Limyaael

08:43 pm: Rant on whores.
And courtesans, harlots, streetwalkers, ladies of negotiable virtue, and other various hangers-on.

( Here we go )

I think fantasy could use more whore characters—with their own voices, thanks.

Tags: fantasy rants spring 2007, rants on gender, rants on power dynamics

09:40 pm: Gender-equal societies
A few people asked for a rant on gender-equal societies. Like the rant on domestic fantasy, this is much more of a ‘how-to’: considerations that might help you, rather than “Lord, I am so sick of this” (though there’s a bit of that). I’ve read relatively few gender-equal fantasies in comparison to fantasies where one gender is dominant, though, so, like domestic fantasy, attitudes towards this kind of fantasy are more my targets than the books themselves.

( A disclaimer of sorts )

( The rant )

I’m sure there are some I’ve forgotten, and I’m sure I have biases showing through here I’m not aware of. I hope some of these are still useful, given that.

Tags: fantasy rants winter 2007, rants on gender, worldbuilding: culture

08:10 pm: Writing sex scenes
This rant is personal—as in, based on those things that I’ve found to work for me, along with some other peoples’ tips on the subject that I think are useful. I don’t get into specifics like, “Write this kind of sex this way…” It’s very general.

And “foul” language warning. For appropriate definitions of “foul.” Also, somebody should probably take the pun generator away from me.

( If it’s just Tab A and Slot B, there’s a problem )

I think the rant on killing secondary characters is next. With fewer puns, I do hope.

Tags: fantasy rants 2006, rants on gender, rants on romance

04:05 pm: On escaping the arranged marriage trap
This was the one I was dreading, but then, when I thought about it, I realized I had a whole bunch of ideas I’d never considered—not only about why most stories with an arranged marriage in them don’t work for me, but how to make them work.

*examines brain cautiously* Sometimes, I have no idea what’s in there until I write it down.

( Escaping the forked stick )

Why was I scared of that again?

Tags: fantasy rants summer 2005, rants on gender, worldbuilding: culture

08:15 pm: Interesting heroines rant
This is highly flavored by my individual opinion.

Did I mention that?

( Heroine should mean more than ‘damsel in distress’ or ‘love interest’, damn it )

I am going to go read the Yeats biography again, because, say what you like about her, Maud Gonne is interesting as hell.

Tags: fantasy rants spring 2005, rants on character types, rants on gender

08:11 pm: Marriage rant
And now, time for the marriage rant. (Yay).

( Happily ever after can get boring. Challengingly ever after is more interesting )

Well, damn. The creating good rulers and explanation vs. overexplanation rants are now at equal numbers of votes. I’ll have to see which one I do next.

Tags: fantasy rants winter 2005, rants on gender, rants on romance, worldbuilding: culture

03:48 pm: Difference rant part two
The second part of the difference rant, addressing those things I didn’t get to last time.

( The difference between characters and poster children… )

Probably a rant on incorporating daily life into fantasy is next.

Tags: fantasy rants autumn 2004, idea rants, rants on gender, rants on nonhumans, worldbuilding: religion

09:46 pm: Writing different characters (part one)
Right. Before I start this off, I want to quote my favorite author, Guy Gavriel Kay, because he says the core principle of what I’m trying to explain here more clearly (and in fewer words) than I can:

“'As for the female psyche, I used to be flattered when people said I did convincing female characters, but lately I confess it bemuses me. The implied idea underlying the comment is that it is startling that a man can do plausible women characters. If you push this just a bit, you have to ask how any woman could do a convincing man, how any young writer could do a geriatric, how any of us could do someone not...ourselves. Creating characters is, in a large way, an act of imaginative empathy, and I'm resistant to the idea that there are absolute borders to that. In the end, I'd say that we're really talking about good or bad writing, rather than male and female, or young and old.'

-The quote is from this interview on Kay’s official website, Bright Weavings.

( If you still want to listen to me ramble on about it, come inside )

This would be way too long if I tried to do everything at once. There’s another one coming up instead.

Tags: fantasy rants autumn 2004, pay attention to: class, pay attention to: race, rants on gender, rants on nonhumans

10:33 pm: Rant on gay and lesbian characters in fantasy, for <lj user
And tavalya_ra. And troubadour118. And bbhtryoink. And lots of other people.

(Warning: Vicious, big-time spoilers for Lackey's Last Herald-Mage and Arrows trilogies, the first book of Fiona Patton's Branion series, S. M. Stirling's and Shirley Meier's Fifth Millennium books, and Lynn Flewelling's Nightrunner series. Minor spoilers for Ellen Kushner's Swordspoint).

( Gay and lesbian characters in fantasy )

Well. Certainly had a lot more to say about that than I thought I did. And I think that’s the longest rant I’ve ever written.

Tags: fantasy rants spring 2004, rants on gender

10:53 am: I am so incredibly pissy right now.
The constant chorus of whines from my students are driving me up a wall, I have four appointments today to meet with more whiners, and I can't get any time to work on my paper; I didn't get any time last night because I was so busy looking at GODDAMN STUPID DRAFTS.

Perfect rant mood.

( How I've learned to dread fantasy books with heroines! )

Tags: fantasy rants spring 2004, rants on gender

06:49 pm: Sex in fantasy novels.
Now that I have your attention...

Quote of the Day:

"Although humans tend to view sex as mainly a fun recreational activity sometimes resulting in death, in nature it is a far more serious matter." -Dave Barry.

( The rest of the trouble with it, at least in fantasy novels )

Hm. It was meant to be a death rant, too, but I didn’t get to that. It’ll probably be tomorrow.

Tags: fantasy rants winter 2004, rants on gender, worldbuilding: culture

03:04 pm: Feminist fantasy rant.
Quote of the Day: “Feminism is the radical opinion that women are people.” –Seen on a bumper sticker; I haven’t been able to find the original.

Yes, people, and not the Masters of the Universe.

( Feminist fantasy: Another genre I don’t hate, just wish would change )

Another genre that drives me nuts. When it’s good, it’s very, very good, and when it’s bad, it’s horrid.

Tags: didactic fantasy, fantasy rants winter 2004, rants on gender, rants on subgenres