  Romance/Love
This week: Writing About Boy Love Edited by: Dawn Embers  
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An Elf (written) Romance/Love Newsletter
For June, a month of Pride, we look at writing stories where two boys fall in love with each other. Whether writing for teens or adults, a boy/boy romance pairing can make for great stories.
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A few months ago, I wrote a newsletter about girls and love. Now it's time for the boys. If I'm writing romance, 90% of the time I write about two boys who fall in love with each other. While it's more known for the erotica genre, it's also possible to write a male/male romance story at can be rated 18+ or less. In fact, most of my young adult stories include a boy/boy romance. June is also a common month for Pride events, so this makes it a great time to focus on writing this kind of story.
There are many topics to consider for this newsletter, so I'm going to stick to giving a few recommendations for things to consider as I've been writing boy/boy romance for years. And to be honest, there isn't that much difference. All of the romance story elements you find in most stories will work for any gender pairing (well, except maybe pregnancy unless it's an alien race but that's a whole different topic). But if you are thinking about writing a boy rainbow romance, here are a few things to consider:
 Recommendation #1:
They still are boys. Just because they like other boys doesn't change the fact that they still can act and be like any other boy. The struggle is to try and make the characters sound realistic, without making them sound like girls. Granted, some are more feminine but many others aren't. The trick is finding the right balance for the characters and story.
Recommendation #2:
Consider the target audience for the story. This counters recommendation 1 a little bit because while you want them to sound like boys, there is also the factor of who is going to read the story. I'm trying to figure out how to add emotion to the character in one of my stories because while it's about a boy, the truth is that not just gay boys will be reading the stories. In fact, the largest audience of readers is often times females, in particular in the romance genre. Always have to consider who is going to read the stories, even though we write first for ourselves.
Recommendation #3:
Beware of stereotypes. Sure, some people fit in stereotypes and at times, so will the character but make sure to make the main characters, whether the MC or the love interest, well rounded. Too many stereotypes used can make the character seem unrealistic. For example, volunteering with gay teens, I didn't know any that had a lisp or limp wrist. However, one did get excited easily and his voice would change upward in pitch. Reason didn't matter. Anime convention, hot guy or even who was running for President of the United States, it all could make him speak faster and in a higher pitch. But that had to do with the fact he was trying to speak faster and at times people's voices will change in pitch when trying to talk really fast. But the point is, at times, it can work and even in a story, as long as the character isn't just the stereotypes.
Recommendation #4:
It doesn't have to involve erotica. While m/m erotica is quite a good seller and nothing wrong with writing the sexual moments, it's not always needed. In fact, consider writing a gay male romance where the focus isn't on the physical side. Or even write a story about young first love. It can be cute. First kisses, the inner struggle of whether to tell someone about a crush, and even the excitement of a experiencing the emotions connected with love can make for a good story.
This is just a starting point but it's a good start. Boys can love too and it's fun to write about them. If you haven't before, give it a try just to see what character you can create. Show that Pride Love. 
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Here are a couple romance contests and some stories to check out. Summer Romance doesn't start till later in the month but is something to keep in mind. Many contests, however, are great options for boy love stories, so give them a try.
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Do you like writing boy romance? Do you go with similar characters for romance pairings or do you like to have opposites that attract?
Last time I wrote about reading romance books. Hopefully, we all are reading. If you want to check out a cute boy romance book, Boy Meets Boy is a good option. I'm in search of more. 
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Romance/Love: June 04, 2014 Issue [#6354]
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