wolffyluna

This is... sort of about race and racism in the context of fandom? But it's also largely "Local White Fanfic Author, Wolffy 'Overthinker' Luna, Disappears Up Here Own Arse."

(Advice is appreciated, but don't feel obligated. This is mostly me getting my thoughts out on a page)

So, I recently finished the first draft of Ten of Swords, a fic set in Númenor, that is about religion and loyalty and Doom-- and also romance. Romance and love is definitely there. And some attraction between the leads. Which is maybe not as well written as it could be, because while the character's are emotionally attracted to each other, I haven't really managed to show that they are also physically attracted to each other.

...because I've kinda, uh, never described the physical appearance of these characters at all. Like, apart from some mentions of clothes, no character ever dreamily goes "and she had such beautiful hair. Like the best hair. [insert purple prose here.]" I thought I could get away with doing that and having not be weird-- but I think it does come across as weird.

And it's not because I have no clue what the characters look like. I do! But I've kind of tied myself in a weird knot about it!

I know it's a pattern where white fanfic authors create non-white OCs, or make canon characters POC, in attempt to Make Representation Happen! But it's kinda shallow and sometimes weird/off. And I would like to avoid doing that.

But my picture of the main characters is not-white. (I mean, I don't picture them as any specific rl ethnicity, but that ethnicity is most certainly not white!) And I'm worried that it'll come across as making characters POC for... brownie points, or something? When that is very much not my intention.

But this is also probably far more thought that I should be putting into descriptions in a fic that will be read by 100 people at the outside.

/shrugs/