Thread by @reachwriter

Welcome to the Ace Authors Chat where a panel of self-identified asexual and aromantic spectrum authors have come together in celebration of Asexual Awareness Week to discuss writing, books, and life on the ace-spectrum. @AceWeek #AceWeek #AceAuthorChat

Here's a primer on ace-inclusive terminology that you may find helpful as the #AceAuthorChat progresses:

aspec or a-spec = abbreviation of asexual/aromantic spectrum

asexuality or ace = a sexual orientation wherein an individual experiences a lack of sexual attraction to others, or low or absent interest in or desire for sexual activity which is distinct from abstention and celibacy and is not a form of sexual dysfunction.

aromanticism or aro = an individual who does not experience romantic love or romantic attraction to others independent of their sex drive or libido

grey-A or gray-sexuality = a person on the asexuality spectrum who may experience sexual attraction under specific circumstances

demisexual or demi - an individual who experiences sexual attraction only when they form a deep emotional connection

allosexuals and alloromantics (or allos) are those who experience sexual and romantic attraction

For more terms, please see this link:
asexualityarchive.com/glossary/

Questions will be asked every five minutes and will include the #AceAuthorChat and #AceWeek hashtags.

Questions will begin with the formatting Q1, Q2, etc

When answering, please reply to the questions and begin your answer with A1, A2, etc.

Q1: Please introduce yourself and your writing. Be sure to include your preferred pronouns and whatever details about your sexual orientation you’re comfortable sharing. #AceAuthorChat #AceWeek

Q2: Has your experience of asexuality and/or aromanticism included harassment, exclusion, or abuse that you’re comfortable sharing? #AceWeek #AceAuthorChat

Q3: Who is your favorite asexual or romantic character in literature? #AceWeek #AceAuthorChat

A3: I have a great thread on the forms of harassment I've faced in the past that I'll link in here when I'm done modding the chat. It includes sexual propositions to "cure" me of sex aversion, being assumed to be a lesbian because I wasn't interested in men, etc #AceAuthorChat

Q4: Have you written (or plan to write) an asexual character? Tell us about them. #AceWeek #AceAuthorChat

Q5: Do you find writing allosexual characters challenging? What difficulties have you run into when writing allosexual characters? #AceWeek #AceAuthorChat

Q6: What do you think it’s important that allosexual authors know about writing ace-spec characters if they choose to include them in their stories? #AceWeek #AceAuthorChat #OwnVoices

A3: Sherlock Holmes is my gold standard

Charlotte Lucas from Pride and Prejudice is sus ace

Frodo Baggins & Gandalf from Lord of the Rings
Aragorn is a demisexual

Jo March from Little Women reads demi to me

Katniss Everdean from Hunger Games low key ace.

#AceAuthorChat

Q7: What is your LEAST favorite alloromantic / allosexual trope in literature? #AceAuthorChat #AceWeek #WritingCommunity

Q8: Have you ever written a sex scene? Share your experience of writing a sex scene as an asexual if you're comfortable doing so. #AceAuthorChat #AceWeek #WritingCommunity

A7: "Oh no, there's only one bed, so we HAVE to have sex, I guess" usually used as a turning point in "enemies-to-lovers" stories

The 1 bed = sex trope robs the characters of all agency. They are manipulated into it instead of making adult relationship decisions.

#AceAuthorChat

A7: Wound dressing as a sexy/romantic moment. Wound dressing is gross, and who's thinking about romance when trying to staunch bleeding? Never made sense to me. I guess it's just because proximity makes people horny and you have to TOUCH someone to tend a wound? #AceAuthorChat

Q9: Do you think books that include sex scenes should carry content warnings? #AceAuthorChat #AceWeek #WritingCommunity

Q10: How important is asexual and aromantic representation in media to you? Do you think more representation would have had a positive impact on your life? #AceAuthorChat #AceWeek

Q11: Has lack of aro/ace representation had a negative impact on you or your work as an author? #AceWeek #AceAuthorChat

THANK YOU so much for participating and/or reading through the #AceAuthorChat! Thanks to @aceweek for the chance to have an awareness campaign specifically geared towards aro/ace visibility.

To get your aro/ace lit fix, check out these books:
acesandaros.org/resources/fict…

If you want to re-capture the magic of the #AceAuthorChat at any time and see your feed lit up with a-spec authors and only a-spec authors just like it is right now, follow this Twitter List:

twitter.com/i/lists/118608…

Q1: I'm Lacy - she/her. I've been working on an adult contemporary literary fiction novel for...awhile now. I'm demi and am in a straight-passing marriage. I'm also a mom.

A3: I have been assumed to be gay because I didn't date or sleep around.

Things I've also been called: late bloomer, frigid, ice queen, cock tease, prude, Puritanical, goody-two-shoes, spinster, old maid, cat lady, going through a dry patch
#AceAuthorChat

A3: #AceAuthorChat

https://twitter.com/reachwriter/status/1163165081988947968

A4: I have a protagonist planned for my next novel who is demi and I'm really excited to get to work on it. In particular I think it's so important for there to be more male ace representation, and that protagonist is male.
#AceAuthorChat

A5: I don't find writing allo characters difficult. Sometimes I worry I don't spend enough time having them think about sex and relationships or being motivated by the aforementioned. The too much / not enough balance is the biggest challenge for me.
#AceAuthorChat

A6: Hey, #WritingCommunity, if your character is ace, make them overtly ace. I'd love to see some ace characters just owning their asexuality, especially if that part of their identity isn't the central conflict driving the story. It's just a fact of who they are.
#AceAuthorChat

A8: I write to understand the world, so I've spent a fair amount of time writing about sex. Probably write it better than I perform it in life, TBH
#AceAuthorChat

A9: Yes, I do. They need not be intrusive like the graphic ones on the old CD covers, but a line of text on the back cover would be helpful to so many, not just for those who wish to avoid graphic sex or violence.

A10: It's very important. I didn't have the language to describe myself until my 30s and better representation would have made a huge difference.

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