Next panel, the LGBTQ+ panel. The culture appears to be open and very accepting of any sort of topic exploration, nobody seems to be declining or saying no or setting artificial limits or out-of-bounds work.

People should start writing works that start exploring more about gay life beyond the dramatic parts surrounding coming out. That there is more to tell, more to explore.

Authors respond about teen readers responding to their work, that folks are surprisingly accepting. That the fans are the source of a lot of the pleasure and reasons why some of these authors keep on writing. That the fan responses are treasured. There are other experiences of youth being given the books to read to possibly start a conversation for the kids and their parents. That’s really quite a novel reaction that I wasn’t expecting.

There is a curiosity and almost a pressure to steer away from Romance and towards the more mundane and simpler explorations of relationships without love, sex, or romance. Stories that feature more about friendships and living beyond the, cliche(?) of stories about sex and lust.

This panel is full, which is both surprising and very gratifying. These sorts of panels in the past have not had such populations in a room like this one. It’s nice to see that it filled up enough to earn a “panel full” alert on the con app.

Writing these books not only cement the culture into history and through time, but also raise the opportunity for people to experience the diversity of stories in our world that may not have been available for different groups, about other groups so they can see life from expanded perspectives. These YA books are increasing the exposure and availability of these kinds of new ideas in segments of the population that otherwise would never have access to them, either from the prevailing culture that surrounds them or limits from their circumstances or family.

People who write books should embrace their courage and publish what they want to say. It’s important to not get convinced that your book won’t sell, publish anyways, and the results will likely shock you at how much of a market exists for what you are trying to sell. In ways, you will always miss the shots you don’t take.