Casually inserting sexual orientation
My main character, Eris, in my post-apocalyptic novel is queer. Her first love interest, Caspian, is male, but further on in the story I'm going to introduce a secondary love interest, Marina. As far as the reader knows, Eris is straight, because the only person she has expressed romantic interest in is Caspian, a guy. So how can I believably and casually show that Eris swings both ways without the reader being confused by the time she, Marina, and Caspian are in a love triangle?
I want to make clear: this is not sexual. Eris is 16, Caspian is 17, and Marina is either 16 or 17. I will not portray explicit sexual content to show Eris' completely innocent and newly blooming romantic feelings.
creative-writing characters character-development
asked 4 hours ago
weakdnaweakdna
2,94931854
add a comment |
My main character, Eris, in my post-apocalyptic novel is queer. Her first love interest, Caspian, is male, but further on in the story I'm going to introduce a secondary love interest, Marina. As far as the reader knows, Eris is straight, because the only person she has expressed romantic interest in is Caspian, a guy. So how can I believably and casually show that Eris swings both ways without the reader being confused by the time she, Marina, and Caspian are in a love triangle?
I want to make clear: this is not sexual. Eris is 16, Caspian is 17, and Marina is either 16 or 17. I will not portray explicit sexual content to show Eris' completely innocent and newly blooming romantic feelings.
creative-writing characters character-development
asked 4 hours ago
weakdnaweakdna
2,94931854
1
if you were yourself is such a situation I imagine you wouldn't immediately understand your feelings as your sexuality shifts. Writing the characters own confusion during the transition seems a straight forward solution
– BKlassen
4 hours ago
1
@BKlassen bisexuality isn't necessarily confusion.
– bruglesco
3 hours ago
@bruglesco no, and my comment refers to the transitory confusion between one sexuality and another not that a sexual preference is confused
– BKlassen
3 hours ago
1
@BKlassen The reader perhaps being confused is not the same as the character being confused. Sexuality is not binary! Bisexuality (and pansexuality) is not a fringe state of being. It's common and mainstream. The only confusion is from people who don't understand what bisexuality means!
– Cyn
3 hours ago
1
I assume Eris is your POV character. So this is becoming just your choice of how subtle or explicit you want to be in revealing her sexuality.
– Alexander
2 hours ago
add a comment |
My main character, Eris, in my post-apocalyptic novel is queer. Her first love interest, Caspian, is male, but further on in the story I'm going to introduce a secondary love interest, Marina. As far as the reader knows, Eris is straight, because the only person she has expressed romantic interest in is Caspian, a guy. So how can I believably and casually show that Eris swings both ways without the reader being confused by the time she, Marina, and Caspian are in a love triangle?
I want to make clear: this is not sexual. Eris is 16, Caspian is 17, and Marina is either 16 or 17. I will not portray explicit sexual content to show Eris' completely innocent and newly blooming romantic feelings.
creative-writing characters character-development
asked 4 hours ago
weakdnaweakdna
2,94931854
My main character, Eris, in my post-apocalyptic novel is queer. Her first love interest, Caspian, is male, but further on in the story I'm going to introduce a secondary love interest, Marina. As far as the reader knows, Eris is straight, because the only person she has expressed romantic interest in is Caspian, a guy. So how can I believably and casually show that Eris swings both ways without the reader being confused by the time she, Marina, and Caspian are in a love triangle?
I want to make clear: this is not sexual. Eris is 16, Caspian is 17, and Marina is either 16 or 17. I will not portray explicit sexual content to show Eris' completely innocent and newly blooming romantic feelings.
creative-writing characters character-development
creative-writing characters character-development
asked 4 hours ago
weakdnaweakdna
2,94931854
asked 4 hours ago
weakdnaweakdna
2,94931854
edited 56 mins ago
weakdna
asked 4 hours ago
weakdnaweakdna
2,94931854
asked 4 hours ago
weakdnaweakdna
2,94931854
asked 4 hours ago
weakdnaweakdna
2,94931854
2,94931854
1
if you were yourself is such a situation I imagine you wouldn't immediately understand your feelings as your sexuality shifts. Writing the characters own confusion during the transition seems a straight forward solution
– BKlassen
4 hours ago
1
@BKlassen bisexuality isn't necessarily confusion.
– bruglesco
3 hours ago
@bruglesco no, and my comment refers to the transitory confusion between one sexuality and another not that a sexual preference is confused
– BKlassen
3 hours ago
1
@BKlassen The reader perhaps being confused is not the same as the character being confused. Sexuality is not binary! Bisexuality (and pansexuality) is not a fringe state of being. It's common and mainstream. The only confusion is from people who don't understand what bisexuality means!
– Cyn
3 hours ago
1
I assume Eris is your POV character. So this is becoming just your choice of how subtle or explicit you want to be in revealing her sexuality.
– Alexander
2 hours ago
add a comment |
1
if you were yourself is such a situation I imagine you wouldn't immediately understand your feelings as your sexuality shifts. Writing the characters own confusion during the transition seems a straight forward solution
– BKlassen
4 hours ago
1
@BKlassen bisexuality isn't necessarily confusion.
– bruglesco
3 hours ago
@bruglesco no, and my comment refers to the transitory confusion between one sexuality and another not that a sexual preference is confused
– BKlassen
3 hours ago
1
@BKlassen The reader perhaps being confused is not the same as the character being confused. Sexuality is not binary! Bisexuality (and pansexuality) is not a fringe state of being. It's common and mainstream. The only confusion is from people who don't understand what bisexuality means!
– Cyn
3 hours ago
1
I assume Eris is your POV character. So this is becoming just your choice of how subtle or explicit you want to be in revealing her sexuality.
– Alexander
2 hours ago
1
1
if you were yourself is such a situation I imagine you wouldn't immediately understand your feelings as your sexuality shifts. Writing the characters own confusion during the transition seems a straight forward solution
– BKlassen
4 hours ago
if you were yourself is such a situation I imagine you wouldn't immediately understand your feelings as your sexuality shifts. Writing the characters own confusion during the transition seems a straight forward solution
– BKlassen
4 hours ago
1
1
@BKlassen bisexuality isn't necessarily confusion.
– bruglesco
3 hours ago
@BKlassen bisexuality isn't necessarily confusion.
– bruglesco
3 hours ago
@bruglesco no, and my comment refers to the transitory confusion between one sexuality and another not that a sexual preference is confused
– BKlassen
3 hours ago
@bruglesco no, and my comment refers to the transitory confusion between one sexuality and another not that a sexual preference is confused
– BKlassen
3 hours ago
1
1
@BKlassen The reader perhaps being confused is not the same as the character being confused. Sexuality is not binary! Bisexuality (and pansexuality) is not a fringe state of being. It's common and mainstream. The only confusion is from people who don't understand what bisexuality means!
– Cyn
3 hours ago
@BKlassen The reader perhaps being confused is not the same as the character being confused. Sexuality is not binary! Bisexuality (and pansexuality) is not a fringe state of being. It's common and mainstream. The only confusion is from people who don't understand what bisexuality means!
– Cyn
3 hours ago
1
1
I assume Eris is your POV character. So this is becoming just your choice of how subtle or explicit you want to be in revealing her sexuality.
– Alexander
2 hours ago
I assume Eris is your POV character. So this is becoming just your choice of how subtle or explicit you want to be in revealing her sexuality.
– Alexander
2 hours ago
add a comment |
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
So how can I believably and casually show that Eris swings both ways ...
Casually! Have a conversation between Eris and Caspian, perhaps in bed, talking about sex.
An Example:
Caspian asked, "When was your first time? Like, full on?"
"With a girl, I guess full on means oral, so I was fifteen, I had this thing with a friend at school. Then she got religion and dumped me. Not with a guy until I was seventeen. I mean, I was willing, but no good candidates. And you?"
"When I was eighteen, with Elly. You know her?"
"Know her?" Eris laughed. "I would totally fuck that girl. Was she any good?"
"Yeah, I mean, we didn't know anything, but yeah. Very ... energetic."
Eris saw him grinning, and laughed again.
The conversation is casual pillow talk, Caspian is not surprised Eris is bisexual, Eris doesn't hesitate to reveal it.
answered 3 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
53k467172
This is a book for teenagers and Eris has been isolated her whole life, she hasn't had any romantic experience besides her crush on Caspian. Eris is sixteen.
– weakdna
3 hours ago
2
@weakdna "This is a book for teenagers" - I'm afraid we are misinterpreting the meaning of "casually" in your question :)
– Alexander
2 hours ago
add a comment |
I don't think you need to show anything special at all.
Lots of people have multiple love interests (or hookups) over the course of a novel. In some novels, it's the premise.
If a character's first relationship in the novel was to a tall blond German runner, you wouldn't think your readers would be confused when the next relationship is with a short bald Nigerian physics professor.
Let your reader be confused. Most readers will figure it out pretty quickly. The few that don't, well, they're the readers that wouldn't really get it after you explained it either.
answered 3 hours ago
CynCyn
12.9k12763
add a comment |
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2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
2 Answers
2
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
active
oldest
votes
So how can I believably and casually show that Eris swings both ways ...
Casually! Have a conversation between Eris and Caspian, perhaps in bed, talking about sex.
An Example:
Caspian asked, "When was your first time? Like, full on?"
"With a girl, I guess full on means oral, so I was fifteen, I had this thing with a friend at school. Then she got religion and dumped me. Not with a guy until I was seventeen. I mean, I was willing, but no good candidates. And you?"
"When I was eighteen, with Elly. You know her?"
"Know her?" Eris laughed. "I would totally fuck that girl. Was she any good?"
"Yeah, I mean, we didn't know anything, but yeah. Very ... energetic."
Eris saw him grinning, and laughed again.
The conversation is casual pillow talk, Caspian is not surprised Eris is bisexual, Eris doesn't hesitate to reveal it.
answered 3 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
53k467172
This is a book for teenagers and Eris has been isolated her whole life, she hasn't had any romantic experience besides her crush on Caspian. Eris is sixteen.
– weakdna
3 hours ago
2
@weakdna "This is a book for teenagers" - I'm afraid we are misinterpreting the meaning of "casually" in your question :)
– Alexander
2 hours ago
add a comment |
So how can I believably and casually show that Eris swings both ways ...
Casually! Have a conversation between Eris and Caspian, perhaps in bed, talking about sex.
An Example:
Caspian asked, "When was your first time? Like, full on?"
"With a girl, I guess full on means oral, so I was fifteen, I had this thing with a friend at school. Then she got religion and dumped me. Not with a guy until I was seventeen. I mean, I was willing, but no good candidates. And you?"
"When I was eighteen, with Elly. You know her?"
"Know her?" Eris laughed. "I would totally fuck that girl. Was she any good?"
"Yeah, I mean, we didn't know anything, but yeah. Very ... energetic."
Eris saw him grinning, and laughed again.
The conversation is casual pillow talk, Caspian is not surprised Eris is bisexual, Eris doesn't hesitate to reveal it.
answered 3 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
53k467172
This is a book for teenagers and Eris has been isolated her whole life, she hasn't had any romantic experience besides her crush on Caspian. Eris is sixteen.
– weakdna
3 hours ago
2
@weakdna "This is a book for teenagers" - I'm afraid we are misinterpreting the meaning of "casually" in your question :)
– Alexander
2 hours ago
add a comment |
So how can I believably and casually show that Eris swings both ways ...
Casually! Have a conversation between Eris and Caspian, perhaps in bed, talking about sex.
An Example:
Caspian asked, "When was your first time? Like, full on?"
"With a girl, I guess full on means oral, so I was fifteen, I had this thing with a friend at school. Then she got religion and dumped me. Not with a guy until I was seventeen. I mean, I was willing, but no good candidates. And you?"
"When I was eighteen, with Elly. You know her?"
"Know her?" Eris laughed. "I would totally fuck that girl. Was she any good?"
"Yeah, I mean, we didn't know anything, but yeah. Very ... energetic."
Eris saw him grinning, and laughed again.
The conversation is casual pillow talk, Caspian is not surprised Eris is bisexual, Eris doesn't hesitate to reveal it.
answered 3 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
53k467172
So how can I believably and casually show that Eris swings both ways ...
Casually! Have a conversation between Eris and Caspian, perhaps in bed, talking about sex.
An Example:
Caspian asked, "When was your first time? Like, full on?"
"With a girl, I guess full on means oral, so I was fifteen, I had this thing with a friend at school. Then she got religion and dumped me. Not with a guy until I was seventeen. I mean, I was willing, but no good candidates. And you?"
"When I was eighteen, with Elly. You know her?"
"Know her?" Eris laughed. "I would totally fuck that girl. Was she any good?"
"Yeah, I mean, we didn't know anything, but yeah. Very ... energetic."
Eris saw him grinning, and laughed again.
The conversation is casual pillow talk, Caspian is not surprised Eris is bisexual, Eris doesn't hesitate to reveal it.
answered 3 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
53k467172
answered 3 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
53k467172
answered 3 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
53k467172
answered 3 hours ago
AmadeusAmadeus
53k467172
53k467172
This is a book for teenagers and Eris has been isolated her whole life, she hasn't had any romantic experience besides her crush on Caspian. Eris is sixteen.
– weakdna
3 hours ago
2
@weakdna "This is a book for teenagers" - I'm afraid we are misinterpreting the meaning of "casually" in your question :)
– Alexander
2 hours ago
add a comment |
This is a book for teenagers and Eris has been isolated her whole life, she hasn't had any romantic experience besides her crush on Caspian. Eris is sixteen.
– weakdna
3 hours ago
2
@weakdna "This is a book for teenagers" - I'm afraid we are misinterpreting the meaning of "casually" in your question :)
– Alexander
2 hours ago
This is a book for teenagers and Eris has been isolated her whole life, she hasn't had any romantic experience besides her crush on Caspian. Eris is sixteen.
– weakdna
3 hours ago
This is a book for teenagers and Eris has been isolated her whole life, she hasn't had any romantic experience besides her crush on Caspian. Eris is sixteen.
– weakdna
3 hours ago
2
2
@weakdna "This is a book for teenagers" - I'm afraid we are misinterpreting the meaning of "casually" in your question :)
– Alexander
2 hours ago
@weakdna "This is a book for teenagers" - I'm afraid we are misinterpreting the meaning of "casually" in your question :)
– Alexander
2 hours ago
add a comment |
I don't think you need to show anything special at all.
Lots of people have multiple love interests (or hookups) over the course of a novel. In some novels, it's the premise.
If a character's first relationship in the novel was to a tall blond German runner, you wouldn't think your readers would be confused when the next relationship is with a short bald Nigerian physics professor.
Let your reader be confused. Most readers will figure it out pretty quickly. The few that don't, well, they're the readers that wouldn't really get it after you explained it either.
answered 3 hours ago
CynCyn
12.9k12763
add a comment |
I don't think you need to show anything special at all.
Lots of people have multiple love interests (or hookups) over the course of a novel. In some novels, it's the premise.
If a character's first relationship in the novel was to a tall blond German runner, you wouldn't think your readers would be confused when the next relationship is with a short bald Nigerian physics professor.
Let your reader be confused. Most readers will figure it out pretty quickly. The few that don't, well, they're the readers that wouldn't really get it after you explained it either.
answered 3 hours ago
CynCyn
12.9k12763
add a comment |
I don't think you need to show anything special at all.
Lots of people have multiple love interests (or hookups) over the course of a novel. In some novels, it's the premise.
If a character's first relationship in the novel was to a tall blond German runner, you wouldn't think your readers would be confused when the next relationship is with a short bald Nigerian physics professor.
Let your reader be confused. Most readers will figure it out pretty quickly. The few that don't, well, they're the readers that wouldn't really get it after you explained it either.
answered 3 hours ago
CynCyn
12.9k12763
I don't think you need to show anything special at all.
Lots of people have multiple love interests (or hookups) over the course of a novel. In some novels, it's the premise.
If a character's first relationship in the novel was to a tall blond German runner, you wouldn't think your readers would be confused when the next relationship is with a short bald Nigerian physics professor.
Let your reader be confused. Most readers will figure it out pretty quickly. The few that don't, well, they're the readers that wouldn't really get it after you explained it either.
answered 3 hours ago
CynCyn
12.9k12763
answered 3 hours ago
CynCyn
12.9k12763
answered 3 hours ago
CynCyn
12.9k12763
answered 3 hours ago
CynCyn
12.9k12763
12.9k12763
add a comment |
add a comment |
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1
if you were yourself is such a situation I imagine you wouldn't immediately understand your feelings as your sexuality shifts. Writing the characters own confusion during the transition seems a straight forward solution
– BKlassen
4 hours ago
1
@BKlassen bisexuality isn't necessarily confusion.
– bruglesco
3 hours ago
@bruglesco no, and my comment refers to the transitory confusion between one sexuality and another not that a sexual preference is confused
– BKlassen
3 hours ago
1
@BKlassen The reader perhaps being confused is not the same as the character being confused. Sexuality is not binary! Bisexuality (and pansexuality) is not a fringe state of being. It's common and mainstream. The only confusion is from people who don't understand what bisexuality means!
– Cyn
3 hours ago
1
I assume Eris is your POV character. So this is becoming just your choice of how subtle or explicit you want to be in revealing her sexuality.
– Alexander
2 hours ago