Anonymous asks:
I feel pressured to make most of my characters a POC because of the tumblr community :/
The call and the pressure for representation did not begin with tumblr communities, but I can help you relieve this pressure:
- Step One: When people call for diversity and representation for an underrepresented group of people, pay attention. Don’t get defensive. Don’t use a :/ in response as if characters of color are inferior or as if someone wanting representation is a bad thing.
- Step Two: Research POC in fiction, research problematic portrayals, research what not to do, research why representation is important, research harmful tropes. and read blogs written by POC that are about POC in the media and in fiction.
- Step Three: Write characters of color. Keep your research in mind when writing.
- Step Four: If you make mistakes, learn from them. It’s okay to mess up as long as you correct your mistakes and respond to criticisms of your mistakes in a professional, calm, and respectful way. Keep writing.
- Step Five: Don’t expect praise.
- Step Six: For lgbt+ characters, well-written female characters, and for writing cultures or religions other than your own, repeat steps 1-5.
- Step Seven: By following these steps, you are bettering yourself as a writer, as a reader, and as a person. Writing should not be a chore.
When you stop seeing the act of writing POC as a chore or as a burden and when you realize the importance of representation, the pressure will be lifted.
