How to write a gay character from a first person perspective (Twist: The person doesn't know that they're gay!)
Remember that story I mentioned in my previous question? Yeah, well one of the characters in it is gay (one of the main characters). But the problem is... They don't KNOW that they're gay until they meet this particular person.
But until they meet that person... How do I subtly hint that a character is gay without revealing that they're actually gay? (And all within a first person POV.)
This post was sourced from https://writers.stackexchange.com/q/26296. It is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
1 answer
As in many such cases, the answer is to do your research.
Speak with people who are gay, and ask them the questions you need. "How did your understanding that you're gay form?" "Was there anything that you later understood, oh, that was actually because I'm gay, that you didn't realize at the time?"
Ask nicely, and listen, and take what they say to heart. This is personal, intimate stuff for them. Understand that they may reveal some of your assumptions as flawed -- for example, they might dismiss or dislike the idea of realizing homosexuality in response to meeting one specific person -- and that they may wind up not liking your book (because any advisers and beta readers are not guaranteed to like your final product, and again, it's a sensitive topic, so tensions can be high).
Ultimately it's on you to figure out how to portray your character, his personality, and his process. If it's in an area you don't know really well, then doing your research is the way to go. Other people can't give you the final details and approach that you'll choose to go with; you need to understand it well enough to be able to choose those yourself.
0 comment threads
0 comment threads