Help authors write about you accurately (resource sharing)

Game Development Writing and Content
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I’ve been wanting to make this topic since I joined the forum, so I hope other people will find it a decent idea as well and I’m not just awkwardly talking to myself and some crickets haha.

Basically, I think we’ve got a pretty diverse crowd on this forum. But I’ve also noticed that a number of people feel really underrepresented, while a number of authors outright admit to not including certain groups of people for fear of getting them wrong and doing more harm than good. While there’s plenty of information about almost every topic online, it can be hard to discern the validity of certain resources, since anyone can put something out there and claim an expertise they don’t really posses. And if you yourself don’t know what’s right or wrong either, you have no way to tell whether the information you found is accurate or not.

So I was thinking, wouldn’t it be really helpful if we could share our knowledge about ourselves with each other directly in one convenient spot? For example, by writing a post in this topic along the lines of:
Topic: Here’s what I would love to see about this topic in stories and here’s how it could potentially be realized.
Or: Here’s what I often see about this topic and here’s the explanation for why it bothers me and here’s how it can be done better.

Or sharing links to resources that you, as an actual member of that group have found to be accurate. I also think it would be awesome to compile a list of topics with a list of usernames behind it of people who are knowledgeable about that particular topic and are willing to assist those who approach them with questions.

Topics could be about:
Sex: male, female, intersex
Gender: (trans)male, (trans)female, non-binary
Sexual orientation
Age
Ethnicity
Disabilities
Religion
Country and culture
Job or education
Or really, anything you are able and willing to share your insight on, these are just some examples.

I really hope people are willing to participate as I really think this could be a useful way for authors to feel more comfortable writing outside their comfort zone, and hopefully get underrepresented people a bigger chance at getting represented, and getting represented well to boot.

I’d be happy to keep this initial post updated and categorized (assuming it takes off) but if someone wants to turn it into a post that anyone can edit, feel free! Also feel free to edit the topic title or the content if you feel it’s necessary!

I hope this is in the right category, apologies if it isn’t.

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I might be able to help with questions about Germany and archeology in the near east or middle europe. Very nice Idea

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I can assist with writing accurate gay men characters!

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I’m non-binary, cetero, hidden disability, physical disability related to my legs, autism, Germanic Pagan, I live in the UK but part of the family is German, I know a ton about animals, a fair amount about farming.

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I am a grumpy cis woman straight demisexual and assertive. Spanish and Celtic and I don’t think nobody need my help for anything basically.

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I would be glad to help with any questions about the Deep South. Pro tip: “Bless your heart”, when wielded correctly, can be a compliment or an insult. And occasionally both at the same time.

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I’d be happy to answer questions about being a woman, or about being bisexual, and the convoluted path to coming to terms with that. I’m not sure exactly how to put this, but I’m also a very sexually active person. There are several unkind words to describe it, but the point is. I like sex, and I have a lot of it. With a lot of different people. If you have questions about what it’s like to live your life like that, I’m happy to talk about it. (Maybe privately would be best though)

If you don’t mind speaking privately, and can promise not to share my answers I don’t mind talking about my experience as a victim of violence.

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Ha! Finally something that I was waiting for. This is one of the kinda things that you want but, can’t really say because, you might come off as weird or downright crazy so a big thank you! to @MadMinnie. I read on so many different forums about a lot of games and books tackling several social issues the wrong way and badly representing a particular community.

Well, let me say something about myself. I’ve just gotten out of highschool and reading all those John Green books and all that shit that they sell you under the category of “Young-adult”–I can tell you one thing–teenagers have a lot going on their minds(a lot of sensible stuff). We don’t think about losing virginity all the time. Teens can be a lot self-aware, they can be reckless at times but, they are responsible too. But, modern literature seems to be inoblivious of it. So, I can help anyone with teen psychology who wants to write more sensible YA literature

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I disagree, even though I emphasized less represented groups of people, anyone should feel welcome to share what they want. Don’t undersell yourself, if someone is looking to write a story set in Spain, your input could be invaluable. Lots of male authors don’t write about female protagonists for fear of getting them wrong, a woman who strays from “the norm” could be just what they need to avoid stereotypes. I’ve also seen you share things about your religious upbringing that might be valuable to someone, though of course it’s up to you alone about what you do and don’t want to share and help people with.

Goes for everyone really, even the good old straight white cis men. I’m sure everyone has certain tropes or stereotypes they’re tired of or things they don’t see often that they’d like to see. All are welcome to add their name here, about big or small and detailed topics

Details like this for example can really make a setting feel more real and alive. As such, this can also be really helpful to someone!

That is incredibly generous of you. Thank you for being willing to help even with such a tough subject!

Thank you to everyone who replied so far, I’ll update the OP when I’m at my computer!

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I also suffered a rape attempt and heavy depression but that’s not something people normally go searching. Anyway People need my help Just pm me I am not shy about anything so asking is best way

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Someone tried to cut out my eyes once. That was a thing. Also you know, abuse survivor and all. Lived in a house with a drug addict. That kind of stuff.

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I put this on my user card description, but to make it searchable…

If you need any input, feedback, suggestions, or commentaries on:

  1. Indonesia (culture, geography, flora-fauna. Not so much on history/folktale, but feel free to ping we got our own chatgroup here :> ).
  2. Turning up your realism a level, or making sure your setting/idea is plausible in our real-world setting; science-fiction or science-fantasy.
  3. General worldbuilding topic, as well as writing tips and tricks.
  4. Approaching topics on gaming academically. Should be relevant since Choicescript is a language to make gamebooks.
  5. I’m not calling myself as the most devout, proper, knowledgable person, but being shy to ask will get you lost in the city. Feel free to ask on topic regarding Islam or moslems.

No need to shy to PM me. I even accept controversial talks, as long as you’re open to the discussion itself. In the end, you take what you feel need for taking, but when you’re showing negativity, I will no longer participate in the discussion.

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Let’s keep this on topic: what areas of expertise and experience you might help others with, rather than turn the thread into sharing specific stories about yourselves, because then this will turn into the autobiography thread.

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I can talk a fair amount about being a gay man… there’s a fair number of us on this forum, really, but multiple perspectives are always useful. Well, and I was closely involved with the LGBT club when I was at college so I can talk a bunch about what that’s like, including some stuff that’s generally applicable to college clubs as a whole. And the sorts of discussions we LGBT people would have among each other. And, while we’re talking college, I could provide insight on what small liberal arts colleges are like.

Geographically, I can talk about the south of Wisconsin and the north of Illinois! I mean, I know we just had this topic about how so much stuff is set in the US, and I’d be excited to see more stuff elsewhere, but I also feel like, excepting Chicago, this is a part of the US that is often passed over in favor of the coasts. (Not sure about CoG… actually, I’m not sure where in the US most of the US settings are :sweat_smile:) Um, I mean I could also offer shallow impressions of other places I’ve been, but you’re probably better off getting someone from there :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

Also pretty sure I’m a demiguy, but I don’t know that I have a lot to say about that. I can offer perspective as a non-genderconforming guy, though :thinking::demiguy_flag:

Also, firsthand accounts of my dimension-warping powers :neutral_face:

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:demigirl_flag: :demiguy_flag: Hey we have a flag JUST NOW i have noticed there is demi flags. Sincerity writers should checking with demisexual people because all portraits i have seen present us as shy people afraid of sex and submissive.

I am not afraid of sex I am not submissive and less shy. The fact i need trust and time to have sexual pleasure in intercourse doesn’t mean I can’t have smooching foreplay or that i can’t feel attraction. I in fact i quite effusive and passionate

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I’m gay, transmasc NB (just use he/him pls) though I’m not the most comfortable talking about my gender, I’m still willing to at least share some of my personal experiences, especially in regards to dysphoria. I have trauma (both sexual and not) from my childhood and Big experience with mental illness and repression of said trauma, and I believe I can help a lot with that, both sharing my experience and sharing what I found to be good/helpful resources to learn about trauma, especially sexual trauma, and its effects, including other survivors/victims’ experiences.

And that’s all I have lol. Nothing else about me I think anyone would need to know about. (I can tell you about living in the Not interesting part of the Northwest in the US, AKA Not-Portland and Not-Seattle and I know too many things about raising/fostering kittens for someone who doesn’t do that.)

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Oh, I’m (I think) demigender rather than demisexual… it’s a little confusing because there’s two different concepts that are both demi- :sweat_smile: but demigender (as in demiguy and demigirl) is like identifying partly but not wholly with a certain gender—which seems pretty accurate to how I feel about myself. Different from demisexual, which is the one about needing a bond with someone to have that attraction. Sorry for the confusion :sweat_smile:

I’m sure you’d be a great source to talk to about demisexuality, anyway! :smile:

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No it maybe i am demigender too. No idea as I don’t relate with the Portrait of Woman and What a woman should look and behave that caused me a hard social dysphoria. I still founding myself at my 32 years as i think is along process due my childhood was filled with nuns saying how wiked and wrong i am and how i don’t deserve being loved. So for me discover what i am is complex. I am suppose like most people here

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I’m an autistic agender person who is also asexual and on the aro spectrum. So if anyone needs any help in an ‘a’ category you can ask me.

And, since I’m from the American southeast if anyone needs that particular information about that. I have a lot of anecdotes and cultural information that someone not from this area would think is wild (though, I honestly would agree with them.)

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Well, If you need some expertise with someone with Asperger then I’m your guy. Or with Spanish. Or illusionism.

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