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SENIOR WWC MODS

• Colette
• Alice
• Jessica
• Lesya
• Shira

THE REST OF OUR WWC MOD TEAM

• Abhaya
• Jaya
• Meir
• Melanie
• Mika
• Mimi
• Niki
• Ren
• Rina
• Rune
• Sci
• Shoshi
• SK

SENIOR MODS

Colette ~ she / her, founder of WritingWithColor

Hey! I’m Colette Aburime, early 30s, and maybe a little too much into magic-realism, fairy tales, historical romance, and fantasy. Women’s fiction is my focus and I love exploring themes of self-discovery, self-love and romance, particularly interracial romance.

I’m Black and from the Midwest USA with experience in Black culture, Black female experience, PoC in predominantly white towns, American racism, eurocentric beauty standards and intersectional feminism.

I founded this blog because I want to help all writers who aim to write diversely and do it well, plus to form a resource for BIPOC writing information. This blog may not have all the answers or be the final word in your writing, though we hope it’ll somehow help it along!

Contact me

For professional inquiries, search me on linkedin!

Alice ~ she/they

Hi there! I’m Alice, 30s and of mixed race (Black/white). Due to being born and raised in the Netherlands I’m familiar with Dutch racism and POC living in predominantly white environments, while other factors have made me experienced and/or knowledgable in feminism, sexuality, neurodiversity and interracial relationships. 

I absolutely love speculative fiction and it is most of what I read and write. Especially creative and non-stereotypical fantasy, science-fiction, science fantasy and biopunk with complex, psychological and philosophical stories with heavy themes intrigue me. 

Writing With Color is important to me, because throughout my life I’ve sorely missed faces like mine, and non-white faces in general in all forms of the media. I’d like to help anyone who wants to enrich their stories with characters who defy the stereotypical depiction of white, able-bodied, neurotypical, cishet man and to do so respectfully. 

Jessica ~ she/her

Hi! I’m Jess, 30s, Chinese-Taiwanese-American and living in the Midwest. I write mostly SFF, though I love reading historical fiction and contemporary lit as well. Most of my writing features Asian protagonists either coming of age and/or going on adventures.

My experiences lie in growing up Asian-American in the Midwest (from 1980s-2000s), along with Chinese culture, and having been to Taiwan on and off.. 

Lesya ~ they/she/he

Hello and welcome! I’m Lesya of the Kanien'kehá:ka (Mohawk) and Wyandot (Huron) in Canada who only discovered my roots/got adopted back into the tribe in my 20s thanks to generations-old assimilation. A 20-something white passing individual who’s spent her whole life navigating a world of in betweens and wants to see more queer PoC on bookshelves. Best described as “spiritual”. I took a year of anthropology for the sole purpose of learning more effective researching, which was the main catalyst for connecting with the Native community.

I write primarily non-European fantasy and I spend far too much time analyzing everything literary, with a tendency to speak in TV Tropes. My specialty is breaking apart real world cultures and adapting them to fantasy worlds, along with researching to get society right. I’m still learning about my own culture but have a general knowledge about Canadian Natives, especially around the Great Lakes/Quebec region, with a touch of knowledge about Plains and costal Natives. Firm believer in Idle No More.

My tumblr: tropesaretools.tumblr.com/

Shira ~ she / her

Hallo! I’m Shira (she/her; cis, bisexual), shiraglassman.tumblr.com. I’m an Xennial freelance violinist and the author of fluffy queer Jewish fiction such as Knit One Girl Two, the superhero romance Cinnamon Blade: Knife in Shining Armor, and the Mangoverse fantasy series.

I’m ethnically Ashkenazi, descended half from the Eastern European to NYC wave of immigrants at the turn of the 20th century and half from Holocaust refugees from Germany. I’m Reform Jewish and very involved in my local synagogue. 

My writing interests lay mostly in showing the importance of all types of connections between women – romantic, sisterly, motherly, friendship, leaders – and the everyday magic of “family of choice.” Oh, yeah, and dragons. 

MORE MODS TO MEET!

Abhaya ~ she / they

Hi! I’m Abhaya, and I’m a second-generation Indian immigrant from Orissa and Bhagnari(currently within Pakistan)/Maharastra to the US. I identify as Hindu with a mix of traditions from across my mother states, and I’m pretty involved with my local temple, including teaching classes at our Balavihar, organizing service projects, and performing with my dance troupe for celebrations. I can also play a variety of instruments, including piano, oboe, mallet percussion, ukulele, a bit of Carnatic singing, and I’m learning to play the flute in my free time. As a second-gen immigrant, I’m familiar with connection and disconnection from my culture, especially because of how my family’s traditions differ. 

I love speculative fiction–science fiction and fantasy in particular–along with many forms of poetry. Much of my writing so far has been transformative, with a focus on reimaginings in the aforementioned genres with a focus on mythology and real-world connection, as well as some of my own poetry, though my ADHD sometimes ends up a little more conducive to editing and research than writing. My expertise lies in Hindu mythology & philosophy, Indian classical dance & music, my second-gen Desi experience in the United States, cultural appropriation within a post-racial society, and the contextualization of racism in children’s socialization specifically. It’s important to me to share the varying cultures of people of color with a wider audience, because I grew up with a wide variety of stereotypical media and not much representation that didn’t lie behind a language barrier.

Jaya ~ she / her

Hi there! I’m Jaya, almost-30-something.

I’m Indian, and my family is from Tamil Nadu, all Brahman. My experience lies with Hindu mythology, cultural aspects, the impact of colonialism, and being part of the South Asian diaspora as well as a first-generation immigrant. Also a Floridian, and I can confirm our state is that weird. 

The escapism part of fantasy, horror and science-fiction fascinate me. I like how we can dive into other worlds, something we need now more than ever. That is why I write speculative fiction in my gradually diminishing spare time. Good representation also concerns me, and I want to provide my two cents regarding Indian characters and relevant stories. 

Meir ~ he / him

I’m Meir (he/him). I’m enjoying the boring suburban dad life in the Eastern United States with the realization that living boringly is a refutation of at least five different stereotypes. I’m a trans, Jewish, learning disabled adoptive dad married to a wheelchair user. I’m a lifelong visual artist and writer lucky enough to work at my hobby: alongside teaching elementary-level Hebrew School, I freelance making illustrated Jewish educational materials with a focus on inclusive representation and a welcoming, nonjudgemental love of Jewish culture.

I’m currently battling my way through my first full-length novel draft, a trope-examining fantasy that centers the characters who never seem to get their own voices. My bookshelf is a wild mix of science fiction, fantasy, classics, Judaica, lyrical memoirs, and historical novels. I’ve been involved in a lot of different Jewish communities, across a variety of denominations, so while I’m not an expert on every denomination, I can often speak to the diversity of Jewish opinions, Jewish practices, and Jewish voices in real life–something I’d love to see reflected more often in fiction.

Melanie ~ she/her

I’m Melanie (she/her,) a New Yorker, writer, and queer Latine Marine Corps veteran with a background in vets advocacy. I’m of Argentinian, WASP, and Syrian descent. I’m part of the 33% of American Latinos who don’t speak Spanish (but I’m always down for trying my hand at some very bad Levantine.)

I have a B.A. in Creative Writing and am pursuing an MFA in TV Writing. I write dark comedies, detective stories, horror, and grounded fantasy. When I’m not writing, I’m listening to Hozier, doing tea flights, or killing a lot of houseplants. Always up for detective story recs!

Check in with me at melaniecorinne.bsky.social 

Venmo: @MelanieWrites

Mika ~ she / her

Hello, I’m Mika! I’m a queer Filipina mestiza in my late teens/early 20s and I’m a book nerd down to my core. I grew up in a small town on the California/Nevada border, so I’m quite familiar with that particular brand of rural America. Additionally, I was raised Catholic and though I’ve stepped away from that particular strain of Christianity, I’m now studying its history in an academic sense and I do still consider myself spiritual. My dad (Filipino) was adopted by a Chinese-Hawaiian and German couple (my grandparents) and my family is still untangling what that means for our cultural identity, so although I myself am not adopted I have complicated feelings about the multigenerational impact of transcultural adoptions. 

As a reader, I absolutely adore speculative fiction–fantasy, science fiction, and everything in between–but I have a soft spot for any and all retellings of mythologies and fairy tales (especially if they’re non-European). Additionally, I’ve spent several years working in an independent bookshop where I also helped curate the YA and poetry sections so I’m moderately well versed in those areas as well. As a writer, I tend to focus on short stories and novellas, though I have been known to occasionally try my hand at novel writing. I’m a sucker for reading and writing about space operas, sapphic longing, morally complicated female characters, and overlly complicated narrative frameworks (yes, I do think This is How You Lose the Time War was the best book of 2019, how ever could you tell?) 

Come nerd out with me at svnflowers.tumblr.com!

Mimi ~ she / they

Mimi (they/them)

Hi, I’m Mimi, an author and research scholar from India. I’m a Bengali lesbian, and I’ve lived and studied in this country my entire life. I’m interested in critically analyzing cultural representations of South Asian characters, particularly when it comes to orientalism/racialized tropes in fantasy/sci-fi. I also like to look at depictions of queerness and transness outside of a Western gaze, and how race may intersect with portrayals of sapphic desire in media and literature. You can find me on @papenathys if you have any questions.

Special topic areas

• South Asia
• Hindu and/or Bengali depictions
• Mythology
• Fantasy worldbuilding
• Orientalism, Postcolonialism
• Lesbian/Sapphic Narratives
• Butchness, Queer Masculinity

Niki ~ she / her

Hello! I’m Niki, an Iranian-Canadian writer and educator in my 30s. My upbringing is a blend of several cultures that span four continents, which makes me particularly interested in multiculturalism and diversity both in fiction and in the real world. My formal education is in biology, but you’re just as likely to find me nerding out about languages, religions, or mythology. I’m drawn to speculative fiction with thoughtfully crafted worlds and deeply emotional character journeys, and contemporary stories that are both thought-provoking and filled with hope.

For WWC, I mostly weigh in on topics related to Persian characters and cultural coding, and more generally questions about West Asia as a whole. I enjoy delving into the nuances of ethnicity, language, religion and culture, and how the history of Western Asia has shaped the ways in which these influence one another.

Ren ~ she / her

Aloha kakou! You may call me Ren. I am a very ethnically mixed, but mostly kanaka maoli (native Hawaiian) and Taiwanese-Japanese 20-something year old from Hawai’i. As I am very ethnically mixed, I would be happy to share my thoughts on a multi-ethnic experience and identity. I would also be open to sharing my thoughts on Hawaiian related topics, although I may not always have the answers. Academically, my background is in business management with some east Asian art history, but I am studying Asian international affairs in my masters program. I have a passion for Asian diaspora histories and identities, as well as an interest in settler colonialism in Hawai’i. 

As far as my preferred reading material, I have a passion for fantasy, YA romance,  and women’s lit, with a special love for food-centric stories. I often find myself seeking out books that reflect aspects of my own identity, but I am also very easily lured into mythology retellings. Bonus points if it’s a mythology retelling with influence from one of my many ethnicities.

Rina ~ she / her

Hi guys! I’m Rina, Japanese-Canadian-American based in the Pacific Northwest. Former linguist, tired paralegal with a secret comic project. I can speak to matters of mixed and Japanese identity, interracial relationships, bilingualism, heritage language, ADHD, and diversity rep in visual media. My goal is not only to boost the accuracy of your portrayals of mixed White/East Asian individuals and relationships, but to push them to be more productive and meaningful. 

Ask me anything on language and linguistics and I’ll do my darndest to answer! There are a lot of common misconceptions about accents and dialects out there (and don’t get me started on naming your characters…). Let me help you avoid those pitfalls! And of course, I’d love to see your conlangs and take them to the next level :)

I love reading speculative fiction, short stories, webcomics, and coffee table art books too heavy for my broken wrists to lift. 

Rune ~ she / her

Hello! I’m Rune, runeofluna.tumblr.com. I’m a Korean med student in my 20s, whose preferred method of taking a break is writing fantasy, which is my convenient excuse to build countries, religions, species and characters.

I was born and raised in Korea. I can help write what it’s like to be Korean in a country where we’re the majority, and also help with writing non-native speakers of English interacting with native speakers, thanks to the couple of years I lived in Arizona. I also like to address the often unintentional exclusion of countries, ethnicities, and personal experiences from Eurocentric and America-centric narratives and discussions (e.g. unawareness of colonialism in Asia, living in a country where Christianity isn’t as dominant or pervasive, etc.)

As an autistic, aroace med student struggling with depression, I’m willing to give advice on releveant topics as well, although unless it intersects with writing poc characters (e.g. writing an autistic Korean character, what it’s like to be queer in non-American or European countries, etc.), please direct those asks to my sideblog, autisticmedstudent.tumblr.com, instead.

Sci~ She / they

Hi, my name is Sci and I’m feminine, trans (TME), and nonbinary. I am also a convert to Judaism. As a Chinese adoptee from the USA, I am familiar with having to deal with being one of the only few POC in a white environment or a white family. I mainly write 18th century historical fantasy and fanfiction centered around my OCs of color, but I have also dabbled in science fiction and crossovers.

I love to write, read and do science. I specialize in historical research and historical fashion as well as the intersection between racism and mental health as someone with mental illness. 

My tumblr: https://scinerdwrites.tumblr.com/

Shoshi ~ she / her

Shalom aleichem! I’m Shoshi. I am a 20-something Ashkenazi Jew from England. Religiously I identify as Modern Orthodox and a ba'al teshuva (more religious than my upbringing), although I also grew up in a relatively observant home. I was raised in Birmingham, a very small Jewish community, and have experience of being the only Orthodox Jew in the school and workplace. In 2017, I moved to the more religious ‘bubble’ in NW London to get married, so I have some knowledge of the bigger communities too. You can ask me about intersectionality with sexism, asexuality, dyspraxia, OCD and depression. 

I love reading diverse YA or anything with originality and lots of heart. I write YA and spoken word poetry, usually with a focus on mental health. WWC and diverse writing are important to me because, ‘the pen is mightier than the sword’, especially if you’re dyspraxic. Stories create the world as we experience it, so no one should be left out or left behind.

My tumblr: https://lastseatlastrow.tumblr.com/

SK ~ She / her

I’m SK - I am a Punjabi amritdhari Sikh woman. I’m an early 20’s psych student who enjoys martial arts, dancing, studying Sikhi and reading & writing in my spare time. I’m also Deaf and an ASL speaker.

I have expertise in Sikh issues, more specifically the Punjabi Sikh diaspora experience in the US & Canada (both in ethnic enclaves and mostly white neighbourhoods), the 1980s-1990s Sikh genocide, Khalistan & Sikh separatism, women in Sikhi, LGBT issues in Sikhi/Sikh communities, Sikh theology and how it relates to personal practice, and arranged marriages within the Sikh community. I can also talk about South Asian politics, Afghan Sikhs (I know Afghan Sikhs I can consult with), my experiences with disability & deafness, and Asian transracial adoption.

My writing interests include realistic fiction and poetry.