YA LGBT Books discussion
Tales told - a.k.a free reads
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Plot Bunnies
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BJ wrote: "welllllll Hey guys! XD figured i'd drop by and maybe... just maybe post a couple of ideas :P god knows thinking hurts but occasionally it actually works in my favour :PBut it's 2am here and i'm g..."
OMG. We're as bad as each other!!
Yeahhhhh... I didn't actually get to sleep until like 3 and then I woke up at 3:20 anyway -_- hahaha :P
BJ wrote: "Yeahhhhh... I didn't actually get to sleep until like 3 and then I woke up at 3:20 anyway -_- hahaha :P"I stopped talking to you, went upstairs, just hopped in bed, son wet HIS bed, got up, changed it, went back to bed, daughter had dream, slept (not really but tried) on the end of her bed for an hour. Stumbled back. ALARM :'(
Alex wrote: "Prince Nicholas and Princess Anastasia are both bored in their palace, and, being the perculiar, competitve siblings they are, they both decide to try to seduce the youngest male servant. At sevent..."Historical or fantasy? And you have to be careful with a 17-year-old character, especially lately. Klaus sounds appealing - not the kind of guy to take that comment from spoiled siblings about someone he cares for.
Alex wrote: "It's historical; I was thinking like 1915 in Russia. And no sex until later in the book... ;) LOL, if there is any."That's great - historical takes research, but I like them.
Alex, you are like the Plot Bunny King. That's awesome.
Alex wrote: "Yes, I like that period in Russian history; the revolution; overthrowing of the Romanovs (I don't think Klaus existed but ah well! And Nicholas was Anastasia's Dad... o.O )"Lots of real life drama, and long enough ago that no one can dispute you if you give it your own twist.
Alex wrote: "Ah yeah, good idea! I have lots of ideas now, but I'm concerned about it turning out slightly... umm... Non-Y/A friendly..."I'm not sure what happens if a YA writes non-YA books... I certainly did but they lived in my binder and never saw the light of day.
Kaje wrote: "Alex wrote: "Yes, I like that period in Russian history; the revolution; overthrowing of the Romanovs (I don't think Klaus existed but ah well! And Nicholas was Anastasia's Dad... o.O )"Lots of r..."
You can always go the Alternate Universe route, I think that allows for more personal twists.
Elci wrote: "You can always go the Alternate Universe route, I think that allows for more personal twists...."
That's my preference for writing (although I love to read good historicals.) It does make life much easier, and covers a multitude of errors. No one has a fit because men's trousers didn't have pockets back then or some other detail of inaccuracy. And if you need something to happen to fit your plot you can just go for it.
Alex wrote: "Again, a good idea. I might use that instead, just for this one story. And I'll ask what happens if a Y/A writes "interesting" material; I've already written some, but it was more of a script which..."You just need to put something in right at the beginning that makes it clear it's historical fantasy, and then you get the nit-pickers off your back.
Alex wrote: ""In an alternate Russia, in an alternate Earth...""Yeah, or just blatant historical inaccuracy : "In the British Colony of North America... meanwhile in Russia..."
I think most publishers have the same age restrictions for their authors as they do for the characters in the "interesting" romances: 18 and up only. However, the YA designation doesn't rule out some pretty spicy scenes; what makes the difference is the *reason* the scenes are there. In YA, a sex scene has to serve a purpose in the plot and/or has to show the development of one or more characters. Even though there might be some "insert tab P" stuff on the page (some YA publishers do allow penetrative sex on the page), the focus is on the *emotions* of the point of view character, rather than the mechanics and the physical sensations. The mechanics and physical sensations might be briefly mentioned, but most of what's going to be on the page is how the point of view character thinks and feels emotionally about what's going on.
Other things that make a story YA instead of adult romance are:
the age of the characters (YA characters are nearly always under 18, though once in a while you'll find a YA with a college-age character or two, including one of my series);
the focus on the "coming of age" of the main character (in YA, the main character learns and grows and matures, which admittedly should be happening in any story, but in YA it's the main focus since that's a big part of what the teen years are about; a sexual relationship can be part of that);
and what else is going on in the main character's life (a YA character will most likely still be in high school or between high school and college, though I've read some YA--and have a YA character myself--in which the high-school-aged main character has dropped out)
If your servant is 17 and the bratty siblings are older, that wouldn't likely be YA, because it sounds like the siblings are the main characters and they're over YA age. But if you wrote it as an adult story, you might have to make your servant 18...
Sorry for getting all lecturey; this is what sometimes happens when a former teacher doesn't get to teach anymore. I get a bit pedantic when I haven't had enough coffee.
OK, I was reading historical stuff and somehow ended up in 1881 with a list from the London Genealogical Society of the more puzzling listed occupations on that year's census. And some of them sparked really odd plot bunnies for me. In that year people listed as occupations:Disinfector of railways
Fish-bender
Examiner of underclothing
Random waller
Knocker-up of workpeople
Gymnast to house painter
Fatuous pauper
Emasculator
Sampler of drugs
Beef-twister
Cow-banger
Turnip shepherd
Now I sooo want to write a story about a turnip shepherd...
Kaje wrote: "OK, I was reading historical stuff and somehow ended up in 1881 with a list from the London Genealogical Society of the more puzzling listed occupations on that year's census. And some of them spa..."Ok--cannot comment on where my mind just traveled after reading,
"knocker-up of workpeople"!!!!
Not to mention "beef twister"!
Sammy2006 wrote: "Kaje wrote: "OK, I was reading historical stuff and somehow ended up in 1881 with a list from the London Genealogical Society of the more puzzling listed occupations on that year's census. And som..."I like cow-banger personally. In a totally YA way of course *snort*
Kaje wrote: "Sammy2006 wrote: "Kaje wrote: "OK, I was reading historical stuff and somehow ended up in 1881 with a list from the London Genealogical Society of the more puzzling listed occupations on that year'..."OMG--in reflection of what happened to us on that "OTHER" thread--that is hilarious!!!!!!
All I can see is LOL! Naughty naughty minds lol
Angel wrote: "All I can see is LOL! Naughty naughty minds lol"We are censoring our words carefully. Our minds are a lost cause.
LOL yeah, I realized after that I should have probably worded that differently lol
Angel wrote: "LOL yeah, I realized after that I should have probably worded that differently lol"Nope - absolutely true. :) Although Fish-bender and Disinfector of railways at least don't make me go there.
Sammy2006 wrote: "Ok--cannot comment on where my mind just traveled after reading,"knocker-up of workpeople"!!!!..."
*mutters about strange American people that don't get the language*
It's quite common (at least round here) for someone to say to you "sorry I didn't mean to knock you up" if they bang on the door early in the morning and you look like you've just got out of bed!!
Personally I would like to see a story about the gymnast to a house painter!
K wrote: "Sammy2006 wrote: "Ok--cannot comment on where my mind just traveled after reading,"knocker-up of workpeople"!!!!..."
*mutters about strange American people that don't get the language*
It..."
First I would be like what the heck, and then I would be laughing my butt off! Just not used to the language as you say lol
K wrote: "Sammy2006 wrote: "Ok--cannot comment on where my mind just traveled after reading,"knocker-up of workpeople"!!!!..."
*mutters about strange American people that don't get the language*
It..."
sure---that explains it!!!! LOL!!!
Sammy2006 wrote: "K wrote: "Sammy2006 wrote: "Ok--cannot comment on where my mind just traveled after reading,"knocker-up of workpeople"!!!!..."
*mutters about strange American people that don't get the language*..."
I knew that - just liked the phrase. I remember a story told once by a woman who came to the US I think in the forties. She left a note on her hotel room door for the staff saying politely "Please knock me up by 6:30." And wondered at some of the noises outside her door later on...
That sounds like it will be amazing Alex!
But it's 2am here and i'm g..."
Good night, BJ, sleep well. It was nice to see you here.