Writing How would you make a ball intimidating for girls?

[Deleted member 36114]

Watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, I got a rather distinct impression that was only reinforced when I looked back at depictions of balls: that they are events guys dread or often end up getting in trouble over. However, since I am the master of reversals (unless harems are concerned), I wanted to ask you guys how would you go about reversing this: making a ball/dance an intimidating occasion for girls. Essentially, the idea is to make it so we see the girls dreading the idea of having to ask someone to the ball (so we can already assume this is a Sadie Hawkins inspired event), make the notion of them showing up alone shameful and have, when the ball arrives, their male friends/acquaintances all show up with dazzling partners and looking good while the female POV characters essentially spend the night like Harry and Ron did in GoF: sulking and lamenting their lack of actual partners.

So, how do you recommend we tackle this and make this reversal happen? Yes, you're allowed to keep using Harry Potter to portray this example.

 

[Sii]

You could focus on the very real aspect of social anxiety. Not all of us do very well in social settings and that's doubly so for young teens.

It's an awkward time in development and you want me to go out of my way to 'possibly' get rejected? Yeah, I'm good.

Focusing on the anxiety and nerves would help ground it a little more. Like, needing to take a shit constantly because the MC is so nervous about having to ask a guy out. Or breaking out because of all the stress it causes. A dance, whether it be a Sadie Hawkins or Prom, is a pretty big deal for some people and it can be super frustrating.

I'd draw on my own personal experience. I was awkward as hell and went to my exes Prom. I didn't know anyone but her and I only survived that night because I was pretty dense and didn't pay attention to anything. I didn't dance, didn't enjoy myself, and only wanted to get the shit over with so I could get my dick wet afterwards. Just thinking about it makes me cringe.

 

[AbigailWP]

balls are >>> then a ball

 

[RepresentingCaution]

If the girls show up alone, they have to dance in a go-go cage until one of the guys decides to take them out.

 

[Deleted member 29081]

Watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, I got a rather distinct impression that was only reinforced when I looked back at depictions of balls: that they are events guys dread or often end up getting in trouble over. However, since I am the master of reversals (unless harems are concerned), I wanted to ask you guys how would you go about reversing this: making a ball/dance an intimidating occasion for girls. Essentially, the idea is to make it so we see the girls dreading the idea of having to ask someone to the ball (so we can already assume this is a Sadie Hawkins inspired event), make the notion of them showing up alone shameful and have, when the ball arrives, their male friends/acquaintances all show up with dazzling partners and looking good while the female POV characters essentially spend the night like Harry and Ron did in GoF: sulking and lamenting their lack of actual partners.

So, how do you recommend we tackle this and make this reversal happen? Yes, you're allowed to keep using Harry Potter to portray this example.

I mean, isn't it already though? You're asking two complete strangers to get together and start dancing. That's a pretty harrowing prospect, regardless of whether you're a guy or a girl.

 

[Deleted member 29081]

You could focus on the very real aspect of social anxiety. Not all of us do very well in social settings and that's doubly so for young teens.

It's an awkward time in development and you want me to go out of my way to 'possibly' get rejected? Yeah, I'm good.

Focusing on the anxiety and nerves would help ground it a little more. Like, needing to take a shit constantly because the MC is so nervous about having to ask a guy out. Or breaking out because of all the stress it causes. A dance, whether it be a Sadie Hawkins or Prom, is a pretty big deal for some people and it can be super frustrating.

I'd draw on my own personal experience. I was awkward as hell and went to my exes Prom. I didn't know anyone but her and I only survived that night because I was pretty dense and didn't pay attention to anything. I didn't dance, didn't enjoy myself, and only wanted to get the shit over with so I could get my dick wet afterwards. Just thinking about it makes me cringe.

Yes, I also like pouring water on my groin (as well as other parts of my body) via taking a shower. Proms are quite filthy affairs.

 

[AliceShiki]

Well, you could always make it so that any girls that don't find a partner for the ball mysterious die a week later, I bet that would be pretty stressful~

 

[Deleted member 34529]

Maybe set it in a world that is suffering under a global pandemic, with a highly infectious virus, I think going to a ball under those conditions would be pretty stressful.

 

[MajorKerina]

Fire them at high speed at their faces! ....oh wait, wrong sort of balls.

Although, an event which is high velocity and like a group mixer/speed dating where you can't relax would probably do the trick for a certain amount of the participants, while others might just take it as a challenge.

 

[Stratothrax]

Under the age of 25 there are 5% more men than there are women in real life so theoretically 5% of men will not be able to find a female partner to go to a school ball as there simply isn't enough women. This creates more pressure on the guys than the girls to compete for a partner.

You could simply reverse this in your story so that there are 5% fewer men than women and women have to compete harder for a partner, this would naturally raise anxiety and pressure especially if there is social pressure from peers and family.

 

[StarEis]

Make it so everyone has to come naked and only invite 1 girl but don't tell her that she is the only girl.

 

[Aoibh]

Watching Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, I got a rather distinct impression that was only reinforced when I looked back at depictions of balls: that they are events guys dread or often end up getting in trouble over. However, since I am the master of reversals (unless harems are concerned), I wanted to ask you guys how would you go about reversing this: making a ball/dance an intimidating occasion for girls. Essentially, the idea is to make it so we see the girls dreading the idea of having to ask someone to the ball (so we can already assume this is a Sadie Hawkins inspired event), make the notion of them showing up alone shameful and have, when the ball arrives, their male friends/acquaintances all show up with dazzling partners and looking good while the female POV characters essentially spend the night like Harry and Ron did in GoF: sulking and lamenting their lack of actual partners.

So, how do you recommend we tackle this and make this reversal happen? Yes, you're allowed to keep using Harry Potter to portray this example.

How would you not make a ball intimidating for girls?

 

[Leti]

How would you not make a ball intimidating for girls?

Exactly.

 

[The_Long_Serpent]

Make it mandatory and only allow the girls to invite 1 guy. To make it doubly intimidating, you can also have the girls and boys hardly know each other.

I generally dislike balls myself, too noisy.

 

[minacia]

Add a beauty pageant tradition to the ball, so that all girls who show up single are expected to go up on the stage and say a few things about themselves. The idea is that maybe a guy will ask her for a dance later on. The guys also vote on the prettiest “flower” (single girl) instead of the prom King/Queen tradition that occurs in some US schools.

A girl would have to show up single in order to be eligible to win the the prettiest flower title.

At the same time, it would be mortifying if nobody asked you out afterwards.

Also if you have social anxiety and are single, the idea of a mandatory beauty pageant for single ladies is basically also frightening.

 

[Assurbanipal_II]

Add a beauty pageant tradition to the ball, so that all girls who show up single are expected to go up on the stage and say a few things about themselves. The idea is that maybe a guy will ask her for a dance later on. The guys also vote on the prettiest “flower” (single girl) instead of the prom King/Queen tradition that occurs in some US schools.

A girl would have to show up single in order to be eligible to win the the prettiest flower title.

At the same time, it would be mortifying if nobody asked you out afterwards.

Also if you have social anxiety and are single, the idea of a mandatory beauty pageant for single ladies is basically also frightening.

Do you do dancing too? I once had to dance Walzer on my school ball, and messing up my steps would be pretty intimidating I guess.

 

[minacia]

Do you do dancing too? I once had to dance Walzer on my school ball, and messing up my steps would be pretty intimidating my guess.

Most dances/proms/balls I've been to don't have ballroom dancing and mostly involves jumping up and down to pop music XD Middle school dances sometimes involved grinding... if you swish back and forth and move a little, you're mostly okay lol.

I'm getting bad memories again.

I rejected two people's prom invitations lolololol... I was so harsh........ but there was someone I liked so............

 

[BenJepheneT]

i came into this thread with the impression that we're talking about a whole different """ball""".

Add a beauty pageant tradition to the ball, so that all girls who show up single are expected to go up on the stage and say a few things about themselves. The idea is that maybe a guy will ask her for a dance later on. The guys also vote on the prettiest “flower” (single girl) instead of the prom King/Queen tradition that occurs in some US schools.

A girl would have to show up single in order to be eligible to win the the prettiest flower title.

At the same time, it would be mortifying if nobody asked you out afterwards.

Also if you have social anxiety and are single, the idea of a mandatory beauty pageant for single ladies is basically also frightening.

other than that yeah, I second this^

 

[Assurbanipal_II]

Most dances/proms/balls I've been to don't have ballroom dancing and mostly involves jumping up and down to pop music XD Middle school dances sometimes involved grinding... if you swish back and forth and move a little, you're mostly okay lol.

I'm getting bad memories again.

I rejected two people's prom invitations lolololol... I was so harsh........ but there was someone I liked so............

I see. I experienced something akin to this.

Spoiler: x

Smiling and dancing. So messing up the steps could be pretty intimidating for the girl as they have to follow. The man dictates the pace.

 

[Aoibh]

Add a beauty pageant tradition to the ball, so that all girls who show up single are expected to go up on the stage and say a few things about themselves. The idea is that maybe a guy will ask her for a dance later on. The guys also vote on the prettiest “flower” (single girl) instead of the prom King/Queen tradition that occurs in some US schools.

A girl would have to show up single in order to be eligible to win the the prettiest flower title.

At the same time, it would be mortifying if nobody asked you out afterwards.

Also if you have social anxiety and are single, the idea of a mandatory beauty pageant for single ladies is basically also frightening.

Yeah, I'd rather not go to this prom, seems socially crippling. Nevermind the emotional backlash.