Embrace Your Creative Freedom: Ignore Market Trends and Niche
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Introduction to Creative Freedom
If you're a member and have read this introduction before, feel free to skip ahead to the story. For those who want to read for free, this page does not offer that option.
A Quick Note for New Readers: Quaraun and BoomFuzzy are an elderly, married gay couple who have spent centuries together. Their live-in partner, GhoulSpawn, is a recent arrival from the 1970s in Maine.
Quaraun is a white Persian Moon Elf, roughly 750 years old, who makes a living as a silk weaver and psychic necromancer. He believes his psychic abilities stem from his twelve-foot-long hair, which he refuses to cut. BoomFuzzy, a black Scottish Phooka-Fae from the UnSeelie Court, is around 2,000 years old and has transitioned from being the King of the Realm of Fae to a MasterChef running a food truck. GhoulSpawn, a French Quebec Canadian Satyr, is a mad scientist in his 60s, famous for inventing time travel.
All three have animal forms: Quaraun turns into a Pink Meanie Jellyfish, BoomFuzzy becomes a purple Unicorn, and GhoulSpawn transforms into a Golden Fleece Cotswold Sheep. The narrative unfolds in York County, Maine, in the 40th century, post a cataclysmic event that drastically altered Earth.
The story is a Cozy Slice of Life, focusing on daily occurrences in the lives of this trio, without explicit sex scenes, although their intimate relationships are acknowledged.
Trigger Warning: Quaraun is a transgender character, which may be sensitive for some readers. His identity is not a central plot point but is part of who he is. If you harbor transphobic views, this story may not be suitable for you.
Quaraun's experiences with gender identity and sexuality are complex; he is portrayed as bisexual at times and has fathered children, yet often identifies as gay. The characters in the story are supportive of Quaraun's journey, and his past is pivotal to his character development.
Stop Worrying About Trends
Why is it essential to disregard market trends and niches? The world is full of negativity, and life is too short to constrain your creativity. Write the stories you want, featuring characters that resonate with you, regardless of external judgments.
No matter what you produce, there will be critics. Write gay characters, and conservative detractors will voice their disapproval. Exclude them, and you’ll face backlash from the progressive crowd. The same applies to race, sexuality, and faith-related topics.
I recently faced criticism from someone who claimed I was going to hell for writing about a gay trio. What they fail to understand is that my characters are not typical; they are an Elf, a Unicorn, and a Sheep.
The misconceptions surrounding my work are frustrating. My boyfriend has rallied a community against my writing, labeling it as "Gay Erotica" when, in fact, my stories have been published in children's magazines like "The Friend" and "Highlights." This misunderstanding has led to severe personal repercussions, including threats and violence directed at my family.
It's a sad reality that people see what they want to see. Even when no gay characters exist, some will project their biases onto my narratives.
Write What You Want
Ultimately, the lesson is clear: write what you are passionate about. Critics will always find a reason to be offended, regardless of your intentions. The important thing is to stay true to yourself and your art, despite the noise around you.
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