I am a gay man, and a writer. My latest book has a gay lead character, but is it a gay book??

The reason I am posting this here is because when I think of Kate Clinton, I think comedian, not gay comedian. I am just starting out, and I don't know how I should conduct myself or who I should target as my audience.

In general, if two men kiss in a story, does that mean that a "mainstream audience" won't accept it? Should I warn the "mainstream audience" that the boys will kiss, and then some? My last book only had gay characters as secondary characters, in the new one their love is key to the plot.

Sorry if I am really off topic, but I don't who to ask about this. I thought I would try here first.

Well, in my opinion (and you know what they say about opinions) warn your audience? Why? Just write the book.

Sorry, i don't mean to sound snarky.

I just think that you should write w/o worrying how it will be received and getting caught up in "what if's". Just do it; put it out there.

I'm screen writter and I am waiting for the financing for my first film. The main characters are lesbian, but I am still pushing the movie as a supernatural thriller not gay. It is a story like any other it just so happens the main characters are lez. No one seems to notice that they are.

Thank you so much for your feedback. I am sending "Shine Like Thunder" out as a dark fantasy novel. The romantic subplot is strong enough to interest anyone, not just a gay audience. I was just... concerned.

With the small success I have had in the Amazon Shorts program, I am starting to get feedback from readers. My small. but growing, audience are the very cool, so I think I can just tell the story.

I am still open to any notes on how you all think I should handle the topic of sexuality in a way that is fresh.

Thanks again for your help.

this comes up at every gay writers gathering... There have been authors who I respect who may give the same answer (for different reasons) as those for whom I have no respect. You may go one way with one book, and another with the next, and not want to find yourself burdened with the gay author label out of the gate, or you might wear it proudly. Larry Kramer is NOT like Richard Rodriguez is not like Andrew Sullivan is NOT like Katherine Forrest is NOT like John Berendt.

There are more horror stories than you want to know about authors walking into Borders or B & N or some local store and finding their book filed away under a category that they hadn't intended (and possibly collecting dust there because the readers that YOU know would be interested in it will be on the other side of the store). The larger the store, the more inflexible their computerized cataloguing is likely to be. The good news is, by that time, they've already decided to BUY your book, and the devil is in how you (and your publisher) promote it.

YOU get to decide what it is; yet, I should warn you that first time authors often find they have little or no say on how their book is marketed by their publisher. And one off the wall review can relegate your book to the wrong part of the store in the buyer's mindset.

Ideally, a book should be able to reach an audience for any number of reasons. Check out the Library of Congress tags on the publisher's page.

One caveat: your publisher will do only so much to promote your book. The more you do yourself, the better you'll be. This will in all likelyhood include you hiring a publicist to help guide you through the process. And if you call it a red and black plaid book in Seattle and a black and red plaid book by the time you get to Key West or either a plaid or a red and black book... ''taint nobody's business if you do..."

I've been on both sides of the cash register over the years, as a book seller and book buyer, a writer and an editor.

You may be writing for a particular audience; hopefully, you are writing for yourself, too. And don't be surprised if your sophomore manuscript is automatically lumped in the same category as your first.

When all is said and done, consider the books that are most like your own. Talk to writers you respect. Think like Amazon.com when they say, "we see you like habanero chili peppers; we think you might be interested in New Mexico chilis..."

Best of luck,

Mark

this comes up at every gay writers gathering... There have been authors who I respect who may give the same answer (for different reasons) as those for whom I have no respect. You may go one way with one book, and another with the next, and not want to find yourself burdened with the gay author label out of the gate, or you might wear it proudly. Larry Kramer is NOT like Richard Rodriguez is not like Andrew Sullivan is NOT like Katherine Forrest is NOT like John Berendt.

There are more horror stories than you want to know about authors walking into Borders or B & N or some local store and finding their book filed away under a category that they hadn't intended (and possibly collecting dust there because the readers that YOU know would be interested in it will be on the other side of the store). The larger the store, the more inflexible their computerized cataloguing is likely to be. The good news is, by that time, they've already decided to BUY your book, and the devil is in how you (and your publisher) promote it.

YOU get to decide what it is; yet, I should warn you that first time authors often find they have little or no say on how their book is marketed by their publisher. And one off the wall review can relegate your book to the wrong part of the store in the buyer's mindset.

Ideally, a book should be able to reach an audience for any number of reasons. Check out the Library of Congress tags on the publisher's page.

One caveat: your publisher will do only so much to promote your book. The more you do yourself, the better you'll be. This will in all likelyhood include you hiring a publicist to help guide you through the process. And if you call it a red and black plaid book in Seattle and a black and red plaid book by the time you get to Key West or either a plaid or a red and black book... ''taint nobody's business if you do..."

I've been on both sides of the cash register over the years, as a book seller and book buyer, a writer and an editor.

You may be writing for a particular audience; hopefully, you are writing for yourself, too. And don't be surprised if your sophomore manuscript is automatically lumped in the same category as your first.

When all is said and done, consider the books that are most like your own. Talk to writers you respect. Think like Amazon.com when they say, "we see you like habanero chili peppers; we think you might be interested in New Mexico chilis..."

Best of luck,

Mark