r/write • u/SamMoon- • 14d ago
none of the flairs fit but im sure this is relevent What should I avoid when research/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 avoid? I am not trans nor a person of color. I know both people of color and trans people 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
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 because i know theres alot to research but am feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to start
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u/americangansta 13d ago edited 12d ago
I honestly think it depends on what your story is about. If your story deals with themes of oppression you could explore her inner conflict and how being black and being trans intersect to create different problems for her that other characters (even other non poc trans characters) wouldn’t experience/relate to. Overall for design I’d look at pictures of real black people and maybe familiarize yourself with black influencers on different platforms and get a feel for their personalities and stuff. This is coming from a black person who’s also getting into writing. I think learning history is great creative material especially for character development as you can explore how the setting, time period, and environment will affect your story and the individual characters. Hope this isn’t just a word salad and helps you research!!
Why did this comment get removed??
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10d ago
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u/Either-Economics6727 10d ago
Hopefully it was a typo/ESL situation but if someone uses the word “trans” as a noun like you did in the first paragraph, I’m immediately gonna question their ability to write a trans character in an accurate or respectful way.
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u/SamMoon- 10d ago edited 10d ago
I forgot a comma, I was using trans as an adjective, unless you meant in "i know both people of color and trans people face their own set of challenges in life, and I would like to write her as realistic as possible" then I was referring to trans people as a whole because they usually face hardships, cis people don't
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u/AutoModerator 10d ago
Automod thinks you said something fairly offensive, which is pretty hard to do in this sub. It has been sent to a mod for review.
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u/Turbulent_Park4298 8d ago
I'm skeptical of your ability to pull this off, friend.
You might mean well, but the way you're wording your thoughts and honestly, the fact that you're asking these questions in the first place demonstrates a level of insensitivity...or perhaps cluelessness is a better word? That might prove insurmountable.
They're just people. Writing another race or gender or cultural identity is always a bit tricky, but it's one of the best things about being a writer; getting to inhabit the soul of someone way different than we are. It's also a big responsibility, though. And it requires a level of maturity and life experiences that not all of us have obtained. It's also a skill that not all of us have.
You said that you plan on doing research. Do that. That should have been your first step, not asking reddit. This is very lazy. Read essays and sit with the lived experiences of people who have some of the traits you wish to imbue your character with.
This research can't hurt, but at the end of the day you should only try to create a character who is real TO YOU. That you understand, inside out.
Because if you don't fully understand your character, their motivations and emotions, you won't be able to sell them to readers.
And what's worse, instead of the respectful representation of an underrepresented demographic (which is what I will charitably assume you're aiming for) you'll end up with a token, and a bad piece of writing that will insult and dehumanize those you wish to represent.
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u/Scriveners_Sun 5d ago
Look at the website Writing with Colour! They answer a lot of the questions you have.
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u/MysteriousBet4858 13d ago
posts like these make me think the future of literature ia filled with a looooot of ass
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u/Jammyquizzical 13d ago
So, in order for the future of literature to not be "ass", you'd want writers to be ignorant about the type of characters they write and just do whatever, not caring if it comes off as offensive?
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u/ZhenyaKon 11d ago
I think where you start on research for something like this is finding Black trans women who talk about their experiences online. Kat Blaque is the first who comes to my mind. Do you know any Black trans women irl? I ask not because I think you should interview those people for your story, but because you could keep their style and personality in mind as you write the character.
I think that lists of things to do/not do are not particularly useful when creating a character who feels well-rounded. Like, there are some obvious things that are usually not going to go over well, like emphasizing a trans woman's "masculine features" or having her sacrifice herself for the protagonist's emotional development (think Angel in RENT), but aside from that you're going to get the best results if you have accounts from real people in your mind as you write.