Writing Advice

[vitiligo-is-not-a-trend]

FAQ (PLEASE READ BEFORE SENDING ANY ASKS!):

I have vitiligo does that mean I can't do X, Y, or Z?:

If you have vitiligo: Welcome to the club :D! In general this advice is mainly aimed towards people who don't have vitiligo, BUT if you do, do what you want! The only thing I would ask of you is to be aware that A) People might not be aware that you have vitiligo which is why you're taking liberates with it, B) People might try to emulate your depiction so if someone without the disorder doing something you might find uncomfortable, keep that in mind! and C) Be mindful of whether or not you're contributing to potentially harmful stereotypes! I'm not going to tell you, someone with the disability, that things are off limits, and I am aware that not everyone feels the same about this disorder, but keeping those things in mind won't hurt anybody!

Is it okay for vitiligo to be animal or shape based in pattern?:

NO. It's de-humanizing and harmful as many ablest insults aimed towards people with this disorder are animal-based. Also it purposefully goes out of it's way to make a person less human purely because they're disabled, which is obviously ablest in itself. Vitiligo is a disorder, NOT an aesthetic.

The same applied for characters inspired or based on animals, especially ones that are patterned.

YES this also includes giving them patterns like paint splotches, hearts, stars, and other stuff like that.

How does vitiligo develop?:

Vitiligo is an auto-immune disorder, which means its genetics based, BUT(!) it is not something you are born with, and needs to be developed through a person's life time. There are theories as to how it develops but as far as I'm aware there's no one solid answer.

There are also various comorbidities that can occur with vitiligo including but not limited to hypothyroidism, higher risk or cancer, and even hearing loss.

Are POC the only people who can develop vitiligo?:

Nope! Vitiligo can occur in anyone of any race/ethnicity. The reason why you only see people with darker skin tones portrayed with it is because there's more visual contrast, thus making it seem more unique/distinct/obvious.

What does this blog offer?:

I do all sorts of things! I show examples of vitiligo represented in media, answer any questions people might have about it in general, questions specific to character/plots, character design tips, and sensitivity reading just to name a few!

Why am I not answering an ask?

I've got a few mental and physical conditions which make me extremely tired all the time and sometimes I just don't have the mental energy to do it </3

Also some asks are tricky! I might just hoard the ask until I can think of a proper way to respond or if vitiligo finally gets enough media rep that I can do a proper analysis or make an actual wish-list lol.

Who runs this blog?:

@trinrose3! I developed vitiligo when I was 7 years and and for the majority of the time that I've had this disorder I felt disgusted and ashamed of it. Over the last few years I've learned to appreciate my vitiligo, as well as develop a slight hyperfixation on it in general, so I made this blog in order to spread awareness and positivity!

I'm the only one running this joint so if I'm being a little slow to answer an ask please be patient <3

Also here's a link to my ko-fi I'm struggling to pay bills and the health issues, job market, and other life circumstances are making it really hard right now so every penny is appreciated! I also take art commissions!

https://ko-fi.com/trinrose3

[creatingblackcharacters]

I know you said you haven't thought about Wordgirl in ages which fair, but I do think the question about Ms. Question was interesting. The thing I'm actually more curious about is your thoughts on the titular character being... Ambiguously Brown... the creators said it was to maximize the amount of kids who don't usually get to see superheroes who look like them that she could be that for but... I know your thoughts on Ambiguously Brown characters. Her adoptive family the Botsfords is I guess also ambiguously brown, but Sally naturally has more textured hair but it's only clear in one episode... I think it's helped by that members of the supporting cast including Ms. Question and Granny May are more unambiguously Black, but also they're both villains although Granny May's grandson Eugene is not outside of an early episode and the Mayor and several other characters are also Black. Kid Math another child superhero is also more visually Black I think but is only prominently around for a single two parter.

Thoughts? I worry I'm making too many assumptions and giving too much information and you don't have to answer obviously but like... I think having images of the characters in front of you is more helpful than just being like "thoughts on Ms. Question" since you haven't thought about a silly PBS kids show that ended a decade ago in a while... but... I want to know your thoughts on especially Ambiguously Brown main characters in casts that also feature unambiguous Black characters.

I mean, it's not like little Black girls can't look like Word Girl. I had my lil straight haircut with the bangs when I was in the 8th grade (didn't look cute btw, head was big as fuck 😭) I definitely thought she and her family were Black back then, but I guess I see how others could see differently.

That said; the fact that they admitted outright their intent was to make her ambiguous to "make everyone feel seen" hits me right in that annoyance button. Because once again, it reinforces that "white" and "everyone else" mentality. They could have diversified the cast. There were other options 😅 why do we all have to share the One Brown Character? Maya and Miguel was out at a similar time and they had Latinos, Afro-Latinos, Chinese, white and Black people 😭 (GOATED show btw, as a question asking kid)

Anyway, when there's Ambiguous Brown Character cast in a main role where there's unambiguously Black characters, I admit I wonder about motives of colorism. A sort of "why was it okay for the rest of them to be Black, but This Character That People Are Supposed To Like is lighter skinned, etc."

I hope this all makes sense. It's been a long day and I'm tired 😅

[creatingblackcharacters]

Welcome!

I'm going to update this list as I post more. So make sure to check periodically!

Anon Office Hours: Mon 12:30pm - Wed 6:30pm. (EST)

I DELETE ASKS THAT DO NOT CAPITALIZE THE IDENTITY OF "BLACK" ☺️

SENSITIVITY/BETA READERS LINK 👍🏾

Causes

"Your posts are too long"- Teacher's Note

Feedback Rules

FAQs!

Please take the time to review the one relevant to your questions! They are long- some longer than others- but they likely have a link contained within that can better guide your research!

📝Syllabus📝

Lesson 1: "White Man Painted Black"?

Lesson 1.5: "Hair for Thought"- how visualizing affects your writing

Lesson 2: “That One Hairstyle? RETIRE IT!” Black Hair is an Art (pt.1)

Lesson 2.1: Addendum to Hair pt 1

Lesson 2: "It Takes HOW LONG?" Black Hair is an Art (pt.2)

Application! Examples of Protective Hair Coverings

Application! Ice's Lazy Loc Wash Routine

Application! How to: Simplified Braid

Application! Daisy E's Simplified Hair Drawing

Lesson 3: "Defying the Default"- Skin Tones and the Presence of Black Characters

Application! What are Black fans looking for in Commissions?

Lesson 4: "Do Black People Blush?" Bringing brown complexions to life

Application! Humanæ- Resource for Skin Palettes!

Lesson 5: "The Same Place As the Music" Lighting & Color

Lesson 6: "Let's Have A Talk, First" Stereotypes, pt 1

Lesson 6: “Why’s she so rude?” (She’s Not)- Stereotypes, pt 2

Lesson 6: "Is He the Threat (Or Are You?)"- Stereotypes, pt 3

Application! How to Spot a Stereotype: An Example

Lesson 7: "That's the Black one!"- Imagery and "Black-Coded" Characters

Lesson 8: “Across cultures, darker people suffer most. Why?” Multiethnic and Multicultural Blackness

Lesson 9: “Romance Will Not Solve Racism”- Interracial/Biracial/Blended Black and White Relationships and Families

Application! "Not Black Enough"

Lesson 10: “The Ambiguously Brown Character™”- The Attachment to Eurocentric Beauty Standards

Lesson 11: “No, That’s Not ‘How Color Works’.” - Whitewashing

Lesson 12: “The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth” - Violence, Violent Imagery & Black Horror

Lesson 13: “It’s Giving” AAVE, and the Denied Yet Undeniable Impact of Black Culture

Lesson 14: “On Human Dignity.”  Blackness, Gender & Sexuality

Lesson 15: How To Guide Your Research

Lesson 16: "Make Your Peace With The Chaos..." Childhood While Black

Lesson 17: "D.N.A."- Blackness and Health/Medical Antiblackness

Application! Where do I find books by Black authors?

[tineiya]

[genderoutlaws]

Never read Baldwin before?

Nonfiction

The Price of The Ticket (borrow from IA)

The Fire Next Time (pdf download)

Notes of A Native Son (pdf download)

Nothing Personal (read on IA - not great quality sorry)

The Last Interview (pdf download) (only 10 pages!)

Fiction

Giovanni's Room (pdf download)

If Beale Street Could Talk (pdf download)

BONUS

Little Man Little Man (read or pdf download on scribd) (Baldwin's only children's book)

Go Tell It On The Mountain (pdf download)

Another Country (pdf and epub download)

Sonny's Blues (pdf download)

Going to Meet the Man (pdf download)

[creatingblackcharacters]

My next Black History Month request:

Pick one of James Baldwin's works and read it!!! The Fire Next Time is an excellent essay, most of us are familiar with the quote on gay white people from The Last Interview but not the rest of it. If Beale Street Could Talk even has a movie!

[creatingblackcharacters]

It's gonna get asked a million more times so I'm gonna answer them here now:

1. "What stories do you want to see with Black characters?"

ALL OF THEM. ALL OF THEM. PLEASE.

I understand this question objectively, but it frustrates me because it implies that surely I must have a specific type of story to call "proper" representation. Put me in anything, just put me in with some thought!!!! I'm not asking for specific types of stories, I'm asking for 1) consideration and I'm asking 2) for Black characters to be treated with the same understanding as everyone else's. I'm asking to be allowed the same range of expression and humanity as the rest of you. It is a privilege that should be a right. Y'all don't watch movies with White People doing Horrible Things in them and then have to go defend your entire race every single time. That's all I would like to do!

2. "What hairstyles do you want to see more of?"

ALL OF THEM.

Whatever hairstyle you choose: effort!! Effort!!! All the hairstyles in the world we have- go pick some!! Our versatility is endless. Me personally, I'd like to see more love for short afros. Not because it's my favorite (it is up there) or I need to see it everywhere, but because it is clear that there's a lack of value in short, kinky hair. I hate that. If you wouldn't love your Black character with short kinky hair... You already know what I'm about to call you.

(racist. It's racist.)

3. "How do I find more Black creators and creators of color online?"

Look us up On Purpose.

E.g. actually searching using the word Black. There are plenty on this page. You have to put in the time to build relationships and to listen, to figure out who is who and what they care about. "Wouldn't it be racist to support someone's work because they're Black" is it homophobic to support someone's work because they're queer? 👀 Okay then! You are not entitled to Black people's time and trust, we're not just going to osmosis into your comfort zone- if you want a friend, you gotta BE a friend! But showing up and going "hello Blacks! I'm a Good One™!" Is not it.

[hacvek]

reminder to worldbuilders: don't get caught up in things that aren't important to the story you're writing, like plot and characters! instead, try to focus on what readers actually care about: detailed plate tectonics

[olyia-stories]

@dragonpyre any chance you could elaborate on this

[dragonpyre]

I grew up learning about land formations. Seeing fictional maps that don’t follow the logic and science of them makes me upset

[serinos-kitt]

What are the most common sins you’ve seen relating to this? I wanna know

[dragonpyre]

Mordor.

Why is the mountain range square. How did the mountain range form. Why is there one singular volcano in the center. Why does it act like a composite volcano but have magma that acts like it’s from a shield. If it’s hotspot based volcanic activity why is there only one volcano.

And then the misty mountains!!!! Why isn’t there a rain shadow!! And why is there a FOREST where the rain shadow should be!!!!!!!!

[serinos-kitt]

So what is a rain shadow?

[lethalbutterfly]

Wind blows clouds in from the sea, but mountains are so tall the clouds can't get past 'em, so you get deserts on the windward side of mountain ranges because clouds can't get there to water the land, or do so only very rarely.

[derinthescarletpescatarian]

Oh yeah nothing is more annoying than fantasy maps that can't get mountains, rivers and rain shadows right.

[mindfulwrath]

May I recommend my new favorite tool: Mapgen4. You start with a random seed and then add mountains, valleys, shallow water, or oceans as you like. You can adjust the wind direction to make wind shadows off the mountains fall where you want. You can adjust overall raininess to make the rivers larger or smaller, or have more or fewer tributaries. It works best for small, isolated landmasses (think islands more than continents) but as there’s no scale bar and it’s all slightly abstracted anyway you can do whatever you want with it. I’ve only just started playing with it but it’s SO FUN.

[jeanjauthor]

I do think this could be useful for writers! ...Caveat, if you're going to use this for making a map for anything published (digital or paper, even if it's only in a fanfic archive or whatever), please, please credit the creator and their program as how you made that map! The more ways information like this gets out there, the more useful it'll be to other writers, roleplaying game DMs/GMs, creators, etc.

[oh-opossum]

One of my favourites for mapping plates, biomes, etc is Tectonics.js. If you're familiar with how tectonics shape a planet, you can guess where the features go by toggling plates, crust thickness, etc. Between Mapgen4 and Tectonics.js, we've got some pretty sweet tools at our disposal.

[brehaaorgana]

More stuff!:

European Geosciences Union Blog — Beyond Tectonics: Building fictional worlds to better understand our own

Reshaping Reality's Worldbuilding Tips

Worldbuilding pasta's series, An Apple Pie from Scratch also check their resources page!

R/worldbuilding's Reading List. Also check out their collected resources link. This basic geology guide from 11 years ago is still nice.

Creating an Earth-Like Planet, and The Climate Cookbook (aka Geoff's Climate Cookbook) technically the climate cookbook is a part of Creating an Earth like Planet I think.

Related: Worldbuilding Workshop's "Working Out Climates Using Geoff’s Climate Cookbook." Which goes through using the resource in order to map make. Also just the Worldbuilding Workshop in General.

Madeline James Writes's Worldbuilding Guide

Worldbuilding 101 (this links to the Biomes section but there's like...everything.)

Also I would recommend looking into Landscape Archaeology as well! That's because Landscape archeology is basically adding the social/cultural layer on top of all that geology and geography. Environments change when communities live in them, and communities likewise adapt to various environments.

This is a short free introduction to the concept: "Notes on Landscape Archaeology." To summarize, Landscape archaeology sort of like...studies the relation of people to places/spaces (that is, landscapes) in time.

Also this paper [An Archeology of Landscapes] breaks down/introduces the key concepts that I learned which is first that you can form the "construct paradigm" of a landscape from settlement ecology, ritual landscapes, and ethnic landscapes.

And then the highlights of their summary of what constitutes defining a landscape:

Landscapes are not synonymous with natural environments. Landscapes are synthetic (Jackson, 1984, p. 156), with cultural systems structuring and organizing peoples’ interactions with their natural environments ...

Landscapes are worlds of cultural product ... Through their daily activities, beliefs, and values, communities transform physical spaces into meaningful places. ...

Landscapes are the arena for all of a community’s activities. Thus landscapes not only are constructs of human populations but they also are the milieu in which those populations survive and sustain themselves. A landscape’s domain involves patterning in both within-place and between-place contexts ...

Landscapes are dynamic constructions, with each community and each generation imposing its own cognitive map on an anthropogenic world of interconnected morphology, arrangement, and coherent meaning ...

Basically a "landscape" is made by a community living in an environment. Once you have a geological environment that makes sense, landscape archaeology is like... Basically how I feel confident knowing where trade routes would be on a map, where there are areas of continual high conflict, what kinds of agriculture exists where, etc. once the geological stuff is hammered out, it's like...I know how that would influence the local cultures and vice versa. At that point, it's easy to start marking the natural borders, settlements, trade/port cities, and even strategic fortresses. If you have properly put rivers on a map, then marking your port cities is effortless, basically.

Also:

This course syllabus for a Landscape Archaeology class is freely accessible. It includes an online resources page.

Place, Landscape, and Environment: Anthropological Archaeology in 2009

(Landscape Biographies is open access, as is Landscape Archaeology between Art and Science: From a Multi- to an Interdisciplinary Approach. But I wouldn't try to read every essay.)

[dedicatedfollower467]

If you are like me and find it helpful to have video reference for a process/activity in addition to a written guide, Artifexian is a YouTube channel that does a LOT of world building stuff and specifically he's in the process of creating a world following a lot of Worldbuilding Pasta's methodology!

[valtsv]

"defenestrate" is one of my favorite words in the english language because it's just so damn specific. like there's only one situation you'll ever be able to use it in but you might as well be prepared just in case.

[valtsv]

[scleroticstatue]

There are so many dang specific words if you're curious. There's a word for coals specifically when they're hot and glowing (gleeds), those decorative semicircles that happen when you take a garland, light string, ribbon, etc. and pin it to keep it up (festoons), and for a person who's in their twenties (vicenarian). English has a word for just about everything if you know what you're looking for.

[writingadvicesavingcometcon]

@scribeofpnakotis

[definitely-not-an-alb]

My tepid take of the day is that people's inability to distinguish run-on sentences from long and complex sentences is a sign of anti-intellectualism.

[definitely-not-an-alb]

A run-on sentence is a sentence that is grammatically wrong, in most cases because two clauses have been incorrectly connected. Basically anyone who reads a lot of amateur fiction or pro fiction with low editing standards will have seen these before and they are often immediately apparent since they just sound very off. 'Susie saw the house it was pretty' is a run-on sentence despite being very short. It's grammatically wrong despite being short. These sentences are also often wrong because they connect unrelated pieces of information inappropriately together, which is confusing or unclear, whereas a sentence simply being long is not.

[definitely-not-an-alb]

And the reason I think this is anti-intellectualism instead of just kind of annoying is because people keep criticising perfectly legible texts as 'confusing' and 'full of run-on sentences' while I am constantly bombarded with weird slop that is somehow both grammatically frequently wrong and grammatically deeply simplistic in an unpleasant and confusing manner.

[homunculus-argument]

How to write the most amazing unique and original story ever:

Pick a random setting that you think would be fun and cool to write about. Either something you already know a lot about, or something you know you're going to have fun researching.

Choose your favourite Shakespeare play. If you don't know any of them, just pick one at random, but try not to go with Romeo and Juliet, that's been done way too much.

Start figuring out how you'd adapt the play into the setting you chose. What would the characters in this world have instead of a king? What would they take as seriously as Shakespeare's world took religion and god? What kind of lifelong "will only end in one party's death" contracts and agreements would they have that they would regard the same way as Shakespeare's plays regard marriage?

Every time some element or detail of the play is incompatible with the setting you chose, always alter the plot to match the setting, not the other way around.

Eventually you'll have altered so many of the original story's elements that the end result is practically unrecognisable and has next to no resemblance to the original play. This is now your original story. You asked "what if I could make a llama work as a horse?" and reverse engineered the camel.

[luna-azzurra]

Creating characters is fun until they start making decisions without your permission. You sit down to write a quiet breakfast scene and suddenly they’re confessing childhood trauma, or worse, falling in love with the wrong person. You’re supposed to be the god of this story, but really you’re just the exhausted babysitter of a bunch of fictional anarchists.

[writingadvicesavingcometcon]

MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOD

[luna-azzurra]

Tips for Writing Injuries

✧ Broken ribs suck. You don’t just “walk it off.” Breathing hurts. Laughing hurts. Existing hurts. Characters with rib injuries won’t be doing heroic sprints.

✧ Concussions aren’t instant naps. Dazed vision, nausea, dizziness, maybe even personality changes, but they’re not going to collapse neatly like in the movies.

✧ Blood loss is sneaky. It’s not just about dramatic pools of blood. It’s dizziness, confusion, and the body getting cold as circulation tanks.

✧ Adrenaline lies. Someone can take a serious injury and not feel it until the fight’s over. That “I didn’t realize I was bleeding until later” trope? Very real.

✧ Twisted ankles are brutal. One bad step and suddenly running is off the table. Even walking hurts like hell. Perfect way to ground a chase scene.

✧ Burns linger. Even small burns hurt more than most people expect. Blisters, infection risk, constant pain, it’s not just a cool scar later.

✧ Dislocated shoulders = useless arm. Characters can’t keep swinging a sword or firing a gun. They’re basically fighting one-armed until it’s fixed.

✧ Shock is a thing. Pale skin, trembling, rapid heartbeat, and eventually disorientation. A character might not even realize how bad their wound is.

✧ Stitches aren’t magic. Getting sewn up is painful and recovery takes time. They’re not instantly battle-ready after a needle and thread.

✧ Scars tell stories. Some fade, some don’t. Some stay sensitive forever. Don’t forget the aftermath when the wound becomes part of the character.

[sotrias-labyrinth-deactivated20]

I feel like when I say ‘relatable’ what I really mean is ‘resonant.’ I don’t want characters who I feel are like me, I want characters who have emotions so strong I can feel them through the page.

[secretlyatargaryen]

I think this is important because a lot of us forget the power of stories to make us feel things about characters who are not like us, who have experienced things that we never will. The purpose of listening to someone else's story should not necessarily be identification, but understanding.

[luna-azzurra]

[dramatic-dolphin]

tired of villains/master manipulator characters who dress up their manipulation strategies as chess metaphors. i will make one who exclusively uses go metaphors instead. fuck you.

[dramatic-dolphin]

this is only half a joke btw, it could be so awesome to represent a slightly different worldview.

"can't you see it? she's just using you as a pawn. you're nothing, so long as the more important pieces are safe!"

"pawn? ha, what a limited worldview. pawn, king, queen... for me, i always preferred go. you see, all pieces are equal; all that matters is how you use them."

[dramatic-dolphin]

but also, the comedic potential of using more and more niche strategy game metaphors instead.

"you think you have me at a disadvantage, backed against a wall, don't you? the more fool you, because a wall... is just a step away from the corner."

"that's.... bad. isn't that bad? being cornered means you've lost. isn't that the opposite of what you're going for?"

"no????? that's how you WIN, by making it to the corner! come on, have you never played hnefatafl before??"

".....no, i can't say i have."

[vigilantsycamore]

You can also choose a game that reflects what kind of scheme the villain is concocting. Chess and games like it rely on anticipating how your opponent reacts to your moves and planning accordingly so that their reactions benefit you in the long run. Poker relies on misdirection, making your opponent think one of you has an advantage that's not actually there to trick them into making a costly mistake. Dominoes (which, side note, is what I'll be using as this kind of metaphor in an arc I have planned for my Spider-Man fanfic) requires you to set things up ahead of time so that all it takes is one nudge to set events in motion the way you want them to go. Tetris relies on being able to spot and exploit opportunities as soon as they arise. Games of chance reward being cautious, not betting too much at once, and not putting all your eggs in one basket. A Rubik's cube requires you to consider the big picture rather than just the part you're looking at in that moment

[writingadvicesavingcometcon]

Fuck yes. Love this.

[luna-azzurra]

Emotionally repressed character confessions!!

☽ "i don’t know how to talk about this without making it a joke." ☽ "i’m not used to people… staying." ☽ "can we just pretend i didn’t say that?" ☽ "i thought if i ignored it long enough it would stop hurting." ☽ "sometimes i rehearse being honest in my head and then never do it." ☽ "i literally have no idea how to ask for help without apologizing." ☽ "i didn’t know it was okay to feel like this." ☽ "do you ever get tired of pretending you're okay?" ☽ "what if i'm just too much and not enough at the same time?" ☽ "i only know how to be fine or silent." ☽ "i’ve never told anyone that before. please don’t look at me like that." ☽ "i don’t want to be alone, but being around people feels like too much too." ☽ "i don’t even know what i’m feeling half the time." ☽ "i’m scared if i let it out, i won’t be able to put it back." ☽ "i didn’t mean to make you worry. i just didn’t think it mattered." ☽ "every time i try to be vulnerable, my body screams abort mission."

[brightlotusmoon]

@catbowserauthor

[driftglazz]

How to Feed 10,000 Rebel Fighters for 50 Years

Researchers are studying the cooking traditions of the FARC, Colombia's disarmed guerrilla group.

“I will never forget my first ranchada [cooking shift],” he says. That first day, Semillas had to cook everything from white rice to fried meat and colada, a thick liquid mixed into agua de panela, a traditional beverage. He was guided by an experienced, old guerrilla who taught new guerrilleros all the “little secrets,” such as how to clean the rancha, or artisanal kitchen station, and how to knead and fry cancharinas. “We passed the knowledge from one generation to the next.”

[fineillsignup]

your naming-chinese-OC's post is a couple years old by now but i hope it's still ok to ask questions regarding it! you said for surnames, one should have a good reason for not choosing one of the top hundred, and i was wondering: what makes a good reason? are there bad reasons? would there be anything wrong in choosing a rare surname, or is it just unusual without an explanation? specifically i'm wondering about 斐 since MDBG has it defined "surname Fei"; would there be a reason not to use it?

The top 100 surnames make up 80% of China’s population. The top three surnames make up something like 25% just by themselves. By contrast, the top three surnames in the US (Smith, Johnson, Williams) make up less than two percent of the US population. Like if you live in a Western country I cannot stress to you enough just how uncommon it is not to have a common surname.

Moreover, once you get into those uncommon surnames, you are stepping into a minefield you may not be aware of. Because the more uncommon a surname is, the stronger the association with specific people.

If your surname is Chen, your surname is Chen, there are millions upon millions of other Chens, famous, infamous, good, bad, indifferent. When your surname is Linghu, everybody is going to immediately, and I mean immediately, think of Linghu Chong, the protagonist of a famous wuxia novel. They are probably going to want to know your connection to the Linghu clan history, and because in China certain kinds of nosiness are more culturally accepted, they are gonna ask. It’s not uncommon, in fact, for people in China to change their surname away from something uncommon to something less remarkable.

For Linghu we actually have an example of this in politician Ling Jihua, whose father changed the family name from Linghu to Ling.

So. I knew all this, when I decided to use the name Linghu anyway for a dodgy politician character in a dystopia. I liked the flashy connotations and I liked the literal meaning “to command foxes”.

To me, this was a good reason for choosing a very rare surname. You have to define for yourself what a good reason is. What I meant by it is, that if you are choosing a rare surname, you should doublecheck why you’re doing so. It’s not like Western context where even the most common surnames are not that common in an absolute sense and where you meet or hear about people with unusual surnames all the time. Sure, unusual surnames do still exist and you do come across people with them but they are like 1000 times more remarkable.