•Opinions on writers not letting readers change skin colours•

Hi
Recently I have been seeing topics like this about “White” writers being hated on for having CC or limited CC and not having diverse skins tones or no skin tone change

And I was wondering as a POC (colored/ Minority)
Since the Majority of my main characters are colored if I should have more non colored main characters or am I fine because I do have non colored people in my stories just mostly as back ground or side characters

And if people think that is Offensive I’m sorry its just that most stories I read have Primarily non colored main characters

So what do you guys think Do you think writers should be criticised for not allowing readers to be able to pick their own skin tones? And what do you guys feel about my topic?
Topic might get heated if you don’t do conflict or can’t cope with peoples opinions please leave and please don’t flag be nice
@OKthen @amberose @EpisodeShadow @fcukforcookies @NelidaU @Januva @Cheyara_Skadi @PerplexedJam

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I wouldn’t let myself get bent out of shape about it. I would give it a chance if only it has an extremely unique story line. If it’s too similar to standard Hollywood schlock, why bother reading your stuff when I could be watching Netflix or something instead?

Personally the only time I bother looking at anything with non POC it has to be really different. For instance if its about British people or something, I’m more likely to give a pass because it’s somewhat new to me and not boring, so I don’t need it to be relatable really.

I have low tolerance for American (or even Canadian at this point) media doing the same though.

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Honestly I feel two ways as a POC I’d highly enjoy having my own skin tone and kinda I guess way in a story without it just being stereotyped. So yeah that’s one I would love to, but I also know that a lot of people work hard on their overlays and special scenes. So I understand if they don’t want to. But yeah I would love to have more stories that kinda represent ya know. Not trying to offend anyone that’s just my opinion. I mean I would read anything honestly. But I always get excited at black stories where it’s more representative.

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It’s fine. You don’t have to change any of them. All your characters, if you wrote them how you wanted and how you imagined, its fine. It doesn’t matter if they’re all black or if you have no white main characters or anything like that, so long as all the characters are different in personality and ideas from each other.

Also, no writers shouldn’t be criticized for not adding CC of any kind, skin color or whatever.

EDIT: It is NOT offensive and you should NOT be sorry for the story cast you’ve created. Ever.

<3 <3 <3

Much love <3

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Sips tea :frog: :tea: Imma just watch…—

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Same bruv. Hope I don’t get tempted tho. Tired of explaining and folks not listening.

Let’s get the convo poppin

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:nerd_face::tea:

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I did read the whole last chat it was tea worthy but I threw in my cents :joy::wine_glass:

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It’s your own story, you have the freedom to make any characters you like
You’re NOT racist just because of a character’s skin color and it’s just ridiculous to think otherwise!!

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It is your story. You decide whether to include CC and people of colour as the most recurrent characters or not.

Personally, I only want CC when the characters look cliché (the same features you usually see in popular stories), but if they are “different”, “unusual”, then I do not care. They are their own characters, I am not them. Being me is boring. Let me be someone else, whose skin, eye and hair colour are just a tiny part of whom they are, just like myself.

As Martin Luther King Jr. once said, judge people for the content of their character, not the colour of their skin. I see no problem in playing as someone who does not represent just this tiny part of yourself, whether you are a person of colour, white or whatever.

HOWEVER, those skin, eye, and hair colours are there for a reason. You can create background and main characters as you wish, but try to keep in mind that diversity in all its aspects (not only physically) is extremely important.

So, to sum up, if your main characters turn out to be people of colour and white characters only appear as background/minor characters or viceversa, people should not complain about their role as long as you acknowledge their existence them in some way. It is your story and your characters, and you do not have to cater to anyone.

EDIT: It is a delicate topic, though. I know, for instance, that I would not finish reading a story where there are literally zero people of colour unless the story were too riveting. But I would read a story with no white characters whatsoever because I support minorities and understand how they feel about the lack of representation.

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No. I think the issue before was limited cc that doesn’t allow dark skin tones but allows choices from the light tones.

Eh …
Not sure why you created a new thread and tagged people that were clearly in disagreement already?

No. Your characters should be whatever you envision.

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I created this topic because I wanted to get different views on it also the other thread is banned for 4 hours and my is a little different instead of talking about White main characters we are talking about colored main characters and how people feel the same on the issue or not

Also people were talking about CC and not having more choices or no CC at all and how you should have a valid reason and “Because that’s how envision them” is not a good enough answer on white characters not changing skin tone

Yes. The topic branched away from the root I mentioned.

I suppose I am simply not interested in providing justification for why in one of my stories there is a MC that cannot be customized at all. It’s meant to be read as the tale of characters of my own creation.
In my other story, I wanted to have more complex directing and choice branching. I added in limited cc and different love interests. That particular story is meant to be more immersive for the reader.
:woman_shrugging:

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And I get where you are coming from none of my stories I’m making are going to have CC because I think if there is a good story line it should not matter

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Let me just put it like this, if the cast is all one race the story is not diverse. But my question is by ‘POC’ do you mean one race? or just all people of color in general?

Short answer is no

I didnt expect this topic to get so heated as it did, I was actually surprised to come home to so many replies.

But…while I’m a POC, I don’t know how it feels to be a minority so take my opinion with a grain of salt

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By POC i mean all people of color
And your opinion does matter even if you don’t really get treated like a minority

Take me for instance I’m 13 and “light skinned” but I still get treated as a minority but not as much as my mom who is darker or my uncle who is even darker than my mom so I can see where you are coming from

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Well if that is the case then well it is diverse, we’re actually in the same situation. But if you are representing a wide variety of people then yes it is most definetly diversity

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Totally like I’m mixed and a lot of other people are

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Wasnt…this already discussed(and ended horribly)

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