Froey

Writing realistic stories and relatable characters

Elle at a crosswalk after leaving her work — Reconnected (2022)

I've been told in the past my stories have always been relatable.

As much as I like a science fiction story or fantasy setting that is nothing like the world we live in now, I always stuck with stories and settings that most people can relate to.

My current series of visual novels have taken place in a state in the Southern Bible Belt of the USA, North Carolina to be exact with my next release. The main protagonist of the story is Elle, a neurodivergent trans woman who is the best example of the most average trans woman.

She has a regular job as a barista, and lives in an apartment in the city with her best friend. She has her hobbies, but doesn't excel much at anything outside of playing bass as a side thing. She doesn't do much for trans advocacy, she's not in a band, even her best friend Roxanne has called her boring.

Elle and Roxanne in a diner late at night after a concert - A Night Out (2018)

As amazingly plain Elle is though, I love her and had other's say they relate heavily to her. Whether it's from her anxiety, her experience with gender dysphoria, or just being a regular worker grinding away their time to make ends meet.

Elle herself was based off of my own experience (note: not ALL experiences) and many trans people I've met and talked over the past twelve years or so when I originally came out to myself and began transitioning.

In my next title "Those We Keep Close" Elle has a crush on a woman a few years older than her, her regular customer: Milly.

Outside of being disabled and a lesbian, she is just like Elle. The most average woman there is. She has a bachelors in writing from her online college, but only works as an editor for an online news blog site to make ends meet on bills and rent. She is an amputee and swims once a week at the local gym, but has never much cared for sports or competition and just does it for exercise and clear her mind.

Milly and Elle hanging out and totally not on a date - Those We Keep Close (in development)

Both of these characters are just average people. They have their past conflicts and trauma like Elle cutting communication with her mother since coming out and moving out of her family home. Milly herself in my upcoming story comes off as a bubbly, fun and positive, but she definitely has some baggage from her past that does affect her. (without spoilers, it's family related.)

While my stories have the characters going through some kind of conflict, I find just as much joy writing characters doing average things. Elle and Roxanne going to a diner after a concert in A Night Out, Elle having to take the stairs instead of the elevator in Reconnected. Just average people doing regular activities and daily things.

A big inspiration from writing stories like these is from watching so much slice of life anime series and film over the years. Some that come to mind like: Clannad, Tokyo Godfathers, Princess Jellyfish, Bocchi The Rock, A Silent Voice, Josee the Tiger and the Fish, Wolf Children, Recovery of an MMO Junkie, etc.

This film is one of my earliest inspirations for how I write now — A Silent Voice (2016)

There are moments in these stories where characters face a conflict, and maybe there is an over the top scene. But a majority of the series/film is just average people going through events in their average lives. Compared to a lot of Western/American written shows, I find anime directors and writers have a way of having the viewer relate heavily to these characters.

Sometime later I am considering grabbing one of my past writing projects: A dark fantasy with some pretty grim and realistic takes. Nothing (meh) like Game of Thrones however.

There will be action, violence, death, etc. but characters themselves need to have their moments of joy, even when things seem hopeless. Even writing scenes of them going through daily events in their lives like getting up and making breakfast can help ease tension in a stressful story.


Elle introduces Milly to Roxanne — Those We Keep Close (in development)

I do want to go outside my comfort zone and write things outside of slice of life sometime. It's definitely a genre some may find boring and immediately skip it. For now however... I love where my current project is going. (^~ ^)

— Froey

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