Things You Want MORE Of In Books

• Religious characters who actually practice their religion. I feel like a lot of characters get a religion, but don't actually practice it. Mention them going to mass, or to a temple. Mention them having ashes on their foreheads from Ash Wednesday, or fasting for Ramadan, or not eating meat on Fridays during Lent, or taking breaks to pray/praying before meals, celebrating Hannukah and not Christmas, etc.
• Religious characters who are LGBTQIA+ and don't constantly struggle with being both.

Just remember that representation is a good thing. By itself. Not as a PC goal or to boost reader numbers. Because I hate that. That is waaay worse than no representation. Lookin At you Rick. For instance, I was starting with this protag Daniella Jacobs. I started her out blank template style. That meant white and long brown hair. Then I thought “Hey! Let’s be more original!” And now she’s an American Arab which I think is great.

I agree with the first half, but I disagree with that last part because it inherently means that white is the default, blank template human, which always bugs me because there is no default human. It gives the idea that any sort of thing that isn't white, straight, athiest, healthy, etc. is an add on or afterthought instead of who the character inherently is, and that's where a lot of that obviously just for PC "diversity" comes from, even if the intentions are good.

Not saying I like it, but if there is a character whose ethnicity isn’t mentioned, most people think they’re white etc. But we can all work on our minds to make that not the case. I like that you disagree.

Also another thing is GIVE MINORITY CHARACTERS TRAITS THAT STEM FROM THINGS OTHER THAN WHAT MAKES THEM A MINORITY!

• Monsters that are actually monsters and not super hot and buff guys
• Mythology beyond Greek and Norse
• Historical fiction from the World War 1 era
• Show don't tell with antagonists. So many times it's 'ooh the king is so bad because he did X' but we don't see him do anything horrible?
• Nameless characters and places. I'm not saying you have to name the tertiary character's kid sister's best friend, but don't leave an antagonist or protagonist nameless

• Religious characters who actually practice their religion. I feel like a lot of characters get a religion, but don't actually practice it. Mention them going to mass, or to a temple. Mention them having ashes on their foreheads from Ash Wednesday, or fasting for Ramadan, or not eating meat on Fridays during Lent, or taking breaks to pray/praying before meals, celebrating Hannukah and not Christmas, etc.
• Religious characters who are LGBTQIA+ and don't constantly struggle with being both.

Aren’t those paradoxical since it’s the radical religious people that are more willing to accept? (Or at least the ones who don’t follow the traditional beliefs.)

I didn't mean for both, I meant them as more of both are requests stemming from religion and put them in the same comment

(Ironically, in Frankenstein, the Monster is actually described as being made of attractive parts but when put together, unappealing and with freaky eyes.)

• Stories about sophomores and juniors. I feel like a lot of book are like 'oh noooo my first/last year of high school what do I do!?"
• Theatre stories!!!!
• Retellings
• Stories that don't take place in cities

Injuries that actually have repercussions, specifically in stories with a lot of action and injuries. I want to see a character who's still got a slight limp from a sword slash to the leg, a good amount of time later. Not just, "oh, they got over it," and they're fine within a couple of days. Which leads me to say stuff about healing magic. It's wonderful for having more gruesome fights, but I still would love to see a few consequences resulting from the injury still.
Additionally, with this whole topic, do your research.

I agree!
I actually made a list for my war stories to mark down each injury characters get so that I can make sure they act accordingly.

• Mysteries that aren't murder mysteries
• Plots that don't rely on coincidence all the time
• Elderly characters who aren't just there to be the grandparent that dies tragically, the jerk that doesn't accept the protagonist, or spout out wisdom that sounds like it was found inside a fortune cookie

• Blonde girls who are smart
• Characters with glasses that are pointed out as attractive with their glasses on

True….but I want moooooore!!!

Never apologize for speaking the truth, Spiderman.