Writing Q&A 💬 writing "bad" queer characters, being on submission, writing litfic vs fantasy, etc.

[@mollyrafferty801]

"Should I do a coming out video right now? Hi, I'm a lesbian" got me, oh my gosh

[@ShaelinWrites]

i am SO happy that my coming out in this video landed comedically because that's exactly how it went in real life

[@iiiiitsmagreta1240]

I honestly can't believe there were ppl watching your channel who weren't aware you were queer??? Like, folks - their pronouns are _right there in the description_ , they've talked about being ace and lesbian _multiple times_ across _multiple videos_ , _have you not seen their hair_ , etc etc

[@ShaelinWrites]

@@iiiiitsmagreta1240 HAVE YOU NOT SEEN THE HAIR im in tears bc it’s so true omfg

[@SuperHappyNotMerry]

I deeply relate to the "bad representation" worries and I agree that "good representation" can be so boring. it often leaves me rolling my eyes because it's clear it's not even meant for me. (e.g. the asexuality scene in sex education feels like someone looked up the definition on aven and copypasted it into the script. it's clearly meant to educate people rather than show me I can exist in a show about sex.) I think it's because of these sanitized portrayals of queerness that I actually enjoy seeing queer villains. they're allowed to be fucking gay AND fucking complicated. and I think this applies to being a person of color too tbh. I actually feel more pressure to "represent" my heritage as a child of mexican immigrants than I do my queerness. especially when OTHER mexican people online are telling me my experiences shown on the page would be "harmful representation". I remember watching this person make a tiktok calling out a mexican character as bad representation because it perpetuated the stereotype that mexicans have a lot of cousins. _I_ have a lot of cousins and I personally felt I related to that aspect of that character. it left me feeling like _I_ was a harmful stereotype even though it's my actual _lived experiences._ I just think writers or color and queer writers (and other marginalized identies) should be allowed the same freedom to write without scrutiny or pressure to write "good representation" as white cishet writers have in writing their own lived experience.

[@ShaelinWrites]

I was literally thinking exactly about the asexuality scene in sex education while answering that question🙃 I feel like that's the perfect example of representation trying so hard to be textbook perfect, that it has no depth at all, and there isn't really a character or story there to really feel anything about, it's just a sweet, factually-correct moment with no possibility to offend. huge yes to poc/queer people/etc just having the freedom to write their characters the way a white cishet man would, *that* should be the bar for 'good representation' (complex, nuanced, free to explore ideas, reflective of real life and real people) because the sanitized, educational type of 'representation' isn't actually representing anyone because no one really experiences their life (certainly not a marginalized person) in such a simplified way.

[@xAthena21]

I'm so glad you made this video. I'm a Black woman. I'm realizing I tend to write Black female characters as "morally pure" because subconsciously I'm worried about representation! I need to make them more well rounded. Also, I'm sorry you were plagiarized. That must have been heartbreaking.

[@ShaelinWrites]

It's soooo hard to get past worries about your own work being 'bad representation' just because your characters...have flaws? I was stuck in that worry for so long and sometimes still am (in a recent book I was working in, I caught myself withholding some of the complexity of the characters for this reason, like I was scared to press on their more flawed aspects out of fear of the reaction), and even though I think having discussions about harmful representation in media is important, sometimes I think it misses the mark by placing the emphasis on a marginalized character's traits or actions, rather than how they are framed/viewed by the piece. A lot of people honestly aren't ready for the type of character writing where marginalized characters act like real people who make mistakes, but like, that's their loss lol. Weird, complicated characters who actually reflect how messy being a person is are imo the most meaningful!

[@katgreer6113]

No, cus I do the same. I want them to have no flaws because people already see so much flaws in us. Obviously, this is really bad and we have to stop. All/most characters should have flaws.

[@xAthena21]

@@katgreer6113 Yeah definitely! I'm glad I'm realizing this now. The characters and story suffer when you try to make people perfect. Because people in real life aren't perfect!

[@o_o-lj1ym]

On the question of queer representation, I love what Carmen Maria Machado said in her book In The Dream House. She said that writing imperfect gay characters is the most humanising thing you can do, because humans are imperfect.

[@quelquundautre3292]

Would 100% watch a video on how to describe the moon

[@willow_rosie]

Now i want a whole hour video of Shaelin talking about queer literature/writing

[@ShaelinWrites]

okay but the way that I would actually LOVE to do this bc this is my favourite topic👀

[@iiiiitsmagreta1240]

@@ShaelinWrites Not to be an enabler or anything, but *_DEWIIIIT_* * *please, if you have the time and motivation, no worries if not, I'd totally watch it :)

[@MerweenTheWitch]

Hey thank you so much for the rant on "Bad Representation". I feel like we tend to put a lot of the weight of how to morally handle minorities on their behavior/how they are represented instead of on that very puritanical urge to see "bad behavior" condemned and punished. Maybe sometimes people suck, and instead of asking for their suffering as tribute for that, we could try to imagine humane, compassionate ways to respond instead.

[@ShaelinWrites]

incredible & brilliant comment

[@truefairytales77]

Fellow lesbian here who suppressed it for a very long time! 💗 Weirdly enough I first discovered I was queer through writing a sapphic book (which was originally supposed to be strictly hetero hehe) 💅 I can't wait to read your novels! 💜

[@ShaelinWrites]

Omg this also…happened to me hahaha. Started writing a sapphic romance and was like WAIT

[@passantamreltarek9946]

I really liked your answer to the bad representation question because I've always thought that way but have kind of been scared to voice it! I also literally tear up every time you mention sibil's aroace-ness because you were the first person I heard about asexuality from (years ago now) and I'm now a proud aroace so I always feel like I owe my self-discovery journey to you and sibil even though the book isn't out yet hahaha, I can't wait to read it one day 💛

[@ShaelinWrites]

this makes me so happy!! i'm very excited to share sybil with the world someday☺️

[@BattyCobalt]

hard agree that "coming out video" shouldn't be considered a mandatory step for queer creators, in no small part because it can be tricky enough to figure out as a private person -- having strangers pull up "receipts" and treat it as a gotcha is an actual nightmare. like, i remember being in my early teens, having a body to which puberty kept happening, and thinking "i don't think this is doing it for me, actually", then working really hard not to examine that thought for the next fifteen+ years. but that doesn't mean i was lying that whole time? i was using the information i had, and when it comes to my identity, there is no higher arbiter than me. cliche as it is, there's a process involved, and you can't expect anyone to tell you things that aren't true yet. point being, you didn't have to share, but i (and others, i'm sure) appreciate that you did. as a comrade in the queer repression trenches, i always a appreciate a same hat moment. or similar hat, anyway. we're both wearing hats

[@iiiiitsmagreta1240]

Shaelin, your channel is my favourite writing advice resource I've ever used, which is including Stephen King's (in?)famous On Writing and a literal Creative Writing major that I am in right now. -And it's toootally not just bcs I'm also an ace sapphic British Columbian obsessed with the moon whaaaaat.- You're the only person I've found out there who isn't just telling me _how_ to write, but _how_ to _learn how_ to write. And like... as a neurodivergent person esp but also as a chronic perfectionist, having that permission to deconstruct the common writing advice I've been given and reconstruct it in a way that works for me is probly the best thing that's ever happened to my writing, so thank youuuuuu 💗💖💗💖💗💖

[@adamparrishkinnie]

sooo agree what what you said about representation, like representation in art (especially art for adults) is not meant to be prescriptive!! it's meant to be...representative. Like save all the worrying abt being 'good' for the real world, art is for exploration and indulgence!!!

[@adamparrishkinnie]

its also a little patronising to be expected to only consume and create stuff w a heartstopper level complexity (which is cute and i love) but lemme hush. Loved the video!! fun little chit chat 😌

[@ShaelinWrites]

right!! stuff like heartstopper is great for a younger audience and I totally wish I'd had a show like that as a teenager, but as an adult I want a level of realistic messiness in the characters i read/write about so they actually feel real and compelling, or else it's hard for me to really get anything out of said 'representation'

[@innocenthedgehog8367]

Love watching your Q&As! That answer about describing the moon/lighting was something which really clicked for me a couple of months ago when I thought about what made some of my favourite descriptions so vivid: a mix of very specific details, and very specific lighting/shadows to highlight those details.

[@quelquundautre3292]

Can't say how inspiring your content is to me, you're just relatable and helpful. Having someone with experience and maturity like you face the same problems as the aspiring writer I am makes your insight so valuable.

[@Lara_Ameen]

I love what you said about queer representation! Loved this Q&A and learning about your writing projects. Good luck on sub! Thank you for sharing! 💜

[@kezzi9838]

thank you for this video, i really appreciated all the points you touched on! you've been a great inspiration and role model in my creative writing journey. i've been on my own pan-or-lesbi trip for a few years, since around that privated video. although you haven't shared much (which is your prerogative!), knowing you are also queer has been really comforting in the back of my mind. anyway, your videos are always the highlight of my day and i loved all your answers (p.s. i'm also very much in favor of a queer lit/writing video!)

[@mranleecala7215]

I have been watching your videos FOR YEARS. And I just noticed that I hadn't subscribed yet. Like WTH? 😭 You're one of the best authortubers out here and I'm following your uploads for so long that your videos are at the top of my KZbin home feed along with Abbie Emmons. Was pretty sure I was subscribed until I checked just recently. 😭

[@kate.d024]

I LOVE THIS SO MUCH!! YOURE SO VALID!! YOU GIVE ME SO MUCH INSPIRATION & HOPE❤️I ADMIRE YOU SO MUCH!! AGGGHHHHAAA

[@reneenoriega4524]

I clicked soooo fast as soon as I saw the title of this video, can't wait to hear the answers

[@annlillyjose356]

Loved the video! I am so sorry that your work was plagiarised. I'd be furious and honestly heartbroken if that happened to me. I miss you on Tumblr so much, but I totally understand how it feels when your work is being stolen. Sending love and good wishes for the second round of submissions!

[@ShaelinWrites]

Thank you! I miss the tumblr community but I think it was time I move on sadly, but I did love the community there!

[@ninanadine1185]

wow I just realized something, Ive been watching your videos since I was 11! Holy shit I'm turning 16 this month. I probably should comment more often but here I am now! Hi, I'm also a lesbian. Anyway your writing has really inspired me and Ive read a lot of your short stories as I was able. I cant wait to get your collection when its published! This advice in this video specifically really helped me, especially on the queer charachters. Most of my queer charachters in my fantasy novel....have committed a few atrocities. But again everyone in my novel has. Love your channel its gotten me through many writing slumps and motivated me to write during hard times. I swear I binged all your videos twice when I had my surgery last year. so thank you for that

[@ShaelinWrites]

fantasy book with queer characters committing atrocities👀 PLEASE tell me when/where I can read this

[@zetaforever4953]

Really like your content. Thanks for sharing. I've been watching you since you were in school and it's been really fascinating to watch your evolution. And as for the people who leave mean comments about your looks or sexuality, it's like you said... essential to flush out the trash from time to time. Maintains hygiene you know.

[@yapdog]

I just have to say, I've been a sub or your channel since 2015 and it's been wonderful traveling along with you on your journey 😊👍

[@RoseBookblood]

Hi, Shaelin! Sometime last year I sent you an ask on Tumblr on how to write a greyromantic character, since you were the only person I'd at the time ever heard defining themself this way (turns out I'm greyromantic myself, so... yeah, it's kind of funny in retrospect). I remember that you used to identify as bisexual, but feeling unsure about it, so I'm happy that you're now so comfortable with your label and in your queerness! Your talk about writing queer characters and being unapologetically queer really resonated with me. I'm not going to write a bad character because I'm trying to appease to the people who want me to write "perfect representation". I think we've all started to loose track of why we demanded representation in the first place and are now focusing on a sanitized version of queerness that's not made for us queer folks, but for the queerphobes out there. Well, they're never going to be happy with queerness, no matter how we write it, so I refuse to compromise. I'm done making myself and my community small.

[@ShaelinWrites]

I remember that ask haha! Even though I don't identify with the greyromantic or bi labels anymore (it took me a while to figure it out clearly lmaoo), and for a while I wished I had just waited to come out until I had actually figured out how I identified rather than sharing every step along the way, hearing this, now I'm glad I was open about exploring that label at the time, even if it didn't end up being the right one.

[@RoseBookblood]

@@ShaelinWrites Can't believe you remember it haha! Very relatable experience, I've been questioning my sexuality for what, seven years at this point? And I still don't have an answer. Sometimes I feel the pressure to pick a label, then I'm struck by the fear that if I find out I was wrong everyone will call me a "fake who did it for clout", but ultimately I remind myself that I don't believe in that shit and that I owe no one anything. If anything, I'm glad people like you are open about their journey. It shows me and many others that it's okay not to have it all figured out and change the tools we use to define ourselves (because labels are just that, a tool).

[@thenovicewriter3196]

Rant alert: I hate the whole "how are you going to take critique" comments given to writers. My answer to that is: I'll take it however the hell I want to take it. This whole, "You need to listen to any kind of critique (personal or professional) and just take it, is a bunch of bullshit. Writing critiques tend to come in two forms: editorial feedback or reader reviews. The latter are for readers; the former are for writers to determine their use (or lack thereof). Therefore, the whole concept of "oh my god, how will you ever deal with critiques on your work with such a thin skin????" is the most insipid kind of "own" a person can make on another writer, because it implies that criticism and the person giving that critique is king, and if the writer can't handle it, they are wrong, when (1) The writer is king; we decide what criticism has value and what does not and discard whatever the hell we can to discard; and (2) People aren't actually VERY good at giving feedback in a way that is purely constructive and helpful. People give feedback when they are VERY emotional and often come across as jackasses when trying to be "critical". So, yeah, asking writers who are usually incredibly sensitive (and, oh, yeah, not social morons) to just "take" any kind of comment even when the intention is clearly hateful is not gonna happen. When it comes to our life and our work, OUR opinion and what we want is supreme. Everyone else is side character entering our universe and they are completely free to f*** off if they don't like it.

[@ShaelinWrites]

obsessed with everything about this I could not agree more!! as someone who has been getting patronized with "well you clearly can't take feedback" comments for years (even just out of nowhere!! not even from people who have ever given me critique on my writing, not that I would ask them lmao) you have so perfectly explained why that mindset is ridiculous and has always bothered me

[@loganplonski922]

I truly can't wait to read Honey Vinegar

[@AdamFishkin]

Causality might be the one element of a story that never survives a cookie-cutter approach. If you're doing things just to hit plot beats, it'll break the seams and people will notice. 5:30 I remember I was accidentally one of those people. "How come all your recent reads are modern?" And your response was the same as it is here. "Everyone is just a person." Thank you. It's that simple. Society needs to calm its gonads when critiquing art. Why does anyone love the moon? Because moonlight makes the blood glow with extra vibrancy. "I love all my children eeequalleeee ..." ROFL. The delivery is what sold it. Seriously though, having a favorite character when you've written them is a safety hazard. 2nd round of submissions! Yes!!

[@african_chris]

Thank you for sharing. 🙏🏼🙌🏼

[@yapdog]

I'm with you on genre. Like you, I'm not motivated by genre, but by particular ideas. However, I'm open to reading just about anything so long as it's good, and doesn't rely solely on genre-specific tropes. What I mean by that is I prefer character driven stories, rather than plot-driven which tend to define genre.

[@MrUnnieBunnie]

I never saw your original coming out video but when I found your videos I just had a feeling as another nonbinary queer person and thats awesome!

[@gao1812]

"You are limited with the amount of comparisons you're allowed to make" This is something I've noticed, but never saw anybody else mention until now

[@aaronhunyady]

A good example is George R.R. Martin. Overall, some very good things about his writing style but his overuse of comparisons with similar wordings ("like a thousand [insert object]") was really disruptive for me. At least the first book is like that, I couldn't get very far.

[@gao1812]

@aaronhunyady Thank you for this. My prose is not like his, so I guess you've just made me realise that I am quite creative with my prose even with (or perhaps because of) all the limitations. Gave me confidence. Thx 😊

[@gao1812]

commenting to help with the algorithms

[@annislander]

The moon is the best thing we have!!

[@lakeshagadson357]

which would you pefer doing publishing or editing

[@jamesgossweiler1349]

I'm about to "pull the trigger" and get Scrivener software. Not sure...

[@engyhossam3117]

What are the best online fantasy magazines to submit my work? Do you have any recommendations?

[@ulkeshkosh6164]

These are some pro fantasy mags: "Fantasy Magazine", "The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction", "Beneath Ceaseless Skies", "Podcastle".

[@carololiveira4831]

One of my favourite takes on characters from minority groups is “it isn’t forced representation, people just exist”

[@lakeshagadson357]

is there any books you would want to sell on the shelves

[@lakeshagadson357]

when you were done this channel was that something you wanted to do

[@nicholasblakiston6297]

Would you say the mantra "tell of physical reality, show abstractions" is universally true?

[@ShaelinWrites]

Definitely not. There are many cases where you'd want to show physical reality or tell abstractions, and no writing advice is universally true!

[@novinen]

7:05 i always viewed "good representation" like complex human and interesting and "bad representation" like stereotypical harmful shallow and token-ish. I've never even though that for someone good representation means holy pure sinless person that's wild

[@iiiiitsmagreta1240]

Yeah, it's like there's a totally different definition of "good representation" between what I see it as and what Shaelin's describing? Maybe I'm just not caught up on the discourse or smth

[@ShaelinWrites]

I fully agree with you that that's what it should be but some people....don't seem to understand this 🙃

[@prairiebutch]

having the specific career goal of winning a Lammy is so real agdhfh

[@lala78326]

I honestly think the idea that we, as artists, are inherently "representing" an entire community of people by including individuals from those communities in our stories is a bit damaging to ourselves. The concept of "good" and "bad" representation should first and foremost be applied to projects on larger scales; things like hollywood movies, bestsellers, HBO shows, etc. Small indie authors should not shoulder the responsibility of representing a group. Inclusivity is not synonymous with representation. While I am queer myself, when I write queer characters, I don't do that with the intention of representing queer people. I just write characters that are queer, some of them are good people, some of them are bad people, and most of them fall somewhere in between. Likewise, although I identify as a woman and am mixed race, and write characters that can be categorised the same way as myself, I ultimately try to not think of myself as someone representing those groups in my writing. I think if the focus is on writing good representation rather than just writing a good character, there's that risk of falling into the habit of writing very morally pure, perfect characters. (Though that's not to say that we can't critique "bad" representation in smaller projects; my point is just that the concept of calling out bad rep came about in relation to media that was consumed on a bigger scale. You can't really represent anything if there's not enough of an audience. The line for when something is big enough to be considered representation is of course not set in stone whatsoever, but I think it's important to alleviate some of the anxiety that comes with thinking you're always representing something bigger.) (ALSO this is not to say a writer shouldn't look out for bad representation or (one-dimensional) stereotypes in their own writing. Of course we wanna avoid that regardless of how big our audience is!)

[@ShaelinWrites]

I really love this comment, you've touched on points here that I've been thinking about myself but didn't really know how to put into words! I feel exactly the same about how I view 'representation' in my own work. At least in cases where on some level it's drawn from my own life experience (like with a lot of queer characters) I don't think about it as 'representation' at all while writing, because that's not my reason for writing those characters. If someone reads the work and feels represented by the characters that's great, but the idea that I included queer characters to make other people feel seen is something that I feel is coming at me from the outside, rather than my actual relationship to the characters. In truth, I include those characters and make them queer simply because that is my lived reality so those are the stories that interest me. There's no 'oh, well I'll make this character gay to represent people like me!' thought process happening--the characters simply are that way because that is my life so that is who I write about. It's a large burden to be placed on your work and almost comes from this assumption that I'm making the active choice to write these characters just so other people feel represented, when in truth, that is not at all the thought process, these are simply the characters that it is natural and intuitive for me to write. I've been praised a few times for having a lot of queer representation in my work and even though it makes me happy that something I wrote could resonate with someone, it always catches me a little off guard because I don't think of the characters that way (as 'representation') lol, to me they're just...normal characters.

[@ShaelinWrites]

Also like to add on that (so many thoughts!!), I love that you've drawn a distinction between indie vs major corporations here. Major corporations do and have to think about characters as representation because historically the people they've depicted have been so much more homogenous, so it's somewhat of a proven point that unless they actively work to diversify, they won't do it at all, or they'll do it very poorly. Those corporations reach huge audiences with what they produce, and are so often headed by the same types of people (cishet wealthy white men) and basically have shown that unless there is significant and active work put into diverse representation in their shows/movies/media/etc, it won't happen. However, a small creator writing a book on their own, who is in some way pulling from their lived experience, shouldn't have to create under the same assumption as a major corporation that has shown its lack of inclusivity over many decades. One person doesn't have a) the finances or resources to depict diversity as broadly as a large company b) the reach or volume of work for that to be a needed responsibility to represent as many people as possible or c) the track record of poor representation that needs to be corrected. Acting like an author writing a book has the same responsibilities as a big company in this regard is way off base, especially in a case where the author is drawing from their own experiences. I haven't seen anyone else draw this distinction but now that I've seen you brought it up it has CHANGED how I view this conversation about representation because it feels like such a key missing piece that isn't discussed enough, and it's something I'm going to keep in mind every time it comes up now. Brilliant amazing comment from you thank you!!

[@lala78326]

@@ShaelinWrites I'm glad my point resonated with you!! I think this pressure to write perfect representation yet still have nuanced representation is always going to be present in any form of storytelling, and I'm not really sure how to fully get rid of it, but I think just acknowledging that the concept of "representation" was originally in relation to bigger media helps a lot with that anxiety (at least for me it did!). Unlike corporations, who often include diversity BECAUSE they have a representation quota they want to meet, most of us include diversity because... It's just part of life. And sometimes it's not even deliberate. Like you've mentioned, your characters just ARE queer, they're not queer BECAUSE you strive to represent queer people (which is impossible anyways imo with how diverse we can be.) I remember in a different video, you talked about how specific themes will often resonate a lot more with readers than themes that are too abstract and universal, and I think this is why corporate movies (or whatever they're called) often fail. In their attempt to represent an entire group of people, they have to draw from generalisations and what appears to be "universal" from their perspective (such as vocabulary like slay, queen, etc.), and in turn, the group they're "representing" turns into a superficial monolith. And when that monolith then either gets villainized or held to impossible moral standards... Then yeah, the queer rep in question doesn't feel much like representation anymore. And I think us queer people who grew up watching these one dimensional representations and the appropriate critiques of it feel like it's our "job" to clean up the mess that's been left behind by such poor rep, and it's such a shame.

[@earlgleason648]

You are really attractive and revolutionized the way I Wright thank you

[@tsentenari4353]

HOW do you make your skin glow in this way it just looks absolutley fantastic (sorry for this superficial comment I just love the look so much even if it should just be the result of a Canadian heat wave)

[@ShaelinWrites]

I think it's a combo of heat wave + the studio light + my sunscreen haha

[@tsentenari4353]

@@ShaelinWrites ah yes that makes sense

[@sailorsable149]

Whenever I hear the names of your characters Nadia and Heidi makes me think of my Nadia and Heidi who I know are definitely much different from yours. With writing queer characters, my characters just gradually nudged themselves out the closet (kind of like how I want to figure myself out, and my characters help me with that). The first proper character of mine I wrote about in high school had a "close friend" who she hugged, held hands with, shared passionate monologues with and even used petnames with her (although it was the "close friend" using the pet names). Eventually I wrote a story about the very first time said character (her name is Michelle) met her (still at the time of writing that story) "close friend", and she practically threw herself out of the closet by narrating about essentially finding her attractive. Then I wrote a meet the parents thing and "Are you our Michelle's darling?" is something I wrote and now Michelle's French "close friend" Jacinta are girlfriends and it feels like they always have been. Now Michelle is probably the character who has simultaneously changed the most and the least - she's short-tempered, punches people and yells a lot, but she also gets flustered very easily and becomes flushed like a tomato. Michelle was the first character of mine to go through this. I could go on a whole ramble about this but this is too much written already. Thank you so much for this video (and your other videos, I think I've watched some at least four times).

[@ShaelinWrites]

this is so real because the protagonist of my extremely gay novel with a lesbian romance as the main plot thread was originally (back in 2015) fully hetero. huge part of why i had to rewrite her story so many times is because I was missing this massively important part of her character, so the character/story just felt off and incomplete until I realized she was gay, but I guess I couldn't see that until I realized I was gay lmao

[@one_smol_duck]

Convincing yourself that you're cishet as a teenager despite all evidence to the contrary is THE lesbian experience. I was kissing girls at 10 and didn't figure it out until 17. (Fwiw, I loved the sapphic recs video and the queer space you've built on this channel. Hopefully the bigots who left are replaced by better people.)

[@yapdog]

🤔Hmm.... Being Black, I'm certainly sensitive to representation and how it's handled. I'm hetero, but my current novel series contains queer people, but I don't believe I'd worried about them being "bad." Maybe I *_should_* be worried? All I know is that I don't feel like I'm writing characters but actual people. I let them tell me who they are; I never said "I need a gay/lesbian character, so I guess you're it." Case in point, Adrianna, a xendroid _(

[@catmanmenace]

One thing abt the queer characters who are not morally pure issue that I often think of lately is that... honestly, most queer people are trauma survivors, and they don't always behave as 'good victims' of oppression ought to. It's a similar situation to characters who have suffered abuse, but on a systemic scale... abused characters becoming horrible and irredeemable villains is a harmful trope, and abused characters who are soft and cute and kind exist in real life but contradict many people's experiences. I love 'bad' victims. I feel like sometimes being queer in a society that demonizes queerness *can* make you a little bit of a 'demon', and that's an issue usually too complicated for non-queers to grasp.

[@ShaelinWrites]

SO true!! This is very much something I’m exploring in the novel I’m currently writing, which has some very unwholesome queer characters, and it’s something I’d love to read more about. Like you said, if you’re not queer it’s hard to understand this, but as a queer person, it feels so much more real and compelling and even cathartic to read about than queer characters that feel sanitized and perfect.

[@rachelthompson9324]

I'm queer and I'm a writer but I'm not a queer writer. I'm just a writer. The craft doesn't care who we writers love. I hate his religion but I love Orson Scott Card's books. The few GLBT characters in my books just happen to be queer because it fits as a plot device but their queerness isn't a big factor in book one and less important in the sequels.

[@michaelraymon111]

What religion are you even talking about lmao

[@rachelthompson9324]

@@michaelraymon111 Mormonism but I hate them all equally

[@bluecannibaleyes]

I can kind of relate in that I’m a woman married to a man but I don’t think I’ve ever written a straight female character. The novel I’m currently writing has a lesbian as the MC. It’s not really a ‘queer’ story, though. The love interests are important to the plot, but the fact that they're both girls doesn’t really, if that makes sense. I don’t think I could ever write about the ‘gey experience’ as most people know it because as someone who was a lesbian most of my life, I didn’t really have the same experiences that others always talk about. I never really ‘came out’ because it was always either blatantly obvious or irrelevant. Everyone who actually knew me knew that I was into girls and no one cared. If anything, they thought I was cooler after they found out. I never really had any real relationships with women, and in fact women have mostly instinctively hated me. The only lesbians who were ever into me weren’t my type, and I pretended to be merely questioning or confused about my sxuality so that I didn’t have to break their hearts by telling them directly I was into girls but not them. I think I only ever confessed to one girl that I liked her, but she wasn’t into me and had a boyfriend. I did manage to get a couple of other girls to kiss me, but overall I was really bad at being a lesbian. I was just attracted to women not men and that was it. I was never a lesbian in any other way, so I’m not sure I ever really counted as one. LOL The character I’m currently writing is based on my own lesbian experiences, not trying to please an audience with her. So she’s an old school lesbian like I was when I first conceived of her character: she just likes girls and that’s it. She doesn’t adhere to any of the philosophy and pc culture that so often goes along with lgbt nowadays. If she’s seen as ‘problematic’ for this, then I could care less.

[@canisfamiliaris4]

I love your shirt. :)

[@davidbru1]

💗💗💗

[@lakeshagadson357]

what do you mean ages because i don't remember you doing this one

[@rizzypizzy]

If coming out flushes the -phobes, do it more often! 🙂

[@ShaelinWrites]

I will now begin every video with a quick coming out just for this purpose

[@rizzypizzy]

@@ShaelinWrites 😂😂😂

[@thevintageplaylist7191]

I CLICKED SO FAST

[@37_vanshiDLakhani]

This comment is a request. Unrelated to your video. I have been watching your videos and am in awe on how many books you have read. Your tips are always helpful. Not being a strong avid reader myself and struggling to publish my first book, this comment is to ask for your recommendations on certain plots for fantasy, magic school trope (for writing, as I'm working on my debut series) I have build a magic world and it's a coming of age, young adult fantasy series and I would honestly love your opinions and suggestions. So basically, I feel stuck in my story despite working on it for 3 years and since you have read many stories, your suggestion would be of high value to me. It's a magic school story, with learning magic to saving it, to possessing more magic than others, there's politics, there's a social evil character trying to win over the world. I need some plot points. Some suggestions. Well, take it this way. You have written many books and you have your favourite themes. Well I'm interested in adding those themes in my novels. As many themes as you like, all are appreciated. If in the future, I do end up using those themes or anything that you wish to see in novels, I will mention your name in the acknowledgements of my book. - to be author of HEDS Series (hope soon, so you can see your name in the acknowledgements, do contact me if you find your name and want to give even more suggestions or talk to me regarding my novels)

[@tsentenari4353]

Totally agree on "no need to pronounce it". I remember once writing in a comment here about a book I liked (Red Sister", and feeling tempted to write "although I should probably add that the girl girl romance it was written by a presumably heterosexual writer in his 40s?", when I thought "fuck it, he's a writer, putting themselves in other people's shoes is what writer's do, it doesn't matter what his age or sexual orientation is at long as it WORKS"

[@lakeshagadson357]

do wish you where doing this at school

[@mystupidlife123]

I mean . . . I wrote two useless acespec lesbians partially to sort out my own feelings. You don't owe anyone a coming out video and it sucks that some people can't stand queerness but I just like you & your channel all the better for it.

[@junebunchanumbers]

Comment, algorithm etc.

[@african_chris]

🙌🏼😊

[@edeedeeward]

I love gay people (I am also gay people)

[@billy.bandit]

You have been writing for a long time. Where can I buy your books?

[@SeanDuranMusic]

I've been away for awhile, I don't learn from youtubers. I learn more through reading books. Analyzing other peoples work. Probably read 300 books in almost these last 3yrs. I don't know how I can be your boyfriend, if your lesbian? Sure I could convert,lol. But enough joking around. I did ask about your hair, but I like you with short hair, even though I like girls with long hair. But your cute with short hair. Don't worry what people think about you, your life. I've been judged all my life by people and I've never cared about people's opinions. I even tried to have an investigation on my graduation class why they were all hypocrites. Maybe one reason I deleted my fakebook. It was a fake investigation but I'm sure some people were scared if the information I knew about them ever got out, it would be scandalist. Don't listen to the hypocrites because they my look pure and clean from the outside but inside they are evil mother@$÷×@. I told my mom I was going to write a love story, and it turned out to be a queer novel. I think I'm up to my 9th Novel in 3 yrs. I enjoy writing. But it would be nice to be published and to make a living doing it. I guess for now my music career is paying the bills. I've known many queer people. Don't believe the LIE that people are judging you. There was a time I would go down to Walmart and it was nothing but Swans. I would text my aunt and tell her the pond was full of swans today. LOL. Since I live on a farm she wanted to see a picture, and the pond. LoL. I had to tell I was at Walmart. It seemed I would see all these girls, woman and their partners. It don't really matter. Remember that. Which maybe I'll let you read my Queer novel, it's a beautiful love story, or I think it was, is. It's been awhile since I've read it. Oh yeah, I'm starting to remember it. If you want to know about loving someone, it's a must read. I'm a story teller, that's what I do. And the more I write and read. I am seeing things better.

[@lakeshagadson357]

my writing style maybe different from yours

[@BirdOnATypwriter]

For me personally "good" or "bad" representation is not so much about weather or not a queer character does something bad, but why they do it. If they do bad things because of their circumstances (no matter if they have anything to do with their sexuality/gender or not) and deep intrinsic motivations or do they bad things exclusively because of there sexuality/gender because of an underlying assumption that queer=evil.

[@mickeyzeckendorf3886]

the aroace to nonbinary lesbian pipeline is so real...

[@ShaelinWrites]

thinking you're not into anyone but really you're just not into men🙃

[@mickeyzeckendorf3886]

@@ShaelinWrites aint that just the way. also, i love the funky florals youve been wearing!

[@markhnk]

Wait... you are what? ;) Great video as usual.

[@billyalarie929]

I mean absolutely alllllllllll the support and love in the universe when I say this: WHO DIDNT CLOCK YOU AS A LESBIAN? Like I’m a male presenting so and so mfer but I’m also! …mm, I’ll call it “In The Biz”? But like….. look, real recognize real amirite?! Iykyk I’ve been following you since 2017 and I was like “this person is q u e e r”

[@joedent3323]

A detuned radio.

[@yapdog]

Didn't know you were a lesbian; guess I wasn't paying too close of attention all these years. Not sure why it should matter to anyone, really, when your channel is called *ShaelinWrites,* not *ShaelinIsNotALesbian.* _(

[@bluecannibaleyes]

I’m not sure if the lesbian main character of the novel I’m currently writing would be considered ‘good representation’ or not. Frankly I don’t care and am going to write her the way I want to write her regardless of whether others see her as ‘problematic’. I didn’t make her a lesbian to please other people, she just happens to be gey. That is a kind of representation that I’ve heard plenty of lgbt people claim they want, but I’m not sure if it’s actually what they want. Not everyone who disagrees with your lifestyle or worldview is a ‘bigot’, btw. That’s actually an ironically bigoted point of view. Some of us don’t like it because we actually DO know all about it, understand it perfectly well, and simply don’t agree with the philosophy and the actions of the people who embrace it. It might surprise you to hear that someone who isn’t pro-lgbt is writing a main character that is a lesbian. I honestly bet you’d be pleasantly surprised by her. I think I can safely say that she’s certainly not the kind of character people would expect to be created by a ‘bigot’.

[@ShaelinWrites]

if you think being gay is wrong you are a bigot lmao. you can't just say you've decided you understand being gay perfectly well and so that makes your opinion valid, that is so self aggrandizing of you oh my god. you don't get to decide you're not a bigot because you 'think' you understand (you do not), despite your underlying hatred. you said it yourself, you are anti-lgbt. you are homophobic. maybe you don't want to see yourself that way, but you are. go ahead and write a lesbian main character, i don't care what you write, but don't expect us to turn around and praise you for it or have any interest in reading it.

[@ShaelinWrites]

me (or anyone) being gay doesn't hurt anyone. you (or anyone) being homophobic actively hurts gay people. don't equate me calling out bigotry i've experienced to your own hatred. they are in no way comparable. i have no idea what apparently educated reasons (if were actually educated you would not be homophobic btw) you have for deciding to disagree with my 'lifestyle' (aka the sexual orientation i cannot choose and hurts no one) but i can promise you that your pov is the bigoted one as it is born from hate, whereas mine comes from the fear that my rights or safety will be taken away bc of people like you. grow up and decide to accept instead of hate. i promise it will make you a happier person

[@Trouplemaker]

Oh honey, oh baby, oh sweet little summer child, you have no idea how little you writing a lesbian character while "disagreeing with the lifestyle" and "not caring about what the LGBT people think" will surprise us. If I had a nickel for every time straight girls who are super into bl turned out to be extremely homophobic, or for when self-congratulatory auteurs like yourself write gay characters for a quick jerk off (or, fine, I'll cut you some slack here, to "understand the perspective" and "depict a different world view") while spitting venom towards the actual real life people with similar experience, I'd be living in a mansion, no less.

[@sarahcohen2688]

So you’re a lesbian but… also not a female 😀

[@bluecannibaleyes]

Logic in 2023 LOL

[@michaelraymon111]

​@@bluecannibaleyesstop being a idiot lol

[@blabbinglobster]

If some viewers unsubscribed because you are a lesbian, then, as the (old) saying goes, "good riddance to bad rubbish." Bigoted people don't usually become successful writers because their perspective is so limited.