Getting in Gear (not a steampunk pun, sadly)

Beginnings: not my strong suit.

Since I first mentioned Trial, I've written the first chapter twice and spent a lot of time staring at a blank document, or worldbuilding, instead of getting more words down in the draft.  The second try at chapter one worked well enough to be going on with, and today I finally got in gear and wrote the second chapter (chapters in this one are ~1k words, so that's not as impressive as it sounds).  If I can get on top of the next couple of chapters, this thing should gain some momentum of its own.

Weirdest thing so far?  Apparently this book wants to be written in present tense.

My usual mode is third-past.  I've been known to write first-present occasionally but third-present is up there in odd tenses for me.  Then I started the second attempt at the first chapter and it was in present and it worked, and I'm not a writer who argues with what works.

Also, in a non-writing note, it's Halloween this week!  I've already re-used my Supergirl costume from two years ago for an event, and this year I will be starring as Buffy (the vampire slayer) at work.  It won't be as wowing as my Tony Stark costume last year (complete with arc reactor, repulsors, goatee, and glass of "scotch") but it should be fun.  I just have to make the stake.  Sunnydale ahoy!

One tip to have a happy Halloween, and make sure the people around you are having a good time, too

Cultural appropriation is always a messy topic, and it's one I think about a lot because as a writer I'm deliberately trying to include people from a number of cultures, races, genders, sexualities, abilities and classes.  Our world is diverse and our stories should be, too.  But I'm a white girl, and I don't want to hurt anyone or perpetuate white supremacy, so I have to put in a little work and educate myself.  It's always worth it to not hurt people.  Or at least, do enough to learn how to fail better next time.

What does this have to do with Halloween?

As lotesse reminded me this morning, costumes that make fun of entire groups of people via racist stereotypes are still popular.  It's one of the reasons I try to avoid Halloween costume websites and stores--everything there is brought down to the lowest common denominator, and it makes me angry.

Whether it's "sexy nurse" or "white trash" or "gangsta" or "harem girl", these are all harmful stereotypes that not only give the idea that this is The Only Way women are, poor people are, black men are, Muslim women are, but also reinforce the systemic power that gives the reigning ideology the right to mock them.

Ohio University's Students Teaching About Racism in Society has a really neat poster campaign, here.  I really like--for a certain value of "like"--the juxtaposed images.  Makes things very clear.

So have a Happy Halloween, and if you need last-minute costume suggestions (and how to put them together without giving money to the institutions that sell these costumes), I'm your girl!