Relationships And Morality
So, I saw on a Facebook post today a guy was talking to a gay friend who was encouraging him to put alternative relationships in his fantasy worlds because there's a huge market in LGBT fantasy or something like that. The person's response was along the lines of "I don't write relationships" the friend responded, "So your fantasy world is populated by single white men?"
On one hand, thinking about that sort of thing (non-heteronormative relationships in fantasy) is a good idea.
On the other hand, don't heckle a person because they don't like to write relationships for their main character.
Most of my main characters do not have a romance subplot and will not have a romance subplot because when you're busy saving the world or saving your ass, who you want to spend the rest of your probably short life is kind of the last thing on your mind. Heck, the stress of dealing with life, loss, and other things and then the struggles of a relationship on top of all that, is almost too stressful for me... and I'm not saving the world. I'm writing about worlds, and it's hard to live in two worlds at the same time which I have to do... even if I stopped writing. The stories still come.
My November Novel, The Appalachian Method has absolutely no romance in it, but it's very obviously the beginning of a series. I was thinking to myself... Well, if she wants one, I'll put a romance subplot in the next book for the main character. That British guy who's working for the Alchemist seemed pretty viable, but I don't think that would work. His master's sister did something pretty bad to the main character and she has to shun that family now. (It's in the story and make more sense there.)
A friend of mine is reading the story. She points to that guy (who I'd forgotten about by that point) and another guy who my main character thinks she KILLED as the two men for her love triangle. I don't even know if my main character is straight and she's being shoe-horned by people!
That's a different complaint to have...
Of course, she's probably going to be date raped by Porfirio in the future, so maybe that could throw a spanner in the relationship works...
Oh yeah, Porfirio, my Guardian of the Veil who can control the barriers between worlds is omnisexual and he has sex with ANYTHING. Literally. I'm pretty sure he'd do an amoeba. And zombies. How does he pull it off if the thing in question isn't into him? Well, he gives them a potion to make them love him so he can have his way with them. He's perfectly cordial once it wears off. They usually aren't.
See, I really started to think about this when I saw that question. My character with the weirdest sexuality is also the one who puts it to the most disgusting use. And he's still usually considered to be kind of a good guy.
What the hell kind of morality exists in my universe where this happens?
I mean, I get the internal logic behind it. Porfirio is practically a god in my world. He can do whatever he wants however he wants with nearly whoever he wants. And so he does. Yes, he is a good guy about everything else. He is against killing and maiming (no one can die within his cafe). He keeps the borders between worlds in tact, healthy and solid as he must do to fulfill his job. He helps people find universes that are more accepting to their... peculiarities.
He keeps the world going. He's essential.
And he can't be killed.
But he still.... frequently commits date rape.
For FUN!
What is wrong with me?
Though I guess he's better than Nemo who chooses a random person and tortures them to near insanity for pretty much the exact same reason.
His actions have a slightly lower chance in ending in someone's death (It's not pretty when he gets them pregnant.)
Again... What is wrong with me?
On one hand, thinking about that sort of thing (non-heteronormative relationships in fantasy) is a good idea.
On the other hand, don't heckle a person because they don't like to write relationships for their main character.
Most of my main characters do not have a romance subplot and will not have a romance subplot because when you're busy saving the world or saving your ass, who you want to spend the rest of your probably short life is kind of the last thing on your mind. Heck, the stress of dealing with life, loss, and other things and then the struggles of a relationship on top of all that, is almost too stressful for me... and I'm not saving the world. I'm writing about worlds, and it's hard to live in two worlds at the same time which I have to do... even if I stopped writing. The stories still come.
My November Novel, The Appalachian Method has absolutely no romance in it, but it's very obviously the beginning of a series. I was thinking to myself... Well, if she wants one, I'll put a romance subplot in the next book for the main character. That British guy who's working for the Alchemist seemed pretty viable, but I don't think that would work. His master's sister did something pretty bad to the main character and she has to shun that family now. (It's in the story and make more sense there.)
A friend of mine is reading the story. She points to that guy (who I'd forgotten about by that point) and another guy who my main character thinks she KILLED as the two men for her love triangle. I don't even know if my main character is straight and she's being shoe-horned by people!
That's a different complaint to have...
Of course, she's probably going to be date raped by Porfirio in the future, so maybe that could throw a spanner in the relationship works...
Oh yeah, Porfirio, my Guardian of the Veil who can control the barriers between worlds is omnisexual and he has sex with ANYTHING. Literally. I'm pretty sure he'd do an amoeba. And zombies. How does he pull it off if the thing in question isn't into him? Well, he gives them a potion to make them love him so he can have his way with them. He's perfectly cordial once it wears off. They usually aren't.
See, I really started to think about this when I saw that question. My character with the weirdest sexuality is also the one who puts it to the most disgusting use. And he's still usually considered to be kind of a good guy.
What the hell kind of morality exists in my universe where this happens?
I mean, I get the internal logic behind it. Porfirio is practically a god in my world. He can do whatever he wants however he wants with nearly whoever he wants. And so he does. Yes, he is a good guy about everything else. He is against killing and maiming (no one can die within his cafe). He keeps the borders between worlds in tact, healthy and solid as he must do to fulfill his job. He helps people find universes that are more accepting to their... peculiarities.
He keeps the world going. He's essential.
And he can't be killed.
But he still.... frequently commits date rape.
For FUN!
What is wrong with me?
Though I guess he's better than Nemo who chooses a random person and tortures them to near insanity for pretty much the exact same reason.
His actions have a slightly lower chance in ending in someone's death (It's not pretty when he gets them pregnant.)
Again... What is wrong with me?
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