And so it begins again. Hello, NaNoWriMo. I think this time, in my attempt at outlining that damn series I promised my mother, I'll take conscious care in thinking about the racial and gender identities of my characters and how this impacts their actions. Previously, my characters didn't have much racial background beyond a surname (the protagonist of my Knaves book has a Hungarian surname, for instance). In light of recent events, however, I think any action I take will not be enough. This time round, maybe I won't describe skin colour at all and leave it up to the imagination of my non-existent readers. Maybe I'll give my narrator close physical contact with all major characters and not explicitly say who has what relationship with who. Maybe I'll think more about things, overthink things, and get nowhere. I, as a creative writer, can only do so much with what I have experienced in my life. I rely on people to me out on things, so let me know if I've been insensitive or said something I shouldn't. I can't drive, so I can't attend protests. I don't have a real job, a real social life, a life at all beyond my made-up world. If promising to be more aware of how I write characters is something I can do to contribute to the racial awareness movement, then that's how I'll do it. Sorry for the long post, but I've finally thought of something to say. (I've been showing my family other people's posts, so that's another thing I'm doing.) #amwriting #amoutlining #consciouswriting #blacklivesmatter #whatamidoing #imadeamess #humansarehumans https://www.instagram.com/p/CBVxpSKjtKq/?igshid=my6voum7fkmt
