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tunemyart · 4 months

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I was tagged by @wistfulwatcher in 20 Questions for Fic Writers - thank you!! <33

How many works do you have on AO3?

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

408,521

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Actively, right now? It's Cabenson all the time. I have a crossover with Elementary in the works, if it counts? Historically: Xena: Warrior Princess, Olivia (1951), Star Trek(s touching on Voyager, Picard, and Discovery), Wicked, Once Upon a Time, Rizzoli & Isles. Waaaaay back in the day historically: A TON of Wicked, smattering of The X-Files, Battlestar: Galactica, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles, Stargates SG-1 and Atlantis, Doctor Who, Bones.

Oh. Also Star Wars EU as a wee child.

4. What are your top five fics by kudos?

Presque Vu (R&I)

all the sacred boundaries we've overgrown (OUAT)

The Nature of Work Wives (R&I)

the undoing and the reweaving (XWP)

The Thing Called Future (OUAT)

5. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

Yeah!! Posting fic is all about the positive human interaction for me! Obviously comments are life, we all know this; but also I have irl friendships that started in the comments of my fic because I responded. You never know who you're going to meet or in what capacity.

tl;dr if someone feels compelled enough by something that came directly out of my brain and my soul to engage tangibly with it - you bet I'm going to respond, barring irl complications.

6. What's the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

Hmmmm so I have been accused of being something of an angst queen, but I also like a happy ending after the angst. I think the angstiest contenders are more ambiguous, and are probably:

no one else can break my heart like you (Wicked) - because we all know what's coming in Act II

Chrysopylae (Voyager/Picard) - because I really don't think many things about Seven and Janeway's relationship can ever truly be resolved

do borg dream of individuality? (Voyager) - see above, where Janeway is starting to intuit this

7. What's the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

I think The Thing Called Future (OUAT) is a pretty classic happy ending! So is all the sacred boundaries we've overgrown (OUAT). Both are in the right fandom for it!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

I've been very fortunate to get very nice, genuine folks and exactly one person I'm choosing to believe was having a bad day and taking it out on me.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Y-yes? I guess it depends on your definition of smut. There's sex for sure, but the focus is more on the emotions while it's happening than on graphic descriptions of what's happening or how it feels. Most of the time it's baked into the narrative and telling the story. I think I've really only written one or two PWP, and they're in XWP fandom.

10. Do you write crossovers? What's the craziest one you've written?

Not really! As mentioned I've got the SVU/Elementary crossover in the works, but for the reason that time and location align so incredibly perfectly. I also had a XWP/Wonder Woman crossover I wrote on a prompt (an amazon matter) and that was a lot of fun, but probably also not crazy.

11. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not word for word or reposted.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but it would be cool!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

No, but @90stvqueen and I have talked about cowriting prompts before!

14. What's your all-time favorite ship?

Oof. I feel like I should say Xena/Gabrielle here, but Gelphie is my OG (shoutout gateway lesbians!)

15. What's the WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

hahahahaha pass

16. What are your writing strengths?

This is a very reflective question! I guess I'd say emotional reflection + revision/distillation. Give me an inch I'll write you a mile, and then realize I need to revise it to something closer the inch you'll actually read or the conversation the characters would actually have.

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

Action, movement, and description of setting. Wait, no, are they sitting/standing in some nebulous, blurry-edged space having a conversation again???? nooooooooooooooooooooo

I'm working on it, and I'm proud of what my efforts are yielding, but also: ughh

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language for a fic?

It's a nice idea, but imo it distracts so hard from the flow of reading. One or two words where the reader can figure it out in context, or where the reader probably knows what it means, is great! Adds color and flavor! Entire lines that require footnotes… personally, I'm never going to look those up.

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Star Wars EU! Luke Skywalker/Mara Jade OTP!

20. Favorite fic you've ever written?

I don't know if/when my answer is going to change from The Wide Orbit (SVU) - genuinely I think it's the best thing I've ever written. A lot of work and revision went into it and I think the final product shows it. It is precisely the story I wanted to tell in precisely the way I wanted to tell it. I just reread it and am still so delighted with it.

tagging in a no-pressure way: @chthonic-cassandra @chainofclovers @90stvqueen @cargopantsprentiss @butchcraftmacncheese @neornithes @dadrielle

#tagged!

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drathahdrabbles · 9 months

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Okay time for the Ihehshk and Pen lore I promised

I recently posted that my asks are open and that I'll be answering them with illustrated answers! In that post I shared an image featuring a Drathah character and a human character that I haven't shared before! So that's what this post is about! Those two and their lore and also their refs. For some context, there exist in my mind Two Time Points, from which various stories on Thardahk take place around. The one I visit more frequently, and from which I reference more of the events and story lines of Drathah history and individual character events, takes place in the year 1148 on Thardahk. It's the first point I thought of, the one I think about more often, the one during which more of my characters and stories take place around. For the Drathah it's a rather unassuming year, but a lot of things happen just before and just after. It's sort of the equivalent to 2019/2020 for us. Technically in the past, but a lot of shit happens so it doesn't feel like it, and during that time we had no clue what was headed our way. The other point in time is 1219, which is where Ihehshk and Penjani come in. 1219 is sort of Thardahk's sci-fi space age. Thardahk years are weird, so even though all the other characters are "only 70 years older" one Thardahk year is THREE human years, so actually over 200 human years have passed. (This is just reminding me I haven't talked about the Thardahk calender/times for things on here yet...) Earth and the human race are also highly advanced. I originally said earth was 500 years in the future, but I might change that to be less. Faster then light travel, planetary colonization, genetic modification, other advanced sciences and medicines, as well as a completely different political landscape. I haven't worked out all of the bits and world building for this time of the Drathah story, because as I mentioned it's pretty secondary to everything else. I like sci-fi but I struggle to write it. 1219 is sort of my fun playground compared to 1148's more serious story writing. It's for me to consider how humans might interact with the Drathah, and vice versa. It's for fun silly space stories.

But in order to explore these fun silly space stories, I need characters through which to explore them and tell them! And so Ihehshk and Pen were created! Ihehshk are both Astronaut/Scientist/Social ambassador folks! They're part of a human and drathah program, where various kinds of folks from both species hang out as essentially roommates, and teach each other about their languages, cultures, science and technology. They're sorta coworkers sorta roommates, but they are genuinely friends! Pen really likes talking about human cultures, and learning about Drathah fashion and holidays. Ihehshk really likes talking about history and learning about Earth's animals and human technology. Also yes, their height difference in the asks post is accurate. Pen is 5'10" (177.8cm), and Ihehshk is 7'10" (238.76cm). I'm realizing now, several hours later, that I forgot Pen's mole and piercings in the asks post.... sigh It always has to be AFTER you've posted it that you notice the obvious and easily avoidable mistake right???

Please ignore almost all of the numbers on Ihehshk's reference. Those numbers are no longer cannon. The day and month of their birthday is still correct, but not the year. (Thardahk has 17 months. I promise I'll share the calendar publicly eventually......)

Also here's a fullbody so your can see all of Ihehshk's patterns. 100% sfw and not even rude. The Drathah have way looser modesty customs and also no visible physical differences between sexes, and they're furry, like your dog, so yeah, sometimes if the weather's nice and they're just loungin about they don't wear clothes. Casual events might call for shorts. I forget if I've posted about this on here already.

So yeah!!! Those are my newest weirdos! If you're interested in learning more about them or the world they live in pop a question in my ask box! :D I'd love to draw them answering it!

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coruscantiscribbler · 1 year

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Once again, I return from the field after spending long evenings keeping company with my favourite fic authors. I am forever indebted to you all. This time I returned with a bonus: I have started writing, again! (With no small help from a friend).

Welcome back to the Asker’s Studio, my friends, I am very glad to one again welcome back @coruscantiscribbler !

When last we chatted, Scribs, you were preparing to embark on that period of Rebels when Kallus is not making an appearance, thus, you were left to your own devices for your fic, We Regret . I believe that we are now three chapters into original content, and I have to say my friend, you are killing it!

As usual, I have a few questions!

To begin, I know that you are a very methodical individual. In the past, you carefully scrutinize existing material, so that you can reference it, yet, not continually regurgitate it. Now that you are essentially free of canon material, do you find this liberating? Has it changed your approach to writing your fic, in general?

As you well know, I am thrilled with how you have handled the Kallus/Zeb relationship. You have continued to adapt a children’s show into a mature, complex story that is palatable for adults. We also see that there will not be the Cinderella story, however, do you envision a long-term friendship to be in the cards for Kallus/Zeb?

Okay I’m chomping at the bit (yup, a bit of horsey talk for the equestrian) to get to this last part: Thrawn & Yularen, folks!

If I really want to celebrate the unintended benefits of Kallus being left out of large chunks of the Rebels episodes, it would be that not one, but two of my favorite characters are slated for an appearance of one sort or the other! Both Thrawn & Yularen mentioned in the same chapter, mercy!

Did you plan this cameo of Thrawn from the start? (Again this gets back to how you navigate uncertain waters)

Can we hope to shout that there will be more than a passing acknowledgment of Thrawn/Kallus?

Yularen. I know that we don’t want to give away spoilers, but…but…is there a possibility that my guy is going to make an appearance? 🤞🏽

Scribs, I am thoroughly enjoying what you are doing and it has been my extreme pleasure to chat with you once again.

Hi, Bee, so glad we could make time in the field more palatable, and I'm so excited you are writing. Can't wait to read what you create.

Once we're past canon it's playing tennis with the net up. When we have the show to guide us or we just rewrite the episodes from a character's POV that's more like playing tennis with the net down. However, that fourth season of Rebels is being in terra incognita and it's a bit like doing a high wire act without a net.

It is liberating, and also very scary. It also gives me an opportunity to really think about what being a rebel intelligence officer actually entails (when you are not shooting informants to keep them from falling into the hands of the Empire). It's very tempting to just say that Kallus is working really hard, and not eating or sleeping enough, but I felt like I needed to actually craft what the hell he is doing. So I've been trying to do my poor best to channel my inner John le Carre.

I do see a friendship between Zeb and Kallus, but I think they're going to have to work for it, and it won't come easy. I also think that when Zeb takes Kallus to Lira San it's not for happily-ever-after, or even to stay. I think Zeb does it as a mitzvah and to finally, fully save Kallus. You'll all see what I mean when I get there.

I had wanted Thrawn and Kallus to meet one last time before tentacles, and I had notions that came fully into focus a few weeks ago. Then I had to create this new group of aliens and do research on starship fuel in Star Wars. (That's the fun of being a writer -- research). I hope to get to it in the next chapter, and I might start that mission, but finish it in the next because there will be a lot going on with that.

Yularen will appear only as a recorded hologram this time, but there will be a final in person meeting between Wullf and Alexsandr. This upcoming scene has been planned almost from the moment I started writing this monster, the final meeting came to me midway through this process.

I love your Asks so thank you for getting back to doing them. They are so much fun to answer and they really make me think.

#alexsandr kallus #grand admiral thrawn #wullf yularen #garazeb orrelios

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brightlotusmoon · 4 years

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"It is a truism that there are people, particularly on social media, with whom one simply cannot reason. Hell, some of them aren’t even actual people, but rather bots whose very existence makes every other interaction suspect. And so we could certainly take worse counsel than to avoid wasting our precious little energies on those who make it clear that they do not share our core values, particularly online, and particularly when the values in question are equality, inclusion, respect, and the most basic, fundamental rights of every human being on the planet.

But I worry. I worry that our wholly understandable refusal to engage with one another will ensure that the bifurcation of us as a people, both as a purposeful political strategy by those in power domestically and as a means for external forces to "sow societal chaos and discord*” becomes permanent. And I worry about what it will do to our ability to evolve, both as individuals and as a society.

I look back on my life and I remember a lot of moments that I’d prefer to forget, and that I hesitate to share. I remember when I was fresh out of college and just starting out in business and one of the senior-most guys on my desk, a man I admired greatly, would make fun of the support staff by saying, “We hire the handicapped; they’re fun to watch.” I remember that I laughed. Not because I thought that I had to to keep my job, not because I felt pressured to do so, but because I thought it was funny.

I remember when the girls were tiny and we bought Katie a doll house, and it came with a family of dolls. I remember that I hadn’t noticed that I’d bought the one with the Black family until I’d brought it home and decided it was a happy mistake. But I also remember that when a guest saw it one day, they laughed and said, “Oh, look, the house came with help,” I chuckled, rolled my eyes, and carried on.

I remember when I screwed something up and thought it was funny to mockingly say, “I”m special. I ride the little bus and wear hockey equipment every day.”

I remember raising inordinate amounts of money, making speeches, pleading for pity, all in the name of finding a “cure” for autism, with no idea that the vast majority of the people for whom I was supposedly fighting desperately needed help and support, but had no desire to fundamentally change who they were.

That was ME. The me that you know, the one who fights like hell for equality and dignity and respect, started out as a person who mocked disability and allowed racial jokes to stand unchallenged in her own home. Who effectively silenced her daughter’s autistic peers. And who desperately needed interaction with people who were light years ahead of me to get me to where I am now. And it scares me, on so many levels, to think of how different my behavior might be had I not had those interactions.

Now I want to be as clear as humanly possible that I don’t mean to imply that we owe our time and energy to anyone, particularly those who deny others’ lived experience or excuse brutality or withhold justice or actively fight against equality. And I want to be even clearer that it is absolutely, positively not the job of the oppressed and marginalized to educate their oppressors and marginalizers. A thousand times no, no, and, just for good measure, hell no. No one is entitled to your labor.

But I do want to take a pause to consider what happens when the vast majority of us, particularly those of us with relative privilege who claim to be allies in the fight, simply stop talking to anyone who isn’t already standing shoulder to shoulder with us. What happens to the folks who might just have taken up the mantle of advocacy had they been exposed to a wider variety of people and perspectives? What happens to the ones who are never challenged to examine their own role in perpetuating the systems that keep us separated in the first place? My behavior changed because I had the opportunity to interact with people outside of the bubble in which casual bigotry and degradation and punching down for a laugh were perfectly acceptable. But what if I hadn’t?

Years ago, I became facebook friends with a particularly radical disabled activist who had taken me to task here on diary a number of times. At the time, a close friend asked what the hell I was thinking bringing them into my inner circle. They said something I’ll never forget: “Aren’t you going to be, like, so uncomfortable knowing that they’re seeing all your personal posts? You’re going to have to watch *everything* you say from now on.”

It wasn’t until I’d heard the thought that had been rattling around in my own head out loud that I’d realized just how important it was to be made uncomfortable. How vital it was to be "aware of everything I was saying.” How desperately so many of us needed - and still need - to widen our circles to let in precisely those about whose lives and opinions and reactions we should deeply care.

We can’t take up every fight, particularly not on social media. But I do hope that at least in our brick and mortar lives, we will keep finding avenues to connect, to talk, to learn, and to grow. Because the absence of connection has proven to be fertile ground for nothing but fear, hate, and further division — and we’ve had enough of those to last a lifetime.

* Full quote: "One of the ICA’s most important conclusions was that Russia’s aggressive interference efforts should be considered ‘the new normal.’ That warning has been borne out, as Russia and its imitators increasingly use information warfare to sow societal chaos and discord.” - Republican Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina, Chairman, Senate Intelligence Committee"

And now, me:

FYI, one of my mentors is the activist mentioned, Radical Neurodivergent K, who coined the term neurodivergence many years ago, who will indeed take you to task regardless of what your brain is. And it's only been since 2013 that I discovered I was autistic, but in that time I have experienced and listened to so many ways of thinking, I've put them all in a crucible, and I keep trying to explain that just because you know a thing it doesn't mean you have all the knowledge. You always have more to learn. Information changes, expands, updates, increases. It's really easy to be a hypocrite. You need to keep listening to yourself, and you can't just burst in to gatekeep no matter how you feel.

A good example might be: an "Aspie Supremacist" insisting I or other autistic fans can't make an autistic headcanon about a fictional character who displays autistic traits because, according to that gatekeeper, the character doesn't have all the "right" traits, meaning their own traits, because they still retain their Aspergers diagnosis. By itself this is deep internalized ableism, and now it's with the added insult of an outdated diagnosis connected to a eugenics program that makes me extremely uncomfortable. Because Aspergers Syndrome is autism full stop, and functioning labels don't work and are arbitrary. Nobody needs to be that haughty or condescending to another neurotribe member, especially when it comes to expressing very personalized imaginings. That's kind of what Headcanons are about.

Anyway.

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horce-divorce · 3 years

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sorry about going off on the last post lmfao mcr is a Special Interest™️ and has been for about 16 years so if I have One Thing to weigh in on ever it's probably either gonna be that, or The Grief Christians Have Caused Me (like the first time I saw a Crucifix w no context and FULLY panicked bc I thought it was some murderer shit. or that time Baptists kidnapped me and perhaps even other children. anyway,)

but it also set off my ADHD on such a whirlwind and now I'm thinking about the "not joking Actual Christian Fandom" I was mentioning and how like... we know the nsfw bans target lgbts and sex workers (and both). and we know this is strictly in line with conservative ideals.

before the ban we had a lot more "witchy" types vocal on tumblr who, perhaps rightfully, all felt like maybe we should be quiet for a bit after the bone thief thing, but who lbr were also more likely to be lgbt and/or sex workers themselves as well (I hardly know any queers who don't consider themsleves witches, or adjacent... but we sure talk about it less than we used to). maybe the bone theft wasn't even that much of a factor, idk it seemed pretty Defining Moments in Tumblr History to me so I'm including it for posterity. anyway, the gay witches have largely shut the hell up, for whatever reason(s)

we also know how Christianity (as an institution) targets specific, vulnerable demographics for conversion. here we had, suddenly, a vacuum where heathen influence had once been abundant AND a platform that lots of young people use. cue "how do you do, fellow Christian Youths?" appearing and making all kinds of funny/ironic Bible Fandom posts until it becomes a Real Fandom Dynamic because that's just how people are (esp young ones grappling with their faith and morals)

BUT ALSO... cue the uptick in hidden conservative agendas. IE young people picking up on T//E/RF rhetoric (among some other nasty sentiments) without understanding what it is or where it comes from: conservative ideology. plus there's a lot of weird shit going on in fandom spaces that I can't really speak to, cus I don't hang out there, but a lot of weird "think of the children" shit I see seeping through even to the point where filthy casuals like me are noticing.

I don't really have a point here, I'm just saying nothing happens in a vacuum. This is why it makes me uncomfortable to see an actual honest to goodness Christian Fandom on here. Not because Christians aren't allowed to process their faith however they want; they absolutely are.

The "fandom" thing is not merely a joke about how they look, to me, as a non-Christian; that's a real community dynamic that Christians have made themsleves, using fandom language to talk about the Bible. and I've spent just enough time around missionaries to pick up on subtleties like "things a youth pastor would think are a good idea: 1. 'shipping' bible characters to get kids into the Jesus Fandom 2. Jesus x Judas MCR AMV"

I mean, think about it. If you're connecting over the bible FANDOM then it's just a bunch of folks having fun, right? :) no underlying ideals slipping through here! :) No sermons! :) just Christian pals being friends of Jesus! :)

To be ultra clear, again: I'm also not saying I have a problem w any individuals Jesusblogging if that's something you're into. I'm, again, just saying that nothing happens in a vacuum, I don't trust the Church as an institution or the conservatives in our government who are funded by it, and I'm uncomfortable with the situation I'm seeing taken in as a whole.

HALF!!!!! of Evangelicals in our government support Israel bc they think it'll bring about the end of days; and 2021 has SET A RECORD for how many anti LGBT (specifically anti-trans) laws have passed so far, as of only May. plus, I think it's disingenuous to not mention the countless disinformation campaigns conservatives have leveraged repeatedly over the general population the past 4 years... they may not all be religious, but they have very similar origins and motivations wrt maintaining the status quo, and if nothing else, they know how to move information through a website.

stranger things have happened than an institution like the Church co-opting the language of fandom to speak to the youths with ulterior motives, is all I'm saying.

There's just been such a marked shift in the language and types of spirituality I see expressed here and I just don't think it's correct to entirely divorce that from the wider IRL campaigns of conservative aggression that are happening at the same time. it wouldn't make any sense for the Church not to be ramping up their efforts to bring back participation, or to otherwise make new converts of demographics who are particularly vulnerable to Satan (if not Tumblr then whomst, truly).

Again: no point here, other than maybe "question absolutely everything." mainly this is just a series of observations from one himbo in one specific, gay ass corner of Online

Now if you REALLY want some analysis NO One Asked For, I can tell you about the video series I had planned (I'm. not a YouTuber) breaking down why MCR's Danger Days is THE! anti-capitalist, antifascist manifesto for the end times we're already living in, because mcr's music library is the only Bible I personally give a fuck about. but I'll spare you for now

#me #i n eed adderol and a fucking job so im not sitting around thinkinh ahout This Shit lmfao #but if my blog isnt for essays no one asked for then what is even my blog #also im SURE yahoo is owned by conservstjves.... keyboard changed that to Convertibles #shocking that that's not how they refer to Non Christians lmao #anyway im sure yahoo is owned by w bunch of fucking conservative yahoos but i dont care enuf to check #also are we even ownrd by yahoo anymore or did they sell again. idk anymkre

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ma-at-thought · 7 years

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Idk if you're the one to ask of know someone who can answer but... what are your thoughts on bi-gender or gender fluid individuals (esp biologically female) who write m/m smut or erp gay characters? Is that okay for them to do? I've never seen anyone talk about it when they talk about people fetishizing m/m relationships and I'm very curious if they count or not

Well, Anon, I don’t know if I’m the right person to ask, but I’m a person to ask. And answers will probably vary based on who you ask. If any of the folks who follow me have things to add to what I’m going to say, please do so, but please be polite about it.

First, looking at smut that exists purely for smut. No real plot or much character development, just hot word-porn. Let’s face it. Smut is fun to write. And it’s fun to read. A number of authors (frequently in the supernatural romance category) will have steamy sex scenes that are gay, bi, or unspecified varieties of three- (or more) somes. And a lot of these authors are female, regardless of what pen name they go under. I’m not just talking fan-fiction here; this stuff is published for e-readers and in actual book form through publishing houses. Some of it is pretty darn good, and some of it seems very fetishizing. One of the things that makes the difference is research. Anatomy is important (with a certain amount of leeway for fantasy creatures and settings), and writing that sort of thing in properly can go a long way toward making it about smut instead of about fetishizing the gender identities and sexualities involved. Another thing is having some good foreplay in there, because it lets you focus on things beyond the genitals. If the sole focus just seems to be on the peen and attached dangly-bits, that’s going to seem fetishized to people. Explore the sex beyond the obvious to avoid that.

Second, looking at romance writing. This is usually actual stories with overarching plots unrelated to sex, but steamy love scenes play a big part. Again, pay attention to the non-obvious sexy parts and reasonably accurate anatomy research to convey sensations and such. But this is beyond smut; you’ve got characters getting involved here, and their lives are intertwining, even if it’s just for the duration of the story. Ships passing in the night, and all that. They’ve got emotions, needs, desires, and pasts; you’ve got to keep these sorts of things in mind, especially with little behaviors and conversation. Some of it is about avoiding stereotypes. But stereotypes can exist for a reason. I’ve got a friend who would merrily respond to the title ‘Gloriously Bearded Prince Of The Faeries’ and I’m sometimes surprised that he doesn’t sneeze rainbows and glitter while doing jazz-hands. And honestly, having one of the characters be flamboyantly super-gay is alright. You just need to make sure that not ALL of the gay men in your story are like that. And if every single man encountered in the course of the story is a shockingly-hunky gay man, that can seem fetishizing too, because it excludes variety and is hyper-focused on The Gay. I don’t mean that there should only be two of The Gays and that they must have The Sex; it’s good to have some other characters in the story that happen to be gay (or bi) and also happen to not be interested in sex with the main character(s). Some variety in your cast of characters goes a long way to avoiding fetishization, and honestly will make your story a little more appealing to a broader audience.

Third, regarding ERP. Again, the issues mentioned above regarding researching some accurate anatomy and not having all the sexual focus being on the genitals apply, but it’s not the technique of the writing that’s bothering you, I think. It’s whether or not it’s “okay” for someone biologically female to write gay characters...

Personally? I say go for it. This is your character, and the only other people involved with this will be your RP partner(s). Now, I don’t understand much about being bi-gendered or gender-fluid, but to me, the gender identity of my RP partners doesn’t matter at all. (Unless stuff starts bleeding into OOC, but that’s a whole different issue and should raise some red flags.) What matters is how accurately you portray the gender and sex of your character. And it is your character. Presumably, he has a back-story, a history, preferences of his own, goals and desires. Those don’t have to relate to your naughty-bits, your genetics, your preferences, or your identity. I myself have role-played or written sex-related stories involving lesbians, gays, bisexuals, demisexuals, pansexuals, paired up with whatever happens to appeal to them, and needless to say, I am not OOCly all of those things. Erotic Role Play is a progression of character stories; yes, it’s smut, but it’s also potentially a turning point in a relationship, or an opportunity for awkwardness, or the delicious angst of calling a lover by the wrong name. It is part of a larger story, and as long as you’ve taken some steps to avoid the things that can seem extremely fetishizing and you and your RP partner(s) are comfortable with whatever real life information you choose to disclose, I don’t see an issue here. When it comes to RPing, the key words are Respect and Communication, and if you keep track of both of those things, you play your character how you want.

Now... there will always be people who think this is wrong. There always are, and there probably have been since cave-man days erotica. Some folks will get upset that you’re role-playing or writing something that you aren’t. I always found that odd, because it’s fiction. Part of the fun of writing is diving into a world of Not Reality. Some people might get upset because of how you’re portraying a specific thing. And if they bring up this protest politely, it never hurts to politely ask in return what they feel is off about it, or what they saw as fetishizing. You can think of it like a peer review. And note that the key word here is “politely”; if someone just goes off on you out of the blue, it’s not likely that you’ll get a polite and educational conversation out of it.

This may have been way more information than you were looking for, Anon, but I’m glad you felt comfortable enough to ask me and believe that my views on the topic would be helpful to you. I hope they were, and I hope that any comments from others can be helpful as well, to broaden on what I’ve mentioned. Again, this is my personal opinion, and you’ll probably find a wide variety of those; take the polite advice and offers for conversation about it. Everything is a work in progress. ^_^

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