Non-threaded

Forums » Writing Workshop » Read Thread

Find proofreaders here, useful resources, and share opinions and advice on story crafting.

Describing Asians?

3 years ago
Okay, I'm stumped here.

How do you do this in a setting where there is no Asia? The two big classic indicators read as racist even to normal people without being all that accurate in the first place, but it also seems weird to spend more words dancing around the fact that the bitch's eyes are a certain shape than the fact that she is swinging a flaming sword at your head.

I think something like 'golden skin and almond eyes' is the classic 'polite' phrase, but almond eyes are apparently a real term in the cosmetics industry and one of the most common eye types for most people, so authors couldn't even get that right.

@Spartacusthegreat Describe your mom. You know Endmaster is no help there, he doesn't actually see her face all that often.

Describing Asians?

3 years ago
Everything is racist. Just imagine standing there, looking at them, and describe. To CoG it will be racist no matter what.

Describing Asians?

3 years ago
"Their skin reminded me of the bananas, and their eyes always looked like they were staring directly into the sun."

The trick is to be subtle.

Describing Asians?

3 years ago

Lol

Describing Asians?

3 years ago

If there is no Asia, is there some other reason to describe her specifically to call forth that look?  Is there a particular association to be made in your setting or is it just to paint the picture for the reader?

I don't know of anyone I'd describe as having golden skin, to be honest. I've had the same struggle with the almond eye shape, because I can assume that's what is being described, but it doesn't actually mean anything explicitly. 

This is spinning my gears, now I'm wondering how I would do this, since I've never described something in a character's appearance that I wasn't trying to point out.  I usually only describe specific features and not general looks/race.

Describing Asians?

3 years ago
Describing racial features is inherently "racist", so fark being all PC up in this bitch!

Besides, unless your setting is some kind of socialist utopian society, then unless your protagonist is also 'Asian', he/she/it is going to compare features with their own and consider everything about the other unique and/or unnatural.

So a race of large heavy-set Gronks with skin like boiled leather are not going to shy away from comparing someone so different in a way that matches their mindset.

"The girl was jaundice and frail-looking, with strange slanting eyes, that held within the dark pools of hell itself. Figured she'd be easy enough to swat down, but she moved like a black panther with uncanny grace; and kept slashing me arms open with that silly curved blade."

Describing Asians?

3 years ago
Lol, nice. And better a panther than a panda.

It was suggested in the Discord I just make a Fantasy Asia full of the usual stereotypes and then be like 'yep, she has the look of one from the Empire of Wonton' which is apparently what a lot of mainstream authors still do.