Author: ackatt
24 - August - 2010

The Use of Conflict in Gay Romance

Conflict in Writing Romance

The use of conflict in writing a romance novel is essential. Without conflict, there is no plot. Plots are made up of obstacles which the characters must overcome to find the HEA.   There are several types of conflict.  In brief they can be:

  • ·         An actual state of war as existed in my novel The Sarran Plague in which the Sarrans were fighting the insectoid menace, the Zyptz.
  • ·         A state of disharmony between incompatible or antithetical persons, ideas, or interest that clash.  In Shattered Glass, the replacement drummer, Brad, hated Liam, one of the main protagonists.

·         Psychology – a psychic struggle, often unconscious, resulting for the simultaneous functioning of mutually exclusive impulses, desires or tendencies. In Shattered Glass, Milo has conflicted desires.  He loves and wants Liam but is inwardly at war with his homosexuality and does not want to leave the closet and live an openly gay life.

These types of situations move a novel forward.  Conflict, then resolution is what brings suspense, intrigue, the hopelessness of doomed romance, all to be resolved somewhere in the plotline by the writer.

In any novel as well as in life, there is major conflict and minor conflict.  Who gets control of the remote can set up a comic scene but doesn’t move the plot unless it shows the symptoms of a serious underlying problem.

In GLBT novels, especially those set in contemporary and historical time periods there is a black cloud of disharmony that provides essential conflict, an overriding battle without arms.  That battle is bigotry and prejudice.  Whether it is Milo’s fear that the band, Shattered Glass will not sell records if the fans know that some of the members are gay, or the gay bashing of Brian Murphy in A Matter of Trust that puts him in the hospital this compelling theme shades every GLBT novel written.

One of the reasons I write GLBT novels is because I believe in the equality of all human beings under the law.  I despise prejudice and ignorant bigotry.  If one of my novels is able to move someone to understand that love comes in relationships, gay or straight and that it is something to be respected, not disdained, because it is precious, then I feel I have accomplished something in this lifetime.  Knowledge fights the bigotry that ignorance breeds.  All citizens are equal under the law and no gay couple should have to beg for what is guaranteed to them by the United States Constitution.  Until that happens, I’ll be writing GLBT novels in hope that someone out there “gets it.”

Research for this article came from the Websites I Speak of Dreams – The Uses of Conflict and Hub Pages – The Use of Conflict in Novel Writing 71.

To find out more about me and my books,  please visit my website, www.ackatt.com and my blog at www.ackattsjournal.blogspot.com. I love to hear from my readers.  I can be contacted by leaving comments on my webpage and blog or by writing me directly atackatt@ackatt.com.

Shattered Glass is available from Captiva Press at www.captivapress.com.  A Matter of Trust is available from XOXO Publishing at www.xoxopublishing.com and The Sarran Plague will be re-released by Captiva Press in the fall of this year.

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