Webnovel.Forum

Forty-Third Thought: Thread Ideas I would Like to Try Here, but Would be Quite Bothersome

I've started threads for small/daily activities on other site forums and here are some ideas that I might want to try, but I am too hesitant to start on WN's forum. I have to be cautious of time and interest. This forum is a bit dry compared to others, which is fine if I am never bored.
1. Would You Rather: This one is a favourite because there are so many fun prompts. Many people have answered them because it's this or that. Reading the reasoning behind choices are so interesting because many consider loopholes to have the best of both worlds.
2. Daily writing prompts: I have posted daily prompts for others to try. Most of them start with dialogue and others continue the conversation, but some have been about creating new characters or creating a story based on a prompt.
3. Building a World Together: We all have different worlds and characters and sometimes, we would want to share our kingdoms and realms. I have done this once. The result was short one-shot collabs between interested creators that may or may not have been published...ehuehue
4: Describe Something in 3-5 Words: As it says, a sentence or concept is given daily and all participants have to do is describe the thing in 5 words. It's quick, simple and yields many different answers.

There are more ideas, but those require more people and time. I don't think they will stand a chance here.

Veronica8 thanks, I've been procrastinating by starting these 'fun' threads on other forums but I probably won't start here. They do yield great results though.

Chryiss's battle game is fun to read, but I can't imagine putting together a similar event. Kudos to whoever tries roleplaying though.

Oooh your activity seems fun, but the time frame won't work well if participants are not online. I rarely interact with others when they are online because I always miss them.
By the way, the prompt you gave was interesting.

Fourty-Forth Thought: Janitors Treated too Poorly

I always wondered why there is a mentality where janitors are the dirtiest. I always see them as the cleanest people cleaning after the filthy people's mess. It's their job, isn't it?
The way I see it is that these days, janitors in high schools where I live are background robots. They come when called, do what is told, never complain and rush away after their job is done.
Students who don't care enough leave piles of trash on stairs, cafeteria tables, chairs... everything! What do they say? The janitors can clean it, it's their job anyway since they didn't go to college.
I always feel so irritated after hearing this crap. After standing up for janitors a few times, I gave up because those delusional students will keep being lazy assholes who can't walk to trashcans. I won't even talk about recycling because that s*** is non-existent.
I've talked to a few janitors and honestly, they are all intelligent people who have great patience and better personalities. For example, one man was a type of engineer (I forgot which field he worked in but it was probably medical) before immigrating to become a janitor. His studies in engineering was not recognized so he had one choice: this job. The job where he sticks his hands in garbage to sort.
Another man was a child of a single mother who had eight children. To let his siblings go to school, he dropped out of highschool to work as a janitor. He's quite old and his back cracks often. Still, he doesn't think about early retirement.
Today, I finally saw a janitor wheeling around a trashcan and I walked up to him. He had his garbage picker thinking I had something to throw in. I only said "thank you", and he looked like he was relieved of the mountain on his shoulders. Then, he says it's his job with a big smile on his face.
The point is, janitors are people too. They're not washing machines who should be sat on. They're being paid to clean but why do they have to clean in the first place? We can't keep our space free from critter invitations and hazards?
The same goes for kind secretaries, garbage collectors and construction workers who are considered 'dumb'. They don't even need a thank you although it would lift their spirits. They need to be treated as hardworking individuals, not disgraceful high school dropouts.

(Sorry for the long rant)

ValKree Some peeps have no idea that a secretarial job can be nice 5-figure salary if they are a PA to a CEO. This opens opportunities to 6-figure salary and business class trips.

Cleaners can drive sports cars from profits they may gain from being a sub contractor. BTW, most people need to complete a certification to be able to be a cleaner. It's a profession after all. I heard of one guy who ran a cleaning business as a partnership for schools across a region. He did so well he was able to invest in real estate and now a multi millionaire.

So, yeah, think peeps need to think twice before dissing or snobbing on a role.

Regardless. Respecting others is being the decent human.

ValKree Sadly, it's just how society is. However, science is not helping their case. Many people cite studies where they say that Janitors and other people in that job type have the lowest IQs. Despite that, I still feel they could be treated better tbh. People are People.

ValKree When I was younger, I was always told that it was fine to not clean up after myself at places where there were janitors; the adults would say, “it’s their job,” or “they’re paid to clean things up.”

I couldn’t quite understand why that equated to the mindset that it was fine to leave a mess, until I came across a quote in my teen years that goes like this: ‘first class facilities, third class mentalities,’ which perfectly described those people who think it’s fine to be unhygienic assholes at public places. Additionally, these assholes were also the ones who would always remind their kids to study hard so they won’t end up having to do a “low-class job” like being janitors or any jobs in the service industry.

Didn’t realise I grew up with toxic adults. Good thing the internet existed so I wasn’t led astray, lol.

Forty-Seventh Thought: What people think when I tell them I write a BL novel (long rant that may be insignificant)

I rarely get positive responses although I do see progress in accepting the LGBTQ+ community in an ever-changing society. First off, I would say that I'm proud of writing BL but the prejudice against it is overwhelming. My peers would ask about what I write and when I list A Warrior's Love, I know I have to warn them.
"Oh, that one is a BL. You know, boy x boy or contains homosexuality..."
I have collected different views and I try to not feel discouraged every single time. I've been asked whether the male characters kiss a lot or do the deed every chapter. I always reply with a straight face "I'm not a p••• writer."
Apparently, it's also more acceptable if the characters don't show their love through skin contact. I call that bullshit. I always wonder if they would also read a heterosexual romance book without seeing intimacy.
They also ask if there is a top or bottom. More feminine one? I mean, seriously! Why can't two men full of tostesterone and insecurities be versatile when heterosexual couples can? Why does one have to be weaker? Why can't they both be weak for each other? Or strong for each other?
Most questions about the novel are based on sex which I do not like to discuss because my novel is more than two men having a••• sex! Besides, I haven't written such scenes yet. I might never.
Anyway, I am an author who is secretly a romantic in this harsh world. I put what I wish for in my novels so my characters can live the life I can't have.
I want all my lovers to be open and trusting with each other. They learn to feel comfortable around their SO, that they can share their experiences without feeling shame. They are patient with each other, never forceful or rushed. Sure, there may be episodes full of angst and blood, but communication is key. Trust is key. Knowing that they are enough for their SO is what I want to write. I would try to avoid fits of tremendous jealousy although that is common. Characters will refrain from using violence on their partner. They think twice before speaking because they are afraid to lose their source of happiness and strength. Both parties help each other, they walk together, cry together, perhaps even die together! (Totally not a spoiler for any novel). This is what I want to write between hetero couples, gay couples, lesbian couples...
I hate reading smut every two chapters. When sex scenes take up more than actual storytelling, I'm out. I hate reading about aggressive behaviour towards the person you should cherish like your life. If a character always lets the abuser back into their life, I'm out. I hate reading excessive drama that could be solved by one sentence that would come out if it wasn't for pride. Can't say "sorry" or "I love you because..."? My best friend is the door right there. I hate reading characters who prance around a bush or do unecessary things to 'win' their partner. I don't like reading about constantly treating SOs as objects. It doesn't matter either if they're male or female.
I do write about these things, but I don't glorify it as 'love' or 'proof' of love. Perhaps my vision of love is too out of reach. My type of love has been described as easy love, but it really isn't.
Love should promote growth. Lovers grow together after growing alone for so long. They grow to their graves and their love helps grow trees. Love should not be a burden or obligation. It shouldn't be for entertainment or for periodical satisfaction.
Love is not only what happens in a bed. It's what happens when one fails, when the other reacts to momentary solitude, when one is sick, when the other is stressed, it's what happens between the two every second of the day and night. How lovers are affected by each other.
I'm going off on a long and boring rant, but I don't appreciate being seen as a perverted author just because I write BL. I put so much thought into the relationships I want to see and read more often. I'm a broken person, but my ideas of healthy relationships are too boring or too childish? Listening to someone you love is childish? Sharing true feelings is childish! Oh, I think my eyes will roll back soon.
I put so much emotions into creating real, but healthy relationships just to be judged by two letters: BL. BL isn't bad. BL is also a broad genre. Toxic relationships are probably bad.
I've been single for so long and I've been called picky or my standards are too high. I'm trying to live a dream or whatnot. I just don't want to be killed for something that should revive me. If a good novel and relationship these days is the opposite of what I envision, I want no part in it.
I was never one to follow the crowd. I'm probably going to regret posting this, but I wanted to take this load off my chest for a bit. I apologize for repeating so much and if you read the whole thing...what made you do it?

ValKree There're pros and cons to any genre. LGBTQ characters or components in stories tend to have a typical response, which you've pointed out here. Especially for fantasy fiction. Somehow, I get the response from peeps I know that when I say I'm writing a fantasy with a gay protagonist, they instantly think Roman Gladiators. Like where did that askew perception come from?

I guess it comes down to most readers generalized perception of Yaoi/gay romance content. I do admit that a lot of the gay romance can amount to smut. Similar to a lot of hetero porn/hentai. So, unfortunately, a stigma exists that gay romance or elements are akin to nothing but porn. You and I know that's not necessarily true.

It's a constant battle I've faced for many years. I've been rejected by a large publication house, in my early years of writing, because they didn't want to invest in the risk of selling a high fantasy story with a gay protagonist. It was kind of unthinkable until the popularity of boys love had opened the way for LGBTQ stories and protagonists into mainstream categories.

LGBTQ+ fiction/protagonists has only really been inducted into mainstream categories in the last 10 years, as I've seen it. There's still a lot of old school thinking that takes some time to see beyond the stereotype.

I think the only way to bridge the gap of perception is to ensure more quality stories and content are made to make a difference.

It's cool I've found a fellow BL writer on here. :grin:

Veronica8
That's true, and it's sad that genres have to have certain images. The way I see it, novels are expressions that cannot be categorized because so many different emotions and stories are rolled into one novel. Ah well, I'm only a dreamer in this vast universe. Roman Gladiators? That is pretty interesting because I never get that reaction. I do wonder how that is the first thing they think.

Yes, I have read and watched many Yaoi comics and shows. I have an app where I can watch BL shows from Asian countries and although it is nice to see such shows are being welcomed, the reason is not the best. Comments are always "When are they going to kiss?" or "What about sex?" Sadly, this also happens for shows with heterosexual couples but that isn't the topic for today. I think items with those components are in high demand because potential audience would rather see smut than slow burning love. This is fine, but I don't like the pressure I get when people tell me I should write more sex scenes to satisfy the audience.

Oh my, that must've been a struggle. I don't plan to publish any of my works but it must feel so bad to be rejected just because of the protagonist's sexual orientation. I'm glad BL has become popular recently and I'm too young to remember when LGBTQ stories became popular. The last decade has been full of change, but I still wonder what made BL books more acceptable. Is it the messages of the novels...or is it the expectations of what is to be seen? Sometimes, I don't know why readers like reading my BL books. I only hope they aren't expecting hardcore stuff because well, I'll be a huge disappointment.

Old school thinking is fine until someone uses them to attack me or my fictional characters (this has happened before). I can't understand people who do not understand "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything". Like, move on and find another novel, I won't hunt someone for dropping my novels. I would love to hunt that person who called me a 'fag' for writing BL. I wonder why some people think their mean words would affect me because if I'm truthful, I love writing BL as much as I love writing hetero stuff.

Stereotypes are hard to eradicate completely and sometimes, they jump out of the shadows to bite us when we least expect it. I can only keep writing and hopefully, show others that BL is not necessarily the 'evil' or 'sinful' genre. So, I agree with you. Slowly, there will be progress made.

I know, right? When I read that you write about homosexual couples, I just stared at my phone. There are many writers here too so I don't feel alone. Before, I had to hide my works or 'soften' it to cater to my old audience. Keep being awesome!

Wipes tears

Edit: Why do I always write so much....