookyWriter]

I don't think innuendo would hurt any here. I think unless you plan to make the intentions known and are important to the story then you can just give the reader a taste of the feelings and leave it at that. I wouldn't mind if once in a while a book would come along with some scenes that leave me guessing about the character's motivations or behavior. Just so long as it doesn't distract from the story.

[Imelda]

Ha! I never see men looking at the fantasy section. Maybe they all use Amazon ...

Anyway, I think it's important to have the emotional aspects of the story. I can't stand one-dimensional D&D characters who go around wielding swords and magic and not much else. Maybe that's because I'm female, but I think it's important. However, actual *sex* in books does made me kind of uncomfortable. Not because I'm a prude :D but because I often read in public, and my mum also tends to flick through my books ... I'd hate her to land on a particularly racy page and get the wrong idea. She thinks fantasy is weird enough as it is.

So my advice is: just be tasteful. If the characters decide to have sex, make sure it isn't too explicit or whatever. You don't have to shy away from it nowadays, cos even teenage books have it in, even if it's so heavily disguised that only an adult would realise.

Good luck!

[Rivana]

'Alternative lifestyles' always turns some people off a book, just like too heavy emphasis on sex, violence, emotions, what have yous. You'll never be able to satisfy everyone so if your book wants to be written one way -go with it. If it doesn't work, revise and try again, but at least you weren't afraid to try.
Personally I have a fantasy novel including straight, bi and gay characters and I know that will lose me a lot of readers, but since I've never been one to shy before any issues I'm certainly not starting with my own writing career, be it ever so damaging to my wallet. Money comes and goes, integrity lasts forever. Or something. I don't know, do what you please, but that's my take on it. ^o^
Xena managed pretty good as a wide spread fantasy series flirting with same sex relationships. I probably won't read your book but lots of other people might and why deprive them of the pleasure?
Good luck, whatever you decide.
/Tessa

[wordmonkey]

So what?

Be true to your characters. It's the only way. Listen to her and she'll tell you what she wants and needs.

I have a comic book project I'm about to start pitching with a main character who's gay. It's just who he is.

I admit, I did give it some thought, but at the end of the day, I would've had no problem writing a scene where the MC is woken by his assistant, who finds him in bed with a woman, so why not with a guy? That's just who he is. Doesn't change anything else about him, he just likes guys. Just don't try and write the character gay. You don't write other characters straight. It's just a small part of who they are.

Now of course it's different for you, 'cos you are going the other way. But let's be honest, most red blooded males think two women together are hot. Likely as not, you have an extra selling point. When that whole dimension was speculated about in "Xena," ratings didn't plummet.

[veinglory]

Do whatever feels right. Fantasy has a long tradition of gay, lesbian etc characters--just look at Marion Zimmer Bradley for examples of both. The MC of Raptor was a hermaprodite. But I do see to assumptions here that will probably not play out--men are the main fantasy readers *are* men *and* like lesbian material from a lesbian point of view (most "lesbian" material for men is from the POV of an observer). Yes, visible geeks in fandom are mail, the same is true fo computer gaming, but the economics of sales show a different picture.

[Evaine]

Mercedes Lackey has masses of gay characters, too, so I'd say go for it if that's what your character is really like.

[Kate Thornton]

And here's a point about fantasy - many fantasy characters are not exactly the same as we are - humanoid but with other capabilities and preferences, or perhaps even non-human. There is no reason to limit sexuality to just what we are familiar with. If the emotional draw is integral to the character and the story, you must go with it.

[LeeFlower]

The way I've always heard it, fantasy skews female and SF skews male.

In any case, though, I don't think it's terribly relevant. I have two brothers who both read fantasy. When we go book-browsing together, they care much more about the text on the back cover than they do about the buxom babe on the front. Men look for the same things in books that women do: interesting stories told in an engaging way.

Can you write a gay character in this genre? Yes. It's been done many times before. If that's what's right for your character, go for it. As long as you're not beating your reader over the head with some sort of Deep Socio-Political Point (TM), you should be fine.

Basically, if you don't treat your character's sexual orientation like a big deal, it won't be one.

[Alan Yee]

My book has straight, gay, and bi characters. I know it will lose some readers, but it's what the story and the characters call for. It's in the paranormal/dark fantasy genre, where I tend to see more gay characters than in other genres.

If your character really is lesbian, go ahead and make her one, if it's who she is.

[willietheshakes]

Not that there's anything wrong with that...

[Jenan Mac]

My MC's lesbian. She's also a teacher, a witch, a fair-to-decent cook, and mother of a two year old. It's not like she walks around being That Lesbian all the time.

I do have a scene which ultimately ends with intimacy between my MC and her partner, but I ended up fading to black before many body parts got involved. Not because I didn't want to write lesbian love scenes, particularly, but because I just can't write any erotica without giggling.

[Live2Write]

Isn't it odd and awesome the way the character, if you let him or her, will tell you exactly what he or she is? It's incredible. My characters are doing that to me all the time. They shock me with the way they talk or a decision they make. :)

I say go for it. Write this character the way she is. She won't be straight even if you tell her to be.