What are your honest thoughts on GL stories?

[RepresentingWrath]

Sorry for being somewhat rude, but not 100%?
And yes, pretty much 100% of what I have describes comes from my personal experience with GL. So I guess it's just contrasting perspectives here - pretty much always the case with opinions.
And I do want to say that I refuse to read anything that resembles porn or BDSM, so I can't exactly relate to your experiences except in that it does sound horrible. So, sorry, our opinions are different, I do agree with you on some points, so let's leave it at that and move on to more constructive topics. Please.

I mean, what's not constructive about things I say? I simply express my experience. I specifically point out, "what did I miss", I don't know, maybe I didn't phrase it in a 'kind enough' way. Honestly, to me it looks like you are hurt by words and try to deflect what I wrote rather than actually pointing out where I was 'wrong' and explaining why.

 

[kosamsel]

This is… a very myopic view of sapphic fiction lmao. For starters, GB stories are a pretty common gateway for people who are starting to question their gender irl. I personally don’t tend to read them, but it’s a popular niche for reasons beyond plain lechery.

GL stories exist beyond the scope of SH, in as many flavors and varieties as any other brand of fiction. Erotic GL content, especially weird or kinky erotic GL content, tends to end up on SH because erotic content tends to end up on SH in general. There are reams of soft, fluffy, wholesome GL content in the wider world; people who write darker GL are in the minority. SH isn’t a microcosm representative of the entire genre. There’s no one single signifier for “real” GL—it’s as varied as the people who write and read it, just like any other sort of fiction.

And GL isn’t inherently more unrealistic than any other variety of romance, come on now ?

If you just don’t like it, that’s certainly your right, but don’t dislike it solely because you think all GL looks one particular way.

 

[Paul__Michaels]

Then why are you making this thread?

Weren't you telling us you want to write smut and all, even something about ntr? Really? Now this?


??? Proof? Or something? Come on...


That's some big ass logical leap there m8

Really...? Really? Then why are you always here and not on RR forums? Riddle me that.

???? So... gays are now unrealistic?

Fuck off. Really.

He's a revised man. He's learned the error of his ways and is determine the right the wrongs.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

GL, or any non-hetero romance for that matter, is an act, i.e. the plot pusher. By itself, it's meaningless, because it's subjective enough to be in anywhere if the author wants to include it in their story. Therefore, the meaning of GL in the context of a story. Like a garnish on top of a cake, it doesn't affect the taste of the cake, but visual vise and preferences wise it makes a lot of difference.

You can literally do romance anywhere you want, because the symbols of romance are deeply embed in humanity's unconscious. It can sprout anywhere if the author wants to include. What matters are the characters and the worldbuilding, romance will emerge from it if it is intentionally done so.

I personally don't have preferences in GL. I only hate when the main cast is full of misandry, even if they were GB or whatever. If the context is interesting, and characters are great enough, and they have a great chemistry between each other, for me it's enough. Too bad that authors often fail at one of those criterias, and ruin the enjoyment out of their story.

Yeah, do you realise you are the only person who thinks this way, Tempo? Other people use it to wrtie about , from my experience of course.

Then why are you making this thread?

Weren't you telling us you want to write smut and all, even something about ntr? Really? Now this?


??? Proof? Or something? Come on...


That's some big ass logical leap there m8

Really...? Really? Then why are you always here and not on RR forums? Riddle me that.

???? So... gays are now unrealistic?

Fuck off. Really.

Fuck you too buddy!

 

[Corty]

He's a revised man. He's learned the error of his ways and is determine the right the wrongs.

Yeah, sure.

Fuck you too buddy!

That's some 180 there.

 

[Paul__Michaels]

Fuck you too buddy!

Like I said, @Corty a revised and well respected man
Literary scholars Can learn a thing or two from @RepresentingWrath

 

[Tempokai]

Yeah, do you realise you are the only person who thinks this way, Tempo? Other people use it to wrtie about , from my experience of course.

If I want to read about girls scissoring each other, I have incognito mode and an entire library of Japanese doujin authors at my palm of a second hand. I'm all about handholding and lesbian angst that looks suspiciously like a normal heterosexual romance but with two women lmao.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

This is… a very myopic view of sapphic fiction lmao. For starters, GB stories are a pretty common gateway for people who are starting to question their gender irl. I personally don’t tend to read them, but it’s a popular niche for reasons beyond plain lechery.

Well, can you explain to me, why GB is always paired with GL, and why no one reads pure female to male stories? If it's so called gateway, surely you have to have an increase in female to male stories? Yet there are 4 pages worth of stories tagged like that if you exclude male to female tag. Do you know how many male to female stories there are? 100+ pages. Why is that?

I didn't read all those stories, true. Yet those stats makes it super hard for me to beleive it's not just a good ol' fetish.

 

[Ai-chan]

It's fine you like that sort of thing. But if you're writing it for profit, give up. Writing gay/lesbian fiction is extremely unprofitable. There is an audience for it, but these people don't buy gay/lesbian fiction.

Ai-chan would know, got signed up by a company for 2 lesbian novels over 10 years ago. The books sat there in the shop collecting dust until they were returned. The company was a publishing company specializing in LGBT fictions and operated at very low profit margin. Think Harlequin Romance but without the sales. There was also a research done that more or less say that while a lot of people are more tolerant of gays and lesbians these days, they won't buy books that has gay and lesbian main characters.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

If I want to read about girls scissoring each other, I have incognito mode and an entire library of Japanese doujin authors at my palm of a second hand. I'm all about handholding and lesbian angst that looks suspiciously like a normal heterosexual romance but with two women lmao.

So you are a freak, trying to hide behind beautiful rhetoric. I can respect this kind of coming out.

 

[kosamsel]

Well, can you explain to me, why GB is always paired with GL, and why no one reads pure female to male stories? If it's so called gateway, surely you have to have an increase in female to male stories? Yet there are 4 pages worth of stories tagged like that if you exclude male to female tag. Do you know how many male to female stories there are? 100+ pages. Why is that?

I didn't read all those stories, true. Yet those stats makes it super hard for me to beleive it's not just a good ol' fetish.

There are, in fact, transmasc GB stories as well, they’re just more common on places like AO3. You have to remember that SH is not accurately representative of ANY wider genre; it’s a niche that attracts like to like. Doesn’t it make sense that if GB GL stories are popular in one place, anyone who wants to write one will come to that place to find their audience?

 

[SeaJay]

I mean, what's not constructive about things I say? I simply express my experience. I specifically point out, "what did I miss", I don't know, maybe I didn't phrase it in a 'kind enough' way. Honestly, to me it looks like you are hurt by words and try to deflect what I wrote rather than actually pointing out where I was 'wrong' and explaining why.

What you said was constructive in that it taught me about new perspectives on the world, and new realms of Romance and GL to watch out for.
Yes, you have a right to express your experience. But, so do I. And I did - I expressed my sympathies, I told you of my experience, I laid it all out there.
And I told you what I thought you might have missed as well.
Oh, I very much am hurt by words, especially those of yours. I am hurt, very hurt. I apologize if it looked that way to you. To me, it looked like we agreed on one topic but disagreed on another. So I tried to resolve it with something akin to "Let's agree to disagree and just move on" because this is an online community and we are apparently arguing about something so insignificant that I see no reason to continue.
Please. I really don't like arguing or talking that much at all. Is this topic - whatever it is - really so important that it absolutely has to take up over a minute of our lives?

 

[Deleted member 84247]

It's fine you like that sort of thing. But if you're writing it for profit, give up. Writing gay/lesbian fiction is extremely unprofitable. There is an audience for it, but these people don't buy gay/lesbian fiction.

Ai-chan would know, got signed up by a company for 2 lesbian novels over 10 years ago. The books sat there in the shop collecting dust until they were returned. The company was a publishing company specializing in LGBT fictions and operated at very low profit margin. Think Harlequin Romance but without the sales. There was also a research done that more or less say that while a lot of people are more tolerant of gays and lesbians these days, they won't buy books that has gay and lesbian main characters.

It's somewhat profitable online. Though, you will never achieve the same success.

 

[Corty]

What you said was constructive in that it taught me about new perspectives on the world, and new realms of Romance and GL to watch out for.
Yes, you have a right to express your experience. But, so do I. And I did - I expressed my sympathies, I told you of my experience, I laid it all out there.
And I told you what I thought you might have missed as well.
Oh, I very much am hurt by words, especially those of yours. I am hurt, very hurt. I apologize if it looked that way to you. To me, it looked like we agreed on one topic but disagreed on another. So I tried to resolve it with something akin to "Let's agree to disagree and just move on" because this is an online community and we are apparently arguing about something so insignificant that I see no reason to continue.
Please. I really don't like arguing or talking that much at all. Is this topic - whatever it is - really so important that it absolutely has to take up over a minute of our lives?

He's just venting because a story probably didn't match his perfect taste buds.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

There are, in fact, transmasc GB stories as well, they’re just more common on places like AO3. You have to remember that SH is not accurately representative of ANY wider genre; it’s a niche that attracts like to like. Doesn’t it make sense that if GB GL stories are popular in one place, anyone who wants to write one will come to that place to find their audience?

Is this topic - whatever it is - really so important that it absolutely has to take up over a minute of our lives?

I mean, I am curious, and I didn't force you to reply here. If you don't want to talk about it, don't engage with this thread. It's not like I spread misinfromation or anything, it's the opposite. I try to see why people like it.

 

[Eldoria]

TYSM for showing me this book! I'll have to read it now - the premise is amazing!

Sorry for being somewhat rude, but not 100%?
And yes, pretty much 100% of what I have describes comes from my personal experience with GL. So I guess it's just contrasting perspectives here - pretty much always the case with opinions.
And I do want to say that I refuse to read anything that resembles porn or BDSM, so I can't exactly relate to your experiences except in that it does sound horrible. So, sorry, our opinions are different, I do agree with you on some points, so let's leave it at that and move on to more constructive topics. Please.

I'm glad you appreciate it. You're welcome. Best regards.

 

[LuoirM]

I'm misogynistic

 

[kosamsel]

If you want people to explain why they like weirder GL, I’m happy to do it. I read and write it, after all, lol. I’m a woman who likes women, and in the meatspace I’ve been fortunate enough to build healthy, nourishing friendships and romantic relationships with other sapphic women, and I’ve joined plenty of online communities dedicated to sapphic books. I don’t read the weird stuff because I’ve been deprived of more mainstream alternatives irl, haha. For what it’s worth, I like those books too! I just prefer the dark stuff.

The reason I enjoy dark GL romance is often the same reason I enjoy horror, psychological thrillers, or dark fantasy—it’s a completely safe environment where I can explore something that would be upsetting or painful irl. I have total control in fiction. I can choose to stop reading at any point, and nothing that happens in a book can materially affect me. I enjoy exploring these toxic dynamics in other genres as well, but GL is just what’s closest to my heart. Anyway, dark GL romance in particular appeals to me because I LOVE challenging myself to work in that space of melodrama and heightened emotion; I love having the opportunity to break a character down and build them back up *worse*; I love having the chance to explore our darkest, basest, most primal impulses alongside our kindest, most honorable, most vulnerable ones. I like seeing characters hurt because it makes their recovery more poignant. I like it when two people are terrible for each other but can’t stay away because they understand each other in a way no one else ever will.

 

[laccoff_mawning]

You might say, man I just read normal GL, one written by women. The problem here is, a local vampire told me those GL stories are built different. It's the most brutal, fucked up shit you will ever see.

If you look at normal female-oriented webnovels, a lot of them tend to lean a lot on the drama side with divorce, cheating, single parent, ect.

It's just in a woman's interest to make life as difficult as possible for everyone else, including their own fictional characters.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

If you look at normal female-oriented webnovels, a lot of them tend to lean a lot on the drama side with divorce, cheating, single parent, ect.

It's just in a woman's interest to make life as difficult as possible for everyone else, including their own fictional characters.

True-true. Moreover, while shounens make a big deal out of handholding, shoujo MCs get borderline raped and like it. Our world is fucked up.