An LGBT thread was going to show up sooner or later, so we might as well have one. Does anyone write LGBT LitRPG? Do you have any interest in it? Want to talk about representation?
I am not totally sure on representation as in the litrpg community, but in my regular SciFi/Fantasy I have a very high up Officer who is Gay, but because they're alien their beliefs are much different to ours, and similar in some respects. Matt my co-writer wanted to make Pierce his character 'love' his best friend, Wayne, and I mentioned a few things about how LGBT characters are seen in this community. Which for the most part is pretty bad. I have to admit, I never saw as much fuss, over there being gay characters in a book before I started reading this genre and its reviews. It seems that for the most part, people want disclaimers with anything LGBT related, and that's kinda wrong. IF the book itself is listed within LGBT as a sub category, don't you think that there might be gay characters? A little frustrating, when you want to write the story you want to, but society and its beliefs are putting you off
It's just personal preference. If someone doesn't it like it, they'll include the reason in their review. If someone else doesn't like it when they read the review, they won't read it. If the person sees that as the reason for the bad review, and disagrees then they'll disregard the review all together and read it anyway. I don't see there being an issue. If it's a matter of wanting a higher readership, I think sticking with the straight character is going to be casting a larger net. Hitting on a political time bomb is like publishing your political beliefs on your author page. You are going to demonize some of your readers. Some of my most beloved authors MCs are athiests or agnostics and go pretty neutral in their belief systems as to not demonize anyone. They'll hit upon their beliefs as a to each their own attitude and justify it in their story. That should work with any issue if your character doesn't care one way or another, but if the character leans right or leans left, you are gonna hear some opinions one way or another. The book should high light the story and character building through it rather than the getting the reader thinking about how much the author's political beliefs skew the mc. That just turns them off the book all together as well as anything else the author writes. Write your story true to you and let the audience that likes it like it. Haters gonna hate. Other advice: If you are going to go further with an actual sex scene, keep it classy and those that are on the fence should be okay with it. If it gets raunchy for someone that is on the fence, then you may just knock them to the opposite side of your intended perspective. But I would leave that out unless it's in the exact genre for it.
Oh I totally agree, and Pierce isn't my character, so I told Matt to do what he felt was right for him. And at the moment, it seems that he's going more for 'brotherly love' than actually full on I love you dude. I'm okay with either way he takes it, and maybe Pierce will realise in the end it's more than he thought I don't know. I'm along for the ride, and writing with someone else is very inspiring and interesting. As for sex scenes. I've only ever written a couple in my life, they're defo not something I want in my litrpg. In fact the ones I've written may never see publishing. ahaha, even though they're in my story world. I guess we'll see people do like some erotic stories after all. There's a time and a place for that side of any world I think though.
My problem with LGBT is the way people use it. I do not care if the character is gay, but I do care if they are gay in a nonchalant way that directly conflicts with their world building. I read one not long ago and wanted to give it 3 stars, but people were attacking anyone that made a bad review, calling them bigots *rolls eyes*. The issue I had is they built a world that is heavily conservative, the kind of place that does not show much tolerance, and then randomly the MC went from Sheldon on Big Bang Theory (uninterested in sex) to full on gay and it was no big deal. Was even flaunting it by going to some big public event. I call bullshit. It was world breaking, and I felt it was added in without any lead in. It ruined the book for me, and it had nothing to do with the person being gay, but had everything to do with the way it destroyed all the world building up to that point. The worst part about that scene, it could have been left off and it would not have impacted the story even slightly, it literally added nothing to the story up to that point (not even emotional involvement, becuase there was no lead into their relationship, at all). I will probably read the next book still, because other than that it was a very well done. Then I read another one, that did not have as strong of a story, but they explained the acceptance of that world and it was part of the canon if you will. So the fact the MC was gay did not bother me, because the world building allowed for it and it did not jar against expectation. And as stated be careful with sex scenes, even hetero scenes get uncomfortable if they over do it. Personally, I think it's much more tasteful (for any flavor of MC) to imply what happens than going into graphic detail. I won't even do it in my books, and I do not want to hear how the dwarf's stubby fingers felt her moist... blah blah blah. Do not get me wrong, I enjoy sex, but hearing people describe it too much puts me out of the scene, like I am having a threesome watching the girl and the other dude do shit I normally wouldn't. Not sure if that makes sense, but it can and does break immersion for me if done improperly.
Oh I should point out I am rolling my eyes at the legit reviews that stated things like I just did, not the actual bigot type comments.
It has to fit. I've seen too many times writers pander to the diversity crowd and just create some of the most incredibly awful messes of story and characterization.
As Paul mentioned, my series (Fjorgyn) does feature a world-appropriate gay couple. My main character, Michael, is gay and is in a romantic relationship with my second most important character, Clifford. While there is some conservativism in the world, it is more to do with the elite/ruling class I wrote into the world, but the rest of the cultures/societies adopt a "love is love" attitude, seeing their relationship in equal eyes as others. I wrote it this way not to pander, either. It is because same-gender relationships are what I know. I've received a wave of negative reviews over it and I was bothered at first but got over it quickly enough.
Actually RJ, yours was the book I was quoting in the second part of my response, which I was talking about the gay characters fitting a narrative that was explained. I could not remember what book it was until you mentioned the names.
Thank you. If you stick with me, I think you'll be pleased with the direction I am taking book two. I realized after releasing that book one' storyline was rather.... linear and without considerable consequence or risk on the part of the MC. Book two will be nearly twice as long and will develop more clearly the overall arc for the series, along with more world building and character development. I do agree with you on sex scenes. I don't like writing them, myself, and exercise fade-to-black once I hit the point where it is understood that sex will happen.
I explored the lgbt side and included it in one of my series. There are three main characters in a fantasy sex vrmmorpg. I wanted to write something that if you had a game where you could expore your desires, kinks or passions, you could in a virtual environment. The sex is quite explicit but it's just not there for titillation. I like plots with my stories. I have a number of friends who asked me to write something in that vein and were super helpful with advice. When I started the series. I never felt like I was pandering to the lgbt community. It was something I genuinely interested in writing. Needless to say, some of my fans weren't too happy with the slight shift and they let it known in the reviews. My point with all of this is, your art will speak to you and inspiration guides you to create something special. If it's something you want to represent or explore in your writing, you totally should! If it's not your thing, that's fine too! Your fans will find you.
I have no problem with LGBT characters being featured. The lack of character diversity in LitRPG books is something that I'd love to see addressed. Hell, it's gotten to the point even seeing a female MC is refreshing. This is also why I quit spending any time on the Facebook group. Couldn't handle another "this plot would be good but I can't read a female POV" post.
Yeah, that's why I put a male and female MC in my book. We've got a couple female LitRPG authors now, so I wonder if we'll get more female gamer viewpoints in the future.
I've read books with homosexual relationships among the characters. As long as it's not flagrant sex or a novel with people just getting down, I don't care. I don't read any books for the sexual content amd would stray away from any regardless of the relatuonship dynamic. It's just not my thing.
