Writers, Don't Let Fear Stop You From Creating Black Characters

Recently, I came across a Reddit post from a writer who shared a very real fear: posting a story with a Black protagonist. She worried that people might brand her book as "woke," or tear it down before even reading a word. That fear is heartbreaking and sadly, not uncommon. Unfortunately, I couldn't reply to her thread directly. I'm shadowbanned on Reddit, so any comment I leave is effectively invisible. But what she wrote struck a personal chord. And maybe this is a better place to share my response anyway - not just with her, but with any writer who's afraid to create freely. Here's an excerpt from a heartfelt post I came across on r/Wattpad:-

This is the post that inspired me to write about this issue. I've been writing stories on Wattpad for a while now. And in every one of them, I always include two central characters: one Black, one White - usually of opposite genders. It's not about checking a box. It's something I intentionally do. It just feels wrong not to. I don't explicitly label them as "Black" or "White" in the story. Instead, I imagine them as dark-skinned and light-skinned because to me, it's not about labels. It's about presence, contrast, and emotional identity. After all, writers are the Gods of the worlds we build. We decide who lives there, what they look like, what they go through. And readers? They're observers. Some will criticize. But others - the right ones - will connect deeply with what you've written.

🖼️ Visualizing Characters with AI

Even when I don't constantly mention a character's skin color in the narrative, I like to create AI images of them. Not just for myself - but to show readers who these people are, visually, through my eyes. That's how proud I am of them. That's how real they are to me and same goes for you too. And yes whether they're Black, White, or anything else - I want their faces to be part of the story. Because there still aren't enough diverse characters in mainstream storytelling, and we need to change that.

🚫 Stop Letting Fear Silence You

Let me say it clearly: Having a Black protagonist should never be controversial. But in today's climate, a lot of authors feel like it is. They worry their stories will be dismissed or labeled before anyone actually reads them. That fear can be paralyzing - especially for new writers. But here's what I know: There are not enough Black protagonists in books, films, or games. And when they do appear, they're often sidelined or forced into limiting tropes and also becomes the first one to die. That's not just lazy storytelling - it's a loss for everyone.

📢 To That Writer - And Anyone Else Doubting Themselves

If your story has a Black protagonist, post it anyway. If you're scared, know that many of us are cheering you on - even if we can't always say so out loud. Your characters deserve to exist. Your readers are waiting. Not all of them will love what you write - but someone out there will need it. Someone will see themselves in your work for the first time. Or better yet, someone will learn to see the world differently because of it. Write what you want. Be proud of your characters. Let your stories live. Because if you don't write them - who will? If the Reddit writer who inspired this is reading, thank you for your honesty. Your words mattered.