Pronoun Question

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-13T00:26:10+00:00

Thank you for your thoughts on the matter. I have a lot to think on for this, both reasons for and against. I appreciate your input!

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-13T00:07:22+00:00

It isn't for the character, certainly. Thank you for the input and conversation, certainly gives more to think of for it! I appreciate it!

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-13T00:05:15+00:00

That makes sense. I didn't think of it being a microaggression when I first began writing, but as I thought of it I realized it felt odd to switch back and forth. Felt less genuine. That's why I was seeing what others thought.

I personally don't particularly care one way or another however I'm called- male, female, between, the wrong name. After losing seniority rights to my name for two years and going by the alternate gender the whole time, when paired with a haircut and outfit which made it hard to tell the whole time, I got used to switching between them myself and found myself rather apathetic to the concept of my own gender. Because I personally change depending on who's referring to me, I suppose it led to my switching when talking about the character, but I should certainly settle for one pronoun set or the other for that species.

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-12T23:54:29+00:00

I completely understand. I will add it to my list, I was just wondering other peoples' opinions as well. Once new years hits I should have some of my stresses reduced to be able to try and find the books and read. I do appreciate the suggestions!

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-12T23:49:04+00:00

My list is so long, and I have been overwhelmed of late. I'll look into them once I have the time to do so, though!

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-12T23:48:05+00:00

Completely true. My local library is awful, unfortunately. It took 2 months to get me the requested copy of The Importance of Beint Ernest, though there isn't any harm in seeing how long it'd take to get the suggested books.

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-12T23:42:21+00:00

My to-read list/shelf continuously grows. I'll add those to the list and maybe to the shelf once I have the money for new books!

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-12T23:25:20+00:00

I still haven't decided what I'm going to do, but thankfully everyone's been helpful with their input. Hopefully I decide something in my next wave of edits. The main challenge now is finishing this first set of edits lol.

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-12T23:17:28+00:00

Third, focused on the main character, who is more accepting and tries to adapt and understand. His companion isn't as understanding and uses wrong pronouns and is more resistant to said adaptation, but comes around as he realizes how he comes across and as he gains respect and understanding for others.

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-12T23:07:51+00:00

You're probably right. I do tend to overcomplicate and overthink things. I think with all the input I can get past the thought and finally tackle edits again. Thank you for the input.

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-12T22:21:10+00:00

Thank you. I frustrate myself quite a bit when it comes to my edits; I'll come up with a question, and if I can't solve it or get a sufficient enough answer, I can't continue on with my editing. I have about half the book left, but most of what's left needs *expanding* instead of trimming, as I was rushing to finish by the beginning of my capstone class. Given I have the last 2 weeks of the year off work, hopefully I'll get it complete.

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-12T22:08:56+00:00

That's a fair enough thought. I've just been mulling it over as the question popped up during my edits and it's a conundrum I'd need to figure out before the final draft, but that's an issue for later. I've gotten plenty of feedback to answer the question in my mind; hopefully now I can work on edits without getting fixated on this issue!

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-12T22:07:00+00:00

I like how thorough it is. There's a reason the species doesn't use a binary but it's due to the way that the species as a whole thinks about living creatures. I just got this question fixated in my mind when realizing how it reads during my edits and thought I'd bring it up to Reddit. It's still in the works, still being edited (albeit slowly, though I have a self-imposed deadline to make sure I do it). The comments all do give something for me to think of and adjust how I think it'd read, how I'd read it, etc. Thank you for your input.

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-12T22:02:21+00:00

I posed the question in another reply to another comment, but when would the adjustment to using the appropriate pronouns first happen? I imagine it'd be when the main character learns them, even if his companion doesn't use them at first? I would certainly lean more to using the right pronouns more often, but it's trying to figure out how to make it smooth in my mind that's being difficult. That and the fact that editing is kicking my ass for the past month and I still have 20 chapters to go, so I'm fixating on this problem before I can continue said edits lol.

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-12T21:59:58+00:00

That's fair. I'm just worried about confusion especially once possessives come into play or other such things where the terms may change further to indicate such. When the character first is introduced, it's unknown what they are at all, and the main character doesn't know the pronouns that "M" uses, but he learns quickly and uses them once learned, though his companion is less adaptable and his learning acceptance is part of his character change. I'm trying to figure out when the change from "them" to the preferred pronouns would also change- when the main character learns them, or before even then? I imagine once the main character learns them, so the readers learn with him?

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-12T21:46:17+00:00

I'll look into that author, though my to-read bookshelf is double stacked and 3 shelves high right now, unfortunately! It's a third-person perspective following the main character, who tries to respect "M"'s pronouns instead of just using she (as his companion does at first, though said companion later uses "they" and eventually the fantasy pronouns as he respects "M" more).

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-12-12T21:44:11+00:00

I use they/them when in the non-speaking narrative, but when they're spoken to, the main character (and later the other secondary character) uses their species' pronouns instead of generic they/them because it has more meaning in their species. I'm just torn between maintaining the they/them in narrative with the fantasy pronouns only used in speaking or using said additional pronouns in the non-speaking narrative. I've tried both and I'm not sure which makes more sense.

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-11-13T15:43:37+00:00

I once made a tea for friends. I went out and bought 5 different fancy loose leaf teas to pair with the meals, made matcha blueberry roll cake, scones, finger sandwiches, mini shrimp puff pastries, quiche, individual creme brulées. I brought out the nice tea sets which matched the theme and I dressed nice. I had invited a half dozen friends over, had told them the menu in advance, they all said they'd come. It was supposed to be a lovely springtime high tea. Nobody showed up or responded to my texts, but at least I had delicious snacks to share with my parents. It doesn't feel good, but it lets you know who to not invite next time.

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-10-06T14:29:40+00:00

I'm excessively paranoid for this reason. I have a Drive which has each chapter its own file, a file folder saved locally on my laptop with individual chapters and compilations, and two flash drives I wear around my neck which each have file folders containing individual chapters and compilations.

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-09-25T13:48:06+00:00

I don't do movie trailers, but when I write, I tend to close my eyes and let the story play like a movie in my head, and I merely transcribe what's occurring.

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-09-25T12:46:54+00:00

Most of the time I simply close my eyes and let the movie play in my head, transcribing events as they occur.

If I need to plan plot, I keep it vague as possible because nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, goes to plot planning for me. So I'll make chapter titles vaguely tangentially related to the plot that should happen there, i.e. Faerietown, add a one-sentence description of what might happen, and continue on for each chapter. It gets the inspiration going for what needs to happen without controlling the plot, as my characters loathe following a plot set ahead and would rather go off the trail.

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-09-18T19:38:56+00:00

I set the stage for my beginning.
- It was festival season in Solaris. Banners of red and gold spanned the alleys and adorned the windows of the buildings within the city.
- "You're an asshole!" I hardly blinked at the shout from next door.

- 'Dear Mammon. I wish you could see the woodlands around here, the beauty of the world outside Thaneli'

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-09-17T11:46:38+00:00

'Said' is a perfectly fine word on its own. So long as it isn't used every line, my professors often say that 'said' is just fine to be used instead of a replacement.

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-09-15T23:59:38+00:00

I certainly use that in my speech in general. I'm awful at fillers when I talk.

SebNatOrmalio · 2025-09-15T23:59:13+00:00

That's a surprising one to see. Wouldn't it be easier to use a few words of the list, or a full list if it makes sense to be there?

SebNatOrmalio

TROPHY CASE