Know what you're writing about. I once made the mistake of writing a pair of awful foster parents into a story because I thought it was a common occurrence. As it turns out, it's a common stereotype. A beta reader, who happened to be involved in foster parenting, debunked it by telling me what it was really like. I was so embarrassed that I completely removed the foster aspect of my story. I knew nothing about it, and therefore had no business writing it.

The same goes for character types. Avoid the stereotypes. Basing pieces of your characters on actual people you know helps make them more real. More believable. If you're unable to talk to a member of the minority group you want to write about, then do some research. Then, after you've written it, locate a "sensitivity reader" for those parts. A sensitivity reader is usually a member of the minority who goes over your pieces and lets you know if it feels accurate. Lots of people online are willing to help, because they are eager to break the stereotypes too.

Does it seem like overkill? To the lazy writer, yes. But if you are serious about honing your craft and putting the best work out there that you can, then you do what needs to be done to get it right. Lazy writers will never earn a living from writing, and they'll have a harder time finding a following of readers as well.

While we're on the subject, I wanted to touch upon a hot-button topic. There's a movement for diversity in stories. We're encouraged to write about people of color and LGBTQ. It's a great movement, but if you know nothing about it, then don't write it. Otherwise you run the risk of perpetuating stereotypes, which goes against the whole point of the diversity movement. If you really do want to write it, then educate yourself. Interview members of the class you want to write about. Read about the culture. This will make your writing authentic. Those who notice it will laud you for it. Those who don't know the difference will learn a thing or two.

CHAPTER UPDATE: makes a great point about researching other aspects of your story. For example, if your character is an archer, then it makes sense he would use certain archery terms, and do things a certain way while using a bow. Put some effort into knowing your subject, and it will make a difference. Readers can tell when you know what you're talking about. (Just don't go overboard with the details.)

If you would like to be a sensitivity reader for other Wattpad writers, go ahead and comment here or send me a message. I will add your name to the list below. Be sure to tell me what your "specialty" is, for example, LGBTQ, Latino, autism, cancer survivor, wheelchair-bound, stutterer, or whatever it is you deal with on a daily basis that is often misrepresented in stories. I'm italicizing that last part because I don't want a laundry list of everything you deal with. Just the misrepresented ones, like health conditions or cultural background.

If you're writing about a subject you have limited knowledge of, and want to check your facts with someone who has lived it, check the list below for sensitivity readers who can answer your questions. I've listed their Wattpad name along with with what they can help with. I suggest contacting them via private message rather than a comment. I'm the one who is notified of comments, not them. Remember to be courteous and tactful. These people are doing you a favor!

Now here's that list:

- LGBTQ+, OCD, ADD, ADHD, depression, and social anxiety

- LGBTQ+ and depression

- Stuttering

- Social anxiety, panic attacks, death of loved one from cancer

- Depression and anxiety

- Resident of Colombia, alcoholic family members

- Social anxiety

- Depression, bullying

- Synaesthesia (neurological trait that results in a merging of senses that aren't normally connected, for example, seeing sounds or tasting colors.)

- Transgender (female to male), bisexual

- Depression, ADHD, bisexual, pansexual

- Self harm, attempted suicide

- Stuttering

- LGBTQ+ and nonbinary

- Transgender (female to male), alcoholic parents

- Bullying, depression, self-harm, bisexual, anorexia, separated parents

- Adopted

- Hearing loss

- EDNOS (eating disorder), depression, LGBTQ+, synaesthesia, and divorced parents

- Immigrant from India

- Depression, panic attacks, social anxiety, suicidal thoughts, PTSD, and stuttering

- Resident of Costa Rica, bilingual Spanish/English, discussion of Christian stereotypes

- Depression, Mormon/Church of Latter Day Saints

- Black, body dysmorphic disorder, depression, anxiety, self-harm, and attempted suicide

- Chinese immigrant (Mandarin language), Chinese pop culture, diabetic family member

- Adopted, suicidal thoughts, home-schooled

- Filipino (Tagalog language), depression

- Panic attacks, suicidal thoughts, mixed race (black/white)

- Pediatric nurse at a children's hospice (can answer questions about disabled and terminally ill children)

- CIPA (Congenital Insensitivity to Pain with Anhidrosis), OCD

- Divorced parents

- Slavic immigrant (Russian language)

- Chinese (adopted by non-Chinese parents), depression, anxiety, panic attacks, self harm, high-functioning autism

- Familiar with lymphoma leukemia and its treatment

- Multilingual (Catalan, Castellano, English, and Urdu), depression

- Resident of Portugal

- Binge eating disorder, manic depression, Mormon, Utah resident, friends in a suicide pact (now all deceased)

- Anorexia, depression, anxiety, insomnia, panic attacks

- Hispanic (Puerto Rican), fluent Spanish

- Genderqueer, asexual, epilepsy, suicidal thoughts, divorced parent

- Depression, suicidal thoughts, adopted

- Tourette's Syndrome, synesthesia (can hear in shapes), obsessive compulsive disorder, terminally ill family member, severe food allergies

- Cancer survivor, sexual harassment survivor with PTSD symptoms, adopted, depression, suicidal thoughts, bullying

- Violent parental abuse, low self-esteem

- ADD, dissociative identity disorder, bipolar type 2, OCD, social anxiety, substance abuse (drugs & alcohol), child abuse survivor, rape survivor, PTSD, depression/suicidal, low self esteem / self loathing, eating disorders

- Depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, panic attacks, bullying

- Autism

- ADHD, eating disorders, abusive relationships(all kinds), depression

- Closet LGBT, suicide attempt, depression, insomnia, family members who have commited suicide

- Depression, suicide, anxiety, self harm, adopted, bisexual

- Domestic violence

- Severe anxiety, depression, transgender (female to male), Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder

- Bullying, young caregiver (looks after disabled family member)

- ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorders, including Asperger's which is a term that is no longer being used in professional circles because it's a form of autism)

- LGBT, Jewish

- LGBTQ, achondroplasia (dwarfism)

- LGBTQ, depression, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, anxiety

- Social anxiety, self-harm, attempted suicide, bisexuality, autism, depression

- Type 1 diabetes

- Bullying

- Mexican/Hispanic, LGBTQ+

- LGBTQ+, Romanian, suicide-survivor, therapy clinics

- LGBTQ+, hearing loss, self harm

- Single parent, low self-esteem, bullying

- Biracial (Indonesian/Caucasian)

- Bullying, depression, Borderline Personality Disorder, general and social anxiety, narcissistic abuse survivor

- Suicide survivor, LGBTQ+, depression, domestic violence

- Viola, ice skating, ADHD

- Japanese-American, PTSD, anxiety

- Lesbian

- Suicidal thoughts, depression, anxiety, OCD

- Bisexual, British

- Learning disability

- LGBTQ

- British, epilepsy, panic attacks, bullying

- Vietnamese-American

- Blindness, depression, panic attacks, anxiety

- Depression, LGBTQ+, self-harm, suicide

- Panic attacks, autism, domestic violence, meningitis

- African-American girl, bisexual, bullying

- Severe depression, social anxiety, OCD, bisexual

- Indian (in India), low self-esteem

- Christian, depression, bipolar disorder

- LGBT, depression, low self-esteem, asthma

- Family breast cancer

- Bisexuality, grief, anxiety, PTSD, domestic violence survivor, epilepsy, cerebral palsy, bullying

- Indian born in the US

- Egyptian Muslim

- Latina, LGBTQ+, anxiety, bullying, depression, suicide attempts

- Nigerian, low self-esteem

- Indian in India

- Indian in Saudia Arabia

- Asian-British, social anxiety, suicidal thoughts

- black, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), type 2 diabetes

- Kenyan, sickle cell anemia

- Fluent in Urdu, Hindi, English, and parts of Arabic, Japanese and Gujrati. Gulf culture, social anxiety

- Trans (female to male), depression

- Bisexual, depression

- Depression, Muslim, Pakistani/South African

- Filipino (Tagalog and Bisaya)

- Moderate deafness (considered deaf in mainstream culture)

- Type 1 diabetes

- Sri Lankan living in Australia

- Physically disabled (born without left hand and leg)

- Colombian-American

- Sri Lankan

- Arabian Muslim, bullying, insomnia, facial scarring and back pain from motorcycle accident

- Lesbian, Jewish, depression, separated parents

- Indian, anxiety, social anxiety, panic attacks, depression, fluent in English, Hindi, Marathi & Odiya

- Catholic, English (nationality)

- Generalized anxiety disorder

- LGBTQ+, cancer survivor, anxiety, survivor's guilt

- Asexual, non-binary, emotional abuse

- Black, racism, LGBTQ, stuttering

- Incest/Abuse-survivor, PTSD (nearly got murdered), short-term-memory-loss (trauma-induced), LGBTQ+ (Bi and Non-binary), group home survivor, spirit medium

- Autism, depression, anxiety, bullying, chronic fatigue, seizures

- Filipino, Christian, sexual, social anxiety, single parent, only child, introvert

- Domestic violence, depression, mental health stigma, closeted queer

- Autism spectrum (formerly known as Asperger's), Mormon, sexually confused

- Bullying, depression, LGBTQ+ (non-binary lesbian)

- Bisexual, plus-sized, non-religiously spiritual

- asexual, self doubt, OCD, from Bangladesh

- Ballet

- Finnish, Autism spectrum (formerly known as Asperger's), celiac disease, bullying, questioning gender/sexuality, suicidal thoughts

- High-functioning depression, bullying, suicidal thoughts, anxiety

- Kpop industry and idols, South Korea

- Autistic, bisexual, hearing loss, social anxiety