#struggle novel

[writingwithcolor]

A Careful Balance: Portraying a Black Character's Relationship with their Hair

@writingraccoon said:

My character is black in a dungeons and dragons-like fantasy world. His name is Kazuki Haile (pronounced hay-lee), and his mother is this world's equivalent of Japanese, which is where his first name is from, while his father is this world's equivalent of Ethiopian, which is where his last name is from. He looks much more like his father, and has hair type 4a. I plan to make his character very finnicky about his hair, both enjoying styling it, but also often being unsure how to style it (not in that he doesn't know how to, but has so many options for how to style it, he has trouble choosing). However, I know that there are some very harmful ways to write black hair, especially in regards to how the black character themselves feels about it. Kazuki does not hate his hair, in fact he takes joy in it, and I'm researching black hair and hair styles to be as accurate as possible. But I'm unsure if portraying a black character as occasionally overwhelmed by or vain about his hair is negative. How would you suggest either changing this or making it work? Does it need to be changed in the first place?

Black Character Overwhelmed by Curly Afro Hair

Your Black character wanting his hair to look its best and at times feeling overwhelmed seems reasonable and natural to me. It appears their challenge comes with how to style it. Not so much with struggling how it looks or how hard it is to manage. That is good, as this further helps avoid placing a strong negative focus on Black hair. 

Him caring a lot about how it is style should not be deemed vain or frivolous, either. In any case, hair care is self care. There’s nothing wrong with having pride with your hair, especially hair that mainstream society, historically and present, might say is not beautiful. This still matters, even in a fantasy world, since your readers still exist in this reality. It’s empowering and a welcome change to see someone who loves their afro hair, actually.

There are unique factors someone with coily afro hair would experience vs. straight, wavy, or looser curls, but people struggling with their hair (too frizzy, too flat, too limp, too thin, too thick!) is universal. 

There is a delicate balance to achieve.

Avoid Writing a Black Hair Journey Experience 

An overall negative Afro hair journey might be the reality for many, especially when society deems Afro hair as unacceptable and slaps so many uninvited opinions, laws and policies over its existence and on certain styles (again, historically and very much at present), but that’s the kind of story that is best handled by someone with the background. Someone willing to commit to the research might also be able to pull it off, although it’s truly not the kind of thing an escapism novel needs in my opinion. If the story is not meant to delve into “A Black /Black Hair Experience” then I'd avoid going that route. That is moving a bit towards a struggle narrative, depending on how much it defines your character’s story.

Add positive and neutral hair language and interactions

For your writing, I’d avoid using unchallenged negative language about his hair. Being overwhelmed at times and frustrated is one thing and expected. If his hair is constantly brought up, and is associated with uncontrollable, ugly, or too [insert struggle here], then rethink the direction you’re going. 

Add some positive or neutral terms, reactions, and interactions in the narrative towards afro hair, such as describing color and texture.

“His fine coils bounced in the wind.” 

“Hair black and shiny” 

“She wore her hair in two large, fluffy buns.”

“He admired his fresh, neat braids in the mirror, smiling at his reflection, before turning to leave.”

Another tip: It may have been for research purposes, but leave out any hair number categorizing in the story and rely on description. I’d say this goes for any story, as reading the number would feel off. 

“He had coily 4a hair.” Nahh! :P 

Also, I would suggest sending all passages that focus on his hair to a Black sensitivity reader for review.

More reading:

~Mod Colette

#asks #black #black hair #hair #afro hair #description #tragedy exploitation #struggle novel #creator responsibility #representation #guides #writeblr

[theyoungwritersmind-aristanelson]

#wip #work in progress #progress is progress #novel writing #writing meme #writer memes #writer problems #the life of a writer #wannabe author #wip meme #wip jokes #writer fail #fiction writing #am writing #creative writing #I wrote one sentence today but it still counts #writing is hard #writing struggles #writing progress #writing process #writing takes forever

[char-writes]

3AM writing brain: We came up with so many ideas today!

Daytime writing brain: You put twelve unconnected words into a note app and there is not a single complete sentence to be found

3AM writing brain:

#wip #work in progress #words #novel writing #writing meme #writer memes #writer problems #writer life #author #wip meme #wip jokes #writers #fiction #am writing #creative writing #relatable #spiled ink #writing struggles #writing progess #writing process #late night thoughts

[2soulscollide]

tips to level up your writing skills

1. read, read, read

okay, I know, everyone keeps saying it... but it's true, and I truly believe the more you read, the better you write, because you come across different writing styles, different voices, new characters, and worlds. This applies to every writer, from amateur to professional.

2. practice makes perfect

another cliché, right.

but hear me out: I feel so much more confident about my writing skills when I write daily, rather than when I write a bit occasionally. you get lots of work done, see your book coming to life, and get better at it.

3. create an outline before you start writing

guysss, I know many people like to go with the flow, but I would recommend planning your novel before writing it, especially if it is one of your first projects.

when I started, I refused to plot my novel because I thought it was a waste of time, and I couldn't plan it all ahead. turns out that I could never finish my novels, because I started to get lost in the plot. as most of you may know, I LOVEEE to plot now!

4. use active voice instead of passive voice

passive voice is alright sometimes. I like to use it, too. but to create an immersive experience for the reader, you should go for the active voice since it creates more impact.

see something like this:

"the letter was written by Marcus who had tears in his eyes." VS "Marcus wrote the letter with tears in his eyes."

such a basic example (don't judge me!!)... but can you notice the difference? it seems so much more expressive.

5. avoid using overly complex language

repeat it after me: short. sentences. are. valid.

don't overcomplicate it! I know it's tempting to write huge sentences sometimes and make your book seem more complex and professional, but sometimes it just doesn't come out as expected, and we end up exhausting our readers.

6. don't just for yourself

this can be a polemic topic. it's quite common to see people saying you should write for yourself, but let's be honest here: if you're trying to get your book published, you should have your target public in mind while developing your book. knowing your audience to know what works and what doesn't work is extremely important. but hey, you must also enjoy what you're writing!

7. use dialogue!!!

I find dialogue so important, and I love it so much! ensure you develop a distinctive voice for your characters to make them seem real to the reader. also, if possible, read the dialogue out loud and imagine if it would work out in real life.

8. don't be afraid to use metaphors

metaphors will turn a "basic" work into something more sophisticated when applied in the right places. you might want to avoid overusing it because it can ruin the experience, but it's something up to you, and what feels better to you.

9. research your topic before writing

okay, this is pretty self-explanatory. if you're writing about a topic or a location you don't know much about, avoid making assumptions or clichés. instead, do some research, take notes, or even ask chatgpt questions to help you.

10. don't be afraid to experiment and try new things

I was a fanfiction writer for a long time and was so scared to try original fiction because it seemed so much different from what I was accustomed to doing. however, once I decided to try something new, I discovered I liked to do it more than fanfiction. you'll never know until you try it!

11. never give up on your writing, keep practicing and learning to improve your skills

it takes time to acquire new skills, so if you're new to writing, please don't give up! It's fun and a long path, and I promise you'll love it, even more, the more you write!

I hope this was helpful! <3 have a nice day

also, i just released a new freebie!!! it's a free workbook for writers with over 90 pages to guide you through the process of plotting a novel. you might be interested in checking it out!! :D click here

#wriblr #writeblr #writing inspiration #writing prompts #writing advice #writers #writing #writer tips #writerscommunity #writing help #writing resources #writing tips #writer problems #amateur writer #tips for writers #fiction novel #fiction tips #original fiction #original writing #author struggles #authors #author #writer #novelwriting #novelist #novosautores #escritores #novelista #fanfiction writer #writer's block

[k41tlyn8487]

This is me right now trying to read Franz Kafkas Metamorphosis for my Drama and Theatre Studies exam

#punk #chronic pain #actually autistic #autism #autistic community #mental illness #actually neurodiverse #adult adhd #adhd stuff #adhd struggles #dyslexia #dyslectic #metamorphosis #franz kafka #novella #light novel #theatre #frantic assembly #attention deficit disorder (add) #attention deficit hyperactivity disorder #reading #literature #screenplay #metaphore #nature vs nurture #total drama #theatre student #theatre stuff #dyslexic #dyspraxia

[miixz]

Mu Qing being chosen as the major representation for lower class struggles in the TGCF fandom (as far as I've seen it at least) is a choice that I find... interesting.

I understand where it's coming from, of course, and I see how his bitterness at the class system could be relatable, but it feels odd to me that Hua Cheng is missing from those discussions while we've seen that he was very much not living in any luxury as a child. He was in fact worse off than MQ who got to study cultivation and work for the prince.

I don't quite know how to put this into words, but I do think it says something about unconscious biases that the man who was able to ascend and enjoy being at the highest class he could possibly aspire to be while doing nothing to further criticize those systems is the one propped up, while the one who did achieve success but through unconventional means isn't.

Being the king of a city full of ghosts just isn't as glamorous of a fantasy to live vicariously through as a golden palace in the heavens, I suppose, in spite of this being something MXTX is actively criticizing in her book.

#tgcf #i don't think anyone is inherently bad for this or anything #but i do think there's some unexamined bias going on when hc's relationship with class struggles gets ignored while mq's gets propped up #especially on occasions in which the flaws in mq's logic (that he admits himself later on in the novel) go unexplored

[anghraine]

Darcy's role in P&P would work for me anyway, but tbh it works for me 10x better because he halfway reverts back to form towards the end of the book.

#so many takes on darcy seem to think his presentation of himself at pemberley is a permanent radical transformation of his personality #and the end point of his character arc #and it's explicitly not a static end point in that way #his inwards change is real but how much that translates into outwards presentation depends on the context #like late-novel darcy trying to compliment mrs bennet and doing it in a way that reads as icy and brusque is just peak darcy #the difference isn't that he's become personable in this social context; he's not! but he's doing his best now #and this being an ongoing struggle at which he sometimes comically fails is so much more austen #than the total transformation into a perfect dreamboat narrative #but yeah i love that austen goes out of her way at the end to yank him out of his fulfillment enclosures and underscores his foibles #anghraine babbles #austen blogging #austen fanwank #lady anne blogging #fitzwilliam darcy

[intermundia]

the final dialogue exchange between obi-wan and anakin as friends, the moment before obi-wan leaves for utapau and anakin spirals into darkness, is a bit extended in stover's novelization from what's used in the movie, and it makes me sick haha with the amount of gentle validation obi-wan offers, how much he clearly loves anakin and believes in him... it's heartbreaking.

from the page before, we know they're touching here, with obi-wan gripping both anakin's mechanical hand and squeezing his arm, holding him tight as he praises him. anakin just apologized to him, said "your friendship means everything to me," showing vulnerability and admitting his flaws, so aware that he was disappointing obi-wan, and obi-wan can't help but reach for him, hold him, reassure him.

like those who say obi-wan didn't give anakin enough emotional support... i think he tried. he really tried. it just wasn't enough. like there's something so tender and beautiful about, you are a credit to the jedi order, you have greatness of spirit, your virtues are courage, generosity, compassion, commitment, you have done great things, i am very proud of you. he sees him, knows him, adores him.

but then, of course, the knife twist of the end of the chapter, with obi-wan departing, painfully innocent of the horror to come, and anakin walking slowly, head hanging, back toward his speeder because, of course, the chancellor was waiting. he's leaving obi-wan's gentle orbit and moving directly, inexorably into the open jaws of the sith. goodbye, old friend. jfc it hurts

#obikin #anakin skywalker #obi-wan kenobi #rots novelization my beloved #pain and suffering #sw #the way obi-wan clings to him for a long moment #just like how he's attached he struggles to let go #just... i die

[glorious-destruction]

credit to knightbooks.52643 on ig

#writing #writeblr #writer #writer struggles #writer life #novel #book #literature #manuscript #writing advice #atla #zuko #avatar #writing help #writing motivation

[writingwithcolor]

Black girl angel harshly judged and banished from a second chance at life

furryfaceandthefeelgoodfairy asked:

My MC is a black girl who, due to dying before her 18th birthday, is granted access to a child/teenage oriented afterlife for a second chance at life, the angels are granted elemental powers used to help mortals. However the angel leader fails to fully help the children in her care; she believes they must all be fully pure, and banishes any child who has committed any wrong doing or serious mistake in their mortal lives. These banished angels form their own gang; their specific leader is white. I don’t know what my MC did yet but I do know it will be a mistake she made when she was young that was not her fault, but is banished for it anyway. My MC sneaks back into angel land and the leader is so impressed by her intelligence that she let’s her stay, but gives her the “dangerous” power of fire as a warning to other angels to stay away from her.

My MC’s arc revolves around her eventually-found friends supporting her through the emotional abuse she has been through, and eventually accepting that whatever “wrong” mistake she made was not her fault because she was a child, the adults around her should have supported her, and escaping the abuse of the angel leader. She also learns to love her fire power and it aids her greatly on the story’s journey.

My main cast consists of 5 characters of colour and 4 white characters; the angel world and the banished angel world are full of different races, with a main angel character being mixed race and a main banished angel character being white. Are there any pitfalls you think I should avoid when it comes to writing this, in a way that makes it clear my MC is being unfairly judged for what she did as a child rather than because she’s black? Thank you.

Showing us that many young people of different races and backgrounds are unfairly judged is key. This way, you’re not singling out the Black character, judging her more harshly and as less innocent than her white and other counterparts, as they do in real life (criminalizing young Black kids, seeing them as more grown and less innocent, etc.) 

If you’re making a specific commentary, then sure, you could single her out. It should be handled intentionally and you’d want to make sure you’re equipped to write on such a complex, historically-rooted matter of discrimination.

You want to avoid those implications, it seems. So avoid it with purpose:

Show us how other angels have made mistakes on a similar or lesser level of “Bad” that has got them banished.

Show the pain and judgment that others experience so we know it isn’t just her.

Also: perhaps avoid gruesome details about her death (particularly if others don’t have theirs described / described in explicit details)

On that note, how does she die? A death with exceptional pain and suffering, compared to others, can fall into tragedy exploitation. 

You mention emotional abuse. 

Did she face this abuse as a human, or is she being emotionally abused by these angels? 

Are others experiencing abuse or hardships, or is she the only one who truly suffers in the story?

 Is the Black girl experiencing a higher level of pain and abuse than others?

Watch out if the answer is yes to those last questions, as again, you may be making a struggle novel with an abused Black woman. A tragedy exploitative narrative.

From the details you’ve given, though, it seems you’re on the right track. Just keep these things in mind. Sounds like an interesting story!

~Mod Colette

#Black #Black women #abuse #abuse tw #emotional abuse #tragedy exploitation #pain and suffering #Black pain #struggle novel #abused Black woman #asks

[valravn72]

Apparently the ATLA graphic novels are on Webtoon now.

While I’m excited for them to get a wider audience I honestly doubt that Gene Leun Yang and the rest of the graphic novel team came up with this idea on their own terms and there’s no way whoever suggested it had 100% the integrity of the art and the artists at heart.

So yeah, you can read them for free now. That’s nice.

But as someone who has read through all the artist commentary and seen how much went into this series it really pains me to see this happen. I hope the team has been compensated in some way for this, they all seem like great people and it’s been fantastic to have an Avatar series actually primarily written by someone of East Asian descent, especially one that goes out of its way to address issues the series couldn’t.

It also sickens me in a lot of ways that webcomics, a format once utilized to escape the constraints of publishing, has become another industry built on artists having to let companies make decisions about their art for them.

#atla #avatar the last airbender #webcomic #dark horse comics #gene luen yang #graphic novels #legend of korra #webtoon #corporate greed #artist struggles #disclaimer: I don’t know anything about how this decision happened #if you have any information please feel free to share #webcomics

[blueaxolot1]

Anthropomorphized red flag

#echo vn #echo visual novel #sketch #art #echo project #echovn #leo alvarez #Yellow tape bc the edges began warping :( #Idk why I struggled on his head so much lmao

[yume-fanfare]

good old-fashioned lover boy

#i think he is. a romantic loserboy at heart #tsukasa suou #tori himemiya #ritsu sakuma #narukami arashi #torikasa #enstars #ensemble stars #art tag #drew something else for this and after a long program crash n some other struggles decided i didn't like it anymore so #i couldve posted this hours ago #also i originally wrote another song's lyrics in the first pic........ #but i think this much more well-known one drives my point across better so #if the composition kind of falls badly on the first one thats what's missing <//3 #''couldn't you have written something else'' hm. no #ok thats enough of a rant. #tsukasa guy who gets his romance ideas from jane austen novels and is just. old-fashioned in a cute way #his whole thing is being chivalrous amd gallant in an old-fashioned way so of course he'd be like that abt dating too don't you think

[r-aindr0p]

back from vacation finallyyyy

I'm currently mid vol3 of svsss and I love this snake so much ahhh, snake fruit cookie guest because he's been living in my mind too recently

#svsss #scum villian self saving system #shen qingqiu #zhuzhi lang #sqq #zzl #decided to draw zzl my own way because i struggle with the novel's design but i love it very much #snakeboye my beloved #snake fruit cookie #cookie run #shitpost

[miramelindamusings]

More sketches for the Rikai adventure/search for Sora AU :) I’ve been watching alot of Disney’s output in the 60s/70s and I’ve really enjoyed them! So here is Robin Hood and sketches of what Riku and Kairi could possibly look like and their disguises for the archery tournament. It could be fun to see them disguised as Lord and Lady but it might be funnier and cooler to see Riku as a jester and Kairi as an archer in a white mage robe like Garnet in FFIX! I also like the idea that once Alan-a-Dale heard their story he would sing songs about Sora, Kairi, and Riku. I also think Goliath from Gargoyles would be so cool to see! Maybe he could be a joint summon for Kairi and Riku or perhaps he could be in a certain world (maybe even Quadratum since Gargoyles takes place in New York City, he could be found in Shibuya or something?). Anyways, I’d love to hear people’s ideas and I hope everyone enjoys the holidays :)!

#rikai #kingdom hearts #goliath gargoyles #robin hood (1973) #destiny trio #robin hood #gargoyles #sorikai #kh #Kingdom Hearts Series #riku #kairi #kh riku #kh kairi #my art #my fanart #digital art #i am struggling with riku's look -like maybe a knight look instead? i'd love to hear people's thoughts! #the first one is inspired by an old tie-in novel for Disney's Robin Hood #and the lord and lady design is based on older film versions of robin hood and marian :) #artists who can ink and who can draw anthropomorphic animals have my undying respect #it was alot of fun to try but challenging! #I also tried using brushes i'm not used to for coloring and I really loved using the pencil brush I used for the jester drawing!

[bumblingbabooshka]

Illogical Musings From 'Pathways'

#(reference voice) I saw spocksjuul illustrate a scene from a star trek novel so /I/ illustrated a scene from a star trek novel #Varith is so cute in this scene~!! #Sek's hair looks like that as an executive choice on my end - he's trying something out #Varith's hair is described as 'loose ringlets' coming from his mother - same as Elieth #He's also described as 'a stunning child' who keeps SMILING to Tuvok's chagrin #I like Tuvok struggling to be a good parent - too strict and uncompromising which we've seen to be true in canon as well! #He still ends up being a very good dad - especially after being told to chill out a LITTLE dude. Goes to show you don't have to be PERFECT #to be good. With parents AND children <3 #comix #star trek pathways #novel experiences #st voyager #star trek #star trek voyager #st voy #bea art tag #[REDACTED] family photos