In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, Bethany and Mariëlle discuss the dos and don’ts of writing non-binary characters.   Here’s what we talk about: What non-binary meansHow diverse the non-binary community isHow to handle characters who are questioning their gender identityPronouns and how to use them in our writingNaming characters beyond the binary             And here are the (re)sources we mentioned on the show:   “Tweens and teens explore the power of pronouns” by Matt Vilano: https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/19/health/pronouns-guide-for-parents-wellness/“How to Create Nonbinary Characters” by Jules: https://allwritealright.com/how-to-create-nonbinary-characters/“Six tips for writing genderqueer and nonbinary characters” by Eris Young: https://www.scottishbooktrust.com/articles/6-tips-for-writing-genderqueer-and-nonbinary-characters“How to Write Non-binary Characters: a three part guide” by D.N. Bryn: https://brynwrites.tumblr.com/post/190062852159/how-to-write-non-binary-characters-a-three-part“How to Write Non-binary Characters: Part II” by D.N. Bryn: https://brynwrites.tumblr.com/post/190062852159/how-to-write-non-binary-characters-a-three-part“How to Write Non-binary characters: Part III” by D.N. Bryn: https://www.dnbryn.com/2020/01/18/how-to-write-non-binary-characters-part-iii/“List of nonbinary identities”: https://nonbinary.miraheze.org/wiki/List_of_nonbinary_identities“List of uncommon nonbinary identities”: https://nonbinary.miraheze.org/wiki/List_of_uncommon_nonbinary_identitiesThe Love Language series by Reese Morrison: https://www.goodreads.com/series/288294-love-languageThe Adelaide series by Mustang Rabbit, one of Bethany’s pen names: https://www.goodreads.com/series/301418-the-adelaide-seriesOnesies and Ouijaboards by Jamie Sands: https://www.witchyfiction.com/books/onesies-and-ouijaboardsSex Education: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt7767422Supernatural: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0460681Dialogue: The Art of Verbal Action for Page, Stage, and Screen by Robert McKee: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27416067-dialogue   This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2023/02/10/s3e8   For those who want to stay in touch, this is where you can find us:   Bethany:   Website: https://theartandscienceofwords.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100076459593900 Goodreads (Bethany A. Tucker): https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20948950.Bethany_A_Tucker Goodreads (as Mustang Rabbit): https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20130552.Mustang_Rabbit Goodreads (as Ciara Darren): https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8186590.Ciara_Darren TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@theartandscienceofwords   Mariëlle:   Website: https://mswordsmith.nl Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mswordsmith Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/18455235.Mari_lle_S_Smith TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mariellessmith Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mariellessmith Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtnYOpjmj83mvMM2L348F1w Diving into Writing podcast: https://divingintowriting.com/   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    Website: https://representationmatters.art Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtHfIaeylIgbAWVy3E66lmw

In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, Bethany and Mariëlle talk about how to write transgender characters.   Here’s what we discussed:   Who gets to write trans charactersWhich stereotypes and tropes to avoidOther things to avoid when writing trans charactersThe things we SHOULD be writing about when writing trans characters And here are the (re)sources we mentioned on the show:   “The Do’s and Don’ts of Writing Transgender Characters” by Alice Thomas: https://properz.medium.com/the-dos-and-don-ts-of-writing-transgender-characters-15ae8fbfab6b “How to Write About Trans People” by Eli Cugini: https://electricliterature.com/how-to-write-about-trans-people/ Quora forum: https://www.quora.com/What-should-a-cisgender-author-remember-to-take-into-account-when-writing-transgender-characters“Writing Better Trans Characters” by Cheryl Morgan: http://strangehorizons.com/non-fiction/articles/writing-better-trans-characters/“Writing Trans Characters” by Alex DiFrancesco: https://www.aerogrammestudio.com/2016/11/08/writing-trans-characters/“How to Write Transgender Characters” by Michael Brewer-Berres: https://www.theodysseyonline.com/write-transgender-characters“Before you write about a transgender character, read this” by Casey Plett: https://www.cbc.ca/arts/before-you-write-about-a-transgender-character-read-this-1.3919848“Transgender People” in the GLAAD Media Reference Guide 11th Edition: https://www.glaad.org/reference/transgender“Glossary of Terms: Transgender” in the GLAAD Media Reference Guide 11th Edition: https://www.glaad.org/reference/trans-terms“Trans 101: glossary of trans words and how to use them” by Gender Minorities Aotearoa: https://genderminorities.com/glossary-transgender/Disclosure: https://www.disclosurethemovie.com/about Sense8: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2431438/ Dreadnought by April Daniels: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30279514-dreadnoughtCemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52339313-cemetery-boysSilence of the Lambs: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0102926Tootsie: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0084805Mrs. Doubtfire: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0107614Red, White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston: https://www.caseymcquiston.com/red-white-royal-blue    This week’s episode page can be found here:  representationmatters.art/2023/02/08/s3e7   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get our Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    Website: https://representationmatters.art Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtHfIaeylIgbAWVy3E66lmw

In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, Bethany and guest host Louvie Tucker talk about writing better male characters. This is the second part of a two-part episode on the topic.   Here’s what we talk about: Physical representation of male charactersDerogatory language often applied to men and how we might handle it in fictionRepresentation in media that we’ve found encouragingTouch and intimacy (primarily nonsexual)Using name calling as world building and character communication And here are the (re)sources we mentioned on the show: Tough by Terry CrewsThe Mask of Masculinity by Lewis HowesThe Art of Manliness White Rage by Carol AndersonReading biographies and memoirs in general. Youtube Channel Writing with Jenna Moreci has two good videos on “10 Best Tips for Writing Male Characters”. We sincerely recommend her channel and these episodes in particular.“How to Write a Damn Good Man” by Robert Wood: (this is the article quoted at the very end of the podcast recording) https://www.standoutbooks.com/writing-male-characters/   Films and novels we reference:  The Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien BBC’s Doctor Who (the current series)BBC’s Sherlock seriesThe Visitor by Louvie Tucker The Queen’s Enforcer by Ciara Darren    Find Louvie Tucker’s novel, The Visitor, here. Available in eBook and print form on Amazon, and as an eBook in most online stores.    This week’s episode page can be found here: ?????   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36    Website: https://representationmatters.art Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtHfIaeylIgbAWVy3E66lmw

In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, Bethany and guest host Louvie Tucker talk about writing better male characters. This is the first part of a two-part episode on the topic.   Here’s what we talk about: Masculinity in terms of definition How class affects definitions of masculinity Deconstructing arrogance, emotionality, and protective instincts assigned to male charactersShould we write all male characters with straightforward personalities? The male character, lust, and egoMaking room in our stories for male characters who aren’t leaders or in search of powerThe myth of the capable gentleman The effects of wish fulfilment writing on men And here are the (re)sources we mentioned on the show: May 10th, 2022 Video Tiktok by @marcusterritory “When I stopped identifying with the label ‘man’”: https://www.tiktok.com/@marcusterritory/video/7096216725351337222?is_copy_url=1&is_from_webapp=v1“The Selfishness of Altruism” by Loretta G. Breuning: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/your-neurochemical-self/201604/the-selfishness-altruism“Men and Things, Women and People: A Meta-Analysis of Sex Differences in Interests” by Rong Su et al.: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/38061313_Men_and_Things_Women_and_People_A_Meta-Analysis_of_Sex_Differences_in_Interests“How to Write a Damn Good Man” by Robert Wood: https://www.standoutbooks.com/writing-male-characters/   Articles that we found problematic but useful for conversation:  “How to Write a Male Character” by Josh Prior: https://www.jeuneauthors.com/post/how-to-write-a-male-character#:~:text=Even%20if%20you%27re%20writing,what%27s%20in%20it%20for%20him.“On Writing Convincing Male Characters” by Randy Ingermanson: https://www.advancedfictionwriting.com/blog/2010/08/13/on-writing-convincing-male-characters/   Films and novels we reference:  The Indiana Jones franchise Gladiator starring Russel CroweThe Lord of the Rings trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien The Hunger Games series written by Suzanne Collins John Wick 1, 2, & 3The Visitor by Louvie Tucker The Queen’s Enforcer by Ciara Darren    Find Louvie Tucker’s novel, The Visitor, here. Available in eBook and print form on Amazon, and as an eBook in most online stores.    This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2022/07/31/s3e4/   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36    Website: https://representationmatters.art Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtHfIaeylIgbAWVy3E66lmw

In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—talk about writing better female characters. This is the second part of a two-part episode on the topic.   Here’s what we talk about: Words and descriptions to avoid when describing womenWords and description to deeply consider before using themGendered words to avoid or consider when writing about womenThe ridiculous misconceptions there are about the female body and how to describe the body and bodily functions rightHow the (male) author’s Point of View can skew descriptions and characterizations of female charactersMaking sure your own POV won’t get in the way of your female characters’ POVsSome final thoughts about the “strong female character” and how we should expand our definition of “strong” And here are the (re)sources we mentioned on the show:   “In response to boob plate” by Sam the Sword: https://samanthaswords.tumblr.com/post/62968403257/in-response-to-boob-plate“Women are sharing how little the men in their lives know about reproduction” by Brittany Wong: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/women-are-sharing-how-little-the-men-in-their-lives-know-about-reproduction_l_627e8906e4b0eb0f0711cb80Tweet by Sabrinafon about her ex boyfriend’s beliefs about periods: https://twitter.com/Sabrinafon/status/1521981744668454913Alice Oseman’s work: https://aliceoseman.com/Kana Akatsuki’s Violet Evergarden: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Violet_Evergarden“21 words we ONLY use to describe women” by Nadia Khan: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/21-words-we-use-only-describe-women-nadia-khan/“Shrill, mumsy, bossy…” by Roshan McArthur: https://togetherband.org/blogs/news/words-that-describe-women“11 words we need to stop using to describe women” by Suzannah Weiss: https://www.bustle.com/articles/150273-11-words-we-need-to-stop-using-to-describe-women-because-housewife-doesnt-capture-anyones-job“Everyday misogyny: 122 subtly sexist words about women (and what to do about them) by thaliakr: http://sacraparental.com/2016/05/14/everyday-misogyny-122-subtly-sexist-words-women/“7 words you should avoid using about women in the workplace” by Hayley Gleeson: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-06-01/words-you-should-avoid-using-about-women-in-the-workplace/7467848“Don’t say I’m ‘dramatic’” by Jessica Bennett: https://www.bitchmedia.org/article/feminist-fight-club/almost-z-list-words-avoid-when-talking-about-women-sexist-language“Half of Brits don’t know where the vagina is – and it’s not just the men” by Victoria Waldersee: https://yougov.co.uk/topics/health/articles-reports/2019/03/08/half-brits-dont-know-where-vagina-and-its-not-just“I Don’t Want to Be the Strong Female Lead” by Brit Marling: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/07/opinion/sunday/brit-marling-women-movies.htmlBethany’s Editing Your Novel's Structure: Tips, Tricks, and Checklists to Get You From Start to Finish: https://theartandscienceofwords.com/new-book-for-authors/   This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2022/06/30/s3e3    Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36    Website: https://representationmatters.art Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtHfIaeylIgbAWVy3E66lmw

In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—talk about writing better female characters. This is the first part of a two-part episode on the topic.   Here’s what we talked about: That, in the US, women are estimated to buy 70–80% of fiction booksThere are way more male than female leads in children’s booksThat novels, on average and across the board, only have one female character to four male charactersBut that many readers FEEL like there are way more female protagonists these days than there are male protagonists That women writers also have a tendency to write male characters, and that women are not exempt from perpetuating problematic female representationsWhat kind of roles women tend to have in fictionA selection of tropes to avoid or seriously consider when writing female charactersSome of the most persistent narrative structures that disempower and/or harm womenWhy it is important to write female characters better, even if books with badly written women are selling well  And here are the (re)sources we mentioned on the show:   “How many books per year do Americans read?” by Jamie Ballard: https://today.yougov.com/topics/lifestyle/articles-reports/2018/08/14/reading-books-men-women“Gender in twentieth-century children’s books” by Janice McCabe: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/241647875_Gender_in_Twentieth-Century_Children%27s_Books“It’s a Man’s (Celluloid) World, Even in a Pandemic Year: Portrayals of Female Characters in the Top U.S. Films of 2021” by Dr. Martha M. Lauzen: https://womenintvfilm.sdsu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/2021-Its-a-Mans-Celluloid-World-Report.pdf  “Women Buy Fiction in Bulk and Publishers Take Notice” by Trip Gabriel: https://www.nytimes.com/1997/03/17/business/women-buy-fiction-in-bulk-and-publishers-take-notice.html“AI study finds that males are represented four times more than females in literature” by Maya Abu-Zahra: https://viterbischool.usc.edu/news/2022/04/ai-study-finds-that-males-are-represented-four-times-more-than-females-in-literature/“Male leads in fiction sell 10 million more books on average than female leads” by Kelly Jensen: https://bookriot.com/male-leads-in-fiction/“A new study shows that girls write fewer female characters as they get older” by Walker Caplan: https://lithub.com/a-new-study-shows-that-girls-write-fewer-female-characters-as-they-get-older/RWBY TV Series: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3066242/“The Problem with Female Protagonists” by Jo Eberhardt: https://writerunboxed.com/2016/08/06/the-problem-with-female-protagonists/“Discussion Time: Why are there More Female Protagonists than Male?” by Beth: https://readingeverynight.wordpress.com/2017/11/04/discussion-time-why-are-there-more-female-protagonists-than-male/7 Figure Fiction by T. Taylor: https://7figurefiction.com/“It is time to kill the cool girl trope” by Raha Murtuza: https://thermtide.com/14279/popular/it-is-time-to-kill-the-cool-girl-trope/Gone Girl – Cool Girl: https://youtu.be/0o4heKCLeTs“Name That Trope: She’s hot! She’s cool! She’s one of the guys!” by Kelsey Wallace: https://www.bitchmedia.org/post/name-that-trope-the-super-hot-bro-girlHow to Write About Sexual Assault: An Incomplete Guide by Salt and Sage Books: https://www.amazon.com/How-Write-About-Sexual-Assault-ebook/dp/B08DHHN82D Invisible Women: Data Bias in a World Designed for Men by Caroline Criado Pérez: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41104077-invisible-women How NOT to Write Female Characters by Lucy V. Hay: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41739262-how-not-to-write-female-characters“10 MORE SEXIST Tropes in Science Fiction and Fantasy” by DZA: https://youtu.be/oiooafKkVMI“I Don’t Want to Be the Strong Female Lead” by Brit Marling: https://www.nytimes.com/2020/02/07/opinion/sunday/brit-marling-women-movies.html“10 Best Tips for Writing Strong Female Characters” by Writing with Jenna Moreci: https://youtu.be/nz88MxBtuqc“How Not To Write Female Characters” by Kitty: http://impishidea.com/writing/how-not-to-write-female-characters“How to Avoid Creating Female Character Stereotypes in Your Writing” by wikiHow and Lucy V. Hay: https://www.wikihow.com/Avoid-Creating-Female-Character-Stereotypes-in-Your-Writing“Men Writing Women Characters – Never Make These Mistakes!” by Richie Billing: https://richiebilling.com/writing-tips/men-writing-women-5-mistakes-to-watch-out-for“Men, Don’t Make these 6 Mistakes When You Write Female Characters” by Denisa Feathers: https://medium.com/the-brave-writer/men-dont-make-these-6-mistakes-when-you-write-female-characters-c3f98a5b5e54 Mariëlle’s 52 Weeks of Writing Author Journal and Planner: https://mswordsmith.nl/journal   This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2022/05/31/s3e2   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36    Website: https://representationmatters.art Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtHfIaeylIgbAWVy3E66lmw

In this first episode of Season 3 of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—discuss how to write hair and head coverings.     Here’s what we talk about: That hair, hair care, and head coverings are often ethnically dictated and genderedThat there is no such thing as “ethnic” hair: we all have ethnicity!How to describe different natural hair colorsHow to describe different hair texturesWhether dreadlocks are cultural appropriationWho wears wigs and weaves, and for what reasonThat head coverings for men and women come into play in many ways that go beyond religion and what one’s culture dictates How you can use descriptions of hair and head coverings to add layers to your POV characters  And here are the (re)sources we mentioned on the show: “Untangling the Symbolism of Art History’s Most Famous Redheads” by Sarah Dotson: https://www.artsy.net/article/artsy-editorial-untangling-symbolism-art-historys-famous-redheads “Seeing red: why we need to be sensitive about using the word ‘ginger’” by David Marsh: https://www.theguardian.com/media/mind-your-language/2014/jan/24/mind-your-language-red-hair “3 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Address Redheads As ‘Gingers’” by Kali Hanson: https://www.howtobearedhead.com/3-reasons-why-you-shouldnt-address-redheads-as-gingers “Writing About Hair: The Thick and Thin of Descriptions” by Sharla Rae: https://writersinthestormblog.com/2014/07/writing-about-hair-the-thick-and-thin-of-descriptions “The East Asian women + colored hair trope” by Jess: https://writingwithcolor.tumblr.com/post/101115852994/the-east-asian-women-colored-hair-trope-an “The Ultimate Black & Natural Hair Glossary” by Joanna Samuels: https://afrocenchix.com/blogs/afrohair/the-ultimate-black-natural-hair-glossary How to Write Black Characters by Salt and Sage Books: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B087ZSJ9BN “Dear white people with dreadlocks: Some things to consider” by Emanuella Grinberg: https://edition.cnn.com/2016/03/31/living/white-dreadlocks-cultural-appropriation-feat/index.html “Once in a Lifetime: The village of Huang Luo in China’s Guangxi Region is famous for the dramatically long hair worn by its female residents” by Linn Yaeger: https://www.vogue.com/projects/13548460/women-of-huang-luo-china-long-hair-tradition “Niqab, How Does It Work? | THE BASICS, how to wear the niqab” by Niqabi Nextdoor: https://youtu.be/KAbsPFS8gus “What are the differences between a niqab, a chador, an abaya, a burkha and a hijab?”: https://www.quora.com/What-are-the-differences-between-a-niqab-a-chador-an-abaya-a-burkha-and-a-hijab “Women’s safety clothing not fit for purpose” by Matthew Gunther: https://www.chemistryworld.com/news/womens-safety-clothing-not-fit-for-purpose/1010138.article “Employers Exposed When Women’s Safety Equipment Doesn’t Fit” by Fatima Hussein and Jaclyn Diaz: https://news.bloomberglaw.com/safety/employers-exposed-when-womens-safety-equipment-doesnt-fit Tina from Glee: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1327801/characters/nm3206118 Mako Mori from Pacific Rim: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1663662/characters/nm0452860 GoGo Tomago from Big Hero 6: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2245084/characters/nm1512166 Einayim Petukhoth or Eyes Wide Open: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1424327Unorthodox: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9815454 Crazy Rich Asians: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3104988 Steel Magnolias: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098384 Luke Cage: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3322314 Barbershop: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0303714 Coming to America: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0094898 The Boondocks: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a7Mly_Zj6ggHair Love: https://youtu.be/kNw8V_Fkw28 Tamora Pierce’s work: https://www.tamora-pierce.net Mulan: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0120762 V for Vendetta: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0434409 The Boys: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1190634 The Wolverine: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1430132 The Princess Diaries: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0247638 Jason Elliot’s An Unexpected Light: Travels in Afghanistan: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Unexpected_Light Bethany’s Editing Your Novel's Structure: Tips, Tricks, and Checklists to Get You From Start to Finish: https://theartandscienceofwords.com/new-book-for-authors/   This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2022/04/30/s3e1   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36    Website: https://representationmatters.art Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtHfIaeylIgbAWVy3E66lmw

In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—bring our season on Race and Ethnicity to an end by delving into some lingering some questions.    What we talked about If and how to use racial slurs in our writingWhen and how to acknowledge our characters’ racial historyWhether authors are allowed to write POV characters belonging to a different communityCo-writing with BIPOC authors as a white authorThe representation of Asian masculinity in Western mediaBeing accused of being too political when including a diverse cast in our booksHow to make your cast more diverse when your characters aren’t human (Re)sources mentioned on the show The Marvel Cinematic Universe: https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Timeline The Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park in Macon: https://www.nps.gov/ocmu/index.htm Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9376612 Rogue One: A Star Wars Story: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3748528 Crazy Rich Asians: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3104988 Nora Phoenix’s White House Men series: https://noraphoenix.com/my-books/ Finding Nemo: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0266543 Mariëlle’s 52 Weeks of Writing Author Journal and Planner: https://mswordsmith.nl/journal   This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2022/04/07/s2e12   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36    Website: https://representationmatters.art Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtHfIaeylIgbAWVy3E66lmw

In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—scratch the surface of an incredibly broad topic: writing interracial and intercultural relationships.    What we talked about That writing relationships between characters of different races and cultures is really not that different from writing relationships between characters who are not exactly the same for other reasonsQuestions to ask yourself and things to keep in mind when crafting interracial and intercultural relationships in your writingA ton of examples in which interracial and intercultural relationships are depicted well and convincingly (Re)sources mentioned on the show Payne Erskin’s The Mountain Girl: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11084308-the-mountain-girl Disney’s Pocahontas: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0114148 Stargate SG-1: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0118480The Karate Kid (1984): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087538The Karate Kid (2010): https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1155076Kim’s Convenience: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5912064Bend It Like Beckham: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0286499Blinded by the Light: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8266310Sarfraz Mansoor’s Greetings from Bury Park: Race, Religion, and Rock N Roll: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001V7U6LEThe Grand Budapest Hotel: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2278388Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give: https://angiethomas.com/the-hate-u-giveBenjamin Alire Saenz’s The Inexplicable Logic of My Life: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23447923-the-inexplicable-logic-of-my-lifeKim Dare’s Axel’s Pup: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21522467-axel-s-pupThe Marvel Cinematic Universe: https://marvelcinematicuniverse.fandom.com/wiki/Timeline Cassandra Clare’s Shadowhunter series: https://shadowhunters.comNever Have I Ever: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt10062292Bright: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5519340Bridgerton: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8740790 Young Royals: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14664414 Bethany’s Editing Your Novel's Structure: Tips, Tricks, and Checklists to Get You From Start to Finish: https://theartandscienceofwords.com/new-book-for-authors   This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2022/03/29/s2e11    Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36  Don’t forget, you can find us at https://representationmatters.art, on https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting, and on https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtHfIaeylIgbAWVy3E66lmw

In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—talk about naming our fictional characters.    What we talked about General things to look out for when picking our characters’ namesAll the different aspects that might influence which names make sense for your charactersWhere to look for namesHow to verify whether these names are appropriate for your characters or not (Re)sources mentioned on the show Think Baby Names: http://www.thinkbabynames.comBehind the Name: https://www.behindthename.comBehind the Surname: https://surnames.behindthename.comMariëlle’s 52 Weeks of Writing Author Journal and Planner: https://mswordsmith.nl/journal   This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2022/03/24/s2e10   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36    Don’t forget, you can find us at https://representationmatters.art, on https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting, and on https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtHfIaeylIgbAWVy3E66lmw

In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—interview Clare Sager about building different worlds in our fiction.   Clare Sager is an office lackey turned full-time author. With both a bachelor of arts and a masters of arts in Creative Writing, she is now living her life-long dream of writing fantasy adventure stories of swoon-worthy, troublesome men and strong, sassy women who can handle them.   When she's not writing or master planning her next book, she's an editor, outline coach, and formatter. In her spare time, she enjoys reading, sewing, and lifting weights at the gym (she’s as shocked by the latter as anyone). Her stationery addiction knows no bounds, with a washi tape and fountain pen collection to rival that of a stationery store. She loves to spend time chilling out with her planner plotting world domination. She likes cats, coffee, and cocktails, and speaks fluent sarcasm.    What we talked about Why Clare felt compelled to build a different world for her fictional charactersHow consistently asking yourself “What if…?” will help you build better fictional worldsHow to use a coin (or dice!) to populate your world with a wide set of characters That diverse characters are just like any other charactersThe importance of being curious about the world and remaining open to what there is to learn (Re)sources mentioned on the show All about Clare: https://claresager.com Clare’s books: https://claresager.com/books Clare’s author services: https://services.claresager.com The Decolonial Atlas: https://decolonialatlas.wordpress.comWriting the Other Tumblr: https://writingtheother.tumblr.comAnn Leckie, author of Ancillary Justice: https://annleckie.com Kalynn Bayron, author of Cinderella Is Dead: https://www.kalynnbayron.com/booksJessica M. Butler, author of Sweet Pear: https://www.jessicambutler.com May Sage: https://www.goodreads.com/maysage Bethany’s Editing Your Novel's Structure: Tips, Tricks, and Checklists to Get You From Start to Finish: https://theartandscienceofwords.com/new-book-for-authors/   This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2022/03/17/s2e9   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36    Don’t forget, you can find us at https://representationmatters.art, on https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting, and on https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtHfIaeylIgbAWVy3E66lmw

In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—take a pause to talk about what to do when hiring professionals to better your writing is not an option (yet).    What we talked about That there’s privilege in being able to advice others to do it right or not do it at allThat not everyone has the same resources going into publishing their workWhat options are out there for authors with limited or no budgets (Re)sources mentioned on the show “The different kinds of editing explained” by Mariëlle: https://mswordsmith.nl/editing-tips-tricks-different-kinds-editing-explainedThe Salt & Sage Books Incomplete Guides: https://books2read.com/ap/8Vy9vl/Salt-Sage-BooksThe Writers for Diversity Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/779217692216226The Writing the Other website: https://writingtheother.comWriting the Other: A Practical Approach: https://writingtheother.com/the-bookCritiqueMatch: https://critiquematch.comScribophile: https://www.scribophile.comMariëlle’s 52 Weeks of Writing Author Journal and Planner: https://mswordsmith.nl/journal   This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2022/03/10/s2e8/   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36    Don’t forget, you can find us at https://representationmatters.art, on https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting, and on https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtHfIaeylIgbAWVy3E66lmw

In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—ask Erin Olds, CEO of Salt & Sage Books, all our questions about sensitivity reading.   Who is Erin Olds?    Erin Olds loves to travel, read, and drink boba tea! She currently lives in Seattle, where she homeschools her two excellent children. Erin is the CEO of and editor at Salt & Sage Books, an editing company dedicated to kindness. With a degree in English and French, Erin has worked with authors of all ages her whole adult life. Her poetry and short fiction have been published in various journals and magazines and won a variety of awards. She is a hybrid published author, with several indie books out under a pen name and her first traditionally published book (still a secret!) in progress.   What we talked about What sensitivity reading is and who sensitivity readers areThe kind of sensitivity reading requests Salt & Sage Books receives most oftenThe emotional labor that goes into sensitivity readingSome alternative options for writers with limited budgets (Re)sources mentioned on the show The Salt & Sage Books website: https://www.saltandsagebooks.com The Salt & Sage Books Twitter account: https://twitter.com/saltandsagebookThe Salt & Sage Books Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/saltandsagebooksThe Salt & Sage Books Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/saltsagebooksThe Salt & Sage Books Incomplete Guides: https://books2read.com/ap/8Vy9vl/Salt-Sage-BooksIron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao: https://xiranjayzhao.com Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas: https://www.aiden-thomas.com/cemetery-boys Ghost Squad by Claribel Ortega: https://www.claribelortega.com/ghostsquad The Timber Falls series by Fiona West: https://fionawest.net/contemporary-books Penny Reid’s work and blog: https://pennyreid.ninjaHave Geek, Will Travel by Rebecca Blevins: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56610467-have-geek-will-travel Sachiko Burton of Salt & Sage Books: https://www.saltandsagebooks.com/profiles/sachiko-burton Bethany’s Editing Your Novel's Structure: Tips, Tricks, and Checklists to Get You From Start to Finish: https://theartandscienceofwords.com/new-book-for-authors   This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2022/03/03/s2e7/   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36    Don’t forget, you can find us at https://representationmatters.art, on https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting, and on https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCtHfIaeylIgbAWVy3E66lmw

In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—discuss diversity and representation in Disney’s Encanto.    What we talked about All the ways in which diversity shows up in Encanto, from skin colour to body type, to the different roles the characters get to playHow no cultural artefact, including Encanto, can speak for an entire community, and why that is OKHow Encanto is a step in the right direction as far as diverse representation goes (Re)sources mentioned on the show   We didn’t mention all of these during the episode, but these are some of the resources we dug into while preparing for the recording.  ​​“With ‘Encanto,’ Colombia Is Finally Seen and Not Just Heard” by Leila Cobo: https://www.billboard.com/music/latin/encanto-colombia-positive-image-1235017931/“Encanto Still Has Charm, Despite Generic Representation of Colombia” by Camilo Garzón: https://www.latinxproject.nyu.edu/intervenxions/encanto-still-has-charm-despite-generic-representation-of-colombia“I’m Colombian. Here’s what ‘Encanto’ means to me” by Arturo Serrano: http://www.nerds-feather.com/2021/11/im-colombian-heres-what-encanto-means.html“11 Latina Critics on ‘Encanto’” by Mujeres Problemáticas: https://latinamedia.co/encanto/“Disney’s Encanto isn’t just about representation – it’s an act of defiance” by José Mariá Luna: https://www.polygon.com/22851932/encanto-disney-latine-colombia-in-moviesMariëlle’s 52 Weeks of Writing Author Journal and Planner: https://mswordsmith.nl/journal   This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2022/02/24/s2e6/   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36    Don’t forget, you can find us at https://representationmatters.art and on https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting

In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—interview Professor Grace L. Dillon about Indigenous Futurisms and how (not) to write Indigenous characters.    Grace L. Dillon (Anishinaabe with family, friends, and relatives from Bay Mills Nation and Garden River Nation with Aunties and Uncles also from the Saulteaux Nation) is Professor in the Indigenous Nations Studies Department in the School of Gender, Race, and Nations and also Affiliated Professor at English and Women, Gender, and Sexualities Departments at Portland State University in Portland, Oregon, where she teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on a range of interests including Indigenous Futurisms, Queer Indigenous Studies, Gender, Race, and Nations Theories and Methodologies courses, Climate and Environmental Justice(s) from Indigenous Perspectives, Reparations Justice, Resurgence Justice, Science Fiction, Indigenous Cinema, Popular Culture, Race and Social Justice, and early modern literature. (For her full biography, please check out the episode page on our website.)   What Grace shared with us   Why and how she coined the term Indigenous FuturismsWhat it was like to be a consultant as an Anishinaabe person to directors Scott Cooper and Guillermo del ToroSome behind-the-scenes stories about the filming of TwilightWhat true allyship looks like and how we can become an allyHow we can honour someone else’s storyBest practices of engaging with Indigenous communitiesGrace L Dillion’s academic email is: dillong@pdx.edu   (Re)sources mentioned on the show and other recommendations by Grace L. Dillon, many of which are LGBTQ2+   Routledge Handbook of CoFuturisms, edited by Grace L. Dillon, Isiah Lavender III, Taryne Taylor, and Bodhisattva Chattopadhyay (forthcoming)Hachette Australia: https://www.hachette.com.au Claire G. Coleman’s Terra Nullius (2017) and The Old Lie (2019) (South Coast Noongar People): https://clairegcoleman.com Ellen Van Neerven’s Heat and Light (2014): https://ellenvanneervencurrie.wordpress.com/heat-and-light Louise Erdrich’s Future Home of the Living God: A Novel (2017) (Anishinaabe): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34217599-future-home-of-the-living-god Leanne Betasamosake Simpson’s This Accident of Being Lost: Songs and Stories (2017), Noopiming: The Cure for White Ladies (2021) and As We Have Always Done: Indigenous Freedom Through Radical Resurgence (2017) (Anishinaabe): https://www.leannesimpson.ca Cherie Dimaline’s The Marrow Thieves (2017) and Hunting by the Stars (Metis): https://cheriedimaline.com Waubgeshig Rice’s Moon of the Crusted Snow (2018) (Anishinaabe): https://www.waub.ca Harold Johnson’s Corvus (2015) (Cree): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26840855-corvus Alexis Wright’s The Swan Book (2013 rpt. 2018) (Waanyi Nation): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18247932-the-swan-book Gerald Vizenor’s Bearheart (1978) (Anishinaabe): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/871536.Bearheart Leslie Marmon Silko’s Almanac of the Dead (1991) (Laguna Nation): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/52385.Almanac_of_the_Dead Australian First Nations Ambelin Kwaymullina’s trilogy The Interrogation of Ashala the Wolf (2012), The Disappearance of Ember Crow (2013), and The Foretelling of Georgie the Spider (2015): https://ambelin-kwaymullina.com.au Indigenous Hawai’ian Christopher Kahunahana’s film Waikiki: http://www.waikikithemovie.com Nalo Hopkinson’s many stories, including YA novels Sister Mine (2013) and The Chaos (2012): https://www.nalohopkinson.com Andrea Hairston’s novels such as Mindscape, Redwood and Wildfire, Will Do Magic for Change, and Master of Poisons: http://andreahairston.com Darcie Little Badger’s Elatsoe (2020) and A Snake Falls to Earth (2022) (Lipan Apache Nation): https://darcielittlebadger.wordpress.com Zainab Amadahy’s Resistance (Afro-Canadian and Cherokee): https://www.swallowsongs.com Daniel Heath Justice’s The Way of Thorn and Thunder: The Kynship Chronicles (2011) and Why Indigenous Literatures Matter. His story “The Boys Who Became the Hummingbirds” in Hope Nicholson’s edited collection of Love Beyond Body, Space, and Time: An Indigenous LGBT Sci-Fi Anthology (2016) is also explored in graphic novel form in Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection, Volume 2 (2017) (Cherokee): https://danielheathjustice.com Joshua Whitehead’s Indigiqueer Metal, Johnny Appleseed, and Love After the End: An Anthology of Two-Spirit & Indigiqueer Speculative Fiction (2020): https://www.joshuawhitehead.ca Moonshot: The Indigenous Comics Collection, Volume 3, edited by Anishinaabe and  Metís Nations Elizabeth La Pensèe and Michael Sheyahshe (2020): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/51456434-moonshot Deer Women: An Anthology (2017) published by Native Realities Press and headed by Lee Francis IV. (Laguna Pueblo Nation): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/38219794-deer-woman Sovereign Traces Volume 2: Relational Constellations edited by Elizabeth La Pensèe: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42686187-sovereign-traces-volume-2 Sloane Leong’s graphic novel Prism Stalker (2019): https://prismstalker.com Smokii Sumac’s you are enough: love poems for the end of the world (2018) (Ktunaxa Nation): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41677143-you-are-enough Michelle Ruiz Keil’s All of Us With Wings (2019): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40177227-all-of-us-with-wings Carmen Maria Machado’s Her Body and Other Parties (2017) and In the Dream House: A Memoir (2019): https://carmenmariamachado.com Sabrina Vourvoulias’s Ink (2012): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/15721155-ink Rita Indiana’s Tentacle (2018): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40679930-tentacle Qwo-Li Driskill’s Asegi Stories: Cherokee Queer and Two-Spirit Memory (2016): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/27777916-asegi-stories Tiffany Lethabo King, et. al’s Otherwise Worlds: Against Settler Colonialism and Anti-Blackness (2020): https://www.dukeupress.edu/otherwise-worlds Lisa Tatonetti’s The Queerness of Native American Literature (2014): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21944614-the-queerness-of-native-american-literature Bawaajigan: Stories of Power edited by Anishinaabe Nathan Niigan Noodin Adler and Christine Miskonoodinkwe Smith (2019):   https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/45180942-bawaajigan mitêwâcimowina: Indigenous Science Fiction and Speculative Storytelling edited by Cree Nation Neal McLeod (2016): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34105770-mit-w-cimowina Walking the Clouds: An Anthology of Indigenous Science Fiction edited by Grace L. Dillon (2012) (Anishinaabe): https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13226625-walking-the-clouds Amy Lonetree’s Decolonizing Museums (2012) (Hochunk Nation): https://uncpress.org/book/9780807837153/decolonizing-museums The work of Debra Yeppa Pappan (Korean and Jemez Pueblo) at the Chicago Field Museum: https://www.fieldmuseum.org/about/staff/profile/2486Laura Harjo’s Spiral to the Stars: Mvskoke Tools of Futurity (2019) (Cherokee): https://uapress.arizona.edu/book/spiral-to-the-stars Bethany’s Editing Your Novel's Structure: Tips, Tricks, and Checklists to Get You From Start to Finish: https://theartandscienceofwords.com/new-book-for-authors/   This week’s episode page, with Grace L. Dillon’s full bio, can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2022/02/17/s2e5/   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36    Don’t forget, you can find us at https://representationmatters.art/ and on https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting

In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—compare two F/F romance novels to talk about how to “Show, don’t tell” race and ethnicity in your writing.    What we talked about Caren J. Werlinger’s She Sings of Old, Unhappy, Far-off ThingsJ.J. Arias’s The Single MatchmakerHow these two authors use different ways, including names, food, comparisons, terms of endearment, and many more, to “Show, don’t tell” their characters’ races and ethnicities (Re)sources mentioned on the show Caren J. Werlinger’s She Sings of Old, Unhappy, Far-off Things: https://carenwerlinger.com/she-sings-of-old-unhappy-far-off-things/J.J. Arias’s The Single Matchmaker: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/56422641-the-single-matchmakerMariëlle’s 52 Weeks of Writing Author Journal and Planner: https://mswordsmith.nl/journal   During the episode, we also mentioned some resources we both use when picking our characters’ names:  https://www.behindthename.com/http://www.thinkbabynames.com/https://www.etymonline.com/   This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2022/02/03/s2e4   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36    Don’t forget, you can find us at https://representationmatters.art/ and on https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting

In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—interview Antoine Bandele.   Antoine Bandele is an Amazon bestselling author in action adventure fantasy, dark fantasy, sword & sorcery, African American fantasy, and African literature. He was born and raised in Los Angeles, though he spent one year in Fort Lewis near Tacoma, Washington while his father served in the U.S. Army. He lives in Los Angeles with his girlfriend and cat. You can find him producing videos all over YouTube, including his own channel (which you should totally check out). He is also an audiobook engineer. He is the author of the Young Adult fantasy series TJ Young and the Orishas, the Adult fantasy series The Sky Pirate Chronicles, the Lost Tales of Esowon, The Kishi and more.    What we talked about   How Antoine identifies as a person and a writerWhy Antoine writes the characters he writesWhat challenges have come up for him while writing diverse charactersWhich authors he appreciates for their diverse booksThe joy and importance of (public) libraries and why they’re the best place to go first when in research mode   (Re)sources mentioned on the show   Claudia Gray: http://www.claudiagray.comBrittney Morris: https://www.authorbrittneymorris.comChuck Wendig: http://terribleminds.com/rambleTo learn more about Antoine and his services: https://www.antoinebandele.com/aboutTo learn more about Antoine’s books: https://www.antoinebandele.com/complete-collectionBethany’s Editing Your Novel's Structure: Tips, Tricks, and Checklists to Get You From Start to Finish: https://theartandscienceofwords.com/new-book-for-authors/   This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2022/01/27/s2e3/   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36    Don’t forget, you can find us at https://representationmatters.art/ and on https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting

In this episode of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—discuss the writing of race and ethnicity in fantasy and sci-fi stories.   What we talked about How race and ethnicity is done in fiction and TV series that are not grounded in real-life human historyWhat gets lost and is added in translation when novels are turned into films or TV seriesHow to not let yourself be limited by the world we know when building a world of your ownThat it’s never to late to start adding more diverse characters to your world, or to make your existing cast more diverse   The fiction and TV series we discussed in particular during this episode are: Babylon 5; Star Trek; Game of Thrones; The Witcher; and Shadow and Bone. (Re)sources mentioned on the show Daenarys as the white savior of the Unsullied: https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/04/game-of-thrones-critique-white-savior“What Star Trek Taught Us About Racial Equality” by Mallory Joy: https://medium.com/the-ascent/what-star-trek-taught-us-about-racial-equality-acfac97fc151“The Next Frontier: Tracing African-American ‘Star Trek’ Characters” by Ian Freeman: https://theurbandaily.com/2991101/the-next-frontier-chronicling-american-appearances-on-star-trek/“Racial Issues and Star Trek’s Deep Space Nine” by J. Emmett Winn: https://openjournals.uwaterloo.ca/index.php/kinema/article/view/1046/1182“In Middle Earth, Must All Hobbits Be White?” by John Hudson: https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2010/11/in-middle-earth-must-all-hobbits-be-white/343239/“‘The Witcher’ Netflix Writer Speaks Out On Racial Diversity Concerns” by Tyler Fischer: https://comicbook.com/gaming/news/the-witcher-netflix-racial-diversity/“Shadow and Bone author had a goal for the Netflix show: fixt the diversity issues” by Petrana Radulovic: https://www.polygon.com/tv/22371843/shadow-and-bone-casting-diversity-alina-leigh-bardugoM.C.A. Hogarth’s novel Mindtouch: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19455735-mindtouchGinn Hale’s novel Lord of the White Hell: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8017244-lord-of-the-white-hell-book-1Tamora Pierce’s website: http://www.tamora-pierce.net/Mariëlle’s 52 Weeks of Writing Author Journal and Planner: https://mswordsmith.nl/journal   This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2022/01/20/s2e2/   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36    Don’t forget, you can find us at https://representationmatters.art/ and on https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting

In this first episode of Season 2 of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—discuss how to write skin color.     Here’s what we talk about: Why we should avoid comparing anyone’s skin tone to food, even if people from a certain community do that among themselvesWhy we should be careful when using the term ‘colored’ to describe black characters and characters of colourWhat descriptions we CAN use and how to get creativeHow important it is to actually look at what you’re describing That skin colour isn’t the only way how to convey someone’s racial or ethnic background And here are the (re)sources we mentioned on the show: “Ethnic group” on Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_group“Description Guide Skin Color Part I: POC & Food Comparisons” on Writing with Color: https://writingwithcolor.tumblr.com/post/95955707903/skin-writing-with-color-has-received-several“Description Guide Skin Color Part II: Words for Skin Tone” on Writing with Color: https://writingwithcolor.tumblr.com/post/96830966357/words-for-skin-tone-how-to-describe-skin-color“Tips on words and describing skin for writers”: https://caithyra.tumblr.com/post/51492707550/tips-and-words-on-describing-skin-for-writers“If White Characters Were Described Like People of Color in Literature”: https://www.buzzfeed.com/hnigatu/if-white-characters-were-described-like-people-of-color-in-lHow to Write Black Characters: An Incomplete Guide by Salt and Sage Books: https://www.amazon.com/How-Write-Black-Characters-Incomplete-ebook/dp/B087ZSJ9BNThe Color Me Beautiful website: https://www.colormebeautiful.com/Bethany’s Editing Your Novel's Structure: Tips, Tricks, and Checklists to Get You From Start to Finish: https://theartandscienceofwords.com/new-book-for-authors/   This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2022/01/13/s2e1/   Subscribe to our newsletter here and get out Doing Diversity in Writing Toolkit, including our Calm the F*ck Down Checklist and Cultural Appropriation Checklist: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36  Don’t forget, you can find us at https://representationmatters.art/ and on https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting

In this final episode of the first season of Doing Diversity in Writing, we—Bethany and Mariëlle—discuss holy days and answer some listener questions.    More specifically, we talk about: the fact that there are many more holy days than Christmas and it serves us as writers of diverse characters to be aware of thatthat stories around our holy days create worlds and images that serve some while excluding othersthe American Thanksgiving and Dutch Sinterklaas traditionsthe need to both revise and correct harmful origin stories AND create better represents for the present and future   And we answer the following questions: Reading and research can only go so far, so how do I make sure that the characters I write are authentic without having direct knowledge of certain identity markers?How can I write a diverse cast without making it seem forced? Some quotes from this week’s episode:   “Reading and researching can only go so far, but it gets you further and further these days.”   “A really good way to not check boxes is to give every character their own personality and to start from that personality.”   “Saying ‘happy holidays’ is not a war against Christmas, it’s a war against excluding language.”   “It’s important to look closely at any holiday and realize that it is in fact a story. And story does something. So what does this story do?” And here are the (re)sources we mentioned on the show: The Writers for Diversity group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/779217692216226The Panel on neurodiversity in Science Fiction and Fantasy: https://youtu.be/rf1AhGTdBQw Salt and Sage Books list of sensitivity readers: https://www.saltandsagebooks.com/sensitivity-expert-consultants/“Here are 12 religious holidays believers celebrate in December”: https://www.deseret.com/2018/11/27/20577947/these-are-the-14-religious-holidays-believers-celebrate-in-december#think-december-is-all-about-hanukkah-and-christmas-think-again-here-are-12-major-religio“December Holidays around the World”: https://worldstrides.com/blog/2015/12/december-holidays-around-the-world/Dr. Steven Sexton’s profile on the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, website: https://www.unlv.edu/people/steven-sextonFor more information on Mariëlle intensive 3-Month 1:1 Coaching for Writers Programme and to enrol, please visit her website: https://mswordsmith.nl/coachingforwriters2022   This week’s episode page can be found here: https://representationmatters.art/2021/12/16/episode12/   To be the first to know when our next episode drops, subscribe to our newsletter here: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r3p6g8    As always, we’d love for you to join the conversation by filling out our questionnaires.    Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Writer Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/UUEbeEvxsdwk1kuy5   Our Doing Diversity in Writing – Reader Questionnaire can be filled in at https://forms.gle/gTAg4qrvaCPtqVJ36    Don’t forget, you can find us at https://representationmatters.art/ and on https://www.facebook.com/doingdiversityinwriting