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nanowrimo · 1 year

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How to Avoid Token Representation

What's the difference between token representation and authentic representation? NaNo Participant Nayantara discusses token representation and how to avoid doing it in your own writing! The smart Asian character. The sassy Black character. The Gay Best Friend.

Too many stories written today that supposedly have “diverse” casts fall prey to “token representation”: a symbolic effort towards inclusion that gives the appearance of equality, without actually exploring diverse narratives.

Recently in the publishing industry, readers have been calling for more representation within their novels, whether it is the LGBTQ+ community, racially and ethnically diverse readers, people with disabilities, or other marginalised groups of people, and many authors have responded with this easy-way-out tokenism — leaving readers unsatisfied and indignant.

So, what exactly is the difference between token diversity and real representation?

Essentially, tokenism includes a character that checks boxes titled “diversity” in face and name, but does not acknowledge their lived experience.

For example, Cho Chang in the Harry Potter series and Lane Kim in Gilmore Girlsare reduced to harmful stereotypes of their characters (both their names and characteristics) without acknowledging the diverse experiences that East Asian people have. Their Asianness becomes their entire character, yet at the same time, that same Asianness is entirely misunderstood.

In contrast, the recent Oscar-winning film Everything Everywhere All At Once stars East Asian characters whose lives are affected by their race and background. However, they are fully fleshed out characters regardless of it.

As actor, Anna Leong Brophy, said in an interview, she enjoys it when her “Asianness complements a role, but is not the full role.” Real representation acknowledges how someone’s lived experience as a person of colour, queer person, woman, or member of another marginalised community affects their life — but they have genuine feelings, thoughts, and characteristics far beyond simply their race or identity.

The terms “Black dude dies first” and “Bury your gays” are also commonly associated with token representation. Quite self-explanatory, they are tropes in which the cast’s “diverse” characters are killed early, to save the writer from having to explore or acknowledge their experiences.

Not only is this lazy writing that erases diverse narratives, it also creates the subconscious belief that marginalised groups of people have no place in these stories or in commercialised publishing in general. Everyone deserves representation, whether or not the cis-het (cisgender-heterosexual) white reader can relate to the character’s specific cultural experience.

What counts as good representation, then?

Good representation involves any story that includes a diverse cast and follows each of their story lines fully, allowing them to be well-rounded characters that contain depth and get adequate development.

My personal favourite example of this is Leigh Bardugo’s Six of Crows duology, where her cast of six main characters includes Black and Brown people, bisexual and gay people, people from different countries and religions, and people recovering from trauma — all of whom have their own, carefully constructed character arcs that acknowledge their identity, but also give them substance and characteristics far beyond that.

However, this is not to say every story has to be as international — The Poppy War trilogy by R.F. Kuang has a solely East Asian coded cast due to its setting. But even within this, her characters are from different ethnic, religious, and social backgrounds, and each have their own, carefully-constructed character arc extending far beyond their identity on paper.

As you begin writing for Camp NaNoWriMo, ask yourself the following three questions:

Is my cast truly representing the diverse types of people who exist in this world (either real or imagined)?

Are each of these characters individuals beyond simply their ethnicity, sexuality, gender, disability, etc?

Do each of these characters have a fully fleshed out character arc?

You don’t have to be an author from a marginalised or minority background to write characters with diverse experiences. Just make sure to approach each character with empathy and respect, and devote adequate time to research (or to world building, if you’re a fantasy author!)

Good luck, and I know that you are going to absolutely smash your writing goals next month!

Nayantara is an 18 year old student, green tea connoisseur, bookworm, Spotify-playlist-maker, dancer, and writer hoping to study economics and political science at university next year — and hopefully find some time to work on her many unfinished novels in the meantime! Follow her on Instagram @ moonlitsunflowerbooks.

Photo by Ketut Subiyanto from Pexels

#nanowrimo #camp nanowrimo #writing #representation #diverse characters #writing advice #by nano guest #nayantara #characters

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slaughter-books · 1 year

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Day 27: JOMPBPC: Diverse Characters

❤️✊🏻🧡✊🏼💛✊🏽💚✊🏾💙✊🏿💜

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olivescales3 · 5 months

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With the reveal of an NB character in Ninjago, I feel that people are placing this theme on a pedestal because of this one single move of inclusion. Don't get me wrong— I'm glad that LEGO is including LGBTQIA+ identities into their themes, and I genuinely hope they continue doing so, but we're forgetting that they're investing a step forward into a theme that's always going two steps back.

I don't feel like pointing out the issues of Ninjago, especially because it's tiresome and it's not the point of this post, but I remember that there was an entire thread here on Tumblr about the problematic worldbuilding of Ninjago. I might write something about it as well, but it's unlikely.

Chima had a great amount of inclusion and diversity within its cast (though no canon LGBTQIA+ characters, unfortunately):

POC-equivalent characters (brown and blue crocodiles; vultures with tan and bright blue skin colors), of which a few of those are part of tribes that have a motif from predominantly white cultures (Longtooth and Lavertus, who are brown lions in a tribe with a roman motif; Ehboni, Eglor, who are black and dark blue respectively, alongside unnamed eagles of mixed origins [dark blue x white] in a tribe of greek motif, and even Ewald himself isn't white).

A majority of these characters are important to the plot and/or have reoccurring appearances;

Diversity in tribe lifestyles, with the Wolf Tribe being nomadic (and not going through the stereotype of nomadic traders).

Each vehicle in Chima follows the motif and lifestyle of their respective tribe. For example, crocodiles are ambush predators and require camouflage, thus their vehicles are heavily based on military vehicles, with camo colors and strong silhouettes;

Marginalized characters whose arcs actually end with them winning and gaining respect. The Ice Hunters vs. Phoenixes arc was an obvious allegory of colonization, and it ends with the Ice Hunters alive and thriving, while the Phoenixes (who started the war) lost and failed to 'educate' their enemies.

The Crawlers also have their arc finished with an anti-war and pro-diversity lesson, where Laval lends them Chi because it's not supposed to be earned, and instead is free for everyone, even though they had stolen all of Mount Cavora's Chi beforehand;

Characters whose appearance is distinctive and break barriers of ableism are not only present in Chima, but are also treated equally to other characters, without having their differences be a point, argument, or lesson. (Cragger with a blind eye, Crug with a prosthetic jaw, the Raven Tribe as a whole, Leonidas with distinctively shaped incisors and Longtooth with long canines).

However, the Rhinoceros Tribe is an unfortunate exception, as they're constantly depicted as dumb;

The Lion Tribe has a lot of diversity by itself, with lions having a variety of mane colors that represent hair colors in real life. Laval has red hair, Leonidas is ginger, Lavertus is blond, Lennox has brown hair;

Other cultural representations such as Dom de La Woosh being based on Brazilian carnivals;

There's Wonald, a vegan character;

My favorite fact of all: Chima and Chi are both real words who exist in multiple languages, and each of their meanings was instrumental to the interpretation we have in this theme. → Chi means: knowledge in japanese; water (literally) and source of life (figuratively) in chinese; god in igbo. Chima means "god knows all" in igbo → in LoC, the Phoenixes created Chi, which looks like water and is the source of life/knowledge in Chima, and they also sculpted Mount Cavora with each tribe's heads before they had even evolved.

All of this unfortunately flew over most people's heads, which is a bad thing, as all of the effort that was put on Chima's diversity was left unnoticed, but it is also a good thing at the same time, because everything was executed seamlessly and naturally, just like how people should view each other in real life (view one another without discrimination). However, this amount of care and thought put into adding a diverse cast of characters is probably not going to be seen again, in any lego theme or any story made by corporations/companies.

#lego chima #lego legends of chima #legends of chima #diversity #inclusion #inclusivity #diverse characters #inclusive design #inclusive writing #respect #anti war #anti ableism #equality #world building #worldbuilding #for chima #lego

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haileygonzales · 7 months

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Diversity in the Gray Stone Witches series 😊 I always like to explicitly state my canon rep but sometimes it takes until book 2 for me to find a natural way to confirm it.

#aromantic character #aromantic #aro representation #canon aro #fantasy books #alloaro #aro rep #urban fantasy #diverse characters #diverse books #queer representation #kindle books #kindle unlimited #indie author

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autumn2may · 1 year

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WATCH LOCKWOOD AND CO.

okay I don't fangirl about stuff much, but Lockwood and Co is really good and you all should go watch it!

it's a very faithful adaptation of the book series by Jonathan Stroud (the first season covers books one and two)

it has:

a diverse cast

great neurodivergent representation

great handling of depression

fantastic found family story

weird kids being weird kids

ghosts

slow burn love plot

PLUS unique worldbuilding and a plot that twists and turns just the right amount!

so you all should watch it right now! and get the books too!

also NO SPOILERS!! (i haven't gotten through the books yet)

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buckevantommy · 1 year

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totally completely fine

ok. i'm not a fan of australian tv or movies bc they're always overdramatised or too darkly themed or comedic in a way i don't gel with bc i'd rather watch american comedies (not sitcoms, they need to die a firey death). plus i've never really liked the aussie accent, i've found it weirdly unsettling hearing characters speak with aussie voices and maybe that's bc being an aussie myself and wanting to use tv and movies as an escape so having that stark reminder of my own reality means it's harder to suspend and enjoy a different one for a spell. or maybe it's the fact that i, like a great deal of non-americans, have grown up watching american tv so now any non-american accent just sits weird in my brain.

but that's why i need to express my love for this show.

everything from the casting (diverse faces and bodies) and the actors chemistry to the setting and set design, cinematography and soundtrack, and of course the plot and characters themselves. It's so well done. It's a heartfelt dramedy that makes you care keeps you interested in wanting to know how things progress and ultimately turn out. the various relationship dynamics are full of ups and downs and it feels real in that messy way life is.

the premise: vivian is a young mess of an adult who lost her parents in a car crash that she was also in when she was a kid. she's the youngest of 3 siblings who were raised by their grandfather who dies and leaves viv his cliffside beach house. the twist: the house backs onto a picturesque ocean cliff where people go to commit suicide. the grandfather used to try and stop them, and now it's up to viv to try and do the same.

intense stuff so far. but this show is hopeful, it's not super dark even though it does deal with strained relationships and mental health and suicide attempts/ideation. the characters are distinct and the way their lives entwine don't distract from their individual journeys; viv is the main character but enough screentime is given to every supporting character that they all feel like main characters in their own right which is how it should be because that's how life is.

more good news is it's short: only 6 episodes at just under an hour each (it doesn't mince screentime) so i binged it all yesterday when i wasn't feeling great and just. wow. i haven't found anything mentioning a second season but if they did more i'd watch it - but the thing is it ends with both closure and the potential for more exploration of the characters, so it feels like a realistic open ending and works as a single season story.

i don't know if it's available overseas because it was created by and aired here by Stan (which is like our homemade Netflix) but i hope if you guys are interested you'll find a way to watch.

bonus thing for me: seeing this story play out in my home (settings and details) was actually grounding in a way i didn't expect. like i mentioned above, most of us grow up on american tv and maybe some uk stuff and while that's good for an escape it can actually be jarring to get back into our real world. but (with good quality programming like this show) i realise aussie productions can make it a lot easier to connect with the physical world around me (not the digital world), to not feel so alone, and to know that it's worth finding productions from your homeland and they don't hinder the escape of fiction in fact they can aid in grounding it in a believable way.

anyway. just one aussie who doesn't really like aussie-made stuff telling folks to give this show a go because i was pleasantly surprised.

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youtube

(note: if anyone has any questions or concerns about triggering content please message me or reply to this post and i'll fill you in on stuff it does or doesn't feature)

#totally completely fine #watchnotes #aussie tv #.txt #my only criticism is the title music is offputting atonal noise that reminds me of the white lotus title music. it does my head in #though to be fair it suits the darker themes of TCF and the swirling deadly rock-based wave footage #queer characters #diverse characters #storytelling #mental health #there's some behind the scenes interviews on youtube if you want to check those out but they do have spoilers so #tv recs #Youtube

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phycology-lemon · 6 months

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I'm not one for favorites but this show is some of the best shit I've ever seen.

⚠ Light spoilers, but nothing too plot important. Feel free to watch the show first, it's really good. ⚠

It's an amazing way of showing a dystopia because it doesn't shy away from things that would really happen.

A lot of post-apocalyptic fascist dystopia shows have an "Everybody is equal buy they're secretly taking advantage of us!" or "The government is gonna destroy the world!!1!" plotline. Which can be really good and have amazing messages about wealth gaps, discrimination, while keeping it from being a main focus.

Blood dragon remix doesn't just have it as a message, it fuels the plot, it's a large part of many characters because of how it affected them. It's not just there in the background, it stands up and tells you THIS. LOOK AT THIS. THIS IS THE PROBLEM. THE GOVERMENT IS FUCKING EVIL. CAPITALISM IS FUCKING EVIL.

And it's amazing and direct and to the point.

Fascists are fascists and are going to create and enlarge wealth gaps, they will pump propaganda down everyone's throats, and will have wage slavery along with literal slavery.

Racism, sexism, classism and specism (humans aren't the only sentient beings here), homophobia, will still be present if not more common and enabled. The most powerful people will say whatever they want because THEY CAN. And they could destroy everything you love if you so much as look at them the wrong way.

And despite how far gone the world seems, how much easier it would be to leave it all behind, it would still be there. Eating away at you, destroying lives, standing tall on the bodies of millions. And despite the entire world being against you, despite your past, despite everything they say you are, you're going to change things. You're going to tear it down and build something better. Something new.

#captain laserhawk #lgbtq shows #diverse characters #antifascist #netflix #adult animation #adult animated series

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ya-world-challenge · 1 year

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Alright, I made a challenge! If anyone wants to read globally with me, I made a little list of prompts, neatly divisible by 12 months, plus a bonus. If you want to track your progress, I set it up on Storygraph, too - the link is below.

Tag your posts with "#ya world challenge" ! You don't have to read YA, but I want to see all your posts. :D Also please reblog to spread the word.

YA World Challenge 2023 prompts

By a Caribbean author

Features a religion not your own

Historical/contemporary fiction in a country not your own

Set in Latin America

European book in translation

Features a minority group in your country

Desi lead character, or set on the Indian subcontinent

By an Australian or New Zealand author

A non-Western sci-fi or fantasy world

Set in Asia

By an African author

Minority or non-US disabled character

LGBTQIA+ book in translation

About immigrants or refugees

Set in the Middle East

By an indigenous author

Diversity jackpot! Team of characters of varying cultures

By a Pacific Islander author

Set somewhere you'd like to travel

Non-Western mythology or fairy tale

Memoir of someone outside your cultural group

A country you heard about on the news

Focus on environment or climate

Eastern European or Slavic book

Bonus! Roll a random number and read a book for that country (my personal method, see instructions below)

Storygraph challenge link is here

Roll a random number and read a book for that country

Go to random.org and generate a number from 8 to 215.

Go to my spreadsheet here, and find your number. Use my picks or find your own!

Goodreads lists or this group are helpful for finding books. (If I'm having trouble, I'll allow myself a culturally relevant fantasy world as substitute. Or you can reroll if you get a particularly difficult country!)

If you don't want to include the territories from my list, an "official" list of 195 is here, enter 1 to 195 in the randomizer.

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blueheartbookclub · 4 months

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"The Spirit Land: S. B. Emmons Unveils a Mesmerizing Journey into the Ethereal Unknown"

In "The Spirit Land," S. B. Emmons orchestrates an enchanting symphony of mysticism, folklore, and spiritual exploration. Published with an air of secrecy and allure, the novel takes readers on a spellbinding journey into the uncharted realms of the ethereal. From the very first page, Emmons weaves a narrative tapestry that blurs the lines between reality and the supernatural, beckoning readers into a world where the unseen forces of the spirit land hold sway.

The story follows a diverse cast of characters, each intricately connected by their encounters with the mystical. As the plot unfolds, Emmons skillfully navigates through ancient legends, forgotten folklore, and the threads of fate that bind the living to the spectral. The prose, rich in vivid descriptions and poetic imagery, transports readers to landscapes both familiar and fantastical, as the characters traverse the spirit land in pursuit of understanding, redemption, and connection.

Emmons' narrative prowess lies in the delicate balance between suspense and revelation. Each chapter unfolds like an unwritten spell, drawing readers deeper into the enigmatic allure of the spirit land. The novel grapples with themes of identity, destiny, and the inexorable ties that bind the living and the departed. The characters, whether mortal or ethereal, are painted with a depth that invites empathy and resonates with the universal human quest for meaning.

At its core, "The Spirit Land" is a captivating exploration of the unknown, an ode to the mysteries that lie beyond the veil of the tangible. Emmons masterfully blends elements of fantasy and spirituality, creating a narrative that transcends genre boundaries. The novel's intrigue is heightened by its ability to provoke contemplation on the nature of existence, the afterlife, and the profound connections that endure beyond the boundaries of time.

In conclusion, "The Spirit Land" stands as a testament to S. B. Emmons' literary prowess and ability to captivate readers with an evocative blend of the supernatural and the profound. This novel is not merely a story; it is an invitation to embark on an extraordinary journey, where the ethereal mysteries of the spirit land become a captivating backdrop to the universal human experience. Emmons' work is a testament to the enduring power of storytelling to transport us into realms where the ordinary dissolves, and the extraordinary comes to life.

"The Spirit Land," by S. B. Emmons is available in Amazon in paperback 16.99$ and hardcover 24.99$ editions.

Number of pages: 424

Language: English

Rating: 8/10

Link of the book!

Review By: King's Cat

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rockislandadultreads · 2 years

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AAPI Literature: Fiction Picks

The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki

After the tragic death of his beloved musician father, fourteen-year-old Benny Oh begins to hear voices. The voices belong to the things in his house--a sneaker, a broken Christmas ornament, a piece of wilted lettuce. Although Benny doesn't understand what these things are saying, he can sense their emotional tone; some are pleasant, a gentle hum or coo, but others are snide, angry and full of pain. When his mother, Annabelle, develops a hoarding problem, the voices grow more clamorous. At first, Benny tries to ignore them, but soon the voices follow him outside the house, onto the street and at school, driving him at last to seek refuge in the silence of a large public library, where objects are well-behaved and know to speak in whispers. There, Benny discovers a strange new world, where "things happen." He falls in love with a mesmerizing street artist with a smug pet ferret, who uses the library as her performance space. He meets a homeless philosopher-poet, who encourages him to ask important questions and find his own voice amongst the many. And he meets his very own Book--a talking thing--who narrates Benny's life and teaches him to listen to the things that truly matter.

Fiona and Jane by Jean Chen Ho

Best friends since second grade, Fiona Lin and Jane Shen explore the lonely freeways and seedy bars of Los Angeles together through their teenage years, surviving unfulfilling romantic encounters, and carrying with them the scars of their families' tumultuous pasts. Fiona was always destined to leave, her effortless beauty burnished by fierce ambition--qualities that Jane admired and feared in equal measure. When Fiona moves to New York and cares for a sick friend through a breakup with an opportunistic boyfriend, Jane remains in California and grieves her estranged father's sudden death, in the process alienating an overzealous girlfriend. Strained by distance and unintended betrayals, the women float in and out of each other's lives, their friendship both a beacon of home and a reminder of all they've lost. In stories told in alternating voices, Jean Chen Ho's debut collection peels back the layers of female friendship--the intensity, resentment, and boundless love--to probe the beating hearts of young women coming to terms with themselves, and each other, in light of the insecurities and shame that holds them back. Spanning countries and selves, Fiona and Jane is an intimate portrait of a friendship, a deep dive into the universal perplexities of being young and alive, and a bracingly honest account of two Asian women who dare to stake a claim on joy in a changing, contemporary America.

Joan Is Okay by Weike Wang

Joan is a thirtysomething ICU doctor at a busy New York City hospital. The daughter of Chinese parents who came to the United States to secure the American dream for their children, Joan is intensely devoted to her work, happily solitary, successful. She does look up sometimes and wonder where her true roots lie: at the hospital, where her white coat makes her feel needed, or with her family, who try to shape her life by their own cultural and social expectations. Once Joan and her brother, Fang, were established in their careers, her parents moved back to China, hoping to spend the rest of their lives in their homeland. But when Joan’s father suddenly dies and her mother returns to America to reconnect with her children, a series of events sends Joan spiraling out of her comfort zone just as her hospital, her city, and the world are forced to reckon with a health crisis more devastating than anyone could have imagined. Deceptively spare yet quietly powerful, laced with sharp humor, Joan Is Okay touches on matters that feel deeply resonant: being Chinese-American right now; working in medicine at a high-stakes time; finding one’s voice within a dominant culture; being a woman in a male-dominated workplace; and staying independent within a tight-knit family. But above all, it’s a portrait of one remarkable woman so surprising that you can’t get her out of your head.

At Least You Have Your Health by Madi Sinha

Dr. Maya Rao is a gynecologist trying to balance a busy life. With three young children, a career, and a happy marriage, she should be grateful--on paper, she has it all. But after a disastrous encounter with a patient, Maya is forced to walk away from the city hospital where she's spent her entire career. A new opportunity arises when Maya enrolls her daughter at an exclusive private school and crosses paths with Amelia DeGilles. Amelia is the owner and entrepreneur behind Eunoia Women's Health, a concierge wellness clinic that specializes in house calls for its clientele of wealthy women for whom no vitamin infusion or healing crystal is too expensive. All Eunoia needs is a gynecologist to join its ranks. Amid visits to her clients' homes to educate and empower, and occasionally to remove crystals from bodily orifices, Maya comes to idolize the beautiful, successful Amelia. But Amelia's life isn't as perfect as it seems, and when Amelia's teenaged daughter is struck with a mysterious ailment, Maya must race to uncover the reason before it's too late. In the process, she risks losing what's most important to her and bringing to light a secret of her own that she's been desperately trying to keep hidden.

#fiction #contemporary fiction #aapi authors #AAPI #AAPI Characters #asian american heritage month #asian american pacific islander heritage month #contemporary #diverse characters #literary #literary fiction #to read #tbr #reading recommendations #Book Recommendations #booklr #booktok #library books #new books

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heathercauthor · 1 year

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Who's your favourite unhinged character?

𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥𝐲𝐩𝐬𝐞. 𝐀𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐞𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐚𝐬 𝐚 𝐤𝐧𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐩𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟.

Welcome to the 'begrudging alliance' YA apocalypse novel, Earth Sucks! A bisexual boy named Feng is both the hunter and the hunted, searching for his missing family in a world controlled by the alien intruders who are trying to get him to stop blowing their shit up.

Life gets worse when he must befriend one of the alien creatures to survive. She grew up on stories of humans, and Feng’s about to upend everything she’s ever known.

Available on Amazon, Kobo, and b&n! Sequel coming soon!

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plushypotato · 1 year

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request from @usernamesarehardtocreateman

What a lovely oc they have!!

#fanart #digital art #original character #request #my art <3 #have to start drawing more #diverse characters #but they a cutie fr fr

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the-missann · 1 year

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~Writeblr Introduction~

So, I'm not good at introductions. However, I've done this before, so maybe it'll be easier now.

Hi, I'm an aspiring writer who wants nothing more than the world to have a favorite character who actually looks like them. Being an introvert; I usually write stories about loneliness, isolation, anxiety and longing. My usual genres are YA, Romance, Fantasy, Supernatural, Adventure, and recently I'm getting into Comedy, Sci-fi, and Satire.

I try and make my stories very inclusive. I showcase my characters in a way where they're not liked for their ethnicity, but you like them and they just so happen to be a POC.

I'm also teaching myself to draw.

I wouldn't say I have WIPs when most my stories have more the 30k+ words, but I'll tell you all about a few I'm working on.

A little BG before that, just so there's no confusion. I have a very big universe I've built where I follow my one MC, Cassie, through several different reincarnation stories.

The Demonic Repentance

Genre: YA, Romance, & Supernatural

Akuma is a Demon tasked with fixing Hell after the ruler ruins it with his selfish desires. Having no other choice, he goes outside of Hell in order to find a solution. Instead of a solution he finds an Angel.

This is probably the most edited and actually finished stories of mine.

A Collection of Short Stories: Quiet Girl

Genre: Comedy

When it comes to talking, Cassie finds it to be too much work and opts to think instead. Plus, with ten guys who never leave her alone, it is just a bit better to stay quiet and leave a good impression.

Cassie ventures through her twenties as she tries to live through adulthood while also trying to keep her heart beating every time she sees someone she likes.

This is a Harem story that's more crude than it is overtly sexual. Just adult jokes more than anything.

The Makings of a Love Story

Genre: YA & Romance

After dealing with her first break up, Cassie struggles to return to herself, leaving herself open to yet another relationship much too soon. However, this new relationship isn't anything like her pervious one and has the chance to be better for her, if she learns from the past.

I'm currently having writer's block with this one.

Kingdom of Bumalia

Genre: Fantasy & Romance

The turbulent history of a long lost kingdom. The True Blood within the family is untouched by Lower Blood, until one prince is born. He wants nothing more than his kingdom to prosper and takes a risk unlike his ancestors.

I'm reworking this, so I technically finished this years ago, but it's horribly written by my standards now, lol.

A Fourth Dimension Reality

Genre: YA, Comedy, Satire, & Sci-fi

What happens when you live somewhere you don't belong? Those feelings of being alone and thinking you're the odd one out are over with when you realize you do belong on Earth.

However, Larson and Cassie don't. Being from another dimension is the tie that keeps them together while navigating the strange reality they were stuck in.

This is by far my favorite story, I've written close to 100k words and I'm not sure when I'm gonna actually end it.

I have lots of other stories that are nearly done, but I dislike writing endings because 1. I suck at them and 2. That would mean ending my story and that's such a hard pill to swallow.

That's it from me, I'd love to hear from any of you. I'm pretty easy going and accept almost everyone. So don't be like me and be shy, interact and maybe we could be friends!

#looking for friends #writeblur #writers of tumblr #women writers #creative writing #diverse characters #female writers #magical character #writing community #writing #writing side of tumblr #writing friends #introvert #shygirl #terrible at introductions #i prob will ghost cuz I get overwhlmed easily #romance writer #ya writers #poc characters

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authorrmpearcy · 1 year

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In the book I’m writing there are a few trans characters and while some being trans is a part of their narrative, others are just existing and them being trans isn’t important to mention. I know in real life nobody owes it to you to tell you their life story and if they are LGBTQ+ and that’s how I feel about these characters however I know representation in media matters so I’m not sure if I need to make it clear who is part of the LGBTQ+ community even if it’s not relevant to the story being told.

Thoughts? I want to make sure I’m supporting our trans siblings and representing them in the correct way.

#booklr #books #ya fiction #ya #indie author #lgbtaq #queer books #queer ya #diverse characters #trans questions #representation matters

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deaf-and-hoh-character-showdown · 11 months

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Hello all!

What is this showdown about?

This is a poll to determine the ultimate Deaf/HoH character.

Who can be submitted?

Any character with any level or type of hearing loss can be entered. Real people cannot be entered.

Where can characters be submitted?

Submissions can be in the comments or reblogs of this post. They can also be submitted in an ask. Propaganda is encouraged.

When will this completion run?

Submissions will run until June 7th, with the actual showdown starting in the next couple of days after. Each round will run for a week.

Why did we do this?

Because we thought it would be fun

About the Blog Runners:

There’s two of us. We’re both Hard of Hearing. We both use she/they pronouns. We’re twins. Update: you can also find us over at @disabled-characters-showdown

Disclaimer:

Part. 1: If we don’t get a lot submissions we’ll just use what characters we know to run this poll.

Part. 2: Please tell us if we are using the wrong terminology for something, we are trying our best but mistakes can happen.

Part. 3: If by some strange happening of chance we end up with too many characters, the ones to not be run in the showdown would be the ones closest to reality or characters that only show up for a very short amount of time and have minimal impact on the plot.

Part. 4: If you have an issue with one of the characters, ask and we’ll figure out what to do from there.

Part. 5: We will be running a LGBTQ Deaf/HoH character showdown before this starts, but because that’s not a lot of characters it’s not gonna be it’s own thing.

(Profile picture is of Amaya from The Dragon Prince because we are kinda biased.)

#hard of hearing #deafness #fandom polls #poll bracket #diverse characters #deaf #disability #disabilties #polls #poll

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buckevantommy · 11 months

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Sorry do you hate marvel or not? You reblogged a gif set from moon knight, that straight up nonsense show, saying they should give a show to one of the supporting characters? You know if you hate marvel media you can just not watch it right

marvel needs to die a fiery death.

i love stucky but the studio either queerbaited or was clueless or queerphobic plus steve's endgame made no sense. i love rdj's tony stark but he deserved better. they sexualised natasha to the nth degree rather than let scarjo work her drama muscles then killed her off rather than let her retire. moon knight was a mess but it was heartwrenching and different and oscar isaac deserves an award for that portrayal and i have a crush on layla and think may would crush a solo show - an egyptian superhero! (sidenote: i watched hawkeye recently and hated it but the deaf woc who got a redemption arc is getting her own show which is great).

i can care about characters and still hate their treatment - I'm an spn fan, it's second nature for me.

one of the many problems with the mcu is they're churning out multiple shows and movies per year which means they're not giving time to flesh out characters and plots like they deserve to be but it ALSO means a lot of eyes are on them bc when you crank out that much content in this day and age you HAVE to give diverse representation so we're seeing more and more poc characters in shows and on the big screen thanks to the mcu - eternals, shang-chi, moon knight, ms marvel, echo, blue beetle - and yes the mcu's diverse rep is problematic bc they care more about flash than substance and more about algorithms than grounded characterisations but you can't deny that the mcu has helped bring diverse casting into mainstream media. the worst company you know did a good thing, or however the saying goes. think back to the first avenger movies and how whitebred supermodel cishet they were. but thanks to societal influence and the changing of times, it became a necessity to have more poc characters in the mcu. the audience expected it.

however when it comes to queer rep, we've seen a lot more racially and bodily diverse casting and poc characters than we have queer characters. the first onscreen gay kiss took 26 movies and happened in Eternals, and other queer characters have been blink and you'll miss it moments or throwaway lines many viewers don't realise signified queer characters and instead misinterpreted those comments as humour or commentary. we've had a few queer side characters (negasonic x yukio, ayo x aneka, valkyrie, korg) but we're to yet to see a main queer character - and regardless of intention or comic book canon, throwaway lines, possible flirting, and jokes do not qualify as queer rep imho. so loki, deadpool, and tony stark don't count. it has to be explicit and undeniable, not catered to queerphobes so they can easily misinterpret.

but my point is: the mcu is a powerhouse that's been dominating the superhero genre and blockbuster charts for two decades, and from their success they've bet big in planning and putting into production dozens of shows and movies set to be released over the next decade. and that is a terrifying thought. they can't predict the future but they're trying to create content to fit a world that hasn't come into being yet. they're already behind the times on queer rep so i dont have high hopes for whatever they have coming queer-rep wise. but aside from that, their storytelling has become trite and so convoluted that they trade sense for the surprise factor. they're writing characters and plots to fit algorithm parameters like someone trying to say every buzzword in their work presentation. just look at Quantumania: a mess from start to finish in plot, dialogue, characterisations, not to mention stilted acting from a cast forced to act the majority of the film on greenscreen with no physical interactions to ground their performances.

i could go on and on but this post would get long and i'm no expert I'm just your average viewer and tumblr user looking for plots that make sense in stories i want to enjoy because i care about (or want to care about) the characters. if only the mcu cared as much about their characters as they do about big budget seizure inducing interdimensional battle scenes. as for genuine queer rep: maybe in 3 years we'll see a pair of same-sex lips gentle colliding like two pale coconuts. or maybe the mcu will crash and burn (or fizzle out) long before then.

i wanna be done with their stranglehold on the genre since they can't even produce decent shit these days. i want all the strikes going on atm to see creative teams get what they're owed. i want the next dozen mcu productions to flop so they realise they're not hot shit anymore. i want the streamer service upheaval to screw over their longterm plans. i want viewers and bloggers and journalists to call them out for being like the very villains they set up for their heroes to defeat - villains who want to control the cinematic universe, kill off competition, and screw over anyone they consider beneath them.

so yes, i hate the mcu. but there are characters i care about, and plots i wish were done better. but that's why fanfiction exists.

#anti marvel #anti mcu #.txt #diverse characters #queer characters #representation matters #lgbtqia

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