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20 Tips for Writing LGBTQ Characters
A guide to writing LGBTQ characters in your fiction or screenplays
Originally published at Independent Book Review.
What does it mean to have “good LGBTQ representation” in your creative writing? How do you make sure that your LGBTQ characters are shining, true, and not offending?
We seek ourselves in books, and we seek others. We seek solace. Community. Knowledge. How do you write LGBTQ characters effectively so that your readers have the capacity to enjoy it?
The great news is: You have so many freedoms.
There are multiple ways to tell your story and to talk about what’s important to your characters. Writers, it’s time to get started.
Here are 20 things you should know about writing LGBTQ characters.
1. Understand your character as a whole person
Understanding a character’s sexuality and gender is rooted in understanding them as a person. Help the character excavate their desires:
- What do they want?
- What’s in their way?
- How are they standing in their own way?
- What won’t they settle for?
