NaNo help?

[readingredhead]

All things willing, I will be done with this by this time tomorrow! But in order to power through these last 5,000 words, I need to figure out how one of my characters discovers that another character has been crossdressing as a man throughout their entire acquaintance when she is, in fact, a woman. (I know, I just write the coolest stuff!)

Basic story: Francis Connors is a couple of years older than Dorothea "Dorian" Bell. They've known each other since "Dorian" came to London at the age of sixteen and got a job working for a printer/bookseller in Paternoster Square (did I mention this was happening in the 1770s and 80s?). Francis has lived all his life in London and basically works across the street from "Dorian" as a bookseller. The two of them are pretty chummy and all is well until, a couple of years into their friendship, Dorothea realizes that forswearing men entirely is harder than it sounds...and she may just be in love with her best friend, who may also happen not to know that she is really a girl! Although she wants to be "more than just friends" with Francis, Dorothea is absolutely in love with her job as a printer and bookseller and a writer, and she would never do anything to let slip the secret of her crossdressing, which is the only thing that got her the job and the respect in the first place.

But of course this means that, eventually, perhaps even years after Dorothea realizes that she likes Francis, he is going to find out that she's a girl at a very inopportune moment! I just haven't figured out what that moment is quite yet. I'm leaning toward something Francis entering "Dorian's" rooms unannounced and getting an eyefull of Dorothea en deshabille, but this just seems crass. And Dorothea is very good at keeping her secret, so I don't think Francis would even suspect that his best mate isn't a dude, and even if he did, he'd have to do a lot of backtracking to discover that "Dorian Bell" is a fiction.

So, suggestions! Come at me!

Comments

[octavius-x.livejournal.com]

Ok Candace I have to confess that most movies I watch about cross-dressing usually involve cross-dressers of a transexual nature. The first movie I thought of when I read this scenario is some Chinese movie where an old man wants to pass on his masked theatrical act but would only pass it on to a boy, later after he has adopted this "boy" and has cut himself he asks the "boy" to pee on the injury as it will sterilize the wound. Obviously this is not possible and the "boy" runs off and the truth comes out, old man realizes that a lady can do just as much as a man, the craft is passed on and everyone is happy. NEEDLESS TO SAY, I do not think this situation would apply to your story. Also if you asked me my first thoughts would be horrible realist scenarios involving comparison of penis sizes or something (the girl would be in a snit and be like "WELL, obvsly you won" and the dude would be very taken aback and feel like a douche and have to reevaluate his feelings). There's also the tried and true medical injury route, but if I had to be honest I'd like to read something where he sees her from afar first, something like he sees her back while bathing and puts the pieces together but doesn't know what to make of them until he sees her face again (Sort of like sabriel where she studies touchstone). I think most people want the big cathartic release of BREASTS; HAVE BEEN FOUND OUT but there is something to be said for silence and a little thoughtfulness.

There are also swordfights you know, swords are sharp! They cut through clothes! LOL yes you may have guessed I am not good at intrigue stories.

[w455up.livejournal.com]

So it might not be an instant revelation so much as a slow realization based on context clues. I'm not sure what sort of activities guys did back then, but I'm guessing not wanting to participate in sports, not pissing in public, generally avoiding things that would expose herself (and guys have a surprisingly large number of ways to expose themselves to each other), in addition to a generic asexuality, might be big hints to Francis. I don't know what public sanitation in London was like in the 18th century, but I'm guessing the public pissing thing might be a big thing. It might be interesting if he just comes out and asks her based on curiosity more than anything.

Congrats on being so close to the finish though, my NaNo attempt truly died about a week ago.

[i-wear-wellies.livejournal.com]

The first two things that come to mind: he walks in on her changing, but only top off, and is briefly confused as to why he/she won't turn around and is hiding.

Other: Somehow something gets thrown and hits her in what *should* be a sensitive area, but she doesn't react the way a man would...