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Gay female lead character

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kingaling:
So. I've decided to transform a character I've had for a while from a bisexual man in his early to mid twenties into a gay woman of about the same age. I don't have it in my mind to make her one of those "lipstick lesbians", she's more along the lines of plus size, not butch but definitely tough.

Any ideas on how I could approach this? This is in first person and it's an urban fantasy. Not sure how to approach writing from this point of view.

Enjorous:
Well given that people are people and act like people, most of the distinctions won't be clear in everyday banter. It's more important that you create her character, key word there is create. You get to decide her motivations and personality, the most important thing is to make her consistent. A consistent character is the most important element of a believable character.

the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:

--- Quote from: kingaling on October 30, 2010, 09:59:21 PM ---So. I've decided to transform a character I've had for a while from a bisexual man in his early to mid twenties into a gay woman of about the same age. I don't have it in my mind to make her one of those "lipstick lesbians", she's more along the lines of plus size, not butch but definitely tough.

Any ideas on how I could approach this? This is in first person and it's an urban fantasy. Not sure how to approach writing from this point of view.

--- End quote ---

The places where it will make a difference, I would expect, would boil down to a) wherever the social context it's set in treats men and women differently and b) depending on how out she is, possibly wherever her being gay will make a difference to people's reactions.  Is her sexuality going to be of major significance to this story ?

Approach it same as any other point of view; build the character from the experiences they have had.   Not sure I can say anything else useful without some notion of why you decided to change the character and what story purpose that serves.

the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh:

--- Quote from: Enjorous on October 31, 2010, 12:07:30 AM ---You get to decide her motivations and personality, the most important thing is to make her consistent. A consistent character is the most important element of a believable character.

--- End quote ---

Sort of.

Real human beings are a long way from always being consistent.

Enjorous:
True, but that doesn't stop us from wanting and expecting people to behave predictably.

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