#Helpful hints

[thatsbelievable]

[nightvaleofficial]

[cosmicawg]

𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐰/@𝐜𝐨𝐬𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐰𝐠

OH! Hi, welcome to my blog! I’m your favorite (you either love me or hate me) AWG. Today, we’re diving into ⭐BLACK CHARACTERS⭐—and no, I’m not talking about those one-dimensional characters just there for the urban memes. I mean the real deal: complex, rich, main characters that pack a punch!

As a Black writer myself, I’ll be honest—I sometimes struggle with crafting Black characters, whether they’re main leads or supporting roles. Why? Because every Black person has a different story. Believe it or not, not every Black man or woman has experienced the same tropes we see in the media. So how do we go about developing a powerful Black character or even a minor role that’s still refreshing and relatable? Let’s find out together!

𝐀𝐯𝐨𝐢𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐞𝐨𝐭𝐲𝐩𝐞𝐬: 𝐋𝐞𝐭’𝐬 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐆��� 𝐓𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞!

When it comes to writing Black characters, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: stereotypes. You know, those tired clichés that pop up in movies and books like an unwanted party guest who just won’t leave.

First off, let’s acknowledge that not every Black character needs to fit into a box labeled “Gangster,” “Sassy Best Friend,” or “Magical Negro.” (Yes, I see you, Hollywood!) Every character deserves depth, complexity, and a unique backstory.

define: Magical Negro is a Black character who exists to help a white protagonist, often with supernatural powers. Example: John Coffey in The Green Mile.

Research, Research, Research! I can’t stress this enough. Dive deep into the experiences of real Black individuals, because every Black person has a different backstory! Personally, I haven’t experienced many of the challenges Black Americans face, like systemic racism, and it’s crucial to acknowledge that diversity. Understanding these nuances will help you create more authentic characters.

Ask Questions. Got a Black friend? (If you don’t, get one—kidding!) Use your network. Ask them about their experiences, perspectives, and how they feel represented in media. Just don’t be that person who asks, “So, do you like fried chicken?” It’s not cute.

Embrace Diversity Within Diversity. Not all Black characters should be from the same background. Explore different cultures, regions, and histories. There are a billion ways to be Black, so show that in your characters!

𝐖𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐮𝐞: 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤

Now, let’s talk about dialogue—because if your characters sound like awkward robots, people will notice! When writing Black characters, remember that language is a huge part of identity. African American Vernacular English (AAVE) is a beautiful, expressive part of Black culture, but it needs to be used authentically and respectfully.

Personally, as a Black Jamaican, this is how I talk “proper.” I don’t use Patwa (Patois) in my dialogue when I’m writing Black American characters because, like I said before, Black culture varies. Just as I speak differently from a Black American, your characters should reflect the diversity of the Black experience. One-size-fits-all doesn’t apply here!

For example, a natural-sounding conversation between Black American friends might go like this:

Authentic: “Yo, you tryna head to the spot later?” “Bet, I’m down. Lemme hit you up after work.”

This sounds natural and reflects everyday speech without exaggeration. Now compare this with a stereotype that overuses slang and makes the character seem like a caricature:

Stereotyped: “Yo, dawg, we finna roll up in this joint, ya feel me? Straight fire!”

See the difference? One feels like a real conversation, while the other feels forced and unnatural.

Another Example: In a professional setting, you might have a character saying:

Authentic: “I’ll follow up on that report and get back to you by end of day.”

If you force casual AAVE where it doesn’t fit, it feels unnatural, like this:

Stereotyped: “Yo, I’ma hit you with that report later, aight?”

𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬: 𝐍𝐨𝐭 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐚 𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐜𝐞/𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐦𝐲 𝐬𝐤𝐢𝐧 𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐮𝐫

Alright, let’s get into it! Crafting rich, layered backstories for your Black characters is where the magic happens. After all, they’re not just defined by their race; they come with a whole buffet of experiences, cultures, and dreams!

Cultural Heritage: Dive into your character's cultural background! If your character is Caribbean, like a sassy Jamaican or a vibrant Trinidadian, think about how family traditions and spicy food shape their identity. Maybe they celebrate Carnival with a flair that leaves everyone in awe, or they bring a bit of reggae to the school dance. Spice it up!

Family Dynamics: What’s the family vibe like? Is it a tight-knit crew where everyone knows everyone’s business, or is it a mixed bag of characters with their quirks? Picture a character raised by their wise grandma, who drops truth bombs about resilience while whipping up the best curry chicken in town. Those family stories can really shape who they are!

Personal Experiences: Let’s keep it real—your character’s experiences should be as unique as their favorite playlist! Maybe they faced challenges at school that made them a champion for anti-bullying or excelled in sports, turning their setbacks into comebacks. For example, they might have been teased for their skin tone, but that just made them more determined to lift others up.

Aspirations and Dreams: What gets your character out of bed in the morning? Whether they dream of becoming a doctor, an artist, or the next big YouTube sensation, their aspirations tell a story! Imagine a character who, inspired by their community’s struggles with healthcare access, aims to break barriers in medicine. Talk about a hero!

𝐅𝐢𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞: 𝐔𝐩𝐥𝐢𝐟𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐖𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐏𝐮𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐃𝐨𝐰𝐧

Alright, folks, let’s get real for a minute. We need to address a serious issue in storytelling: the unfortunate trend of making Black characters the butt of jokes to uplift white main characters. Spoiler alert: this is not cute, and it definitely doesn’t fly in a respectful narrative!

First off, humor is a powerful tool in writing, but it shouldn’t come at the expense of marginalized characters. When Black characters are used as punchlines or comic relief just to highlight the “funny” qualities of a white protagonist, it reduces their complexity and humanity. It perpetuates harmful stereotypes and misses the chance to create authentic, well-rounded individuals.

Example —

From “The Office” (U.S.): don't get me wrong I LOVE The Office, its my comfort show, however, In the episode titled “Diversity Day,” Michael Scott leads a diversity training session that reduces a Black character, Stanley, to a series of racial stereotypes. The humor in this scene relies heavily on racial caricatures, and Stanley is the butt of the joke, highlighting a lack of respect for his character. Michael’s antics, while intended to be funny, diminish Stanley’s complexity and reduce him to a stereotype for the amusement of the white characters.

𝐑𝐞𝐟𝐫𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐬: 𝐒𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐩

Books —

"Writing the Other: A Practical Guide" by Nisi Shawl and Cynthia Ward - A guide to writing characters outside your own experience with sensitivity and depth.

"The Art of Character: Creating Memorable Characters for Fiction, Film, and TV" by David Corbett - Offers insights on developing authentic characters.

"Diversity in Young Adult Literature" by various authors - A collection of essays discussing representation in YA literature.

Articles —

“Avoiding Stereotypes in Fiction: People of Color”

“Writing Characters of Color: How to Avoid Being Racist” - Vanessa Willoughby’s article on Book Riot 

“American Fiction: Scathing and Accurate Portrayal of the Obstacles Black Writers Face in Publishing” -  

𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐟𝐟: 𝐀𝐇, 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐃𝐈𝐃 𝐈𝐓!

Thank you so much for reading this post! To all my fellow Black writers out there, I invite you to drop your comments below—let me know if there's anything I've missed or misled. Remember, even though I strive for perfection (tehehe), I’m not above making mistakes!

I can’t wait to see all the vibrant, fully-realized Black characters you’ll bring to life in your stories. Together, let’s make sure our voices shine and our narratives resonate. Happy writing, and until next time, keep slaying those words!

—courtesy of cosmicawg

[barb-alayna-artstuff]

Allie’s Make Your Work Days Into Fun Days…

Helpful Hint # 23

You’re Butt Will Thank You…

And So Will Everyone Who Sees You Smiling…

[hardcoregamer]

This game is sneaky in the best way. It doesn’t shout its best features from the rooftops. Some of the most useful mechanics, coolest upgrades, and even collectible hints are just there, waiting to be discovered by curious eyes or stumbled upon by accident. And these tips will help you discover them.

[77loves30]

Collection of Crochet Clues

I don’t want to sound like I’m writing a blog post about crochet tips but I am writing a blog post about crochet tips. I’ve saved up 6 things that I do regularly that really help my process and I’m going to share them with you, dear reader, today. Inside of Garment Hint This one is my favorite and I feel like real, actual genius every time I do it. Not always, but pretty often, the inside of a…

[sheepyshepherd]

Hey fellow Sky enthusiasts!

I've created a comprehensive guide showcasing solo Candle Run shortcuts and tricks for Sky: Children of the Light in 2024.

In this video, I cover all the shortcuts and tricks that I know to help you with your Candle Runs without relying on Chibi or props!! 🕯️

Check out the video here: Solo Candle Run Shortcuts & Tricks 2024 - No Chibi, No Props, No Problem! | Sky: Cotl

Happy gaming, everyone!✨🎮

[windows-in-the-night]

Resume tips from my mom to you guys!!

It shouldn't be over a page, especially if you've never had a job before.

you should also tailor it to the type of job you're applying for! For example, if it's a cashier position at a local shop, the things you put on there should be described and catered towards showing you'd be good at that position.

examples of being in charge of money before, even if it was for like a charity fundraiser

examples of talking to people and having good customer service skills

any past job experience you've had before in the same position

[thatsbelievable]

[nando161mando]

After Elon Musk does a Nazi salute, I permanently deleted my X account

https://youtu.be/A5Uo7EXoyrk

[friendsim2]

Do you have and hints for finding evidence in Vol. 12? I feel like I've clicked everything but I'm still stuck

There's basically three phases to it:

Finding the church - this requires that you check the bus and grab the flyer from it, and check the sky/top of the tent in the circus tent and solve the puzzle that's there. You need to pay attention to how the constellations are arranged in the real world version and then match that in the dreamscape version. Once you do both these things, you should see the church on your locations and you need to go there and talk to Akhnai.

Finding the mansion - you need to solve a puzzle in Marvus' caravan (check the mirror - it's a basic light sequence puzzle) and then play "Garten of Tubecat" in the dreamscape midway. Once you beat the high score, go back to the real-world field and you'll see a card on the ground that wasn't there before. When you pick that up and solve the mirror puzzle, you'll automatically go to the mansion.

Escaping the mansion - first talk to Chahut in the library and exhaust her dialogue. She'll tell you she's missing seven books. You then need to talk to everyone about the missing books (Karako in the real-world bedroom, the Soleils in the dreamscape bedroom, and Marvus in the real-world library) and find the four books that're in the environment (hallway and bedroom - both real-world and dreamscape). Once you find all seven books, go back and tell Chahut and you'll proceed with the route.

[kenz1frenz1]

If you need to travel to another state in your own vehicle, for whatever reason, it might be a good idea to check out deflock.me to see the location of license plate cameras throughout the US. These are not speed cameras. They literally exist to track vehicles.

Just a helpful hint for anyone that likes to travel! Remember, it's an open source website so some cameras might not be listed because they haven't been found yet. If you want to be helpful for other American drivers, keep a lookout on your normally travelled routes and add any that you see. There's more instructions on the website.

[woodpengu]

This is a 'Mindful Monday' kind of ramble... Is long; but we're not apologizing.

I have a condition that extends healing time considerably. From this comes a learning experience that is never-ending [sometimes the tone is exhaustive, but this time it's informative].

Anyone under the pressure of complex trauma or many comorbidities/disorders might relate to the frustrating cycle of getting a toe forward only to feel like one's instantly propelled leagues backwards. Or the overwhelming strain that comes up every time one attempts to "keep up with the times" only to burn out seconds after launch. Or taking in the panoramic view of all the steps it'll take to recover and the nervous system shutting down before taking a step forward.

I spend more time in decompression than in progression and idling in neutral [combined]. Or, at least, it feels that way. With all the physiological and psychological conditions that, often, can - and do - trigger each other into a devastating spiral, precision and patience are key practices in getting through the lows. And since there's only one professional I feel I can really count on at this time, there's a lot of trial-and-error coping-mechanism-building going on. So, there's a few keys I've learned over the years thanks to this, things I remind myself that genuinely help reset my nervous system:

As cliche as it sounds, remember to breathe. Taking a pause to breathe deliberately can be like walking through a doorway. Slow the breath. Elongate the breath. Soften the breath. Take literal control of the breathing mechanism and manipulate it to emulate a relaxed state. Leading to...

Trick the nervous system into 'rest and digest' (parasympathetic response) by playing opossum. Can't think our way out of this one; this has to be done by physically relaxing tension, starting small and working through the body. Intentional, careful movements that soften tissues and open joints. Gradual shifts - extending/flexing fingers/toes; rolling shoulders, wrists, ankles, and hips; swaying the neck from side to side; wiggling playfully.

Check posture. Back rounded? Engage the core muscles, tilt the pelvis, drop and pull back the shoulders. Neck tension? Stack the neck vertebrae - don't jut your chin forward. Tight leg muscles? Lunge or horse stance for a bit. Bad posture = poor biomechanics = imbalanced tension = prone to injury/illness.

Willpower is hard when the pressure is on; prioritize what matters and leave the rest. Just because something is good to do doesn't mean it'll always be easy to do. Exerting the will to do something good for health and future self will pay off long-term. Brush, floss, and rinse. Take the shower when gooey-feel is high. Nibble something so taking meds for discomfort won't lead to more sicky. Exert the will to take care of present self so future self struggles less when future becomes present. Get the momentum going.

Operate off of inspiration rather than desperation. How we feel is a determining factor in momentum. Record the idea in the moment it comes up, follow through when time and energy allow. The only one who has the right to punish you for a lack of follow-through or response is you... because you're the only one that knows the full extension of your own circumstances. Everyone/thing else can wait... or they can walk. Let them.

Acknowledge the wins, no matter how small. Observe the bigger picture from the point of injury, illness, surgery, accident, or other significant reference... and pin the overall improvements. Always nod to the encouraging details. It's not toxic positivity to point at something and say, "Look at what I did right; look at how far we've come; it's good to feel joy about this." I walked a mile without needing rest. I wrote a page in a flow state. I remembered to water the plants. I ate when I was hungry instead of waiting until I was starving. I let myself feel angry and then let myself work through the anger instead of burying my feelings. I was honest with myself/another about what I needed in the moment.

This list will likely get added to over time. But these are the things I've learned for 30 days, practiced for 30 days, and adjusted to suit me for 30 days before choosing to share my experience (another lesson definitely worth applying in order to avoid being a misinforming fool). I'm not telling anyone what to do or how to live. This is my way of sharing something that has been working for me with the thought that someone else might be able to benefit and adjust it to themselves.

Take care and may gentleness frequent your sphere.

[onecopyoneyearinadvance]

Chillicothe Independent, Volume 6, Number 5, 5 November 1881

[jizzjazz123]

HINT: If you scroll far enough, you will discover a secret! ....

[starlightvld]

So, I'm just going to throw this out there because I've noticed some new authors may be confused about AO3 tagging and ratings. These are important to the structure and usability of the site, so I encourage all new authors to do these things for every fic so we can keep AO3 running smoothly!

Please rate your fics and rate them appropriately. The choices are (G)eneral, (T)een and Up, (M)ature, and (E)xplicit. Note that these are NOT only for sexual content. A fic with a graphic torture scene but no sex needs an E tag in the same way a fic with a graphic sex scene does. The site does allow you to not rate your fic, of course, but if you choose not to use a rating, just know that a lot of people will filter out or skip over your fic purely out of an abundance of caution.

Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings (The author chose not to warn for content, or Archive Warnings could apply, but the author has chosen not to specify them) and No Archive Warnings Apply (what it says on the tin, there is nothing in the fic that warrants a warning) are VERY different. Please don't use one when you mean the other. Again, people will filter fics based on this, so if you're warning is wrong, you may be losing out on your intended audience.

When tagging, you can and should use fic-specific tagging to describe your fic, but please ALSO use general tagging. For example, if you have the tag "character name likes X kink," please also use the "x kink" tag on its own. This is because the general tag can be filtered whereas the character-specific tag likely can't. And it should go without saying that you should be tagging dark, sexual, violent or similar content with general tags so people can filter them.

Other things to mention that can get your fics a wider audience:

Additional Note on Tagging: Tag all the things! This helps people find your fics. People can and do filter for general tags. If you're not sure how, search the internet for "commonly used AO3 tags" for great lists that can help you get started with appropriate tagging.

Always write a summary or include a key excerpt (or both!)

Don't be self deprecating or negative in your tags or summary - people want to like your stuff, so let them!

Use the summary section for your fic summary; use the notes sections for your Author's Thoughts™️.

Post your fic links on your socials! Canva is a free option for making cute graphics for your fics, too, if you want to spice things up.

Hopefully this will help any new writers out there (or even old writers who still struggle with tagging) to get more of the right eyes on their fics. Happy Writing!