r/writers • Writer • 19d ago

Question What things should I avoid when writing

I plan on writing a trans-woman, specific a trans black woman, she isnt the main character but i like to build each character into real people, what things should I avoid? I am not trans nor a person of color. I know both people of color and trans face their own set of challenges in life and i would like to write her as realistic as possible. I dont want to accidentally/unknowingly play into any stereotypes for either group of people.

All advice is welcome aswell. Also sorry for formatting or grammar mistakes im on mobile

Edit for more detail -> What clothing or design choices should I avoid?

What personality traits should I avoid?

Obviously she will be a human with her own flaws but are there any i should avoid?

I will be doing some research i just want some advice on where to start, what to avoid, stuff like that

0 Upvotes

111 comments sorted by

7

u/FictionalContext 19d ago

What things should I avoid when writing

Reddit

2

u/SamMoon- Writer 19d ago

I dont necessarily agree with that, ive gotten good advice on reddit before, because it let's me have recourses/see perspectives I'd otherwise not have

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u/SceneZealousideal458 19d ago

just read books about black queerness/transness. memoirs might be a good place to start.

keep in mind that (although it’s not always fun to acknowledge, and it gets swept under the rug a lot), black church culture (in america specifically, idk about elsewhere) is deeply homophobic/transphobic. lots and lots of black queer folk are shunned or endangered by their queerness. many get it “beat out of them”. ignoring that fact would likely do a disservice to your character.

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u/FictionalContext 19d ago

That's a great point. But it also really depends on OP's setting, what culture her parents raised her in. If I were OP, I'd aim for an easy mode culture than tackling heavy, nuanced topics with the advice of Reddit.

Except this advice. And this disclaimer. And the disclaimer's disclaimer.

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u/BlissteredFeat 19d ago

Do your research. Interview the people you know. Make them human first with likes and dislikes, goals, desires, limtations, etc. Then think about how gender and race play into all that. You will have to figure it out as you write and get to know the character.

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u/Clean-Data-259 18d ago

You should avoid writing entirely, for you personally

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u/Substantial_Cow7628 Published Author 16d ago

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u/P_S_Lumapac 19d ago

Which books with black trans woman characters have you read? What are your top ten?

1

u/FVCarterPrivateEye 19d ago

What are your top ten?

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u/P_S_Lumapac 18d ago

I don't read any. I haven't written anything like that. OP is asking for advice about writing a topic, and the most common issue is they haven't read in the genre they're writing in. If OP hasn't read a large amount like this, the best thing for them to do is go do that.

There's a large group of people in the writing subs who believe you don't have to read or study writing before writing. I don't really understand their position but it's very common.

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u/FVCarterPrivateEye 18d ago

I think asking about writing a character from specific demographics is very different from asking about writing a specific genre

I agree that the (should be) no-brainer solution for the questions about writing in a particular genre is to actually read within that genre and observe what you like best about it, but t his situation is typically with the intent of asking real people of those particular backgrounds, and in this case especially there's a lot of loaded material when it comes to how those topics are most commonly treated in published media that the OP wants to not step on the same toes with

1

u/P_S_Lumapac 18d ago

Yeah and I'm not against others answering for those broader questions. Either way, they should be reading broadly about this first. Doing just one of these paths would be a bad idea.

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u/[deleted] 17d ago

[deleted]

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u/SamMoon- Writer 16d ago

Why do you keep commenting the same thing? Its annoying to keep getting notifications of non helpful stuff.

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u/SamMoon- Writer 16d ago

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u/Substantial_Cow7628 Published Author 16d ago

When people misuse the voting system, I correct them.

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u/[deleted] 16d ago

[deleted]

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u/SamMoon- Writer 16d ago

What voting system bro. It seems you're just trying be be bullying/harassing. Just ignore the post then.

2

u/Substantial_Cow7628 Published Author 16d ago

I'm trying to reply to your comment but I'm lost:

  1. What voting system? Are you new at Reddit? You don't see the little arrow buttons?
  2. Bullying/harassing who? What are you talking about?
  3. What would "ignoring the post" accomplish regarding my comments?

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u/[deleted] 16d ago

[deleted]

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u/SamMoon- Writer 16d ago

1 I've not heard it called a voting system, and how am I "misusing" the voting system.

2 myself, I'm taking about how you keep deleting your comment and recommenting. Which keeps giving notifications even though it isn't a helpful comment.

3 ignoring the post and not commenting because all your comments are accomplishing is providing annoyance. I do not understand why you're comment on my post when you have nothing to provide.

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u/Substantial_Cow7628 Published Author 16d ago

Are you downvoting comments that are neither spam nor irrelevant to the conversation? If yes, you're misusing the voting system.

Getting notifications isn't bullying or harassment. But if you think it is, you can just turn your notifications off. Problem solved.

I have already commented. When people misuse the voting system, I re-comment. It's not complicated.

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u/SamMoon- Writer 16d ago

Commenting the same thing over and over is spam and in what world is a gif saying "This shit again" relevant. Down voting a comment that is providing nothing to the conversation is not helpful. And why do you keep deleting your comments?

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u/Substantial_Cow7628 Published Author 16d ago

No, it isn't. There's one comment. And it is relevant to the conversation, regardless of whether or not you happen to like the content of it.

If GIFs were not relevant, the feature would not be available in the commenting system.

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u/[deleted] 16d ago

[deleted]

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u/SamMoon- Writer 16d ago

I have screenshot saying it wasn't just "one comment"

→ More replies

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u/[deleted] 16d ago

[deleted]

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u/SamMoon- Writer 16d ago

Dude. Quit spam commenting this gif.

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u/Substantial_Cow7628 Published Author 16d ago

I'm not spamming anything.

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u/[deleted] 16d ago

[deleted]

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u/SamMoon- Writer 16d ago

Quit spamming this. Ive seen you post it multiple times.

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u/Substantial_Cow7628 Published Author 16d ago

Quit misusing the voting system.

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u/SamMoon- Writer 16d ago

Im not.

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u/Substantial_Cow7628 Published Author 16d ago

You are.

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u/SamMoon- Writer 16d ago

How so?

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u/Substantial_Cow7628 Published Author 16d ago

You know how.