Things to avoid in writing an LGBT character in fiction.

>>6311867
i'd suggest hanging out on The L Chat for about a month or two, that should give you a pretty good scope of generally how lesbians talk/what their tastes are/their politics/their language etc. Obviously watch out for transbians/fetishist guys but it's probably the only place where you'll find real gaygirls.

>>6311867
just write her as a misandrist with no sense of accountability or responsiblity

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>>6311867
Stop writing about boring lesbians, start writing about femboys

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>straight male number 53827483 trying his hand on writing lgbt characters

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>>6311867
>writing about lesbians

How boring, seriously everyone and they're mother who wants easy "diversity" points without causing to much controversy does this shit

>how to make gud lesbean that won't piss off people

Write a perfect, infallible, character that acts as a morale arbitrator, and is also super intelligent, also make her have a fairytale ending, anything less than this and you'll be crucified

>>6311990
>Straight writer doesn't include gay characters
>Muh opression!
>Straight writer does include gay characters
>Gtfo my hugbox, you don't understand me!

Honestly OP, get the fuck out of here. Posters here or any other site with its own pronounced "culture" will shit on you no matter what.

My recommendation is to take yourself over to the gay teen forum, just google it, and read through some threads there. That's where I went when I was getting ready to come out, and it's a goldmine of closeted anxiety and personal stories. Good luck, try not to listen to bitter retards.

>>6312206

Good idea. I knew going on 4chan looking for legitimate advice was a horrible fucking idea. Guess I'm too used to message boards where the posters aren't all seething hateful assholes.

>>6311867
She's a human being.
She likes women.
Unfortunately, she has to hide it.

Here are some tips from a blog:

1. Write the character first and THEN add the LGBT shit.

2. Write characters that, oh hey! Happen to be LGBT

3. Don't fall into tokenism

4. Write imperfect LGBT characters... but don't overdo it.

5. Write intersectional characters

Source (spanish): http://www.rociovega.es/personajes-lgbt/

Fellow white cis scum here.

>>6311867
Well, the first step to write a good a lesbian character is to actually make her a lesbian. The second one is not to give her a tragic death, or something equivalent, unless there is a really, really good reason that makes the plot and characterization better. The third one would be to treat this character as an actual human bean you could relate to, like you'd do with "normal" people. The fourth step is not to ask for advice on /lgbt/ as it is a terrible board, and not to ask on lesgen as it is a terrible general. This way, you will already be on a better track than the vast majority of writers.

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>>6312537
Damn, look at those sick stairs.

>>6312537
>>6312543
Yeah, I agree with this anon, don't do too pure for this sinful earth and kill gays like its hunting season. I'd like some lesbian fiction that isn't angsty melodrama. Also, probably don't make her brown/trans/a raging feminist, depending on the demographic you want.

>>6311867
Make sure you don't break the lesbian stereotype too strongly. No matter how much sjws believe it, gay people DO act more like the straight opposite sex. So you're essentally writing more of a male character, but don't jump to conclusions.The character is not actually male, they only generally have the fundamental qualities of one.
Or go full on dyke queen and make her very stereotypical. Spikey dykies do exist readily in the real world. But if you plan on making her more moderate and less butch, just keep to what I said earlier. You've gotta strike the balance between non stereotypical and realism. Make her too femm and eh, she's just an inaccurate lesbian.

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>>6311867
don't fall into the Questionable Content problem wherein the individual's sexuality is supposed to be somewhat of a defining trait, but ultimately due to underwriting, can be interchanged with any other type because the way it's written doesn't effect the way that the character interacts/socializes with other characters. gay or straight, if you're being outward about their orientation, it should be evident in some way other than just saying "they're gay/straight" etc.

>>6311867
Just write the character as you would any other. The character can't be forced, they have to be imagined right from the get-go as gay. You have to write a character with their own struggles, thoughts, developments, etc.

I like what you've come up with in terms of characterization. If you're able to work that into the narrative naturally, so that it's not intrusive and doesn't fuck with the narrative as a whole, then it's fine.

>The question I pose is this. In fiction, when portraying a gay character, in this case, female, what would make her a "bad" portrayal? What character traits, behaviors, misconceptions, stereotypes, etc. would be seen as "unhealthy" for lack of a better term that I can think of?
I think in terms of these kinds of questions, about all I can think of for lesbians is making them creepy, obsessive over straight women, and overall psycho. I think those are the kinds of misconceptions people have about lesbians. Avoid those and you should be fine.

>>6311867

I just do what I do with my non-LGBT characters and base them off of aspects of people I know so they end up realistic one way or another. Although seems like a lot of writers are shut-in autist types who don't know anyone IRL kek.

>>6311867
ask yourself if someone reading your book would be able to describe the character as more than 3 words before getting to the word lesbian

>>6313732
What about lipstick lesbians and masc gays?

>>6311867
>make her normal like any other woman, except she likes banging other women
>do not give her short/dyke-y hair
>do not make her a psychotic man-hater
>avoid weird hair colors/piercings/unnecessary tattoos
>do not kill her off
>do not make her fat

Lesbians are depicted with all of many of these in fucking everything.

>>6315629
that's very clever

Protip: Don't do the thing the House Of Night series did.

>>6311867
OP, my suggestion is to not make her character about being gay/trying to hide that she's gay. That's boring af and done a million times.

>>6311867
Write her like a normal person but she likes women. Works for me. People seem to eat my shit up at workshops and stuff and I'm a manly straight dude who writes from different perspectives often

>>6311867
don't make them a hacker, a vaguely-defined 'artist' or a vegan

OP, you could look at the depictions of Loras and Renly in the A Song of Ice and Fire books or the Game of Thrones TV show. And how people didn't like the flanderization of Loras's character from complex figure into le persecuted closeted homo.

>>6311867
You should consider why you want this character to be gay. Are you trying to get a gay audience? Do you want to appeal to people who think that the most important aspect of any entertainment is "muh diversity"? Is their gayness the entire point of the character? Maybe change it to something else, like the character is the last remaining heir to a noble house and must keep it a secret to avoid being killed by her enemies. Don't make sexuality a story hook, because you will just get berated by weirdos no matter how you do it. Or go ahead and do it because it's your time and your work so fuck it.

>>6315785
Stereotypes exist for a reason senpai. Anyway I agree that nobody wants to read about a fat bitchy militant dyke in fiction or in the real world.