AMBW, Grammar, Dialogue and more about Characters

*Sigh* Okay, Black people. This one is primarily for you. Let's be honest with ourselves. Why do you think AMBW stories have the lowest number of readers and subscribers? I can give you several reasons. Let's get it going.

Please, please, please, please for the love of GOD and in the name of all things holy, STOP USING THE N-WORD!!!! OMG! I CRINGE when I see it and stop reading from there. I'm black, yeah, I've said it a few times, but COME ON! Really? In this setting? And even more importantly, stop having Zico and Jay Park say it! You know if one of them said it to you, you wouldn't find that ish cute or funny. You would slap him. It's not okay. Stop that.

And diversify your characters. I don't want to always read about Rap Monster, and CClown, and Jay Park, and Bang YongGuk. Are they the only ones we find attractive? Or is it that they're the only ones we think find us attractive? I'm still puzzling that one out.

This ties into grammar and dialogue. *Sigh again* I know how we speak to each other, that's cool. We do have a tone and way about our speech that makes it ours, but do we have to write that way? Really? How can anyone get into what you have to say if they can't understand it?

It's important to write to your audience, I know that. I also know that since I have an ambw tag, most of my readers are black. That's cool. HGH. But I would like to think that I've, so far, written stories that anyone can read. Luna would still be Luna if she was a Latina. Jodi would still be Jodi if she was White. I do prefer the foreign aspect. Sure, write a story that black people will enjoy, but make your story accessible. Write a story that anyone can read and enjoy. To my non-black readers, even if you can't culturally identify with Jodi and Luna, hopefully you can identify with aspects of their personality. Who they are does not depend on their skin tone. Right? Because just like I don't mind the gender of the characters, I don't mind the color.

Back to black people. BE CREATIVE! Branch out. Do something different. Please. The names . . . sigh. TaNeevia? Reda? Saphire--it's spelled incorrectly! It's Sapphire! Two P's, dammit! Be creative with your characters name, and not just with the spelling.

Since we're back on characters(and this isn't just for black people) . . . . characters are allowed to be things other than; dancers, stylists, fashion designers, singers, and students that never go to class. Come on, Luna works for the State Department! Who else has done that? Hell, let your character be a trash collector. With a little imagination, you can make that y. I have faith in you.

But seriously, black people. You are reinforcing stereotypes and making some of we look bad. Please be circumspect in what you're putting out there. Dare to be different.

Almost done.

Oh yeah. AMBW= Asian Man/Black Woman.

Comments

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oceansofxo #1 Oct 3, 2014 09:10:23

Thank You! For saying that. I wish people would have someone proof read their stories. Proofreading is so important and if you don't use someone. Spell check with the grammar check is also good. take your time while writing.

Sharo001 #2 Mar 29, 2014 15:39:08

Thanks for telling the truth, not a lot of people would have the courage to do the same. I'm not so familiar with fanfic, but have read quite a few AMBW e-books, some of which are beyond embarrassing for the exact reasons you stated. In fact, I'm in the research stage of my first book which happens to have a Chinese hero, and I have been trying to decide whether or not to make my heroine black, as I wondering if it would ultimately work against me.

At any rate, it's so good to know other black women feel the same as me about the lack of quality in AMBW stories. Keep up the great work, I am truly enjoying your stories, and waiting with bated breath for the next update. :-)

laylayla #3 Mar 27, 2014 22:18:58

Thank you so much for saying that about the using the N word. Your right they know they would be angry if any of them said the N word to them for real, it's not cute at all. I don't use it and I wouldn't be ok with them saying it to me or anybody else. Thanks again for the blog. I finally feel like I'm not the only black woman who feels like this when I see some of these ambw stories :)

Nicag_e #4 Feb 8, 2014 15:16:29

A y trash collector? How did you know? That's exactly what I had in mind for my future story!

Girl, I see you. We're connected.

AngelaKon #5 Feb 8, 2014 12:58:21

oh, I would slap them, too. I do not care even if it was my boss, I would slap them for calling me that!
Oh, I read few stories written in this 'lets-call-it-slang' ...I get through 2 chapters and was like: O.O dude, what are you trying to say? I speak like that, too, but this is too much even for me xD
oh, but when I think about it....Taeyang is also supposed and thought about like the one who is quite 'benevolent' when it comes to the skin tone... and yeah, Yongguk is...Yongguk...there is nothing you can do with it xD

xD xD xD xD xD I was just trying to imagine how a y trash collector stops the car, gets down from his seat and -for example- an OC stands on the porch with a cup of tea in her hand and watches the y man, one strap of his working uniform revealing his chest as he pushes the heavy bins xD lol...yeah...it IS possible to make it sound y xD haha...well, with a lot of running water xD