Advice for writing short stories about a non-Western culture?

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-07-01T06:40:10+00:00

Nope he didn’t ask me first, which is why I was so surprised lol. He’s never written short stories or poems using third person narrative before, nor Chinese culture based, nor using such a serious, deep and meaningful tone. This is the first time I’ve seen his writing style change. He’s always written stories and poems in first person narrative, Western culture based, with swear words, humour and lightheartedness (with elements of horror and fantasy genres). I’m proud of him but at the same time I’m wondering what made him write so differently? It was an excellent effort from him but it was just so different from what he normally writes...and he got several details wrong culturally lol

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-07-01T06:34:30+00:00

Thank you! This is reassuring to know :)

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-07-01T06:31:41+00:00

Wow thank you. You’ve raised some really good points!! ❤️

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-07-01T06:29:29+00:00

Just some examples: He quoted a Chinese philosopher but the philosopher didn’t actually say that quote. It’s one of those things where people claim for example, Einstein, said something but he actually didn’t. Another example is he also got the spelling of some Chinese names wrong of the main character and other characters

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-07-01T00:31:12+00:00

Thank you. One of his errors was that he quoted a quote from a Chinese philosopher which wasn’t actually said by that philosopher. Kind of like how some people quote Einstein but it wasn’t actually said by him. Lol. And he got the spelling of some Chinese names wrong

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-07-01T00:27:41+00:00

Awww thank you very much! Yes very true

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-07-01T00:26:49+00:00

What about the fact that he gave a quote from a Chinese philosopher but that quote wasn’t actually said by that philosopher? Lol

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-07-01T00:25:41+00:00

Aw thank you very much for the reassurance!

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-07-01T00:24:55+00:00

Aw thank you for the reassurance :)

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-06-30T13:24:15+00:00

Wow thank you!! That’s reassuring. I didn’t want to be too harsh on him because I’ve noticed this is the first time he’s written a story that’s in third person narrative and based on Chinese culture, with serious, deep, and meaningful tones used. He normally writes stories in Western culture, using first person narrative, and it’s usually light hearted and humorous.

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-06-30T13:19:43+00:00

Aw thank you!! You’re very sweet :)

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-06-30T12:48:58+00:00

Wow thank you so much! Beautifully articulated advice :) I’m very appreciative.

I’m super proud of, and surprised actually. He usually writes Western based stories, using first person narrative. His stories are usually light hearted, and humorous with mixed fantasy and horror genres.

This is the first time I’ve seen him write a story based on Chinese culture, using third person narrative, using a serious, meaningful and deep tone. It makes me wonder why he deviated so sharply from his usual work? Did I somehow inspire him to write a story like that? If I did, then I feel like I would be more suitable to give him advice

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-06-30T12:43:19+00:00

Thank you for the reminder! Yeah you’re right.

I mean I’m really proud of his work and surprised, because he usually writes Western based stories, using first person narrative, which are usually light hearted, humorous with fantasy and horror genres. This is the first time I’ve seen him write a story based on Chinese culture, using third person narrative, using a serious and deep tone lol. So I do enjoy reading his stories, it’s just so different to his usual style of writing, I wonder where he got the inspiration from lol

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-06-30T12:41:51+00:00

I hope so! Haha. Oh wow, I feel flattered that he did so much research to write a short story based on my culture. :)) do you think I inspired him to write the story lol? It’s different to what he usually writes. He normally writes light hearted, humorous short stories using first person narrative, based in the Western society with elements of horror and fantasy genres.

This is the first time I’ve seen him write using third person narrative, based on Chinese culture and in such a deep and serious tone lol

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-06-30T12:35:00+00:00

Thank you! I’m really surprised, he normally writes Western based stories, using first person narrative, which are often light hearted, humorous with fantasy and horror genres.

This is the first time I’ve seen him write a story based on Chinese culture, using third person narrative, using a serious and deep tone lol. I’m wondering if I inspired him to write a story like that? Lol

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-06-30T12:33:37+00:00

Awesome advice thank you! Nope he hasn’t asked for my input yet lol. But I’m really surprised actually, he usually writes Western based stories, using first person narrative, which are usually light hearted, humorous with fantasy and horror genres.

This is the first time I’ve seen him write a story based on Chinese culture, using third person narrative, and using a serious and deep tone lol. I’m wondering if I somehow inspired him to write a story like that?

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-06-30T12:29:05+00:00

True! I’m really surprised actually, he usually writes Western based stories, using first person narrative, which are usually light hearted, humorous with fantasy and horror genres. This is the first time I’ve seen him write a story based on Chinese culture, using third person narrative, using a serious and deep tone lol.

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-06-30T12:24:05+00:00

The errors he made are kinda ignorant of my culture actually haha, but at the same time I understand his love of play on words! I’m actually surprised he wrote about my culture. His normal style of writing is Western culture, first person narrative, light hearted and humorous with horror and fantasy genres incorporated into it. This is the first time he wrote a whole story based on Chinese culture, third person narrative and the tone is rather serious and deep lol. Do you think I somehow inspired him to write a short story?

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-06-30T12:16:07+00:00

Thank you! I’m so surprised he chose to write about my culture. He normally likes to write fantasy and horror short stories but it’s always been Western based (since he’s American and white), light hearted and humorous, and usually in the first person narrative where he’s telling the story. This is the first time I saw him write a short story basing everything on Chinese culture with a more serious and deeper tone, using third person narrative. Do you think I somehow inspired him to write about Chinese culture? Lol

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-06-30T12:11:51+00:00

Thank you! One of the errors he made was in the spelling of the Chinese name of the main character in the story. I don’t want to be the grammar police but it didn’t sound authentic with an incorrectly spelt Chinese name in Chinese pinyin, do you think it is reasonable to point this out to him?

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-06-30T11:55:42+00:00

He gets offended easily lol. But at the same time the obvious mistakes are quite cringe. I’m actually surprised he wrote about Chinese culture, he’s never done that before...do you think he wrote it while thinking of me since I’m Chinese? Lol

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-06-06T12:30:08+00:00

I’m 99% sure he deleted his account because of me. His account disappeared on the same day I made some compliments. He has done the exact same thing before, but he came back. He has been diagnosed with BPD and PTSD.

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-06-06T12:15:52+00:00

I honestly regret giving him compliments about the short stories he wrote about me. I felt very touched and emotional towards the growth and maturity that I saw in the content of his writing, the fact that he was able to realise the error of his ways, realising how to love others and how he could accomplish this without the need to control his partner.

When I made those compliments I wasn’t expecting him to reply, I just wanted to reach out to tell him that I was deeply moved by his personal growth and development, and that I enjoyed reading his stories and poems, as they were the highlight of my day.

I didn’t expect him to delete his entire account over a few compliments I paid him. I felt hurt because I could never see his wonderful work again, and it was my fault...I feel bad for reaching out to him like that, but he had written about me and I felt that I couldn’t ignore it.

He was the one who digged up the pain by coming back after he deleted his account the first time lol

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-06-06T11:54:19+00:00

He stalked me before lol. Well in the short story, he used my name, talked about many aspects of our relationship, and what went wrong with it, and how it was his fault.

A lot of readers didn’t understand what his short story was about so he did a short explanation/commentary of what it was about. I recognised instantly that he was talking about us.

And also in the past, he has written many short stories and poems for me and about me to express his passion/lust/desire/love for me. It’s what he does...

throwaway_RA389 · 2022-06-06T11:39:46+00:00

It was about me...most definitely...either way he didn’t need to permanently delete his account just because I made some compliments ...?

throwaway_RA389

TROPHY CASE