Hello,
I expect to be coming into this area a lot - it actually has a lot to do with why I was recommended to come to this site in the first place.
For some background, I am of the feeling that the more variety in my characters, the more it will feel both like the things I enjoy in my own life, and the more it will make a difference. I subscribe to the "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility" school of writing and while I don't think I'm god, I do understand that writing IS magic and that if my writing is not at least as diverse as my office, I'm doing something wrong.
Conversely, there are things I simply haven't experienced, so I ask questions, and research doesn't always cut it.
When looking for a forum to post to, I was originally going with "how the hell do I write this?" and/or "do I have the right to write this with all the questions I have?". Ultimately I have a plan, and I now would just prefer some dialogue and/or critique.
Story background: I am writing a group of characters, 90+% original in an established universe. The two established characters are a lesbian couple, and they are in an all-female community with 2-3 male supporting characters appearing within the story. The established universe is one that is known for being very inclusive but one that was established before it became as "common" as it is now for a writer to have any clue what Transgender really is. As such, I feel a Transgender character would be very meaningful simply appearing, but as the story is about the established characters, none of the Transgender writing FAQs that I've found are very useful as they all seem to focus on the main and/or POV characters. I'm also very uncomfortable with having any of the "redshirt" characters or the business-like, martial character be the trans representation, both for the sake of very easy misreadings I'd like to avoid. This means either introduce a less developed character JUST for this, or go with something even more challenging for me as a writer: writing a trans girl with an on-page boyfriend.
For the sake of what I am discussing going forward, it is worth noting that this is a female community comprised of gifted individuals potentially anywhere from 13 to 23, though I will probably be keeping it within 14-21. It's also worth noting that the "gifted" part of that description largely comes with a mystical inheritance that can only be inherited by females.
Ultimately, I've come up with the following action plan, and this is what I would like feedback on. (Note that the character traits I'm describing to you are the relevant ones; the most important thing in this situation is that they are separately developed characters, but I don't need to clutter this up by telling you which one is a nerd or anything else.)
Any feedback at all would be very appreciated.
I expect to be coming into this area a lot - it actually has a lot to do with why I was recommended to come to this site in the first place.
For some background, I am of the feeling that the more variety in my characters, the more it will feel both like the things I enjoy in my own life, and the more it will make a difference. I subscribe to the "With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility" school of writing and while I don't think I'm god, I do understand that writing IS magic and that if my writing is not at least as diverse as my office, I'm doing something wrong.
Conversely, there are things I simply haven't experienced, so I ask questions, and research doesn't always cut it.
When looking for a forum to post to, I was originally going with "how the hell do I write this?" and/or "do I have the right to write this with all the questions I have?". Ultimately I have a plan, and I now would just prefer some dialogue and/or critique.
Story background: I am writing a group of characters, 90+% original in an established universe. The two established characters are a lesbian couple, and they are in an all-female community with 2-3 male supporting characters appearing within the story. The established universe is one that is known for being very inclusive but one that was established before it became as "common" as it is now for a writer to have any clue what Transgender really is. As such, I feel a Transgender character would be very meaningful simply appearing, but as the story is about the established characters, none of the Transgender writing FAQs that I've found are very useful as they all seem to focus on the main and/or POV characters. I'm also very uncomfortable with having any of the "redshirt" characters or the business-like, martial character be the trans representation, both for the sake of very easy misreadings I'd like to avoid. This means either introduce a less developed character JUST for this, or go with something even more challenging for me as a writer: writing a trans girl with an on-page boyfriend.
For the sake of what I am discussing going forward, it is worth noting that this is a female community comprised of gifted individuals potentially anywhere from 13 to 23, though I will probably be keeping it within 14-21. It's also worth noting that the "gifted" part of that description largely comes with a mystical inheritance that can only be inherited by females.
Ultimately, I've come up with the following action plan, and this is what I would like feedback on. (Note that the character traits I'm describing to you are the relevant ones; the most important thing in this situation is that they are separately developed characters, but I don't need to clutter this up by telling you which one is a nerd or anything else.)
- Girl A (character that I am thinking of as gay but could just as easily be bi, considering how few males she interacts with, but young enough that she's more exploring what that means to her than an "established" gay character, if that makes ANY sense. Also a very inquisitive character) either off-screen or via hints in-story develops a history of occasionally watching other girls bathe without their knowing.
- Off-screen, Girl A sees Girl B (closeted [is that even the appropriate term?] transgender girl) bathing and discovers that she is trans.
- On-screen, Girls A and B make eye contact. Girl A blushes and looks down, causing Girl B to realize what she has seen.
- Girl B either quietly approaches Girl C (Leader, older, lesbian in relationship) or C witnesses awkward conversation and realizes what has occurred.
- C speaks with A, covering the following:
- You shouldn't watch your team-mates in that way, though she understands the temptation.
- Yes, a trans girl can have their power because it is what's inside that matters.
- Does B's boyfriend know? C doesn't know, and tells A not to ask.
- C, being a person who is used to the rules not applying to her and who is dating D, who is even more curious than A, eventually finds out how B is handling this fact with boyfriend (although at the moment I have no idea, so this may be cut).
Any feedback at all would be very appreciated.