seriously tho. and when it comes to reading fanfiction as well, i'm constantly having to see the MC face some sort of microagression. not only that but they're portrayed in a way that you can easily tell that they were simply written by a nonblack person — yk what i'm talking about... the racial stereotypes, making us seem "ghetto," or "rachet," all that stuff. and even when i do find a fic with a black author, the MC is purposefully made into a walking stereotype.
shit like that makes me wanna rip my hair out. i'd think that im finally seeing the representation i want, only to be disappointed in the end. there's only like a select few of fics that i find that have a good rep when it comes to writing black characters that i really enjoy.
do you know how exhausting it is being hyper aware of how black people are portrayed in fictional media? I would love to be able to enjoy a show without picking up microagressions and subtle stereotypes and frowning to myself when it happens again and again.
This timeline is only about the MCU not the Marvel Cinematic Multiverse (MCM), so it doesn’t contain any of the movies outside the MCU.
Also I consider all these shows above as canon in the MCU but I won’t consider canon Inhumans (even if the rumour of Doctor Strange is true) or Team Thor (although you should see the videos of Team Thor ‘cause they are amazing). Last thing that I want to clarify, I don’t care what the Timeline of Disney+ says about some placements of some movies/shows
Edit: If you wanna know more about specific dates or things about the MCU Chronological Order, I recommend the channel Geekritique on Youtube ‘cause his videos are amazing and really helpfull to understand the wider MCU!
show, don't tell:
anticipation - bouncing legs - darting eyes - breathing deeply - useless / mindless tasks - eyes on the clock - checking and re-checking
frustration - grumbling - heavy footsteps - hot flush - narrowed eyes - pointing fingers - pacing / stomping
sadness - eyes filling up with tears - blinking quickly - hiccuped breaths - face turned away - red / burning cheeks - short sentences with gulps
happiness - smiling / cheeks hurting - animated - chest hurts from laughing - rapid movements - eye contact - quick speaking
boredom - complaining - sighing - grumbling - pacing - leg bouncing - picking at nails
fear - quick heartbeat - shaking / clammy hands - pinching self - tuck away - closing eyes - clenched hands
disappointment - no eye contact - hard swallow - clenched hands - tears, occasionally - mhm-hmm
tiredness - spacing out - eyes closing - nodding head absently - long sighs - no eye contact - grim smile
confidence - prolonged eye contact - appreciates instead of apologizing - active listening - shoulders back - micro reactions
I just want someone to call me baby and talk to me till I fall asleep.
Y/N: Honestly, Natasha Romanoff can suffocate me with her thighs and my ghost would say thank you.
Steve: *speechless*
Tony: ...what.THE.FUCK.is wrong with you???
Wanda, welcome home.
When did you last fuck?
Anxiety fucks me everyday.
writing relatable characters may seem like an easy task, especially when you’re constructing your protagonist. but what if you want to make your antagonist likeable? what if you want people to hate your protagonist but still root for them? all of this and more requires that your characters be relatable. they need to feel real, so how do you do that? here’s how:
- flaws: this is probably obvious. everyone has flaws, so we should give our characters flaws, too. this applies even if your character is non-human; they cannot escape the personification that we as writers or readers project onto them. we are humans reading, so we expect to see human qualities everywhere we look. if you’re having trouble of identifying your character’s flaws, here are some prompts for ways to think about flaws beyond a list:
what skills do they lack? what do they struggle with?
can their strengths be turned against them as a weakness?
what makes them react emotionally or impulsively?
are they aware of their flaws? if so, do they want to improve them or change them?
- quirks: these are what make your character unique or special, and no, i don’t mean purple eyes or unique physical traits. i mean: what makes your character authentically themselves? what traits define them that few others have? some ways to think about this are:
how do they react when nervous? do they have a tell? similarly, how do they react on behalf of any emotion?
what skills do they have that hardly anyone else has?
what obscure thing are they obsessed with?
do they have a unique outlook on life compared to their peers?
- values: these come from life experiences: where we were raised, our family and friends, our community, religious affiliations, etc. i suggest identifying eight to ten values that define your character and then narrowing that list down to five values that mark their core or essence. think about how these values influence their choices, decisions, and ultimately, the plot of the novel. here are some more prompts to think about values:
how do they react when their values are challenged? are they one to speak up or do they sit back in the shadows?
what, if anything, will change or shatter their values?
are their actual values misaligned with their believed values?
- stakes: what is at risk for your character? what is motivating them? stakes don’t need to be over the top or life or death; they can be as simple as maintaining a relationship or reaching a goal. unless there’s an outside influence (ie. percy’s mother being kidnapped in The Lightning Thief), most stakes—especially those relatable—tie back to values. even those influenced by outside factors can tie back to values: the only reason percy is motivated to get his mother back is because he cares for her and she is the one person who has always advocated for him and cared for him. he values family and riordan uses his family to motivate him and incite the plot. generally, there will be one overarching stake for your character, but throughout your novel, there should be several smaller stakes. these may not service the plot but should elaborate on your character nonetheless. some ways to think about stakes include:
how can i use internal or external factors to create convincing, relatable stakes that tie back to basic values?
why does the overarching stake matter to my character? why do they care?
how can i raise the stakes or introduce new ones that are relevant to my character and illustrate them as a relatable being?
- connection: even if your character is an introvert, they will still be connected to someone, something, or even an idea. we, as humans, look to certain people, pets, objects, and ideas to maintain our sense of reality whether we realize it or not. if your character prides themselves in having no attachments, think about the ideas or themes that mark the cornerstones of their reality. most human beings strive for some form of connection, so here are more prompts for thinking about your characters and connection:
what does connection mean to my character? how do they show how they value their connections or relationships?
how does my character’s behavior change when around different connections?
what connections define my character and their reality? how will these connections influence my character and/or the plot?
how will removing or challenging a connection change, influence, or motivate my character?
a good rule of thumb is to treat a character as a human, not a plot device. there is a time or place in which a character must act as a plot device, but if you’re wanting your readers to be compelled by your narration and the characters within them, you should strive to write your characters as human (aka as relatable). one of the greatest pleasures i find in writing is when other’s identify themselves in my writing.
you’re not just here to tell a story, you’re here to connect with others through the illustration of your characters. let the reader navigate your prose as a detective, to search for and identify the evidence provided by you. that is to say, show us how these things manifest in your character. don’t tell us.
happy writing! hopefully this post gave you some ways to start thinking about how to show the relatability of your character. if you have any questions about implementing these tools or about writing characters, our ask box is always open.
Cal : I'm extremely confused
Fez: You're confused, I'm fucking confused what the fuck are we even talking about right now?
Me : This is art pure genuine art
childhood best friends to enemies to lovers has got to be the best trope to ever exist idccc
Just wanted to post something that's been bugging me but. Where the fuck are the Black History Month posts?
Valentine's Day got to trend and flood my dash, and that's just a day.
Aromantic Week got to trend and flood my dash, and that's just a week.
But this entire month I've only heard Black History Month in passing. I've only really seen other black people on this site in passing.
And before you say "oh check the tag!" Buddy I shouldn't have to. You don't have to "check the tag" on Pride Month. You don't have to "check the tag" on Valentine's Day. What makes Black History Month different?
I don't know if anyone is even going to see this but. Jfc I feel like the only black person here sometimes.