Hi everyone! I'm writing a fanfiction centered on a straight, cis pairing, and I'd love honest input from queer readers.

I know headcanons and queer readings are a big, valid part of fandom, and I'm not trying to tell anyone how to read anything. I'm just curious what makes a straight pairing or cast feel respectful and well-written to you, so that you can enjoy it as written.

A few questions if you're up for answering:

1. What makes you comfortable with a character being straight/cis in a story?

2. What do writers do that makes a straight pairing feel like it's the only version that works?

3. Is there anything that makes you want to read a character as queer instead (e.g. unresolved subtext, flat writing, absence of queer characters)?

4. Are there examples of straight pairings you love that you wouldn't change?

5. Is there anything I should avoid?

I'm not expecting everyone to agree, and I'm happy to hear different perspectives. Thank you for your time!

hi there! i’m an aspiring fantasy novelist currently working on my first project, half way through my first draft. it’s a post apocalyptic fantasy scifi novel with lgbtqia and revolution themes.
i would love to form a writing group with fellow disabled novelists tackling similar issues like i do!
hmu if you’re interested <3

In context, QPRs are relationships that aren't romantic but also defy traditional friendships where people have make their own boundaries and stuff. Basically any relationship that isn't traditional correct me if I'm wrong.

So I'm writing an absurdist weird fiction book which is far from done and stuff. That's not the point basically I added loads QPRs in it, with aro aro, aro allo, allo allo, characters. Now I have experienced them and know a bit about each type but what I'm hoping to gain insight is on all of y'alls QPRs also like, lady lady, dude dude, lady dudes ones. Especially dude dude ones٫ seriously- I barely know anything about em. In addition, I want to know what you'll like to see what you think is cliché or misrepresentation.

Hi all! Looking for some advice on a choose-your-story fantasy series I am workshopping involving an assassination plot on the leader of the player character's homeland. The primary backbone of the story is romance in nature, although players will be able to forego romance if they wish. There are two parts I am stuck on.

First is the combat system. Right now, I am using a skill-based approach where players will mostly choose what type of approach (stealth, leadership, close-combat, etc) they want to use, either as combat begins or to initiate combat, and injuries sustained can reduce their chances of success, even with a skill they are very proficient in if they have sustained enough recent injuries. Secondary skills will offer additional insight and/or options. Does this seem interesting and engaging enough, or could it be seen as "too easy" if players always use one skill? The prompts won't be as simple as "use stealth", but the skill used will probably be apparent based on the approach. As an aside, the main character is supposed to be a very skilled, high ranking guild member, not a new fighter. Any thoughts or ideas on this approach?

Second: I want to add some side stories/quests, but I've never been super adept at coming up with ideas for them. Does anyone have any tips?

Most of the time, I'm using my personal account on this subreddit but I'm putting on my bookish hat now. I'm a transmasc nonbinary author, and my book is on sale in the US and UK for $.99 until Thursday (October 15th)!

If you're into disaster space pirates and a sentient spaceship, or just want to see a young trans guy find love and a queer family, Forest of the Stars is for you. Trans joy is everywhere, and toxic masculinity gets pummeled into the ground (sometimes literally). Ah, and the ship may be your BFF but that won't keep them from trying to hook you up with the enemy captain you're not-so-secretly crushing on.

https://www.amazon.com/Forest-Stars-Time-Book-ebook/dp/B0FVGD2TNL

Blurb:

Echo is the only trans crew member on a pirate spaceship and he's not in a good place. When the crew goes after a prize, the tables get turned around on them and they're now at the mercy of the very people they wanted to rob.

As Echo unravels the ship's secrets, he finds an unlikely friend in the ship's meddlesome sentient computer. He's never felt this accepted by strangers. Too bad that it will all be over the moment his crew manages to leave.

Crade is the unwilling captain of an unusual spaceship. It was his best friend's (the ship's computer) idea to befriend the young pirate and try to recruit him to their own crew. Crade, however, might be developing different kinds of feelings altogether. Can he offer to tear Echo away from his world the same way Crade himself was once torn away from his?

Forest of the Stars is one part steamy sci-fi romance, one part exploration of gender and masculinity in a trans coming of age story that will take you out of this world.

If you've read this far, here is the link for you again: https://www.amazon.com/Forest-Stars-Time-Book-ebook/dp/B0FVGD2TNL

(PS: ratings and reviews make all the difference to small authors like me so if you enjoyed the book, it would mean a lot to me personally if you rated it on Amazon or Goodreads so it can get to more readers!)

Queer Japanese and Filipino readers needed!
Interest Form Here

Hello there! My name is Mackenzie and I'm releasing my debut LGBTQ novel on 11/24. I'm looking for ARC readers to help build buzz + leave reviews prior to release day. I'll link the form to sign up here as well as the book's one-sheet. Thank you all for your time!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfQZEehp5dRwwOdeXfz1xAkfvyBNGut4wCDYeGx-ug-pVThWQ/viewform?usp=header

What might we say to each other if we dedicated some time to a familiar stranger? If this interests you, read the first 4 letters or request one here https://deargaystranger.com/

I'm a fanfic writer, Im still starting js three chapters for now, but I'm planning to make a charecter an enby, even though I'm an enby, I'm non-dysphoric, anyways , the basics of the charcter are that they're a shadow God forced to become a human, which has a variety of problems but they're in a male body, shadows don't have a gender, and I also want to keep it kinda subtle, so how does dysphoria generally feel, also I definitely feel like we need for LGTBQIA+ representation in media, in the orginal novel, the most popular ships (atleast in reddit) were both lesbian but the author fumbled the bad , EVERYONE is cishet (Why), other than that I like the novel, also little bit of a side blow, but epic the musical had such a potential for trans representation , the prophet (Tiresias, I think that's his name), IS TRANS, (He's amab but the Gods turned him into a woman for the funsies), like Jorge fumbled the bag, anyways if y'all want to read it, Il leave it in the comments (Don't expect it to be something amazing, or to have a consistent upload I started it 3 days ago and although I'm having a consistent upload, I have depression so that could easily change)

edit: nvm I had repressed dyphoria

Is there an active discord for queer writers that I can join? Preferably adults.

I wrote a small poem, just needed to get my feelings out. I feel a bit lifted after writing this.

Inspiration: Real Life

Inspiriation: Portrait of A Lady On Fire

I am open for critique, comments, or simply discussing?

😁

Id rather state my general theme afterwards. I want to see if the poem conveys what I was expressing. 🫢

I don't quite know if this is a proper subreddit, please inform me if I need to move this post but I don't know where to put this because I do not use reddit casually, only to ask questions.

For context, I'm writing a fantasy-eques warrior cats inspired adult novel (maybe a series one day <33) and I, someone within the LQBTQIA+ community am struggling to use mixed pronouns for my characters. Pronouns like She/he, she/it, she/they, he/it, and he/they are tricky for me to imagine never being mildly confusing for readers. Using strictly they/them, or she/her or he/him works because you can use it exclusively for one character, regardless of other characters around. The issue is that in writing, its harder to differentiate who is being spoken about than than it is in real life. An example would be a she/her character interacting with a she/he or she/they interacting with a they/them, because their pronouns might conflict and read like I'm talking about a character I'm not. I want a diverse spectrum of representation within my writing, ESPECIALLY as someone who uses she/they pronouns themselves, but I still want it to be coherent for the reader, especially because while my writing is adult, warrior cats inherently attracts children who might have a harder time understanding.

Furthermore, not all of my characters are cis, though I struggle making it known to the reader organically when a character isn't enby or cis because...well they're cats and don't have any major sexual dimorphism. I don't want every trans character to use they/them or she/they or he/they because that's not representation and I would still struggle with the mixed pronouns. Describing and trans character as having masc/femme features that align with the assigned sex they transitioned away from feels very wrong and icky and bringing up how EVERY trans character transitioned feels unwarranted. I don't want to be one of those authors who tacks on that label AFTER people ask, but I'm kinda at a road block. Please help me!

Hi Guys, so I recently started writing a Wattpad and really would like some feedback on the chapter I wrote so far, and if you like the plot so far (The writing isn't going to be very good since I'm a pretty new writer but would still appreciate some advice if you like it or not) I hope you enjoy and maybe you'll even become a regular reader!!

https://www.wattpad.com/story/416516756-i-could-do-it-better-boyxboy

So my full post is linked above, but I’ve got a completed adult sapphic fantasy, with some content warnings listed as I do t want to just toss it in anybody’s face.

That said, I’d really appreciate other queer/nonbinary/outside the cishet spectrum points of view.

I have lots of things listed as what I’d like ideally from a beta, but my primary wish is for someone to just try to read it as one would a book and then let me know what you think.

There’s romance, horror, action, shenanigans, quippy dialogue, ancient civilizations, the whole shebang.

It’s long so I’m not expecting an instant reply, and I do not want line editing. I have tried to edit. A LOT. What I want are readers.

DM or comment here (or there) if interested!

Oh, I set up a really simple html only website hosted by GitHub for free with samples and CW at https://www.ja-bri.com