Thoughts on BL,boy's love thoughts

[luciasilvereyes]

:3 i agree,this has been a general consensus on slow burn but we can all agree it can be the best of both worlds if its done right >:3.Which i heavily agree.I have been trying to formulate such chemistry in my plot.Hope I won't disappoint >~<

[seru]

I don't know if I can contribute anything to this thread...but I usually write BL stories with fun characters and outrageous premises. I love smut and fan-service so I try to insert it at any point of the story.

As a reader, I read the summary to see if it has a fresh take on things. If it's a tired concept, I'll pass on it. If the art is good, I'll give it a try. All and all, I just look for good art and smut. Plot is just a bonus.

[Nullyish]

I always like BL as a side thing rather than a main thing in a story. That’s why despite being a fujoshi I have no interest in romance BL manga/comic which centers on the development of the couple. I like it more when unexpected BL moments happen. So I will totally dig a story whether it’s horror, action, or any other genres with some hint of BL between the characters.

[luciasilvereyes]

OWO ohhhhhhh,
no worries all replies are welcomed here.But i am on the same board when it comes to reading the summary and deciding on what to read.I do want to make the focus of my story not be on the relationship itself but relationship be a part of the story.So i 'm not sure if my story classifies under as BL tbh.But either way it is something i am considering rethinking.

[luciasilvereyes]

OWO ohhhh i see.^~^ ,yeah i ask this question or started this thread because I am unsure of how to classify my webcomic or what it fits under ,as well as feedback on how people view this genre.So,it was interesting reading over what other people have said.

[LordVincent]

As a creator of BL, I usually want chemistry between my men first because otherwise I feel like the good parts aint that good. Even if it's just something so simple as some comedy and a couple interactions implying care or tension, that can be a good enough start imo. In the long run, I'm very much a psychology nerd so I tend to get into character pasts n shit which screws me over because I keep writing stories that make me sad and tired working with them. I tried so hard lately to do a just-for-fun, spontaneous, comedy-and-smut comic and whoooooop there it goes one of the characters has a sad past. At least it's just one of them this time so I guess I'm improving.
I also tend to write vers couples since the uke/seme stereotype is not only worn out but rather unrealistic. Top/bottom relationships are the exception rather than the rule in reality. Plus I don't want to contribute to these silly gender roles.

When it comes to my reading habits... It's always art first. Always always always art first. I barely look at summaries anymore, I just look at the art and if the pages don't hold the quality I expected when seeing the cover (i.e slightly less flashy but still as good in its basics, say, anatomy and such) then I am a quick ditcher. Similarily if the art is good I will excuse a looooot of things in terms of story. The result: My bookcase is full of manga where I absolutely DESPISE EVERY SINGLE CHARACTER and keep angrily facepalming at them.

I KNOW THOU ART BAD FOR ME AND RAPEY AS FUCK SO WHY CAN'T I LET THEE GO

[luciasilvereyes]

XDD qwq omg,AYEE you're the creator of Bloodroot![was it bloodroot oh shoot QWQ]BUT yeah the trend between the masculine seme and feminine uke gets me sometimes.But it's pretty agreeable that chemistry does come first before anything else.Bulk of it all is chemistry but for me i am coming to a dilemma where i wonder if the story i am writing should be implications but no real action.aka basically implications of relationship/chemistry but there is no...sex.I'm not sure if too much story comes off as boring.

[caelesc]

I 100% agree with the general consensus here!

I will forever remember a comment on an anime forum that said something like "Instead of shipping the characters (in this cool action plot-heavy) story when they are obviously straight why won't you just go and read your gay comics instead". And this is where the main problem lies - the characters or the plot often isn't interesting or engaging enough for BL stories that people actually stick around to draw fanart/write fanfictition about it. I am a sucker for slow burn as slow burn is the closest to how irl (healthy) relationships develop. For me to like a character there has to be a significant amount of plot and backstory and I want to know about their likes, fears, goals, insecurities and how/if they overcome them. This makes these 100% perfect rich, successful, handsome, muscular I-only-top type of characters so hard to like. It just oozes of an unhealthy power dynamic when the other person is young, just starting out in life, clumsy, childish etc.

That isn't to say that I don't also read a ton of hardcore smut with zero or bad plot but I regard it the same as porn. Sometimes you're in the mood for it but most of the time you'd rather watch a cool tv series or read a book with relatable characters.

[luciasilvereyes]

wait,someone actually said that...in a forum.The world we live in....homosexual relationships are no different than heterosexual relationships and yet i am just appalled at the current stage of the world where it is seen as an oddity that is just-it may be a reason why i personally don't find a heterosexual relationship dynamic appealing,there's just so much power disbalance that is just boring to my taste at least from what i've read which i really wish isn't the case.But BL stories can be equally engaging it's just on both sides the author and the audience's fault that it just didn't happen because one or both sides are somewhat ignorant on how such relationships work.It's unfortunate.
I personally agree that i am a guilty party in reading some hardcore smut from time to time.But like you said only when im in the mood.Otherwise...i just do something else.

[hjfsdh2222]

Her Twitter is @ saaakira

[Wumbl]

In my opinion you can tell from how a BL is written whether or not a writer respects and cares about gay men.

If it's full of uke/seme abusive garbage chances are the person writing it has a limited understanding of what it means to be LGBT+ or even of the world itself.

Good BL is written by people who genuinely understand relationships.

Bad BL is written by people who fetishise the concept of MLM relationships rather than treating them like a realistic and ordinary occurrence in the world.

The same goes for GL stories that are written by like... teenage straight guys lol. It goes both ways.

[Yumestar]

Haha I agree with some of these posts too, the best kind of BL stories to me are the ones that have an interesting plotline and the characters establish at least a build up of relationship before anything smut related happens. I actually become more invested in the smut part if I know all about the characters, instead of just reading about two strangers going at it... Although I think it depends on what genre of BL you're going for. There are ones that are done purely for the sake of erotica and not really story telling, or kind of with a plot designed for smut scenes.

[indagold]

Never got into BL mostly because not interested and not ready to dig through mountains for something interesting. For the most part I found gay/lgbt stories tend to have better weight to them when the focus isn't entirely on the relationship. Like for an example fantasy stories that happen with have lgbt couples tend to be more open to wider audience. Also going full on porn not just sex scenes really limits your user base since most mainstream stories don't do rated X stuff. I mean if you wanna make porn thats on you but if you want a serious story that you don't want be mistaken for porn maybe don't put full hardcore pornography in it. its sort've one or the other type deal. lol

[yozhikisblue]

Just wanted to say I love Est Em and Natsume Ono. Do you have any recommendations similar to their work? I feel like I've been looking for ages x')

[joannekwan]

Ahhh, nothing that I've come across. Then again I haven't really browsed for manga in years.
Sorry I'm useless x]

[yozhikisblue]

Not at all! I'm also just happy to see someone bring them up as examples of really well-written BL- I wish more creators read their work and built upon all the things they did right.

[seru]

This might be the unpopular opinion here, but I still like reading old tropes and BL cliches.

Realistic representation is good thing, but if it's too real I find it highly uncomfortable. I read for entertainment and I don't want to be personally triggered. Hence, I look for outrageous, over-the-top BL. Ultimately, I want to be entertained, laugh at the story and unwind.

Anyways, I'm going back to work and leaving this here coz I find this panel funny:

[spicy_sweets]

Itoshi no nekokke tho

[yozhikisblue]

I dunno if it's unpopular, but personally I would say this is totally valid too! I often get in the mood where all I want out of a story is a good laugh and some positive vibes x')

[yozhikisblue]

Hey thanks, I'll be sure to check it out!