10 Types of Chapter Ending Cliffhangers

Must. Read. On.
Image: Paul Bence

Chapter Endings are so important. But how do we write them effectively? It's simple, really.
Basically we want to end the chapter so that our readers will say:

     "Oooh! Can't stop now -- Just one more chapter!"

Okay, great. But how do we DO that? All chapter endings have a few key components. Over the course of your chapter, you will have introduced conflict that has now built up to a tantalizing climax. But argh, how to end it?

    Well. This post is for you!

The Two Key Ingredients of Chapter Endings:

• Closure for the previous chapter's conflict (at least partial closure)
• Introduction of a new, tangible conflict

I know that this may be controversial, but I'm going to go ahead and say it. 

If you're doing you're job right, you basically want to end almost EVERY chapter with a cliffhanger.

     ( ...but there are lots of types of cliffhangers. They're not all what you'd think.)

10 Types of Chapter-Ending Cliffhangers 

Having scoured the interwebs, and also having written my fair share of chapter endings over the years, I've come to realize that there's more than one way to inject your chapter end with a must-read-on-moment (aka cliffhanger). Quite a few in fact. I've grouped them into categories here. 

• The Imminent Doom
• The Sense of Foreboding
• The Surprise Twist
• The Discovery
• The Failure
• The Emotional Hook
• The Vow / Decision
• The Dilemma
• The False Lull
• The Promise

1. The Imminent Doom

This is what we classically think of when we picture 'a cliffhanger' and where the term comes from. It's when, at the end of the chapter, we leave the reader hanging with the protagonist if not literally off the edge of a cliff, at least in dire straits or mortal peril. 

• The Gunshot/Arrow/Knife to the Chest
• The Blackout/Fall/Car Crash
• The Dangle from a Precipice
• The Look Down the Barrel of a Gun
• The Natural Disaster

But ... 

This is not the only type of cliffhanger. There are more you can (and should) use. Lots more.

2. The Sense of Foreboding

Rather than leaving the protagonist in actual physical peril, sometimes simply tugging the reader along in fear of what's to come is enough. This may simply be a sentence or two setting the tone for the next scene and the next conflict. It may be an Inner Monologue from the protagonist expressing their dread. It could be a "sign" from the universe that the MC interprets as a bad omen.

• The Knock on the Door
• The Shadows in the Mist
• The Invasion Begins
• The Feeling That Something's Not Quite Right
• The Bad Omen

3. The Surprise Twist

Reversals and plot twists are kind of a staple of writing, so instead of burying them mid-scene, why not end the chapter with one? Show the main character being betrayed by someone they trusted. Show a presumed enemy acting as an ally. Show a side character you've built up as a suspect in a situation which reveals their innocence. 

• The Plot Re-direction
• The Suspect Vindicated
• The Two-Faced Friend / The Betrayal
• The Unexpected Accusation
• The Unlikely Ally

4. The Discovery 

Related to the surprise twist, "The Discovery" is a moment where in the MC obtains a key piece of information related to the plot. Unlike the "Surprise Twist", however, it's something that the MC has actively been seeking and expecting. With this one, the key to making it an exciting chapter end is all in the execution. Show the MC opening the lockbox that contains the important documents she's been searching for ... but don't show what's in the box. Or, reveal the clue, but then show how it takes her backwards rather than forwards. Show her finally getting what she wants, only to realize that it's not actually what she wanted.

•  Game Changing Info
•  Object of Desire Obtained, but ...
•  Next Clue / New Lead, but ...

5. The Failure  

Another great ending (so long as it's not overused), is "The Failure" -- it's a low moment in the book, where the MC has been working so hard to achieve something only to fail miserably ... whether due to internal shortcomings, the antagonist, or other external barriers. Readers will feel so sorry for your MC, they'll have to read on to see how he/she gets out of this.

•  The Big Mistake
•  The Closed Door / Missed Opportunity
•  The Lost Soul

    Example: "Karou saw them and understood. The way to Elsewhere had been severed, and she was cast adrift." -- {  from Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor  }

6. The Emotional Hook

This is a similar ending to "The Failure," but distinct in that rather than being directly plot related, this is simply an emotional moment for the main character. The estrangement of a dear friend, a rejection by a crush, a private, public and/or viral humiliation, the thrilling anticipation of a special outing / first date / proposal. The key here is to end on a poignant moment that tugs at the reader's heartstrings. One way to do that is to break the chapter at a key moment where the MC pivots from one strong emotion to another. For example: A build-up of hope ... only to have it crash down right at the last. A chapter that seems darker than dark which cuts away with a light at the end of the tunnel. 

• The Loss
• The Rejection
• The Embarassment
• The Thrill 
• The Longing

7. The Decision or Vow

You can probably only really use this once, or maybe twice per book. Unless your character is a really voicey MG protagonist and is always "vowing" to do things. Anyway. This could go alongside many of the other Cliffhangers as (a) a sort of one-line "zinger" at the end, where the MC vows to get revenge, to beat her enemy etc. Alternatively, this could take the form of (b) a choice that the MC makes, and the reader knows the options, but not which path the MC will take .... until the next chapter (thus making it a cliffhanger) :)

• The Vow to Act
• The Decision/Choice is made  (but not revealed until next chapter)

8. The Dilemma

You could almost think of this Chapter Ending as the set-up to "The Decision." It's where (1) it's first revealed that the MC has an important choice to make, and/or (2) the consequences of that choice become painfully clear. The MC may take a long time to get around to making the decision (chapters even), but this is where the dilemma is first presented.

• Which Needs Changing: Self or Others?
• Speak/Act Up or Remain Silent?
• [Career] vs. [Relationship] etc etc
• Who Do I Trust?
• Moral Dilemma

9. The False Lull

Think of this as "The Calm Before the Storm." It's where you end the chapter on a happy, relaxed, hopeful, or joyful note. The key is to do so in such a way that makes the reader say: "oh no, this is too good to last."

• I've finally gotten my heart's desire
• I'm just about to get everything I ever wanted
• I'm in a happy place

10. The Promise 

This is where you end just before showing something that you know the reader has been dying to see. In Romance, this might be the when the MC and the crush have "a first moment/kiss/proposal." In Fantasy or Sci-Fi, maybe it's a cool setting, thing, or place that the MC keeps hinting at, but now you're finally going to show it. Again, here, the key is to hint (strongly) that this is about to happen, but don't show it  until the next chapter. (okay maybe a tiny peek. tiny.) You're promising the reader that in the next chapter, you'll show them that awesome moment/scene/setting that they've been dying to read about for pages and pages.


     It's Almost Time for...

• The New World
• The Epic Battle
• The First Date/Kiss/Proposal
• The Healing/Letting Go
• The Light at the End of the Tunnel

11. BONUS: The Revelation / The Idea

In some ways, this sort of like a combination of "The Promise" and "The Discovery." It's when your MC has an "aha" moment. It'll likely be plot-related, but could also be your protag realizing something about her/himself as a person, or about a significant relationship, etc. Again, here, the success is in the execution. One way to leave it cliffhangery would be to show that an "aha moment" was had, but not show what the MC has thought of ... until the next chapter. Another approach might be to reveal the basic revelation (or a piece of it) straight away, but not it's broader/deeper significance in the story, so that the readers are left scratching their heads, going "wait, how is that going to help?"

A Few More Tips and Tricks:

• Techniques that can work:
  
        End with...
• A dangling question
• A new person or object
• A switch of emotion for the MC
• A teaser of a new scene
  
• Don't bury the hook. End with it.
• Be specific. Vague doom isn't scary.
• Don't (always) give the reader what they want at the beginning of the next chapter
• Write your cliffhanger "zinger" lines in advance ... when you're plotting your first MS draft.

More Resources:

Write On Sisters -- 8 Ways to End Your Chapter with a Cliffhanger ||  Writability -- How to Make the Most of Your Chapter Endings || Writer on Fire -- How to Hook Readers with Cliffhangers and Tension || Cheryl Reif -- How to Write Cliffhanger Chapter Endings ||  Jami Gold -- Cliffhangers: Not just for the End of a Book || Critically Yours -- Cliffhangers  || Moody Writing -- Cliffhangers for Unscrupulous Authors || Anne Allen -- How to Write Chapter Endings ||

Well, there you have it! Those are my 10 Types of Chapter Endings for maximizing must-read-on-ability. What about you? What are your favorites?

Social Media, Writerland, and "Call-Out Culture"

Shredded so Beautiful
(or in other words, Critcism Can Be Painful)

Photo by Seemingly

When I was about eight-years-old, I participated in a workshop for young writers. I poured my heart and soul into a ten page story, and submitted it to the workshop leaders. Three days later, I got it back, all marked up in red pen.

My story was wrong, wrong, wrong. The grammar. The puncuation. The plot. Everything.

I was devastated. I cried. I hid the paper in my desk and never wrote another piece of fiction again (not voluntarily, though a few for class assignments). Not for twenty years.

And I'm still super sensitive about things (as my husband will attest). I'm literally the worst for reading between the lines and interpreting statements as subtle personal attacks on me.

I guess what I'm trying to say is:

I get it.

It's painful to see your work and your words critiqued. It's REALLY painful.

It's painful to see authors whose work you have grown to love and respect get "called out" on social media for writing things that hurt people.

     ... sometimes it feels like it's "A Witch Hunt"

     ... sometimes it feels like it's "dogpiling"

     ... sometimes it makes you feel like you don't want to write anything again for fear of criticism.

But here's the thing: Our books are bigger than ourselves and our feelings as authors. 

Writers with platforms have power. 

There are a lot of people paying attention to their words. 

If authors use their platforms to say things that (intentionally or not) hurt people? If there are aspects of their books that are problematic? If they say things that employ or perpetuate harmful stereotypes, misinformation, fetishization, cultural appropriation, racial slurs, or other microagressions?

They need to be called out.

Sometimes this calling out sounds angry. That's because it is. Because effectively, whether the writer realizes it or not, they themselves have "thrown the first punch."

If the voices aren't loud, (and possibly somewhat angry sounding), would anyone hear about these issues? Very doubtful. I'm not sure about you, but if I heard a few people mumbling "well, I kind of had an issue with Chapter 2" or "well, but I'm sure she meant well" ... I wouldn't give it a second glance. I'd think "huh, must not be a big deal."

Calling things out does several extremely positive things: (1) it alerts readers and gatekeepers to books that may be perpetuating harmful messages about minority groups, (2) it alerts future authors on what not to do in their own books.

If we don't call out, how will change ever happen?

Is there a way to do this "nicer"? Sure. Do we need to have more conversations about that? Sure. It's probably a good idea to avoid, for example, tagging someone in something that just comes across as a personal attack. But niceness is in the eye of the beholder.

And also?

It's pretty hard to "be nice" if you just got punched in your gut ... again.

When we tone police and dismiss arguments because they sound angry, more often than not, we're further dismissing and marginalizing voices that our society has already marginalized in the first place.

Too often we dismiss when we should be listening.

So I think, as authors, published or pre-published, our first step and primary responsibility is not to get defensive, but rather to get okay with being called out, and be open to criticism. Maybe part of it is just saying it. Owning it. Preparing for it.

So I'll say it.

I hope you do too.

More Resources:

We Need to Get Okay With Criticism

• It's not about you feeling good 
• Reviewers are going to call you out on it. (and that's good).  
• Criticism in YA is essential  
• White Fragility
• "Damned if You Do?" -- So Learn From It!  
• Reviewers are going to call you out on it. (and that's good).
• Don't Let Fear Rule (Excerpts) & (The Full Transcript)
• For those who aren't fans of "Call Out Culture" 
• You're going to be criticized even if writing your own race

On The Dangers of Tone Policing

• The Tone Argument 
• What's The Harm in Tone Policing?
• Derailment Bingo,   2

Calling Out vs. Calling In

• 3 Things to Consider When Choosing to Call Out or Call In

How To Respond if You Do Get Called Out

• A Way to Respond if You Get Called Out

I'd love to hear from you, either here, or on Twitter. I've barely scratched the surface of this topic. What do you think about call-out culture? Have I glossed over important issues? Very likely. Call me out on it ;o)

Writing Diversity: Should a White author write a POC? How? Thoughts and a Resource List

Writing Characters of Color ... if you are another color
Photo by Roxsm

Writing People of Color (POC) while White.

You guys. This post is going to be long. Why? This stuff isn't easy. I've been reading and thinking and compiling for a few years now. It just can't be boiled down to a few talking points.

In addition to (and really, more importantly than) my own thoughts, there are links to a whole lot more information and wonderful resources. While I've tried to compile a lot, I know there are many I may have missed. This is a work in progress, so let me know if you know of great resources I've missed!

Due to the length of this post, I've decided to update it with a table of contents for easier reference:

Table of Contents

• The Diversity Gap in Literature
• Priority #1: Supporting Authors of Color
• Book Lists: Authors of Color
• For White Writers: Should We Write POC Characters?
• RESOURCES MASTER LIST:
• Should White Authors Write Characters of Color?
• Racism & White Privilege 101
• Listening to Authors of Color
• Writing POC Characters:
• General Guides
• Writing POC Characters in Sci-Fi / Fantasy
• Writing Black Characters
• Writing Native Characters
• Writing Latinx Characters
• Writing Arab/Middle Eastern or Muslim Characters
• Writing Asian Characters
• Writing White Characters
• Good Rep / Bad Rep
• Ditch the Stereotypes
• Microaggressions
• Describing Characters
• Sensitivity Readers
• Final Checklists & Considerations
• Problems After Publication

 { Sidenote: If you take issue with anything I have (or don't have) here, let me know! If anything makes you upset, or if you just want to talk, please do. I'm here for you.  Post in the Comments. Or, if you're not comfortable with that, DM me on Twitter! }

So, let's begin with the reason a lot of us are probably here reading (or in my case, writing) this post:


The Diversity Gap in Literature 

ICYMI, we live in a racially diverse world, but most of the books, tv, and movies that come out each year?  They don't reflect that diversity. And that's really sad.

It's inexcuseable that there are millions of kids in the U.S. who can't readily find books they can see themselves in. Inexcuseable that so few of the books that make it through the Whitened-system that is publishing and onto our bookshelves are written from the perspective of a POC (Person of Color - ICYMI). According to this article by the Prindle Post, for the first time in U.S. census history over 50% of the children in the U.S. are children of color ... but CCBC statistics show just 28% of kidlit books published in 2016 featured an MC of color and only 6% of the children's books published in 2016 were written by authors of color (And that only talks about publication, not distribution and how easily these books could be found in stores!!!)

    { Read more on 2017 Diversity Gap in Children's Lit - Lee & Low // The 2014 Diversity Gap in Children's Literature // The Apartheid of Children's Lit  //  CCBC Multicultural Stats 2014}

People. We can do better than that.

How?

           ** NOTE: In this post, I'm focusing in on racial diversity and representation. 
                These are not the only voices that are disproportionately absent from our literature. 
                See this resource to get started thinking about some of the other missing voices. **


Priority Number One: Support Authors of Color. 


This Is HUGE And Cannot Be Overstated And/Or Emphasized Enough. We NEED To Provide More Support For Books From Authors of Color. This includes #OWNVOICES.  

          (this is an entire blog/post/dissertation in and of itself)

Buy a book written by an author of color. Write a review. Tweet about it. Talk about it. 

As a reader, this is one way to help. Dedicate your time to reading and promoting books by POC. Read non-white authors for a year. Signal boost their voices. Use your platform, if you've got one. There are great lists and author interviews and more coming out of the We Need Diverse Books  Campaign (Also on Twitter #WNDB and on Tumblr).

{I've also started compiling Links to Lists of Authors of Color below. Click to jump to that section}

But the other big/huge thing that needs changing?  (and that may or may not be capable of changing from the ground up -- ie via reader demand) The White Monolith of Publishing. If we have (virtually) only white gatekeepers (read: literary agents, interns, editors), how can we possibly hope to publish stories and voices that don't speak to white people in the same way they do POC? Answer? We can't.

Where to start with that? Well, start by reading this: Publishing Needs to Fix its own Racism. Then check out all the good work that Twitter user @SC_Author is doing with his #WriteInclusively, and #BigFiveSignOn Campaign with Lee & Low Publishing. Also check out the new organization Writing In the Margins, and new pitch contests like DVPit and WCNV.

Basically? We need more support for authors of color. If you are a lit agent, perhaps you could offer personalized feedback on queries written by POC.  You could actively seek out diverse books. If you're an editor you could put a call out to agents reminding them not to gatekeep diverse books, you could use these suggestions to be part of the solution. If you are a professional editor or published author, perhaps you could open up to mentorships like this one or this one. This may help break down barriers with existing gatekeepers.

But what this also comes down to? We need more agents, editors,  and lit interns of color in the publishing biz. And there are institutional barriers to doing so. One barrier? Virtually ALL publishing internships are unpaid. That's effectively going to prevent all but a few from opting in. We need to break these barriers down.

More resources:

23 Writers with Messages for Straight, CIS, White, Male Publishing || Being a POC Author Sucks || Who is Climbing and Who is Getting Left Behind? || The Privileges of Being a White Author || Diversity is Not Enough: Race, Power, and Publishing || Reading While Black || 12 Reasons Why We Need Diverse Books || To Anthology Editors || Navigating an All White Publishing Industry || What We Can Do || A Cheat Sheet for Selling Diversity

{This doesn't even begin to do the topic justice. I'll try to collect more and add, and expand into a full blown-post about the importance of prioritizing  #ownvoices  <<< Also, check out that hashtag. Note that it is not just for authors of color, but also for authors from other diverse backgrounds. } 


Book Lists: Books by POC & Native Authors


Need recommendations of books written by Writers of Color and Native Authors? This is a set of resources for you!

Apologies in advance -- most of these links will be heavily weighted toward YA / MG titles, because that is what I gravitate toward. However, I will keep expanding to include others!

Also note that while I've tried to keep this collection as strictly focused on POC & Native Authors as possible, a few resources may also list a few books with POC / Native main characters too. I will try to note those when and where I see them.

General Lists:

• Goodreads #OwnVoices MG/YA/NA 
• We're the People : Summer 2017 Reading List 
• CrazyQuiltEdi Resources
• POC 2016 / 2017 Release List 
• POC Authors List - CrazyQuilt Edi 
• YA Authors of Color 2014-15 releases

• Daily Dahlia Resources
• Upcoming 2016/2017  YA Books by Authors of Color 
• Books by and About Marginalized Races  
• YA Backlist by Authors of Color 
• 10 YA Must Reads by Authors of Color in 2017 - Teen Vogue 
• Goodreads Lists
• Goodreads List: #ReadPOC 
• Goodreads List: Feminist Books by Women of Color
• Goodreads List: #1000BlackGirlBooks
  (most, not all authors of color) 
• 20 Books to Start Diversifying Your Reading History 
• Carefree Colorful Women Beach Reads
• Librarything - World Full of Color 
• 10 Books Actually Written by Authors of Color 
• Diversity in YA Lists 
• Diverse Chapter Books & Novels about Growing up POC in the South 
• Diverse Picture Books for Toddlers (3-5yo) 
• WWC: Authors of Color 
• 15 YA Books that Get it Right   
• Multicultural Fiction - A Mighty Girl 
• The Cartoonists of Color Database 
• Diversity Bingo - ReadingAsianAmerican  
• Exploring Diversity Through Children's and YA Books 
• Authors of Color Online List - RIC 
• The Bookish Diversity Link List 2017 - DORA (And 2016 Version Here ) 
• The Ultimate Diverse Reading List - RDB 
• Diverse Book List - Written in Wonder (notes if the book is ownvoices)
• Diverse Books Resource List 2015 - Ava Jae / 2016 
• Hapa Booklist 
• #OwnVoices MG Fiction 
• Diversity in Non-Fiction 
• WNDB - Where to Find Diverse Books 
• WNDB - End of the Year Book Recs 
• WNDB - "If You liked ..." Summer Reading Recs ||

Sci-Fi / Fantasy Lists:

• YA Fantasy by Women of Color - YA Interrobang 
• Goodreads List: Fantasy Novels By Women of Color 
• Goodreads List: Speculative Fiction by Authors of Color
• Goodreads List: Spec Fic by POC 
• Goodreads List: YA, MG Spec Fic by Authors of Color 
• Goodreads List: MG & YA SFF by Writers of Color 
• All Our Worlds - Diverse Fantastic Fiction 
• Urban Fantasy Writers of Color - DanielJoseOlder 
• List: Non-White Protagonists in SFF -- IllustratedPage 
     (note: not all are authors of color - scroll halfway down the page to view POC authors)

Hashtags: #OwnVoices || #Diverseathon  || #RamadanReads ||  #RamadanReadathon  ||  #AsianLitChat || #AsianLitBingo  || #ReadAsianOz || #ReadDiverse2017 ||

African-American / Black Authors

New Releases by Black Authors

• 20 Exciting YA Books by Black Women 2016/2017 - TheBookAvid 
• 63 Upcoming Books of Black Literature 2017 - AALBC 
• 24 New African, African-American and Caribbean Releases for 2017 - African Book Addict
• 2016 YA & MG Titles by African American Authors - Zetta Elliott 
• 2016-2015 African-American Fiction Highlights - The Brown Bookshelf 
• 15 New Books to Dive Into  Summer 2015 - The Root 
• 25 Must Read Books by Black Authors from 2015 - HuffPo 
• 2015 African American Fiction - Zetta Elliott 
• Goodreads List: Adult Releases by Authors of African Descent 2017 / 2016 / 2015 / 2014 / 2013 

Young Adult & Middle Grade Black Authors

• Goodreads List : African American Books for Teens 
• Must Read YA Books by Black Women - xoJane 
• YA Books Exploring Race & Police Brutality 
• 30 Black Comic Writers You Should Know 
• 7 Books to read while you wait for The Hate U Give 
• 8 YA Books for Black History Month - RichInColor 
• African-American Spec Fic for Kids 
• 10 African-American Authors to Know - DiversityInYA 
• 20 Exciting YA Books by Black Women 2016/2017 - TheBookAvid 
• 2016 YA & MG Titles by African American Authors - Zetta Elliott 
• 10 YA Books by African American Writers 2014 - DiversityInYA 
• A 2012 Guide to Black Friendly YA Fantasy 

Adult Black Authors

• 13 Must-Reads for the Black Feminist in Training 
• 20 Black Women with Killer Bibliographies 
• 22 Black Authors to add to your Beach Bag This Summer 
• All Our Worlds : African Tag Search  / Black Tag Search (note: some are not #ownvoices) 
• African American Chick Lit - Read In Colour 
• Black Women Science Fiction Writers - For Harriet 
• Black History Month Booklist - Book Trust 
• Books Set in Africa - Book Trust 
• African Americans in Speculative Fiction : A Primer 
• A Crash Course in The History of Black Science Fiction
• Famous Black Writers 
• 5 Must-Read Jamaican Authors - Read Diverse Books
• 63 Upcoming Books of Black Literature 2017 - AALBC 
• 24 New African, African-American and Caribbean Releases for 2017 - African Book Addict
• 2016-2015 African-American Fiction Highlights - The Brown Bookshelf 
• 15 New Books to Dive Into  Summer 2015 - The Root 
• 25 Must Read Books by Black Authors from 2015 - HuffPo 
• 2015 African American Fiction - Zetta Elliott 
• Goodreads List: Adult Releases by Authors of African Descent 2017 / 2016 / 2015 / 2014 / 2013 

PB & Children's Book Black Authors

• Children's Books Written by Black Muslim Authors 
• 8 Books for Kids Celebrating African-American Hair 
• African-American Spec Fic for Kids 

Other Black Author Lists

Twinja's Black Book Bloggers List ||  Black Nerd Girls || African Book Addict ||



Asian-American / Asian / Pacific Islander Authors

• Upcoming 2016/2017 YA Books by Asian Women 
• Asian Lit Bingo - ReadingAsianAmerican
• 10 YA Books by Asian American Authors - Rich in Color 
• 5 #Ownvoices Reads on the Asian Immigrant Experience 
• 11 YA Novels by Asian-American Authors - Bustle 
• 10 New and Debut Asian American Authors 2015 - DiversityinYA 
• 8 Books for Asian-Pacific Heritage Month  - RichInColor 
• Goodreads List: Best Asian American Teen Fiction 
• Goodreads List: Asian Canadian Authors 
• Goodreads List: Asian Spec Fic By Asian Authors 
• Goodreads List: Short List of Asian American Writers 

• All Our Worlds : Asian Tag Search / South Asian (note: some are not #ownvoices) 
• Asian / Pacific Island YA Authors - CrazyQuiltEdi 
• 7 Books about growing up Asian-American - CBC Diversity 
• 8 Books for Asian-Pacific Heritage Month  - RichInColor  
• 23 Asian American Authors - CrazyRedPen 
• 32 Essential Asian-American Writers - Buzzfeed 
• Asian-Americans in YA Fiction - YaYaYas 
• Asian Lit - Literary Treats 
• Asian Books Tag - Colorful Book Reviews 
• Asian Lit - Read In Colour 
• Asia in the Heart Reviews 
• East Asian #Ownvoices - YA Interrobang 
• Fantasy Novellas by Asian Women - Read Diverse Books 
• 150+ Asian-American Spec Fic Authors 
• Asian / Pacific Islander Librarians Association 

East Asian / East Asian - American / Authors

• East Asian #Ownvoices - YA Interrobang 
• Goodreads List: East Asian Authors 
• LGBTQ by East Asian Authors 
• East Asian Reads: Winter Edition - ReadingAsIAm 
• Goodreads List: Chinese American Authors 
• Chinese-American Tag Search - ReadingAsIAm 
• Goodreads List: Japanese American Authors 
• Mini-List: Japanese YA Authors 
• Japanese-American Tag Search - ReadingAsIAm 
• Goodreads List: Books by Korean Authors or with Korean Characters 
• YA Reads Written by Korean-American Authors 
• 4 Must-Read Korean Authors - RDB 
• Goodreads List: Taiwanese Literature 
• Taiwanese-American Tag Search - ReadingAsIAm 
• Searching for Taiwan in YA Lit

Filipino, Malaysian & Other Southeast Asian Authors

• Goodreads List: Southeast Asians in YA & MG Fiction (not all are #ownvoices )
• #OwnVoices Spotlight: Southeast Asian Authors - YAInterrobang 
•  All Our Worlds :Southeast Asian (note: some are not #ownvoices) 
• A Guide to South East Asian Authors
• Filipino authors you need to know - YABookNerdLibrarian 
• Goodreads List: Best Books by Filipino Authors 
• Goodreads List: Literary Philippine / Philippine-American Authors 
• Picture Books by Filipino Authors 
• A Guide to Authors from the Philippines 
• Malaysian Theme - MirrowsWindowsDoors 
• Malaysian SFF Authors - Google Spreadsheet  (see also here)
• A Guide to Malaysian Authors 
• A Guide to Indonesian Authors 
• Goodreads List: Vietnamese & Vietnamese Diaspora Writers 
• Goodreads List: Vietnamese Novels & Memoirs 

Indian / Indian-American / Sri-Lankan Authors

• #Ownvoices Spotlight on South Asian Authors - YAInterrobang 
• All Our Worlds :South Asian (note: some are not #ownvoices) 
• 8 Great Novels featuring South Asian MCs - Paste Mag  
• Anglo-Indian & Indian American Books - Masala Reader 
• 10 Books by Indian Authors in 2017 - Bustle 
• 4 YA Books with Indian Protagonists - Rich In Color 
• 34 Books by Indian Authors that Everyone should Read - Buzzfeed 
• An Indian Summer Reading List - Book Trust 
• Indian LGBTQ Books - Books And Strips 
• A Compilation of Sri-Lankan Lit - Cinderzena 

Other Asian Author Lists

Native Hawaiian #Ownvoices -- Reading for SJ || Hapa Booklist || 8 Books for Asian-Pacific Heritage Month  - RichInColor || Asian-Australian Kidlit || Read Asian Oz ||

See also: #AsianLitChat and #AsianLitBingo and #ReadAsianOz



Latinx Authors


New Releases by Latinx Authors

• 18 Upcoming and Recent Books by Latinx Authors 2016/2017 - TheBookAvid 
• 9 YA Latina Books Releasing in 2017
• 8 Great Latino Books Published in 2016 - NBC 
• Latino Book Awards : 2016 Finalists - YAInterrobang 
• 15 Best Latino Books 2016 - Remezcla 
• The "Not New York Times" Summer Reading List 2015: Adult // Teen
• 13 Latino Authors Everyone Needs to Read - Bustle 
• All Our Worlds : Latinx & Hispanic Tag Search (note: not all are #ownvoices )
• 10 Books that Celebrate Queer Latinx Identity - RDB 
• Latin@ Book Tag - CBR 
• Latina Lit - RIC 
• Latinx Authors - ComoSeDiceNerd 
• Goodreads List: Chicana/Latina Lesbian Books 
• 20 Books to Read During and After Latinx Heritage Month 
• Latinas for Latino Lit - Authors and Illustrators 
• South American Stories - Book Trust 
• Vamos a Leer 
• Latin American Authors in English Speculative Lit

Young Adult & Middle Grade Latinx Authors

• Latinx in Kidlit : PB / MG / YA 
• 9 Books by Latinx Authors I wish I had as a Teen - Bustle 
• Latino YA Authors Everyone Needs to Know -- Latina.com 
• 5 LGBTQ YAs by Latinx Authors 
• Vamos a Leer 
• Graphic Novels with Latinx MCs (some may not be #ownvoices) 
• Mamiverse: Children's / Picture Books / MG / YA 
• 12 Amazing YA Books by Latinx Authors - Buzzfeed 

Adult Latinx Authors

• 13 Latino Authors Everyone Needs to Read - Bustle 
• All Our Worlds : Latinx & Hispanic Tag Search (note: not all are #ownvoices )
• 10 Books that Celebrate Queer Latinx Identity - RDB 
• Latin@ Book Tag - CBR 
• Latina Lit - RIC 
• Latinx Authors - ComoSeDiceNerd 
• Goodreads List: Chicana/Latina Lesbian Books 
• 20 Books to Read During and After Latinx Heritage Month- RDB 
• Latinas for Latino Lit - Authors and Illustrators 
• South American Stories - Book Trust 
• Latin American Authors in English Speculative Lit
• 5 Must-Read Contemporary Mexican Authors - RDB 
• 6 Lesser-Known Must-Read Books by Mexican Authors - RDB 
• 5 Must-Read Brazilian Novels - RDB 
• 5 Must-Read Jamaican Authors - RDB

Muslim American, Arab American & Middle Eastern American Authors

• Goodreads List : Muslim YA & Kidlit 2017/2018 
• Goodreads List: Muslim Squad - YA & MG 
• Goodreads List: Best Books by Muslim Women 
• Goodreads List: Muslims Represented in Literature (not all are Muslim Authors) 
• Goodreads List: LGBT In the Middle East  (not all are #ownvoices) 
• Ramadan Reads 2017 - LoveInshAllah 
• What I Plan To Read For #RamadanReadathon 2017 - OnceUponABook 
• Join the National #RamadanReads Campaign - LoveInshAllah 
• Muslim Representation in YA Lit - TeenLib guest post by Kaye M 
• Islamic Fiction Booklist 2016
• 6 Must-Read YA Books with Muslim Protagonists - BNTeen
• 26 Authors of Muslim Heritage to Read Right now - EW 
• Muslim Representation in YA - Word Contessa 
• 10 Contemporary Novels By and About Muslims - Lithub 
• Finding Muslim American Voices for Today's Libraries (scroll halfway down to see list) 
• All Our Worlds - Muslim & Middle Eastern Tag Search (note: some are not #ownvoices) 
• Islam in the Classroom 
• Muslim Children's Books and Multicultural Stories 
• 26 Authors of Muslim Heritage to Read Right now - EW 
• Teaching Islam Through Literature 
• YA Novels with Muslim Characters - ZK (not all authors are Muslim, but the list compiler is) 
• Read Muslim Oz - LoveOzYA 
• American Muslims : A New Literary Movement 
• 5 Great Canadian Muslim Authors - BookRiot 
• 9 Muslim Canadian Writers 
• Children's Books Written by Black Muslim Authors - MuslimGirl 

See also: #RamadanReads, #RamadanReadathon, #ReadMuslimOz,  @MuslimReadathon & @Salaam Reads

Native Authors

• American Indians in Children's Literature - Best Books 
• 2016 Releases by Native Authors - ReadDiverseBooks 
• #OwnVoices Representation Native Authors  - YA Interrobang 
• Goodreads List: Native Writers 
• Goodreads List: Popular Native American Authors 
• Goodreads List: Native American / First Nations Fiction (not all #ownvoices )  
• Oyate - Reviews of  Native Peoples' Literature 
• 10 books 10 months - Exploring the Work of Indigenous Authors - RDB 
• Native American Childrens Lit Recommended Reading - First Nations Dev Inst 
• 10 Books by Indigenous Authors You Should Read - Lithub 
• All Our Worlds - Indigenous & Native American Tag Search (not all #ownvoices ) 
• Happy Native American Heritage Month - Weezie 
• 20 Native American Authors You Need to Read 
• 10 Books by Native Authors 
• Resources and Kidlit About American Indians 
• 100 Indigenous Books - Colorful Book Reviews 
• Canadian Book Challenge: Indigenous Writers 
• BlackWords - Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Writers & Storytellers 
• Indigenous Oz YA & Part II 
• Indigenous Australian Kidlit 
• HUIA - Maori and Pacific Authors 
• Hapa Booklist 
• Native Hawaiian #Ownvoices -- Reading for SJ 
• Teen Books By Native Writers to Trumpet All Year Round

Reviewers of Racially Diverse Books

• CrazyQuilt Edi 
• The Brown Bookshelf 
• Rich In Color 
• Read in Colour 
• Twinja Book Reviews 
• Read Diverse Books 
• WOC Reads 
• DiversityinYA 
• Dahlia Adler 
• Reading in Color: Reviews, Booklists 
• Reading Asian American 
• Dark Fanstastic 
• Mirrors, Windows, Doors : PB // MG // YA 
• Reading While White 
• Africa Access 
• Reading and Gaming for Justice 
• Technicolor Reading 
• Well Read Black Girl 
• Brown Girl Reading 
• Brown Books and Green Tea 
• Word Contessa 
• African Book Addict 
• Biblio Nyan 
• Books Before Bandaids 
• Cinderzena 
• Colorful Book Reviews 
• Daily Dahlia 
• Diary of a Reading Addict 
• Dusky Literati 
• Olivia's Catastrophe 
• Paper Wanderer 
• QuartzFeather 
• Reading in Color 
• The Book Pandas 
• The Unconventional Librarian 
• Weezie's Whimsical Writings 
• Written in Wonder 
• Zaheerah Khalik  
• Twinja's Black Book Bloggers List 
• Diverse Book Bloggers Directory ||

Bookstagrammers: @BooksBeforeBandaids ||

Book Clubs:  Mocha Girls Read || Diverse Study Group - WOCReads || Social Justice Book Club || The Latina Book Club || Midwest Black Speculative Fiction Alliance

But I'm not just a reader, I'm also a writer. 

And as such, I'd like my books to reflect the diversity that we see in the world. But you know what you guys? I'm scared to do it, and this is why:


          I'm White.


Which means that by definition I can't write "from the perspective of a POC." I don't come from that perspective.  So I can't write my MC from personal experience. Which of course leads to the question:

Should You Write POC if you are White?

If I do, am I being a good ally, or a bad one (aka not-an-ally)?  Well, in exploring this question, I scoured the interwebs for stories, perspectives, emotions .... answers. I'm compiling some of the resources I've found here.

*** ATTENTION: This post contains a lot of links to other blogs/posts/people that discuss these issues far more eloquently than I. If you follow the links (and you really, really should), be aware that some of the posts are older. The people who wrote them may no longer have the time/energy/headspace to engage in a fresh onslaught of questions about these topics. Go with your gut, but I'd strongly advise to just listen/read, rather than engaging the original posters. 

Be respectful of their time.

On a related note -- if you or your blog post / website / twitter / etc are listed here and you'd prefer not to be, please, please let me know and I can remove the link! 

So,with that rather lengthy intro here we go ...



Should You Write POC if you are White?

I really, really hope you read past this next paragraph, because there are a lot of different perspectives and nuances and voices on this topic, and I've linked to some of them below, and they're so, so important to hear. But for the sake of readability, I'll sum up my own thoughts (to date) on the matter here:

Should you write POC if you are White?

If you do your research in a thoughtful, respectful manner, and you think long and hard about why and how you are choosing to write a POC ... if you think long and hard about whether you're helping or hurting with your representation ... then yes, you should probably try to write the diversity that is actually, by the way, the reality of our world.

But.

In most cases, it's not appropriate for a white author to write a POC Main Character. I won't go into details, but I have an entire discussion about the topic here. The tl;dr? Publishers effectively have quotas regarding the types of books they publish (based on perceived demand), and they're only going to publish X number of books about certain topics each year. When white authors write MCs of color, they are effectively competing for slots with authors of color.

In 2017, only 26% of the books with African-American main characters were written by African-Americans. People, this just isn't right. How is this helping correct the long race-based imbalance of power in our country?

However, if what you're wanting to do is write a diverse cast of characters, then yes, absolutely -- this is just an accurate reflection of the world. However, there are so many things that many of us white folks simply don't see. People of color often experience a very different world than we do. One that is often laced with racism. So, with that in mind:

Research. Try your hardest and listen, listen, listen to people's stories. Think about cultural appropriation, tokenism, and stereotypes. Think long and hard about whether you are the one to write this. Think about overt racism and institutional racism, microaggressions, and how they would affect your character. Research the crap out of it. Listen some more. Write. Edit. Get diverse beta readers. Be prepared to fix things. Be prepared to shelve your manuscript if it is hurtful.

Finished? Know this: there will be criticism. Should you be nervous? Yes. Because if you write accidentally harmful words - no matter how well intentioned - they're still just as harmful to those they hurt. In the end, you might fail for some people. You might make mistakes (I hope not big ones). You might hurt people (I hope not many).

People might be angry at your work. Don't tone police them. This isn't really about you and your feelings.  (Could people be nice about it? Sure, but there's a long history of the predominant race/culture not listening until people raise their voices.)  Listen to their hurt. Listen to their criticism. Apologize.

Don't be paralyzed by fear. Take time to reflect. Take time to heal yourself if you need it. Then get out your pen/keyboard, and do better.

    
    So. Those are my slightly coherent thoughts to date. 

    Please read on to see what people far more eloquent than I have to say on the topic:



Writing People of Color While White : A Resource List

     {   This Resource List is an ongoing project.  So, So, Incomplete. 
            Please comment.  Please suggest.  Please correct me.   }


Should White People Write POC? 

{ See also: Discussion: Even IF we "get the rep right" should we be writing the other? }

Maybe Not*

There's been a lot of crap || Should we be writing the other? || White people don't have a really good track record ||  I'm skeptical || "I hate white people writing for black people" ||  On Problematic Representation || Hard to write without misrepresenting (Video) ||  Like they have a right to || The disparity between author and audience can be problematic || A form of literary blackface? || "I wouldn't know or understand enough" || Racefail 2009 || No one needs whites writing POC. Best to step back.  || White Privilege, White Audacity, and Strange Fruit || Be Prepared to Shelve a Manuscript if you Need To || Mistakes vs. Homogeneity || It's The Wrong Question to Ask || Why I'm Not Going To Write POC POV Anymore ||

 
Or Maybe So*

Writer-Allies need to Bear the Burden too, or Progress Will be Slow || White People: It's Your Responsibility Too || 5 Wrong-Headed Reasons to NOT Write PoC || It's the Real World: How can you NOT write diversity? || Transracial Writing for the Sincere || The Challenges of Writing Diversely -- Avoiding Bandwagon or Grabbag Mentality || The Importance of Diversity || Diversity and Fantasy and "The Other" ||  Braving Diversity Intro,  Part 1,  || It's not easy, but don't hide from it || Whiteness in Fantasy? Come on, this is what we do - we make sh*t up || Why I Write Inclusively as a White Woman || Writing as an Ally || why writing "colorblind" is writing white || Why white people should write people of color ||  You'll mess up. That's not a reason not to do it  || Reach out  || On Writing SFF In a Post-Colonial World || I write where I come from isn't a good enough excuse || There is no one right answer || Apathy || What exactly are YOU risking? What are they? || I'm not saying "stay in your lane" || You're not going to please everyone, but ... ||

But maybe there is a difference between including diversity in your stories
and attempting to write a main character from the perspective of a POC. 

Why I'm Not Going To Write POC POV Anymore ||

And be sure to check out this awesome, ongoing discussion about the topic here:

Should the Privileged Write from a Marginalized Perspective?


*Note that many of these articles take a more balanced or nuanced perspective, and don't outright say "you should" or "you shouldn't" but I've divided them into Yes and No to help organize and highlight some of the key arguments.

But Remember:

White people writing characters of color is NOT the solution 

to the problem of diversity in publishing.

                   

Supporting Authors of Color is.

If you do write a character of color, you Will be criticized. Maybe even before you begin. 
Get okay with that. 

This isn't about you and your feelings.

Don't ignore valid criticism.

I think Lamar Giles put this very well in his article on BookRiot a week ago:

"If helping someone (presumably underserved readers) is dependent on you feeling welcome, who are you really trying to help?" { read the full article here }

It's not about you feeling good || Reviewers are going to call you out on it. (and that's good). || Criticism in YA is essential || White Fragility || "Damned if You Do?" -- So Learn From It! || For those who aren't "Fans of "Call Out Culture" || You're going to be criticized even if writing your own race ||


Don't let fear stop you.
...But do let it force you to listen & to RESEARCH.
This advice is paraphrased from Gene Luen Yang in a speech at the 2014 National Book Festival. Read the full transcript or excerpts via links below:

     Don't Let Fear Rule (Excerpts) & (The Full Transcript)


Sidenote: I'd be lying if I said I wasn't nervous about receiving criticism. Of course I don't want to mess up. Of course I don't want to hurt people. Of course I'd prefer that any criticism I receive wouldn't rake me over the coals and make me feel like a horrible person. I am the kind of person who tends to take things way too personally. But you know what?  I'm not going to let fear rule me.  I hope you won't either.


Stop and Think: Why are you writing diversity into your story?
Make sure you're writing POC for the right reasons.
(Hint: NOT for Tokenism, Exoticism, or for a Diversity "Tick the Box,"
  or because you think it's the new thing. )

Tokenism, exoticism, or 'othering' || Fantasy's Othering Fetish Part 1, Part 2, Part 3 || Are You Just 'Checklisting'? || wwc: tokenism || talk about tokenism || Marginalized Characters do not Define the Story || Are You Co-Opting? || Sympathy and Fiction ||  Writing With Color: What we want to see more of

Are you wanting to write about racial identity, or about racism?
 ... Remember: You can do that from the perspective of a white character.
You are a member of a race. If you're white, then you've probably got unexamined privileges that need to be examined. You're probably an (albeit unwitting) participant in systemic, institutional, and aversive racism. How about exploring THAT in a novel?

You could write about racism from a white perspective. || What do you have the responsibility to write about? Answer: Your Whiteness

But also ask yourself: Why aren't you writing diversity (read: reality) into your stories?
The world is a pretty diverse place. Have you whitewashed your stories?
Sidenote: I wanted someone to write a blog post titled "Whitening: Bad for your Teeth, Bad For Your Story" but there wasn't one, sorry. 

stop whitewashing || whitewashing: one of hollywood's worst habits || racebending is not white-washing || four types of whitewashing  || wwc: whitewashing prevention methods || why writing "colorblind" is writing white || Writing With Color: What we want to see more of || Every Single Word Spoken & Whitewashing || erasing the white default || the problematic approach of colorblind writing|| about that white as default thing || windows & mirrors ||

Are you writing an "Issue Book," or a Stereotype?
 ... and might you be appropriating someone else's voice?
Are you writing a story that's really best told by someone else? Someone who can draw from actual experiences, and write in their #ownvoice? If your book is an "Issue Book" / "Message" book you may want to think long and hard about this, and also whether what you're writing is actually just a stereotype.

Write marginalized characters, but not about marginalization || The White Savior



Before You Start Writing, Take Time to Reflect

Think About Your Privileges.
These are like invisible and unearned tools, resources, boost-ups, and "hall passes" that  simply come with being White.

The Advantages of Being a White Writer || White Privilege : Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack  (2)|| How to Explain Privilege to a Broke White Person || White Privilege Explained via Comic ||  15 Questions White People Never Have To Ask Themselves || This Is White Privilege || The Invisibility of Upper Class Privilege || Things I don't have to think about today || How Privilege Became a Provocation || Things You Need to Understand || 5 Questions For People Who Think They Experience Reverse Racism || White Fragility || Shall We Talk About Privilege? || Check my what? On Privilege and what you can do about it || White Privilege and Male Privilege || Conspiring For Change || Seeing White Privilege as Addiction might be a framework for change || How to Talk About Privilege to People that don't Understand || On Opportunity || White People Getting Candid About Their Privilege (& Twitter Feed) || Privileges of being a White Author ||


No One is Colorblind.  
People Who *Think* They Are Colorblind Are Part of the Problem

 Be Less Blind || 5 Tips for Being an Ally (Video) || When you say you don't see race, you're  actually just ignoring racism || The Colorblind Myth || Colorblind Ideology is Racism || Race 101: Colorblindness ||

Learn More About Racism

30 Resources to Help White Americans Learn About Racism || Racial Profiling || Baltimore Racial Justice Resources  || 8 Things White People Need To Know About Race || How to Tell People they Sound Racist || 10 Ways White People are More Racist Than They Thought || Racism 101 : Definitions || Resource Post for all Good White People TM || Dear White Moms || Resources for Change || Racism is ... ||


Learn not just about Overt Racism
But also about Structural/Systemic/Institutional & Aversive (aka Subconscious) Racism

People of color face racism every. single. day ... and it's not always (or even mostly) by people you'd call "racist" it's engrained in our system and subconscious.

What is Institutional Racism? || Individual vs. Systemic Racism  || Unconscious Bias: Racism is Not Always By Racists || Aversive Racism : The Nature of Contemporary Prejudice || Aversive Racism and the Traditional Publishing Model || 10 Simple Ways to Fight Everyday Racism || Things Not To Say As A White Person || Mainstream feminism and the erasure of women of color || On the Visibily Marginalized || "But That's Racist Against White People!" A Discussion on Power and Privilege || Institutional Racism is Real : Here's Why That Matters || You're Probably More Racist and Sexist Than You Think ||  How Can We Fix Unconscious Racism? || Everyday Racism - What Can We Do?


Listen to People's Stories

      (and always listen before engaging)

 ... About Writing & Publishing as a POC

On Being a POC in an MFA Program || The Danger of a Single Story (TED Audio) || Minorities in Publishing || POC vs. MFA || The self portrait of the artist as the ungrateful black writer || I'm Angry that Viola Davis Made History || Writing Diversity is Harder Than I Thought || Diverse Words - A List Curated by Agent Amy Boggs || Disrupting Publishing - Weekly Links || Guest Bloggers on Write Inclusively || Self-Publishing often only Recourse for writers of color || 23 Writers with Messages for Straight, CIS, White, Male Publishing || Being a POC Author Sucks || On Writing Inclusively || This is How Writing is Now || Who is Climbing and Who is Getting Left Behind? || Reading While Black || Decolonizing the Imagination || On Teaching Creative Writing as a Woman of Color || The Privileges of Being a White Author || On Race and Self-Representation || Nuestras Voces || The Unbearable Whiteness of Meg Rosoff || windows & mirrors || Why I checked out of the Diversity Discussion Du Jour || On Opportunity || Muslim Representation in YA Lit

... About Life and Race and Racism

Racism 101 || White Liberal Racism Denies Personhood || Writing With Color -- Resources  ||  Why I'm no longer talking to white people about race || Biracial - Hold Fast to Blackness || The Problem with the White Ally Club & This work injures me, this work heals me || The Feelings of White People ||  How to uphold white supremecy while focusing on diversity and inclusion || Solidarity is For White Women || I Don't Talk About Race with White People || Coping with the Toxicity of Well-Meaning White People ||  Black People Are Not Here To Teach You About Racism || On My First Time Being Racially Profiled || Natives in America || On Islamophobia || This is How I live Now ||


....On How (and how not) to work on being an Ally

11 Things White People Can Do to Be Anti-Racist Partners || 7 Ways You Can Be an Ally || The Myth of Allyship || Why It's Hard to Talk To White People About Racism || 10 Simple Ways White People Can Fight Everyday Racism || 101 Primer || Things not to Say || How To Fight Racial Bias When it's Silent and Subtle || White Fragility  || Real Allyship vs. "Ally Theatre" || White Fragility is Racial Violence ||


... De-Whiten Your News & Media Sources

Blavity.com || WeTheProtestors.org || Racialicious || everyday feminism || The Root || Indian Country Today  || National Native News || Native Peoples || Native America Calling || Indian Country News || Brown Girl Magazine || BlackGirlInMedia || HuffPost Black Voices || HuffPost Latino Voices || Mic Identities || Colorlines || Media Diversified ||

      ... and just because it's cool, read this.

Find Some Folks on Twitter (or Tumblr, or the Blogosphere)
that talk about this stuff

listen to what they say

     On Writing, Race, Intersectionality

      @ElleOnWords

      @angiecthomas
      @dancingpofpens
      @MinoritiesInPub
      @writersrepublic
      @fangirljeanne
      @gildedspine
      @karnythia
      @debreese
      @djolder
   
     On Race, Identity, Racism in general

      @OsopePatrisse
      @ava

      @jduffyrice
      @samswey
      @mspackyetti


Ready To Write? Do. Your. Research.

Good intentions are not enough. We need to put in the work.

Okay, well some of it is fun ... aka reading awesome books ;o)

Read Authors of Color

YA Authors of Color 2014-15 releases ||  Latin@s in Kidlit PB, MG, YA || Latinas for Latino Lit || Diveristy in YA Lists || Rich In Color || WWC: Authors of Color || Urban Fantasy Authors of Color || 15 YA Books that Get it Right  || Reading While White || Reading in Color: Reviews, Booklists || Multicultural Fiction - A Mighty Girl  || Exploring Diversity Through Children's and YA Books  || Twinja's Black Book Bloggers List || Books by and About Marginalized Races - Dahlia Adler || The Cartoonists of Color Database || Famous Black Writers ||  American Indians in Children's Literature - Best Books || Oyate - Reviews of  Native Peoples' Literature || 22 Black Authors to add to your Beach Bag This Summer || The Brown Bookshelf || Librarything - World Full of Color || 10 Books Actually Written by Authors of Color || 23 Books by Asian-American  & other POC Authors || Goodreads #OwnVoices MG/YA/NA || African-American Spec Fic for Kids || Muslim Representation in YA Lit

Read About How To Write POC Respectfully and Responsibly: 

General Guides:

Writing With Color  ||  Know What You Write || How to Prepare to Write a Diverse Book || 12 Fundamentals of Writing the Other || Writing Authentic Characters of Color in 1st Person POV  || How to write Women and Men of Color || Gee I don't know how to research || Writing People of Color  || Writing POC 101- A Wattpad Collaboration ||  How to Write Diverse Characters ||  It's More than Just Representation || White Mind I, II, III || Respect & Research ||  Writing for a Diverse Audience || An Illustrated Guide to Writing POC ||  How to Write Men and Woman of Color if You Are White || Writing With Color: What we want to see more of  || Writing past your sh*t ||  Writing Race in Novels (audio) || #WNDBNano Webcast Q&A || If You Want to Deconstruct Issues, Do It Quickly || An Important Issue on Creating Characters ||  Your Terra Incognita is my Home

Writing POC in SFF:

Writing SF in a Post-Colonial World || Invisible -- The Importance of Representation in SFF || A Beginner's Guide to Researching your Diverse SFF || Apocalypse Responsibly || Writing the Non-Western Fantasy || Medieval POC || On Using Non-Western Influence in Fantasy || Writing Convincing Non-Western Fantasy || A Beginner's Guide to Researching Your Diverse SFF || Normalizing Diverse Characters in SFF || Magic and Muslim Characters || Misconceptions about Witchcraft || Diversity and Fantasy and "The Other" || On Fantasy's Othering Fetish

Black Characters:

White Authors Writing Black Stories || tammy teaches you how to write black characters || How (Not) To Write About Black Women || The Meaning Behind a Name || WWC - Writing Black Characters (multiple posts) || Stereotypes:   Token Black Girls / Magical Negros / The Superhuman Black Man / The Angry Black Woman / Mammy, Sapphire, Jezebel, and their sisters ||

Native American Characters:

Respect Native Voices and Protocols || American Indians in Children's Literature || Indian101 for Writers: Part 1: Know Thyself, 2: Know Whereof You Speak, 3: Keep it Real, 5: Walking in Two Worlds (sorry part 4 seems to be gone) ||  Native Representation || Myths and stereotypes about Native Americans (pdf) || The Dos, Don'ts, I don't knows, and Maybes of Native Cultural Appropriation

Latin@ Characters (Latinx / Latino / Latina) :

Latin@ Diversity in YA || Magical Realism & Its Roots in Oppression || Writing Latin@ Characters Well - Intro,  Part 1 - Labels: What ARE You?, 2 - Where Are You From?, 3 - No, Really, Where?, 4 - But You Don't Look Latin@, 5 - The Opposite of a Pass, 6 -  Say Something in Spanish, 7 - I Love Mexican Food!, 8 - Putting Out Those Fiery Stereotypes, 9  -  Banging Down More Stereotypes, 10 - Ingroup vs. Outgroup Conversations,  || How NOT To Write Ethnic Characters ||

Arab/Middle Eastern and/or Muslim Characters :
(Important to note that these do not go hand in hand, but nevertheless, are often conflated based on quick visual assessments/judgements and therefore these distinct groups may overlap in the sorts of microaggressions etc that they experience)

How to Write About Muslims || Muslim Representation in YA Lit || Muslim Characters -- WWC Questions Roundup || Arabian Stereotypes || An interesting thread on NaNo || WWC: Posts tagged Muslim on Writing with Color // Tagged Arab || Muslim Characters - Pakistani/Canadian || Magic and Muslim Characters || A Teen's Guide to Islam || Dismantling Arab Stereotypes ||

Asian Characters

Writing Indian Characters || Indian Characters 101 || Indian Stereotypes & Myths || WWC - Indian Character Stereotypes || WWC -  Indian Character Questions || Things to Keep in mind when writing South Asian Characters || Stop Saying Ni Hao to Me || Troubling Tropes in Asian / Asian-American  YA Characters || The "Model" Minority


White Characters:
Cause I'm going to hazard a guess ... you probably have white characters in your book too?

You could write about racism from a white perspective. || What do you have the responsibility to write about? Answer: Your Whiteness  || White Privilege : Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack || 15 Questions White People Never Have To Ask Themselves || Why it's Hard to talk to White People About Racism || When You Say You Don't See Race... || The Invisibility of Class Privilege ||

Other Types of Diversity:
As you've probably noticed, this post has really focused in primarily on racial diversity. However, there are lots of other types of diversity which are underrepresented in literature. For example, diversity in religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, and socioeconomic diversity.   Dahlia Adler has a great list of resources to get you started reading and thinking about the issues and prejudice that these diverse groups face.

Take a Workshop. Or read a book on the topic.

Writing The Other Workshop  || Writing the Other - A Book by Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Black ||


Learn From the Mistakes of Other Books / Movies

Notes and Critiques on American Indians in Children's Literature || Eleanor & Park || The Help || Avatar || Revealing Eden || Shabanu || Hello, I Love You || Racefail 2009 || Troubling things in YA Asian and Asian-American Lit || Fine Dessert (Picture Book) ||


Plan Your Book Thoughtfully and Respectfully. 

If you're writing Fantasy or Sci-Fi, you may have a little more freedom (than if you're writing Contemporary or Historical) ... because you're creating a culture that none of us have experienced. However. This does NOT give you an excuse to do a crappy job that's going to do more harm than good.

There's Good Representation and Bad Representation

Bad Representation vs. Tokenism vs. Diversity || Appropriate Cultural Appropriation || Cultural Appropriation : Homage or Insult? || The Dos, Don'ts, I don't knows, and Maybes of Cultural Appropriation || The Harm of Cultural Appropriation || What is Cultural Appropriation? || Cultural Appropiation Bingo || How we Ignore Prejudical Characters... to everyone's detriment ||  On Writing Diverse Characters || On Fantasy's Othering Fetish || Voice Appropriation


Even if you're not writing an "Issue Book"... (and you may or may not be the best person to do that)

Understand the Micro-aggressions that POC face

 Microaggressions.com ||  Microaggressions - NYT || Why Microaggressions Hurt (Illustrated) ||  Phrases to be mindful of Part 1. Part 2. Part 3. || 21 microaggressions you hear on a daily basis - Fordham University || 7 Racially Coded Phrases || Words can hurt || Acting White? ... or Western Neutral? || WWC: Common Microaggressions List || Everytime someone asks to touch my hair, I send them this GIF || Stop Touching My Hair || 27 things you had to deal with as the only black kid in your class || The pain of the watermelon joke || You don't look Indian || The Racial Slur Database || Offensive Phrases that People Still Use 1, 2, 3  || 10 Ways White Supremacy Still Shows Up || 14 Things You Should Not Say ||  But You Don't Look Latin@|| The White "Savior" || 10 Things not to say to your Native American co-worker || Stop Saying Ni Hao to Me ||  Native Circle's List of Offensive words || How to Write About Muslims ||


Understand that (even well meaning) White people say and do
things that are disrespectful, hurtful, ignorant, and exhasuting

       dear white folk ... || angryblackgirlsunited ||  we are not people of color


Think about the 'White Default Mentality' and the details of your story
How well / accurately / inoffensively are you representing your characters?
Think about the fact that if left undescribed, many readers will default to imagining the character as white.

Describing Characters of Color - NK Jemisin Pt 2, Pt. 3 || Should authors describe a character's race? ||  Writing With Color FAQ || Erasing the White Default || erasing the white default || the problematic approach of colorblind writing|| about that white as default thing ||

     Describing Hair: Dos and Don'ts

Words to Describe Hair  ||  Guide to Black Hair - Relaxers, Natural Hairstyles, || Why I Love / Hate My Natural Hair || Describing Natural Black Hair || WWC: Black Hair in History || 10 Black Hair Braiding Styles || Naturally Curly || Good Hair Movie (Clips) || Curl Pattern ||


     Describing Skin Tone:  Dos and Don'ts

 Words for skin tone || Fic and Skin Tone || If White People Were Described Like Characters of Color || WWC: Skin Color & Food Descriptions ||  Resources for Describing Skin Tone || Handy Words for Skin Tones (do note some come with asterisk/footnote) || Mistakes Well-Intentioned Writers Make || Are We Food? || Othering or 50 Shades of Chocolate || Erasing the White Default ||


     Dialogue, Speech, and Accents
     This tip from the NaNo WNDB webcast: watch some youtube, TV shows. Notice speech patterns.
     
Writing Diversity in Dialogue || Ten Tips on Writing Accents || On Accents and Dialects ||


    Clothing: Respect vs. Stereotypes and Appropriation

Native Appropriations || Why Cultural Appropriation is Wrong ||  Appropriate Cultural Appropriation || Cultural Appropriation : Homage or Insult? || The Dos, Don'ts, I don't knows, and Maybes of Cultural Appropriation || What is Cultural Appropriation? ||

    Diversify your Style Resources:

Afrobella || Ebony: Style || Essence || Beyond Bucksin (shop) ||


Ditch the Stereotypes, Cliches, and overused Tropes

7 Offensive Mistakes Writers Make  || Stephen King's Super-Duper Magical Negros || Writing With Color : Stereotypes & Tropes || WWC: Cliches || An Open Letter || TV Tropes:  Main Race Tropes,  White Hero, Going Native, etc || The "Model" Minority ||  Want to Write Diverse Characters? Don't Be an Asshole || There's no such thing as a "good" stereotype || Real Life Indian || Overcoming the "Noble Savage" and the "Sexy Squaw" || Oh Come All Ye White Saviors || Troubling Tropes in Asian / Asian-American  YA Characters || The Invisible Latina || 5 Latina Stereotypes || Latina Iconicity || I'm Latino but I Don't Speak Spanish || Token Black Girls || The Superhuman Black Man || The Angry Black Woman || Mammy, Sapphire, Jezebel, and their sisters || Dismantling Arab Stereotypes || Racial Stereotyping in YA Lit || Challenging Stereotypes in Kids' Books


Eliminate Racist / Culturally Appropriative Terms:
*Alternatively, include one or two in your novel intentionally
  and have your MC give whoever used the offensive term a stern talking to!

Why you shouldn't loosely use the term "Spirit Animal" || Common Phrases to Avoid || You don't look Indian || The Racial Slur Database || Offensive Phrases that People Still Use 1, 2, 3  || 10 Things not to say to your Native American co-worker || Native Circle's List of Offensive words || When Racism slips into everyday speech ||


Run Your Manuscript Through Some Checklists

Writing Diverse Fiction: A Practical Guide || Writing Race: A Checklist for Writers || 12 Fundamentals of Writing the Other - Daniel José Older || 10 Tips on Writing Race in Novels - Mitali Perkins and List 2  and List 3 ||


When You've Written it, Get Diverse Beta Readers &/or Editors.

 Diversity Cross-Check (faq & tags) || Writing With Color - Colorful Critiques  (prev crits) ||  Betafinder || The Importance of Cultural Consultants ||


But Think About How/Who You're Asking.
People are busy. Not everyone has time to answer all your questions. Be respectful.

How (Not) to Get Help When Writing PoC ||  Cautions about selecting betas from Native Nations || No I Wont Write your Black Character For You ||


Listen to your readers. Fix things.
Did you screw up? Rework and get more opinions. Still not great? Maybe one of your betas would want to step in and help co-author it? (But maybe not).

Be prepared to shelve a manuscript if you need to. 


All Done (Read: Published)?  YAYY!!
Be prepared for the inevitable fact that even in "the finished product" you will make mistakes. 
You'll also get to think about other things, like:

Whitewashed Covers! || Don't Judge a Book By Its Cover || Why the Pretty White Girl Cover Needs to End || Uncovering YA Covers 2011 - Infographics ||


Be prepared for criticism. People have opinions (and a right to them). 
This is the 21st century. People have social media. You will hear them.

Criticism in YA is essential || "Damned if You Do?" -- So Learn From It! ||  Fear is Good ||


Know that you can't please everyone. Everyone gets one star reviews. It's part of being a writer.  *hugs* .... but also?

Some of those "angry" reviews might be things you need to listen to.

An angry review does NOT equal an inacurrate review.

Because, although it might not feel like it to you -- you may have "thrown the first punch."
These reviews might be from people expressing that you've hurt them. That your attempt at representation was problematic for them. That you've screwed up. Listen to them. Don't shrug their stories off lightly. Don't dismiss them. Don't derail the conversation. Don't tone police.

Reviewers are going to call you out on it. (and that's good). || Derailment Bingo,   2|| The Tone Argument || White Fragility || What's The Harm in Tone Policing? || For those who aren't "Fans of "Call Out Culture" || On Ways Authors Respond ||  A great example of a blog post thoughtfully responding to criticism  And another thoughtful response || A Way to Respond if You Get Called Out

And I have my own post on So-Called "Witch Hunts" and "Call Out Culture" in YA Lit


If an aspect of your published book is hurtful to people? 

Apologize. Listen. 

Then? Roll up your sleeves. Learn from your mistakes. Write Better.


I'd love to hear from you. If you have a comment, question, concern, issue with anything that's here, let me know. If there's a resource you'd like to see added, a topic that's not covered, etc, give a shout out. This page is a work in progress! If you'd prefer not to leave a public comment here, please feel free to reach out on Twitter: @CarissaATaylor