What would you wanna read in a local gay novel?

sentaiboy · May 26, 2022

Tryna write my first book… either deeply rooted in realism or contains some fantasy aspects. Ideas appreciated

chunchun · May 26, 2022

Depends on the reader I would say some like something that's relatable, something that just feels real.

some like some a bit more exaggerated stories/fantasies which are not necessarily real but still interesting nonetheless.

doncoin · May 26, 2022

Boy meets boy during NS. One thinks the other quite tau/atas. The other thinks he is too beng. Some stupid misunderstanding between the 2 causing friction whenever they meet. But same platoon. So bo bian.

Long story short, by the time, they close to ORD or ROD or whatever the term is nowadays, they realised that they are attracted to each other. One was too proud to admit it. The other, prejudiced by early interactions. You now see where I am going.

Just follow the plot structure of Pride and Prejudice, and you've got yourself a bestseller.

May 26, 2022

Do some research and find out what is in the market: https://the-singapore-lgbt-encyclopaedia.fandom.com/wiki/Singapore_gay_literature

Do you want to write the same thing (eg NS stuff) - What is your hook?

Peculiar Chris (and the sequels) and Glass Cathedral are so far the well-written ones. Good luck!

dsd · May 27, 2022

Cruising in Hong Lim Park and the toilets in the basement at Raffles Place

dsd · May 27, 2022

Maybe can write a parallel story-within-a-story that reflects the changing attitudes towards gay lives and provide an opposite foil against the main protagonist with the sad tale about a guy who was having relationship with son of the top official in Singapore kena threatened by the father to leave overseas and never to come back.

The son rose to replace the father as the top official of the land and went about jailing and torturing viciously anybody who dare to reveal his pinkish past.

The son also took a wife who is a butch and a spendthrift who is coming close to squandering all the family fortunes as of this writing.

The pink son yearns for his past lover...

Graphic novel style with illustrations would be fabulous!

Edited May 27, 2022 by dsd

May 27, 2022

On 5/26/2022 at 11:34 PM, sentaiboy said:

Tryna write my first book… either deeply rooted in realism or contains some fantasy aspects. Ideas appreciated

write what you know or what you want to know.

Tbh, if you were halfway serious, you wouldn’t be asking random strangers for ideas - you need to look inside yourself.

if you have ideas you want people to comment on, then share them,

May 27, 2022

Peculiar Chris by Johann s lee. Printed in the 1990s.

Thought it was very good local gay novel.

Library may still have copies.

doncoin · May 27, 2022

Actually this reminds me, while technically not a local, i.e. Singaporean, novel, one of the protagonist is.

For some strange reason, the book is only available as an audio book, which i did listen to it as it came free with my Audible account. Like I have mentioned earlier, the plot is totally P&P. Cute and charming nonetheless.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B088X6WKP4/ref=x_gr_w_bb_sout?ie=UTF8&tag=x_gr_w_bb_sout-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B088X6WKP4&SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2

Blogger Adam · May 28, 2022

My GP teacher used to tell us, write what you know

That said, writers can — and should — always do tons of research on topics unfamiliar to them, before putting pen to paper, and putting paper to print

May 28, 2022

i think a story about singapore where gay is normalized is a better read/imaginative.

who wants to read about real-life-gay-tragic-opressed-novel.... we are already living it...

sentaiboy · May 28, 2022

Really appreciate all your replies... so I did some writing over the past few days... LMK what you think?

I

Oliver laid on the floor. It was 4pm and the tiles often felt cooler than the humid air in his apartment on the 17th floor; the concrete walls having absorbed the heat of the relentless sun all afternoon. He counted his breaths as his psychologist had taught him. This was one of the ways he coped with his panic attacks.

A typical millennial hooked on his phone, he picked up his iPhone 8 and flicked on Grindr. Nothing like the dating app to provide some adrenaline rush when things got dark. On the app, he was greeted with a slew of chests arranged in neat little grids, with the occasional person in front of the Eiffel Tower. A couple of notifications came in, but none he cared for except one from a picture of a pug — at least the pug was cute.

After exchanging the typical pleasantries, “Hi, how are you? What’re you seeking” usually in terrible English, Oliver managed to get to the bottom of who the pug was, a 23-year-old accountant living just 900m away from him. Without revealing his name, the pug had sent a picture of himself at brunch, hair neatly parted down the center. His smile revealed a row of perfect teeth, one of Oliver’s biggest turn ons. The pug’s build was slim but he got bonus points for being dressed neatly in a grey pressed shirt.

“Wanna meet?” the pug asked.

“Okay.” Oliver replied.

Oliver knew there was nothing better to take his mind off his anxiety than meeting a guy for a hookup or whatever was going to happen. Besides, the pug turned out to be more attractive than he had expected. They exchanged details of their meet, set for later that evening at a nearby park. This wasn’t New York City or Paris and it was perfectly normal to hang out at the park after sundown, without the fear of getting mugged.

Spurred on by the spontaneous date, Oliver hopped into the shower. His room was a mess perfectly mirroring his mental state, but he was determined to put his best foot forward for the meetup. He was, after all, a vainpot who cared about how the world viewed him more than anything. One of his anxiety-coping strategies was shopping, as if donning a new outfit made him more acceptable or attractive, as evidenced by the fast-fashion clothes that littered his floor.

After blow-drying his hair, he dug through his closet for his favorite pair of red briefs, a Uniqlo +J slim women’s black belt, and a pair of ripped jeans that he had torn up himself. He tossed on a grey oversized T-shirt to hide his skinny frame and slapped on a silver watch because he was obsessed with being on time.

In fact, he reached the park early, about fifteen minutes to be exact. This was another coping strategy to calm his nerves before a first date. Sure, everybody gets cold feet before meeting a stranger, but coupled with anxiety disorder, Oliver needed to control as many things in his environment, so a crippling panic attack doesn’t lurk in the background. Being early helped him to practice mindfulness, take in the surroundings and mentally feel ready before meeting a stranger.

Oliver found an empty seat on a bench right under a knoll — if you can call it that — a mini undulation in an otherwise flat but spacious park that offers a brief natural-ish respite in a crowded urban landscape. The birds sang their last song for the day before the sky burned up in an orange hue from the city’s smog. The trees shook gently in the evening breeze as a bead of sweat rolled down Oliver’s neck. The weather had cooled down from the sweltering afternoon sun, but in Singapore, it’s the humidity that gets to you.

Feeling his stomach churn from nervousness, Oliver closed his eyes. Eliminating any sort of stimulus brought him to a place of solitude where at least, he felt like he was well in control. This was how he had been dealing with the many issues spiralling out of control in his life. In the darkness and visual silence, he could disappear and fade from his everyday burdens. As he receded into a dream-like state, he was jolted back into reality by a ping from his phone.

“I’m reaching. A little early,” the pug texted.

II

There’s something about modern day life that has been irreversibly altered by technology. More accurately, since smartphones were invented and became ubiquitous, the phone has become a funnel for our anxieties, pleasures and our entire world really. As his main source of anxiety, Olive took a deep breath before picking up the phone and replied with his location and a description of his outfit.

“I’m in a red cap and khaki shorts,” the pug replied.

Oliver looked nervously at the joggers and bicycles that whizzed past him, and checked out some men in the process. From a distance, he spotted the silhouette of someone wearing a red cap and khaki shorts. It had to be him. More sweat trickled down Oliver’s jaw; it was a combination of nerves and humidity. He had to swat a few mosquitoes away while he reminded himself to take deep breaths to calm his rising heart rate.

“Hi.” The pug greeted Oliver coldly, wearing a pair of sunglasses.

Being unable to see his eyes did not help Oliver’s nervousness. But Oliver invited the pug to sit next to him. “How’re you?”.

“Good,” the pug replied. “How did you get here?”

The pug smelled of a generic manly scent, probably something along the lines of Abercrombie & Fitch: Fierce. Oliver assessed if he felt attracted to the pug, but nothing stirred within him besides his nerves. They engaged in quite a bit of small talk while commenting on the passersby and their dogs. The sun had finally set and the pug removed his Oakleys to reveal a pair of squinty eyes.

“Finally,” Oliver sighed.

“What?” the pug reacted.

“Nothing.” While there was no instant chemistry or attraction, Oliver didn’t want to be alone for the rest of the night, so he suggested dinner at the nearby burger chain, Queen Burger.

Queen Burger was nestled in the middle of the park, filled with noisy families and children chowing down on a Saturday night; it was hardly a romantic spot. But Singaporean men aren’t known for their romantic ways, especially amongst the gays, it was usually a quick and dirty encounter they were looking for. But was Oliver looking for just a hookup?

“What’s your name?” Oliver asked nervously as if getting the pug to reveal his name was tearing at his privacy, three hours into their date.

“Uhhhh, I’m Elton, you?” Elton, previously known as the pug, replied.

“Oliver.”

It was as if the invisible wall between them had come down, amidst stuffing their mouths with fries and soda. Of course, there was no way Oliver could know if Elton was the pug’s real name. Many gay men choose to go with a false moniker due to the rampant discrimination where they lived, to the point where Tinder would ask users in their location if they wanted their profiles to be displayed as a precaution to protect its users.

Whether he was known as ‘the pug’ or Elton, Oliver was suddenly smitten. Perhaps it was the sugar rush from the soda, his anxiety causing him to feel a surge of clinginess, or knowing Elton’s name somehow tore down Oliver’s walls, but he started looking at Elton through a different lens.

As they finished their burgers, Oliver wondered if he should stem his lust to prolong this feeling of amiability which might or might not blossom into a relationship. From his experience, trysts often end the chance of romance; a theory that seems true in his head but has yet to be proven.

“Where should we go next?” Elton asked while sipping on his soda and creating the brrrr sound that signalled the drink was on its last drops.

III

Oliver tasted the burger meal through Elton’s lips once more, onions and all. They managed to find a quiet spot slightly away from the park to make out. Oliver had caved in, his desire to prolong pleasure for a possible long-term romance dissipated with the last traces of daylight. Under the streetlamp, the two young men held each other in a tight embrace as blood rushed towards their groins.

It was rare to find a so-called romantic spot in the populous city, you either had to deal with a dumpster in the background, or endless pairs of eyes glaring at your blatant homosexuality on display. Passersby would probably not call the cops though, they just wanted to stare.

Oliver groped at Elton’s long-sleeve T-shirt while he nestled his face in Elton’s nearly flat chest. They had been making out for 45 minutes but it felt like five, oblivious to the crows that gathered above their heads. The feelings of lust peaked and waned like breakers upon a pier. Oliver’s heart rate was pounding from this unexpected rendezvous and then he took two steps away from Elton.

“What’s wrong?” Elton asked.

“Nothing,” Oliver replied. “But this is getting a little intense.”

“Let’s take a little break shall we?” Elton said, despite his loins having other ideas.

The young men picked up their bags and walked towards a more populated area. The air was now several degrees cooler

IkuTube · May 28, 2022

@sentaiboy, congrats!!!

Very well written and a well thought plot, thus far. You are good at describing and capturing details and they make reading enjoyable. I love at your inventive skill that is satisfying and fitting.

Make your story 'real' as it connects with readers. Create Oliver. Expand your plot and stay real with all developing events. It is good to be coherent as you do that.

BTW, do you want to start a new thread here in the Main Forum to highlight your so-called novel?

IkuTube · May 28, 2022

On 5/26/2022 at 11:34 PM, sentaiboy said:

Tryna write my first book… either deeply rooted in realism or contains some fantasy aspects. Ideas appreciated

A good book is when it is written from the heart. From there, you just have to be creative to make a story real.

You have shown to possess good writing skill. What's next is for you to entertain your audience. Emotional writing usually draws attention but you have to keep it real.

sentaiboy · May 28, 2022

thanks @IkuTube, btw I have a cavalier king charles spaniel hahaha

what do you mean to start a new thread? I thought this is on the main channel... no? Sorry, but I'm not very good at navigating forums

May 28, 2022

On 5/27/2022 at 11:19 AM, dsd said:

Maybe can write a parallel story-within-a-story that reflects the changing attitudes towards gay lives and provide an opposite foil against the main protagonist with the sad tale about a guy who was having relationship with son of the top official in Singapore kena threatened by the father to leave overseas and never to come back.

The son rose to replace the father as the top official of the land and went about jailing and torturing viciously anybody who dare to reveal his pinkish past.

The son also took a wife who is a butch and a spendthrift who is coming close to squandering all the family fortunes as of this writing.

The pink son yearns for his past lover...

Graphic novel style with illustrations would be fabulous!

Don’t forget to mention the son’s talent in catwalk

IkuTube · May 28, 2022

On 5/28/2022 at 9:37 PM, sentaiboy said:

thanks @IkuTube, btw I have a cavalier king charles spaniel hahaha

what do you mean to start a new thread? I thought this is on the main channel... no? Sorry, but I'm not very good at navigating forums

You can keep this thread to seek for opinions on what readers want to read in a local gay novel. When members/guests are to provide the opinions, they become your story line to exploit it further. I guess it is to challenge your creative mind to expand it into a plot.

Alternatively, you start another thread which is strictly about the story that you have just written here. Should you feel comfortable sharing it on BW platform, give it a title and continue the story thereon.

auscent · May 29, 2022

Maybe short stories. Stories abt how ppl find and make peace with unpredictable situations intrigue me.

About gays in variety of situations.

Eg: those migrated overseas with parents here in Sg; those who chose to be single till old.

May 29, 2022

Just copy of some of the straight novels and it should do just fine! Here are some examples:

1) It started with a fuck

- Deric has always been serial dating but never coming close to a serious relationship. One day he had a great fuck by a guy in the sauna and during the next working day, this guy turns out to be the new manager....

2) Guilty

- Tommy had a bad childhood due to his father losing investments overseas and committed suicide. He learns that the investment losses were largely because his father was swindled by his friend. One day Tommy sees Ryan, his dad's friend's son, pop up in CMB and decides that the son should be the one paying back...

3) You started it

- Ronald has always disliked the new colleague he had to work with, Tim and are often quarrelling. Both are often at each other necks until it becomes a HR problem and chore. Do they really hate each other, or is this something else?

InBangkok · May 30, 2022

On 5/28/2022 at 8:20 PM, IkuTube said:

A good book is when it is written from the heart. From there, you just have to be creative to make a story real.

You have shown to possess good writing skill. What's next is for you to entertain your audience. Emotional writing usually draws attention but you have to keep it real.

I totally agree with @IkuTube. You have created believable characters and nicely fleshed them out. You also have a very good descriptive sense. We can feel the humidity in the apartment. We can hear the swish of the trees swaying in the breeze and see the bead of sweat on Oliver's neck.

You obviously have the basis of a storyline planned out. You can veer from that occasionally, perhaps to go off on small tangents. For example, you could perhaps tell us a little more about those who might be watching your two lead characters. A bit more detail about what Oliver thought they might be thinking as they passed by and perhaps watched for a minute or two. That could allow for more background detail about the law in Singapore.

Don't be in too much of a hurry to let readers know the result of the meeting of the two guys. Keep up the suspense! As you finish each chapter or section, try to have a sentence that is something of a teaser for what will come in a later chapter. That keeps the reader wanting more. And as others have pointed out, bring your own experiences into the writing and write from the heart. It seems you do both. Good luck in your writing endeavours!

Steve5380 · May 30, 2022

I agree with @IkuTube that a good gay novel should have some element of reality. Also, the "gay" in it could be incidental, existential about relationship and feelings, and not just a crude description of raw sex. For raw sex, I prefer the stories that are real, especially when I am one of the protagonists.

One of my preferred gay novels is Oscar Wilde's "Portrait of Dorian Gray".

InBangkok · June 3, 2022

On 5/30/2022 at 9:53 PM, Steve5380 said:

I agree with @IkuTube that a good gay novel should have some element of reality. Also, the "gay" in it could be incidental, existential about relationship and feelings, and not just a crude description of raw sex. For raw sex, I prefer the stories that are real, especially when I am one of the protagonists.

One of my preferred gay novels is Oscar Wilde's "Portrait of Dorian Gray".

So now you know! "a good gay novel should have some element of reality . . . For raw sex, I prefer the stories that are real" So splash into your novel some raw sex for @Steve5380 Whahahaha!

MikeC · June 28, 2023

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Edited October 28, 2023 by MikeC

sentaiboy · July 25, 2023

Sorry it took so long and thank you for your ideas, here's a continuation:

The young men picked up their bags and walked towards a more populated area. The air was now several degrees cooler. The silence of the park gave way to the buzz of the city, the occasional honking interrupted Oliver and Elton’s waning conversation. As they reached a busy road junction, Oliver felt a slight sense of panic. “Oh there it is, creeping up on me again,” he thought. As his heart raced, he looked to Elton hoping to find a sense of comfort, but Elton seemed to be lost in his phone screen. A disappointed sigh left Oliver’s lips as he looked around, thinking about his next step.

Elton, sensing they were both directionless, peeked up from his phone to gaze at Oliver. A smile broke out to reveal Elton’s perfect set of teeth, which made Oliver feel a gush of warmth that melted the anxiety away.

“Drinks?” Elton blurted out, nervous for a plan.

Oliver nodded, a little dumbfounded by Elton’s spontaneity. Elton grabbed Oliver’s hand and whisked him onto a public bus as if this was something he did every other night. Before they knew it, they were at the door of Hitch, a cosy, warmly lit bar in the city’s downtown district.

IV

Upon opening the doors, Hitch was shielded by a pink partition as if it was holding a shameful secret. The cosy ambience inside immediately enveloped them, creating an enclave of intimacy and privacy that contrasted with the bustling city outside. Cheerful Top 40s pop music played in the background, and the dim lighting created an inviting atmosphere.

Oliver and Elton found a corner booth and settled in, the awkwardness from earlier dissipating with each passing moment, post-alcohol high. They ordered a pie of pizza to share and engaged in deeper conversation. Despite the distractions that came in the form of fit, chiselled men in singlets that passed by them to head to the toilet, the two discovered a few common interests.

Oliver was struck by Elton's wit, intelligence, and the way he opened up about his dreams and struggles. Elton, on the other hand, admired Oliver's vulnerability and how he spoke about his journey with anxiety and self-discovery. The initial physical attraction that brought them together was now complemented by an emotional connection that neither of them expected.

Time seemed to fly as they lost track of it in their animated discussions. They laughed, shared stories, and leaned in closer to each other and even shared a good number of kisses. As they continued their heartfelt conversation, Oliver's earlier anxiety and panic seemed to be distant memories.

When they finally left the bar, it was well past midnight. The city's streets were less crowded now, and the air had cooled further, carrying a gentle breeze that rustled the leaves on the trees. Oliver and Elton strolled along, feeling a sense of comfort in each other's company.

"I had a great time tonight," Elton admitted, breaking the silence between them. "I wasn't expecting this when we first met."

"Me neither," Oliver replied, smiling warmly. "I'm glad we took a chance and met up."

As they walked, their hands brushed against each other until they eventually entwined their fingers. The gesture felt natural and comforting. The night was still young, and they decided to extend their time together. They headed to a 24-hour café, where they shared dessert and more laughs. It felt like they were building something special, a bond that held promise.

In between scoops of peppermint ice cream, Elton turned to Oliver, his expression sincere. "You know, I don't usually do this—spend so much time with someone from Grindr. But there's something different about you, Oliver."

Oliver blushed, feeling a mix of excitement and vulnerability. "I feel the same way, Elton. It's like we clicked in a way I can't explain."

The night wore on, and it was time to say goodbye. Both men shared a cab and Oliver dropped off first as his apartment was en route to Elton’s home. With butterflies in his stomach of a date that went swimmingly well, Oliver crash into his bed without showering; it was way past his usual bedtime and Monday would beckon soon enough.

Before he knew it, his alarm was blaring and his clothes still smelled from the night before.

“Oh fuck,” Oliver muttered to himself as he stripped himself off yesterday’s clothes, still bleary-eyed as he only managed a measly 3 hours of sleep. He quickly threw on his usual Monday attire, a long-sleeved pink shirt paired with dark grey pants and brown dress shoes before heading off to work.

Flashes of his wonderful night with Elton appeared in his mind as he navigated the crowded subway, mingling against other working citizens on their way to the Central Business District. He felt the strange mixture of newfound love bliss and the misery of a throbbing headache from a lack of sleep as he trudged along to work.

The cold air conditioning of Oliver’s office greeted him as he arrived at his desk at 8.30am sharp. Yesterday felt like just a wonderful dream that evaporated too soon. He was back in his anxiety-riddled life and never-ending Excel sheets. Thankfully, he managed to buy some local coffee along the way, giving him the boost he needed to fight through his sleepiness.

An hour later, he felt the urge to drop Elton a text, but realised they had not exchanged contact information from the night before. He flicked on Grindr...

Edited July 25, 2023 by sentaiboy

earth_tone · July 25, 2023

Seems a bit rushed, I prefer to know more about the characters, their backgrounds and their thoughts than where they went or what they did. Maybe it is still building up? More dialogue would be nice.

earth_tone · July 25, 2023

There is always a female or lesbian best friend in every gay story. Consider, maybe?

sentaiboy · July 26, 2023