Writing Rainbows

Written by: “G”

Hey peeps, before I start, I would like to state a few things! My pronouns are she/her, I identify as  ace, and I am a huge geek when it comes to book, film and theatre! I love reading, especially genres  like fantasy, but a common problem I face is books not including any representation, especially from  the LGBTQIA+ community. So, we need to change this. I am an aspiring author, and I would like to  help spread my knowledge and some tips of including this in writing. 

Loud: 

There are many books, such as ‘Simon vs the homo sapiens agenda’, that make it clear very early on  that the character is queer, with Simon being gay. These are books that generally pique the interests  of people searching for queer characters. There are several ways to start writing this style. You could  

write in the blurb or simply state in the first page what the character identifies as, or even the  conflicting thoughts crossing their mind on what they might identify as. You could state it simply as  ‘Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier.’ The main key when writing an open character  is consistency. If your character is open to the reader, or even just out, they should, more often than  not, display characteristics of what they identify as. There is nothing to hold them back. They could,  for example, consider celebrities that they have a crush on. Or even just show their true colours in  terms of clothing, makeup and relationships.  

Discreet: 

Is their identity essential to the story? Does the story revolve around how they identify? You do not  need to have their identity as central in your writing. Many popular books have characters that  identify as queer but are very discreet about it. It often takes readers a while to pick up subtle hints  on what they might identify as. This is a great way to include queerness. Books are supposed to  make the reader work for knowledge or try to predict the plot, so why not do the same. You don’t  even have to have the main character an openly queer person in a story. You can have their best  friend being trans, an openly bi brother, or even same sex parents. These little details can mean the  world to queer readers, especially if it is in a place they might not expect! You don’t even need to  state that they are queer. I for one don’t like to just state I’m queer, I shouldn’t have to come out to  every person I meet. Just changing up a sentence to state that “she had to consult with her  girlfriend” or that “my dads are away tonight” can be enough. In terms of making the main character  queer, but not loud, adding a few hints or small details cause readers who are queer or identify with  them to understand, is great. For example: after viewing The Hobbit: The Battle of the Five Armies 

Female friend: Oh my god, Legolas is so hot! 

Male friend: I know right! 

Me: but did you see the dragon though? That was epic! 

Stereotypes: 

A common problem with queer writing is stereotypes. A teenage American boy struggling with being  gay in an opposing world, a bi girl trying to keep a relationship with their girlfriend as they go to 

university, someone falls in love with straight best friend. There are so many identities that are very  misunderstood, misrepresented, or not even represented at all, that could be used. And inside of  that, each person identifies differently to another, even if they are both, for example, bi. Someone  who is non-binary may present more feminine than another person who identifies the same.  Someone who is bi might have a stronger preference to men than women. There are many aspects  of each identity that are often overlooked. After all, they are more like guidelines than actual rules.  Each identity is like a bubble, and each person in that bubble is different. So, represent these in your  writing. One way to do so is to thoroughly research before you write. Even if you identify with the  character, your identity may slightly vary to others in the same bubble. Plus, you could pick up small  details that are often overlooked about the identity. There is nothing better than reading a book and  identifying with the main character. What would you like to read about? 

Relationships: 

I struggle with romance. Every book has it, more often than not, a key part of it. And while at times it  is manageable (I mean, I can’t say no to two gay theatre boys in New York), it often does my head in.  But there are many types of relationships that don’t need to involve romance, and especially more  intimate activities. These relationships could include: a friendship between two childhood friends  growing up together, a relationship between a father and son/daughter/child, a grandma and  grandchild, students who share the same class, an older and younger sibling, a master and an  apprentice (always two there are), a regular café customer and the cashier, nine strangers on a  quest to destroy an ancient piece of jewellery. There are so many different relationships that don’t  need to involve a romance. And these are just as fun to read. I am often guilty in reading middle  school fiction because I know there will be less romance, and more adventure in them. But, if like  me, you have a tendency to read queer books, that often involve some form of romance, here are  some cute things to involve if you don’t want intimacy: hugging, going to see the newest Star Wars  movie, watching movies that contain the actors that characters have celebrity crushes on (and  arguing who gets them), eating ice-cream at a park (at ungodly hours), going for long walks, playing  Skyrim together and becoming vampires, karaoke, cooking together, building a pillow fort, ice  skating, teaching hobbies, helping with homework, attending comic cons (bonus if both in costume),  go on a quest together, kill their partner’s friends and family (to remind them of their love), playing  with hair, dancing (bonus if in rain), movie marathon, sharing favourite books, hand-written notes in  lockers or pockets, teaching weaponry forms, sharing food. 

 

Connection: 

If you are a queer person writing a queer character/ story, more often than not you are going to  include aspects that you are familiar with. Whether this is your sexuality, how you identify or even  experiences you have endured. This is a great way to write. Because you have more in common or  can relate with the character or storyline, your writing may come easier to you. It’s like basing a  character on your best friend, you know every aspect of them. You can detail how they act, their  hobbies and their habits. By sticking to a storyline that you know more about, your story would be  more realistic. It is, after all, easier to write about things you know well. If you are writing about an  identity that you have had limited exposure to, do your research. There is nothing worse than reading a book that is full of stereotypes and poor representation. For example, for me, I don’t know  much about being bi. I would research how someone could represent themselves, what it means to 

them in terms of romance, and even how they might dress. You can always ask a friend or someone  you know for advice and tips on writing a character (or even base it on them). There are so many  resources available online, as well as good websites that often talk about that sort of thing.  

Reality: 

Many LGBTQIA+ teens are lucky to have a safe home with safe and understanding friends and family.  But many are not. Many face exposure, homophobic insults, judgement and more horrible events.  These could include disapproving parents, being outed or being put out of their comfort zone. If you  have experienced any of these situations, feel free to include them in your writing. You can use the  emotions and sequence of events that you experienced. But keep in mind, many people have had  horrible experiences and it could be confronting for some. However, if written respectfully, it can be  a good plot point in the story. For example, in Simon vs the homo sapiens agenda, Simon is faced  with being outed, having a not understanding/disapproving parent, as well as losing the respect and  relationships with friends. This story was a really good representation for what some people go  through. It provided several problems for Simon to overcome, as well as provide a good opportunity  for character development. So, don’t feel scared to cause some drama for your character. There are  many inevitable challenges that are faced by being queer and these can allow readers to become  prepared for life, and it provides a good area for problem solving. 

Audience: 

Before you even start to write, make sure you know who your audience will be. There is a large  difference between a book aimed at 8-12-year-olds, and 15-18-year-olds. This could affect your plot,  characters, and language used. A lot of younger audiences may not understand events, situations or  even the representation. While older audiences can brave and expect more advanced or  sophisticated writing. It also changes the relationships that characters pursue. Characters in books  aimed at middle schoolers, often include limited romance, especially intimacy. While characters in  young adult fiction might be more romantically involved or their relationship involves more grown up issues, such as going away to university. Is your book aimed at a queer audience? Books that are  aimed directly to a queer audience often involve large amounts of, well, queerness. They show large  representations from the LGBTQIA+ community and don’t hesitate to portray more relatable  situations. While, books that are not directly aimed at queer readers, may not include as much.  These books might have several queer characters in them, but they could be more discreet than other books. 

How to start: 

There are many questions you should also ask yourself before writing a queer character. How do  they present? Are they open about their sexuality? Do they present more masculine than feminine? What is their situation at home? Do they feel safe? Are they out yet? Does their identity affect the  views of people close to them? how do they act around those closest to them? how do they act  around their significant others? What tips them?  

Writing is all about expanding your creative mind, there are no walls. Just as there are no walls to our identities. Tell a story about a pan boy, a non-binary parent, a gay elf, a lesbian mermaid, whatever your mind likes. Show readers a story that they would like. One that keeps them hooked. One that isn’t often told. The story is up to you.  

Hopefully some of this is useful with aspiring young authors! Some of it applies to more fantasy  worlds, then current, but hopefully you can build off the prompts and advice to create your own  masterpiece! The pen is yours, now is the time! 

- G 

Some recommendations: 

Books- any by Rick Riordan, Becky Albertalli or Alison Evans, Fun Home, What if it’s us, The Song of  Achilles, Six of Crows, Nimona 

Movies/ TV- Love, Simon, Trinkets, Bohemian Rhapsody, Happiest Season, Charlie’s Angels (for  anyone who likes Kristen Stewart), Good Omens 

Musicals- any Averno musicals (especially Willow), Fun Home, Come From Away, Falsettos

Wear It Purple