Things You'd Like to See in Stories on Mibba

@ insufferable;
AGREEEDDDD. Especially when I click on the character page and it's majority white / straight / thin / etc. but they have the one token character who isn't white / straight / thin / etc.

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I'd really like to see more stories about queer girls. I want to see some love stories about queer girls.

I'd like to see more diversity in terms of setting and nationality. I sort of understand why writers may be hesitant to do so, but a little research and empathy goes a long way.

I really want to see properly done cheesy romance stories. I'm not even kidding. I really want to see well-written romantic stories with diverse characters (I really need more stories with Asian characters - doesn't matter what part of Asia though) and great substance.

Seriously, I would love to see more stories with Asian characters (Japanese, Indian, Malaysian, etc).

• Progression, plot and character-wise. I think with online stories, there's more creative license than a published book, which is great, but often-times online stories feel incomplete (and usually are, it's hard to find finished stories) but I'd love to see a story where a character changes from beginning to end, or I can at least see the beginnings of a change.

• I want more LGBTQ stories, but not where it's an LGBTQ book i.e. the coming out story, or in the closet story. I know that that's a huge part of their lives, but I think part of saying its okay who you love is writing books, romances specifically, that aren't banking on the fact someone's not straight in a story. I guess what I'm trying to say is a romance where being gay isn't the plot, it just...is, I guess.

• I'd love to see more dislikable characters. In that sense, more flaws, and realistically portrayed people. I'm not saying all people are selfish and vain, but it feels like the only characters who have these traits are the villains. So maybe I'd like more stories told from the villains perspective. Maybe stories where we're meant to think the person is a villain but the whole time they're just being real, multi-faceted humans.

• Contemporary fantasy/sci-fi/paranormal. I don't know if that can be a thing, or if it is already, but basically like a fantasy novel told in a light hearted way but is still legit. I kind of think of Rainbow Rowell's Carry On. It's like if Harry Potter was written by John Green. I'd also love to see characters who are thrown into fantasy/sci-fi/paranormal situations but aren't the chosen ones and kind of suck at everything.

• Realistic endings. I'm tired of everything working out. I respect a piece a lot more when the couple doesn't end up together, when things don't resolve itself, when people die because that's how the world works. But I also don't want to feel like you're killing someone off for the tear factor, like don't use it as a cop out. Not every ending needs a death, but not every ending deserves happily ever after, too. It's a balance, and depends on the story.

• Foreshadowing that I don't realize is foreshadowing until the very end. The only example I can give is Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead. In the first book, Dimitri tells Rose he'd want someone to kill him if he became a strigoi and by the end of the series he'd become a strigoi and Rose went on a mission to kill him. I never saw it coming but the bait was right there, in a very brief conversation.

native language:

I'd like to see more diversity in terms of setting and nationality. I sort of understand why writers may be hesitant to do so, but a little research and empathy goes a long way.

Yes, this is what I would like to see!
I've love to have Native Americans in stories, even if it's just a face-claim of a indigenous person. Like it doesn't have to include all cultural things, just be able to relate to a character would be lovely.

LGBT+ stuff that at least recognizes that the community is more than just LG and that's not about coming out. People start talking about LGBT stuff and they immediately switch to "a variety of sexualites," which completely leaves out transgender and intersex people who are also part of the community. Even sexuality-wise, we never get bi or pan or anything other than the standard "gay." would anyone even read stories with bi and/or trans protagonists because I'm too nervous to post mine

@ skywalkers.
Bless this! I do see a lot of bisexual characters, but I've never read a story where a character identifies as pansexual. It's a foreign concept to most people. And of the trans stories I've read, they focus on the issues and it's all negative, which gets really old to read, honestly. I want to see a bad ass trans or gender fluid character without all the coming out and everything. I understand it's a huge part of the process (a big step, I mean), but that's all you see in stories like that.

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I'd really like to see more asexual characters; characters that show their love to one another without having to have sex.

@ skywalkers.
I would definitely read your stories! Particularly because I identify as bisexual, so it'd be nice to see a story written accurately to my sexuality (a lot of bisexual characters in stories on here seem to be there so people can say they have an LGBT+ character).

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Like saeglopur said, it'd be nice to see a lot more stories about people just being part of the LGBT+ community, rather than it being all about their coming out process or whatever. Coming out is obviously a huge thing for people in the LGBT+ community and I'm not opposed to stories about coming out because they do help people (e.g. me). But we are so much more than that. We are so much more than our hardships.

Diversity is my big thing, particularly racial diversity with Asian characters (like Kimi said up there). I'm South Asian and until recently, I never saw a South Asian character in a story (and that includes my stories too). I understand that people don't want to fuck it up but Google is your friend and people also won't jump down your throat if you ask for help on here. I'll gladly be Mibba's resident South Asian (lol) if anyone wants to ask questions about our cultures/other things. Granted, I don't know everything but I can still be of help!

@ saeglopur
Before I realized it was you, I was about to recommend Him & Him to you. But on the subject of recs, you should check out the Shatter Me series. I think you'd like it.



● I'd like to see more romances that focus on adults. I'm tired of reading about teenagers. I was never obsessed with dating, and when you're older, it's more about fitting a relationship into the life you've already created than creating a life around someone else.

● Strong female characters. Women that have to make the hard decisions for themselves and think of more than what they want. I can't read weak female characters. I come from a family of all girls and subservient girls/women drive me crazy.

● Beautiful, poetic writing. There are a lot of these on here, but less than the majority. I love it when authors take pride in how they write just as much as what they write.

● Themes that deal with adoption/foster care/etc. More focus on children overall. This also falls into the "more adult themes" category, I guess.

● I'm actually writing one like this, but realistic college portrayals. It's not all about partying and getting drunk. You're there for a reason and I'd like to read about a character who legitimately has to work his/her butt off.