I am writing a rom-com.
That sounds very normal, doesn’t it? Many people write rom-coms. Badly, but they write them.
I am writing a mystery. That is even more common. Many people write mysteries, and some of them are really very good.
I am writing them in the same novel. This is where it gets weird. There are comedic mysteries such as written by Carl Hiassen. Zany, I think you’d call his mysteries (I haven’t read one in ages, though). Mashing all three together, though, I can’t think of anyone off-hand who has done that.
Here’s the thing about the way I write (and how I know if it’s a good idea). I start with an idea. In this case, queer romance. I was talking to a friend online as to how dhifferent queer romance is from straight romance. There seems to be more room for different ways of relating with each other for queers than for straights.
I will preface by saying that queer people have, in the past, certainly, if not now, had to be circumspect in finding each other. Also, there are simply much less of us than of straight people. If you take the 10% number as being roughly true–huh. Apparently, it’s 7.1%, but that is double what it used to be and it’s because of Gen Z. 21% of them identify as queer!
That brings joy to my heart–that the youngers are more open to diversity than my generation (the invisible Gen X). Straight dudes are hurt by patrairchy, too. Buying into the idea that there is only one way to do romance–monogamy and sex has to be accompanied by love. Straight women, too, I think, but not as much as straight men.
Here’s the thing. When you’re already on the fringes, it’s not a stretch to think that maybe there are even more things you can do. And with smaller communities, you may not necessarily be able to walk away from an ex as cleanly as in the straight world. Plus, if you like the person enough to be with them, maybe you can still be friends after? This doesn’t seem like it’s a completely out there idea.
In addition, there doesn’t have to be such a strict delineation between friend and partner. There’s a term in queer communities called queerplatonic. It’s a committed relationship with a friend that is similar to a romantic relationship without the romance. I feel like I have that with my two besties. I am as committed to them as I would be to a partner, and I know they feel similarly about me.