tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post5213258361690149253..comments2024-03-14T03:15:48.450-04:00Comments on Zigzag Timeline: 10 bizarre ways reading/writing while underrepresented messes with your
headMary Fanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11280462566854191985noreply@blogger.comBlogger28125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-5840656785060632522016-01-03T15:18:38.031-05:002016-01-03T15:18:38.031-05:00It's amazing that I stumbled onto this blog po...It's amazing that I stumbled onto this blog post just as I was doing my own personal soul searching about representation! It's personal and insightful and just what I needed! Thanks Mary Fan and now I have to go read your Firedragon novellas!David Bhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04449934127302482957noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-18783217421056623752016-01-03T12:45:55.025-05:002016-01-03T12:45:55.025-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.gittahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09728187732435458565noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-71377291332745042742015-12-27T20:22:15.458-05:002015-12-27T20:22:15.458-05:00I, too, am an avid over-thinker. But let me point ...I, too, am an avid over-thinker. But let me point out two *unpopular* things. One: At least she HAS a culture. I am Scottish, English, Norwegian, French, and maybe even have one Cherokee ancestress. But I don't get to 'identify' with any of that. I get to be 'white'. TWO: It is highly non-PC and perhaps even illegal to be 'proud of being white'. I am not allowed to have a culture, or to celebrate the conglomerate term I have been forced to accept, along with all of its inherent baggage. If you have a culture and are allowed to identify with it, be thankful.Aunt Lisahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12030244670388450056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-15554779381855945642015-12-12T00:22:30.131-05:002015-12-12T00:22:30.131-05:00Thank you for reading! I'm glad it resonated.....Thank you for reading! I'm glad it resonated... makes me feel a little better. Like, "okay, it's not just me who's experiencing this."Mary Fanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11280462566854191985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-35502794666739413942015-12-12T00:21:17.623-05:002015-12-12T00:21:17.623-05:00Thank you so much! :-D Thank you so much! :-D Mary Fanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11280462566854191985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-32994502624696576502015-12-11T14:41:10.067-05:002015-12-11T14:41:10.067-05:00Dope piece girl! Loving and sharing!Dope piece girl! Loving and sharing!GL Tomashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14927131507204092153noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-18998926870216638242015-12-11T14:04:53.484-05:002015-12-11T14:04:53.484-05:00This is such a great post.
You said so much of wh...This is such a great post. <br />You said so much of what I think whenever I read or watch some of my favorite stories. Particularly when you pointed out that you didn't notice color and then realized it was because there was NO color. <br />The first time I ever wrote a story was when I was in middle school and I made the character named after me, her family was my family, her friends were my friends. And she was half white. Because of course no one would ever want to read about a FULL Asian-American like me. It took me a long time to realize that this was a product of the publishing/television/movie industry environment I grew up in. Thank you so much for writing this post. I think that more people should speak out about these things. <br />And for me, personally, this really inspired me on a lot of levels as a fan of stories. So, thank you.KatChohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11878468083122899226noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-49649222912759700102015-12-09T23:28:17.611-05:002015-12-09T23:28:17.611-05:00My pleasure! Thanks for reading :-)My pleasure! Thanks for reading :-)Mary Fanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11280462566854191985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-43537997362832301112015-12-09T23:28:04.116-05:002015-12-09T23:28:04.116-05:00Thanks for reading! It wasn't until my second ...Thanks for reading! It wasn't until my second series that I wrote a "me" into my books, and even then, she was a secondary character. It wasn't until Project 3 that I wrote a character who looked like me the lead... Mary Fanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11280462566854191985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-63215729985785267562015-12-09T21:31:34.779-05:002015-12-09T21:31:34.779-05:00Awesome post, Mary! I've been living with 99% ...Awesome post, Mary! I've been living with 99% of this going on in my head too, though I still need to write "me" into a book. But it is going to happen. Thanks for this.Intisar Khananihttp://booksbyintisar.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-11645064639129366732015-12-09T19:07:07.110-05:002015-12-09T19:07:07.110-05:00Thank you for this, I really appreciate reading yo...Thank you for this, I really appreciate reading your thoughts. Cho Chang's name also bothered me. Stephscohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06328839483008086049noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-60555380682317395842015-12-09T19:01:11.232-05:002015-12-09T19:01:11.232-05:00Thanks for reading! I understand what you mean... ...Thanks for reading! I understand what you mean... The lack of minorities puts extra pressure on the few that are out there. They get scrutinized a lot more, and it's not fair for anyone. Hopefully that'll change...Mary Fanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11280462566854191985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-87603227131837251992015-12-09T18:43:49.081-05:002015-12-09T18:43:49.081-05:00What a great post! I am not Asian American. I'...What a great post! I am not Asian American. I'm considered white by society and to be honest, when I write minorities, I go through similar anxieties. I don't want to offend anyone but I also don't want to not include them. It gets really complicated in my head. Because there are so few minorities in literature, everyone expects those minorities to be a good representation of everyone in that group. This is impossible since people are so different from each other. And it gets to be extremely intimidating when you aren't even a part of their culture.<br /><br />I think you are afraid because people expect everyone to have extreme reactions to these things. Either you are offended or you love it. But it can be in between. Like, saying,"I liked Harry Potter, but wish she had developed Cho Chang better and not given her that name." That's not offended, that's just how you would prefer things. It's also not completely accepting either.<br /><br />Also, I know I'm white but Cho Chang's name kind of offended me too when I first read it, so it's not just you. But JK Rowling gives her characters ridiculous names. I know people who can't read her books just based on the names.E.B. Blackhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03954156488722828443noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-68431440872814105122015-12-09T18:24:12.544-05:002015-12-09T18:24:12.544-05:00Yeah same :-/. "White person goes to Asian co...Yeah same :-/. "White person goes to Asian country to be enlightened by magical Asian people" is an annoyingly common trope. I'm sure it happens with other non-white countries (and communities) too.Mary Fanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11280462566854191985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-29820922888851883382015-12-09T17:57:03.817-05:002015-12-09T17:57:03.817-05:00I agree. Especially since even when a character is...I agree. Especially since even when a character is explicitely described as a POC they're often defaulted as white by fans. Not doing much to describe her kind of bothered me. It also bothered me that I've read so many books set in "non-white" countries but populated with only white main characters that I actually have to hesitate and hunt for clues to confirm that the main character is a person of color. :(Kayti Nika Raethttp://www.kaytinikaraet.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-77096738827154417232015-12-09T17:48:57.263-05:002015-12-09T17:48:57.263-05:00Thank you! And yes, I remember your reviews - than...Thank you! And yes, I remember your reviews - thanks again for those :-)<br /><br />Glad you liked the post :-). You'd never know Cinder was mixed race from the context of the books themselves (since she's only described as having brown hair and brown eyes)... I only learned of it because of fan art (where people depicted her as Eurasian based on something the author said online). There's still nothing in the books themselves to indicate that she's part-Asian, which is a bit problematic for me.Mary Fanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11280462566854191985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-9827478444080276542015-12-09T17:41:58.454-05:002015-12-09T17:41:58.454-05:00Thanks for reading! :-)Thanks for reading! :-)Mary Fanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11280462566854191985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-89306495090798405492015-12-09T17:27:00.954-05:002015-12-09T17:27:00.954-05:00I love your post! I've reviewed a few of your ...I love your post! I've reviewed a few of your books through Reader's Favorite (under Kayti Nika Raet) and loved them. Just bumped into this post through N.K. Jemisin and I have to say as a writer I totally understand your point of view. You want to write great personalities, not diversity tokens.<br />Also this is the first time I'm learning that Cinder is part Asian at least! I imagined (hoped) she was Asian when I first read it, because I didn't want to it to fall into the usual set in Asia Without Asians Except For Bad Guys & 'Exotic' One Time Love Interest trope, but I wasn't if what I imagined was cannon or not since there wasn't much of a description for Cinder.<br />Anyway, love this post!Kayti Nika Raethttp://www.kaytinikaraet.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-7450826867864728542015-12-09T14:47:53.057-05:002015-12-09T14:47:53.057-05:00Thanks for posting this. It rings so true for me,...Thanks for posting this. It rings so true for me, especially being another Chinese American.Laurie Tomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14240748014935540785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-65386988335944690842015-12-09T09:55:11.842-05:002015-12-09T09:55:11.842-05:00Right. =)
Do not really expect me to answer this ...Right. =)<br /><br />Do not really expect me to answer this differently, as I think too much a lot myself. <br /><br />If this is our normal, all that is left to do is adapt, sublime and instrumentilize it.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05645981151088213307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-37537972222665174752015-12-09T09:54:41.648-05:002015-12-09T09:54:41.648-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05645981151088213307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-36344723736568562672015-12-09T09:54:09.926-05:002015-12-09T09:54:09.926-05:00This comment has been removed by the author.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05645981151088213307noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-4316636820043474402015-12-08T23:39:05.596-05:002015-12-08T23:39:05.596-05:00Thanks for reading! And yeah, Indiana Jones and th...Thanks for reading! And yeah, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom is SO EFFING RACIST. But I love Short Round (East Asian kid, represent!), which is why I still watch that movie hahahaMary Fanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11280462566854191985noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-91073607676627089732015-12-08T22:51:19.414-05:002015-12-08T22:51:19.414-05:00Awesome blog! I'm still at tge "colorblin...Awesome blog! I'm still at tge "colorblind" stage when it comes to my writing, lol! Though, I could substitute "Indian American" for "Chinese American" and you've expressed my thoughts about portrayals of my race and stereotypes thereof in popular media (the one I absolutely hate? Indiana Jones and the temple of doom)...<br /><br />Again, loved your blog! I'm now a fan, Mary Fan ;)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07009834568510866384noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7345165168067011443.post-23755589707803696702015-12-08T20:42:28.886-05:002015-12-08T20:42:28.886-05:00Thanks! I do tend to think too much... it's a ...Thanks! I do tend to think too much... it's a bad habit of mine. But hey, better to think too much than not at all, right? ;-)Mary Fanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11280462566854191985noreply@blogger.com