Writing reference links (and gay male relationship info I found)
For my own ref, but if they help you too, feel free to enjoy!
-- http://www.trickster.org/fannishbutterfly/10_peeves.html <-- Top 10 Peeves in fanfic (by one critic)
-- http://www.squidge.org/~minotaur/ <-- WARNING: NSFW, and potentially HIGHLY OFFENSIVE if you're of a sensitive or intolerant nature. After the dozens of requests I received to write a yaoi-fic, I did some research into what the gay-male scene was like (IRL and in fic), to look for trends, cliches, peeves, etc. This site describes in detail culture, drugs, trends, positions, acts, anatomy, Q &A, etc of gay men's relationships. Includes frank discussions on sexuality, and graphic and photographic illustrations.
-- http://www.englishchick.com/badfic/ <-- Bad Fanfic! No Biscuit! (funny lessons on the things that make your fic badfic)
-- http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Labyrinth/8584/genres/fanfic.html <-- this is a site with a lot of links to references and resources. One of my friends shared it with me, and I've found it WONDERFUL! Depending on the links you follow, however, and the area of the site you're in, you may wander into NSFW territory.
And now, for the under cut...
Copy-pasted from my friend's message to me about writing 'yaoi' or male-male relationship fics:
Speaking of fanfiction, I know you were worrying about writing slash, so here is a site I found on google that may help: Genre Links: Fan and Slash Fiction
I have poked around a bit, and it does seem somewhat useful. Most of the links though are of the "check your spelling!" and "don't write Mary Sues!" variety. Honestly, most generic conventions you have to watch out for in slash are things that you would avoid in general fanfiction anyway.
Some conventions to look out for would be:
-Magical Gay Fairy: Oh look, they are inexplicably gay all of a sudden for no reason!
-Love After The First Sex/Kiss Scene: If I didn't love you before, I sure do now because our hormonial lurve is SOOOOO pure! And I fell in love with your good looks to begin with!
-Same Names, Different Characters (aka OOC): Well, Sokka's love for women isn't really gay, so let's just pretend large chunks of his personality don't exist. OH! I know! Let's make him be a shy bookworm instead so that Zuko will lurve him more! :D
-Not Rape: Because raping the person you love is the PERFECT way to get them to fall in love with you! (see Love After First Sex Scene)
-It's A Man's World: Eww girl cooties! This is slash! Why would women want strong female characters in their own literature?! Obviously the woman competing for the main character is a weak, back-stabbing, fat *bleep* that nobody should like! Even if in cannon she is a perfectly reasonable and strong female character. Better yet! Let's forget women even exist! They can definitely NOT be important contributors to plot and character development! They are icky women after all.
-Yaoi Land: Everybody's gay! Oh... so the girl is all alone now because her boyfriend is gay... Well, she can be gay too! :D And that guy over there! He can be gay too! No social problems with homosexuality being accepted here! :D Inexplicably, it's all A-OK!
-Grab A Partner: God forbid you are single after the main couple has hooked up! Happy Endings all around! Oh, you don't really get along with the person you got paired up with? You never even talked in series? Doesn't matter as long as nobody is single! :D
-Who Needs Plot And Character Development: Sex is plot right? Who needs character development and solid plot, it's all about the snogging.
-Black And White: God forbid the two men are actual PEOPLE. They have to fit within this rigid set of rules that defines which one is on top! They can DEFINITELY not be reversible! :O And one must always cry! And the other one must protect him! Basically? One of your characters just got turned into "the girl", where the men are extra-manly and the other men are... magically wimpy women. : /
-Glorification: The stoic character is extra-stoic and cool, but oh! The precious jewel that is the other protagonist melts his tough-chocolate-cookie exterior into pure strawberry-vanilla romance goo. How precious!
Let's call it... "[my friend's name]'s quick and dirty guide to slash fic clichés"
Yeah, don't mind the sarcasm. >_>
Some overused concepts are: High School AU, Prostitution/Slave AU, Hogwarts crossover, The Prince and The Peasant/Servant/Wood Nymph or The Fantasy AU, etc.
And I probably missed a lot too. But the general rule of thumb is that if you can write it well, nobody will really mind if it is a generic convention. Solid writing, characterization and plot are what matter. : ) And I have full faith in your abilities in those regards.
*Well, I do believe I used the wrong canon there.
Also, another very overlooked point in slash fiction is the tendency to assume the two protagonists are alright with being gay. And considering you are writing for two proclaimed straight men, this will be an important point to cover in your fic. Are they alright with the other person's body being male? What repulses/attracts them to it? Why? How would it be different were the other person a woman? Do they ever ask themselves that? Do they think of themselves as homo or bisexual? Do they worry what their family would say?
Realistically, what would their family's or friends' reactions be? Would they even want to tell them? Why or why not?
Why do they choose to be with that person, even with all the possible complications?
Are they happy together?
Just a few things to contemplate. : )
Hope that helps!
--> VERY MUCH SO! :D (I'm so lucky my friends have such an open mind about discussing these things!) ^_^ Anyway, I thought I'd share in case any one else had run into these things. ^^; Not my usual cup of tea, but I suppose I'll take on any challenge to see where it takes me!
Now, to see about how big the pool will be at the hotel in Maryland next weekend. >_<;;;
-- http://www.trickster.org/fannishbutterfly/10_peeves.html <-- Top 10 Peeves in fanfic (by one critic)
-- http://www.squidge.org/~minotaur/ <-- WARNING: NSFW, and potentially HIGHLY OFFENSIVE if you're of a sensitive or intolerant nature. After the dozens of requests I received to write a yaoi-fic, I did some research into what the gay-male scene was like (IRL and in fic), to look for trends, cliches, peeves, etc. This site describes in detail culture, drugs, trends, positions, acts, anatomy, Q &A, etc of gay men's relationships. Includes frank discussions on sexuality, and graphic and photographic illustrations.
-- http://www.englishchick.com/badfic/ <-- Bad Fanfic! No Biscuit! (funny lessons on the things that make your fic badfic)
-- http://www.geocities.com/Area51/Labyrinth/8584/genres/fanfic.html <-- this is a site with a lot of links to references and resources. One of my friends shared it with me, and I've found it WONDERFUL! Depending on the links you follow, however, and the area of the site you're in, you may wander into NSFW territory.
And now, for the under cut...
Copy-pasted from my friend's message to me about writing 'yaoi' or male-male relationship fics:
Speaking of fanfiction, I know you were worrying about writing slash, so here is a site I found on google that may help: Genre Links: Fan and Slash Fiction
I have poked around a bit, and it does seem somewhat useful. Most of the links though are of the "check your spelling!" and "don't write Mary Sues!" variety. Honestly, most generic conventions you have to watch out for in slash are things that you would avoid in general fanfiction anyway.
Some conventions to look out for would be:
-Magical Gay Fairy: Oh look, they are inexplicably gay all of a sudden for no reason!
-Love After The First Sex/Kiss Scene: If I didn't love you before, I sure do now because our hormonial lurve is SOOOOO pure! And I fell in love with your good looks to begin with!
-Same Names, Different Characters (aka OOC): Well, Sokka's love for women isn't really gay, so let's just pretend large chunks of his personality don't exist. OH! I know! Let's make him be a shy bookworm instead so that Zuko will lurve him more! :D
-Not Rape: Because raping the person you love is the PERFECT way to get them to fall in love with you! (see Love After First Sex Scene)
-It's A Man's World: Eww girl cooties! This is slash! Why would women want strong female characters in their own literature?! Obviously the woman competing for the main character is a weak, back-stabbing, fat *bleep* that nobody should like! Even if in cannon she is a perfectly reasonable and strong female character. Better yet! Let's forget women even exist! They can definitely NOT be important contributors to plot and character development! They are icky women after all.
-Yaoi Land: Everybody's gay! Oh... so the girl is all alone now because her boyfriend is gay... Well, she can be gay too! :D And that guy over there! He can be gay too! No social problems with homosexuality being accepted here! :D Inexplicably, it's all A-OK!
-Grab A Partner: God forbid you are single after the main couple has hooked up! Happy Endings all around! Oh, you don't really get along with the person you got paired up with? You never even talked in series? Doesn't matter as long as nobody is single! :D
-Who Needs Plot And Character Development: Sex is plot right? Who needs character development and solid plot, it's all about the snogging.
-Black And White: God forbid the two men are actual PEOPLE. They have to fit within this rigid set of rules that defines which one is on top! They can DEFINITELY not be reversible! :O And one must always cry! And the other one must protect him! Basically? One of your characters just got turned into "the girl", where the men are extra-manly and the other men are... magically wimpy women. : /
-Glorification: The stoic character is extra-stoic and cool, but oh! The precious jewel that is the other protagonist melts his tough-chocolate-cookie exterior into pure strawberry-vanilla romance goo. How precious!
Let's call it... "[my friend's name]'s quick and dirty guide to slash fic clichés"
Yeah, don't mind the sarcasm. >_>
Some overused concepts are: High School AU, Prostitution/Slave AU, Hogwarts crossover, The Prince and The Peasant/Servant/Wood Nymph or The Fantasy AU, etc.
And I probably missed a lot too. But the general rule of thumb is that if you can write it well, nobody will really mind if it is a generic convention. Solid writing, characterization and plot are what matter. : ) And I have full faith in your abilities in those regards.
*Well, I do believe I used the wrong canon there.
Also, another very overlooked point in slash fiction is the tendency to assume the two protagonists are alright with being gay. And considering you are writing for two proclaimed straight men, this will be an important point to cover in your fic. Are they alright with the other person's body being male? What repulses/attracts them to it? Why? How would it be different were the other person a woman? Do they ever ask themselves that? Do they think of themselves as homo or bisexual? Do they worry what their family would say?
Realistically, what would their family's or friends' reactions be? Would they even want to tell them? Why or why not?
Why do they choose to be with that person, even with all the possible complications?
Are they happy together?
Just a few things to contemplate. : )
Hope that helps!
--> VERY MUCH SO! :D (I'm so lucky my friends have such an open mind about discussing these things!) ^_^ Anyway, I thought I'd share in case any one else had run into these things. ^^; Not my usual cup of tea, but I suppose I'll take on any challenge to see where it takes me!
Now, to see about how big the pool will be at the hotel in Maryland next weekend. >_<;;;