Hatrack River Writers Workshop: Marketability of a Homosexual Protagonist in a fantasy novel...

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Posted by Rahl22 (Member # 1411) on :

So I'm writing a fantasy novel, or rather -- writing the backstory and character sketches for a fantasy novel.

My main-character is a loner so far, and I don't know why. I assumed that it was simply because those are the most typical (and most likely the easiest to write) protagonists. But then, I dug deeper into his past and I came to the conclusion that he very well may be a repressed homosexual. Now, I briefly considered going into this, allowing him to be as he is, but then the businessman in me started yelling.

If I wrote this novel -- would anyone buy it? And I don't mean the neighborhood book club, I mean Tor? Ace? Eos? Anyone?

And beyond that, even if someone bought it, would I be seriously cutting down the potential readership? Because I realize that empathizing or atleast sympathizing with the main character is important, but will a mostly straight readership be able to handle a homosexual protagonist?

Granted, women read books with a male main character, and vice versa, but that's a bit different -- don't you think?

Any thoughts?

Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :

When you say he's a loner and a repressed homosexual, you mean that he never has sex with anyone at all and he doesn't acknowledge that he's a homosexual, right?

In which case...why does it matter?

See, unless he has contact with actual active homosexuals, there is no reason that he would even ever think "you know...I think I'd like to have sex with another man!" Why would he?

Posted by tamalynn (Member # 1304) on :

It's been done before--have you heard of Mercedes Lackey's Last Herald-Mage series? (A trilogy--Magic's Pawn, Magic's Promise, and Magic's Price) After some struggles with his sexuality (including his father's homophobia), the main character, Vanyel, is openly gay, though that issue isn't the driving force of the plot.

I don't think that having a gay protagonist had a negative impact on the sales of this series, though Lackey already seems to have a solid fan-base to rely on who will probably buy anything she writes.

Posted by Rahl22 (Member # 1411) on :

Sure he's repressed, but he still has feelings and desires. I'm sure he'd be attracted to men in the same way that a straight man would be attracted to women. Repressed, and closetted, but not quite asexual.

Tamalynn,

Thanks for the books. I heard that from somewhere else, actually, and was meaning to look those up. I'll let you know what I think

Posted by cvgurau (Member # 1345) on :

I think that not everyone is as troubled by homosexuality as you might think, but if you show this man openly pursuing a relationship, then they might freak a little. Especially if he seeks a physical relationship.

Chris

Posted by Rahl22 (Member # 1411) on :

I guess THAT is what I was asking... I'm not sure I could pull it off, anyway.

Posted by SiliGurl (Member # 922) on :

I think you should write the story that you want to write... With that said, I do think that you will both seriously curtail your publication options (although there ARE gay interest publishers out there) and readership. You hit the nail on the head that for most, if not all readers, we read to escape... part of that escape is empathising with the hero and for a brief spell, living his or her life.

HOWEVER, I would not out of hand discourage you from writing your story, your way.

Posted by Marianne (Member # 1546) on :

Write the story as you feel it needs to be written. Let your characters be true to themselves. A person's sexuality is not necessarily the driving force of the novel. I, for one, loved the Herald Mage stories by Lackey and her homosexual theme was fairly overt. The reader was so interested in the character that his sexuality wasn't a turnoff.

Don't write to be published...write to tell a story...and maybe it will be published

Posted by JOHN (Member # 1343) on :

I think it’s a little difficult to find believable in a fantasy story. I not saying that it’s not feasible that someone could be homosexual in a medieval setting, but it was certainly not something that was accepted or talked about. (although this is your world and you could change that) It may come across as if you’re trying to be too topical, bringing something very modern into a fantasy setting. Also you would have to work you ass off not to make it seem as if you have an agenda.

Speaking, of which, I read this horrible book called the Still, and this guy is supposed to come into these powers, but he’ll lose them if he loses his virginity, so his faithful squire, “helps him out.” I found it incredibly unsettling.

Posted by Narvi (Member # 1376) on :

I don't think having a homosexual protagonist will limit marketability. Yelen Korolev in _Marooned_in_Realtime_ is homosexual, as are most of the gukuy is _Mother_of_Demons_ (though maybe that doesn't count).

The question is whether you can develop the theme effectively. I see several risks here:

You sound like a heterosexual comfortable with your orientation. Are you confident that you can believably portray a repressed sexual orientation? (If not, you can always try researching it -- there are plenty of first-person accounts out there).

Repressed homosexuality suggests that homosexuality is unacceptable in the culture. Why is it? Is it so in all cultures your character comes into contact with? Please don't fill a foreign magical world with crypto-christians unless you have a really good reason to.

Is it important? Make sure to give this aspect of your story the space it deserves -- neither more nor less.

So long as you can handle these stumbling blocks, it should come out fine!

Posted by Survivor (Member # 213) on :

Yeah, that's one of those things that makes you wonder, isn't it? Kind of a big loophole in the definition of "virginity" if you ask me

John has a point about the issue of what sexual mores hold sway in your fantasy setting. Throughout most of history, the idea of a man being exclusively homosexual just didn't have any currancy. The idea that homosexuality can be intrinsic and supercede heterosexuality is actually quite modern, a direct outgrowth of the desire of the homosexual lobby to equate homosexuality with race on the one hand, and to equate homosexuality as a form of moral purity on the other.

See, the moral purity argument on the lesbian side is that whenever you have a man and woman having sex, one dominates the other simply because of gender etc. etc. (the argument goes on and on about it, I personally don't think it makes any sense). On the Gay side it is more about how women can't truly understand and fufil men sexually, while at the same time asserting that sex with a woman is actually unclean in some sense (again, I don't really get it).

The racial equivalence of homosexuality is just an assertion, but it is important to the homosexual community as a whole that homosexuals be exclusively homosexual whenever possible because otherwise it undermines the intrinsic nature argument for homosexuality being like race.

So if you have a "modern fantasy" setting, then having your charecter be exclusively homosexual in his desires makes sense, but if it is not a modern setting, then it really makes no sense at all for him to be exclusively homosexual.

And if he isn't exclusively homosexual, then it isn't a big deal. Unless there is a homosexual community available for him to engage in homosexual behavior with, it doesn't come up. And if there is, then it isn't the isolating factor you want it to be.

Posted by Rahl22 (Member # 1411) on :

These are all fine points, and things I would have to take into account were I to take this character any further -- but it isn't really what I was asking.

I was more or less asking if homosexuality would prevent a mainstream readership, and I think I've gotten a fairly good answer.

Thanks everyone!

Posted by DragynGide (Member # 1448) on :

Being that everybody else said basically what I was going to say, I'll make one simple point: who would want to read a story whose protagonist is a leper?

Shasta

Posted by Marianne (Member # 1546) on :

Dragonglide,
I hope you are refering to Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever?

Posted by HopeSprings (Member # 1533) on :

There's a world full of isolated individuals out there - outcast/unclean . . . of course stories that speak to the loneliness, the agony, the bitterness appeal -

Go for it -

If you write well, people will read your book.

Posted by Amka (Member # 1262) on :

One thing Rahl, while Mercedes Lackey has done it, remember that she already is an established author. I was talking about this in my critique group in relation to unconventional sexuality (in some ways much more off putting that homosexuality for mainstream readers) I said that there was a price to pay and you have to decide if it is necessary to the story and worth the price you pay. Unpublished authors have to be more frugal with their forays into uncomfortable situations than regularly published authors, unless it is specifically shock value that they are going for, and I don't think that is what you are doing.

So while I really want you to simply let the character be who he is, I also want you to consider all the implications. Remember, this is a character of your mind, not an individual. I would love to see you tackle that problem, but perhaps for an attempt at being published, you could find another reason the person is a loner. A completely unique one. Not being framed, having real criminal activity, having your family killed, being spurned by the woman you gave your heart to, or having strange powers, activity around you that make others nervous (common fantasy alienation device), sexual repression (of some kind, this also is not such an unusual alienation device) or anything you can think of offhand. Dig deeper.

Posted by Rahl22 (Member # 1411) on :

It's interesting that you should mention this, because it's almost the exact conclusion I came to. Or rather, I decided that if I wanted my character to be 'who he was' and not 'who everyone wanted him to be' I'd have to wait until I already had a readership that was willing to take some fastballs from me.

So, I dug into his past -- and discovered a new reason why he sticks to himself, and have found in the process a reason for a few other things.

Posted by DragynGide (Member # 1448) on :

quote:
I hope you are refering to Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever?

Of course.

Shasta

Posted by mags (Member # 1570) on :

I did a quick search on "gay/lesbian" book publishers on writersmarket.com and came up with 35 (that isn't inclusive, because I didn't ask for any of the frilly stuff). - however it did include publishers that I see quite often like Ballentine, Circlet, and Double Day. (ok, so Ballentine and Double Day only takes agented stuff. however certainly if you get an agent before pitching the book, they will have a better idea of who to pitch it to to get it published)

On the topic of realizing that is your characters issue... there are a few things I have to say on that item.

>> If the issue of sexuality doesn't come up in the story, but is a background issue for you to understand the motivations of your character why would it matter in terms of who will publish you?

>> As has been pointed out, the whole homophobia (as a culture) issue is actually rather new in history. Which might make you think about why the character feels that his preference is something to be ashamed of. ie, is it that he loves the touch of any man? or of a certain man?

>> If the situations are set up right, I don't think that your readership will be hurt. There are many topics that can make readers steer clear of books and many that people sit there later and say "that was good, but you know, I wouldn't have read it if I had known what it was about". - simular to those who liked a movie, but if they had known it was horror or sci-fi wouldn't have seen it to begin with.

[This message has been edited by mags (edited February 27, 2003).]