Things You Want MORE Of In Books

Hi! I'm curious about what you want to see more of in books because it's always really interesting to me!

I'd like to see more LGBTQIA+ rep, specifically nonbinary, genderfluid, aro and/or ace spectrum, agender, poly, and pan.

Yes!

• I'd love to see more plus-sized characters who are confident in their body type.
• Especially plus-sized guys, I don't think I've ever read a book with a plus-sized guy who was portrayed positively.
• Characters who aren't athletic/play sports for school
• Traditionally masculine guys in theatre, kill the idea that theatre is girly.
• Girls who like fashion and make up and aren't made fun of
• Girls who aren't super smart but work really hard anyways without being seen as dumb

Gender (Like NB genders)

There's an ownvoices nonbinary rep book coming out (hehehe puns) this summer called I Wish You All The Best!!!

I've been reading a lot of older classics lately, and I've noticed a huge paradigm shift in the amount of showing vs telling compared to modern books.

Whereas a lot of current books (especially in YA) will go on for pages and pages about what the main character (and sometimes other characters) is thinking and feeling, a lot of older books (or, at least the ones I've been reading) have focused on a simpler narration of just what the characters are doing, which leaves how they're feeling and what they're thinking up to the reader's interpretation.

Honestly, it's pretty refreshing (and weird) to not have every little detail about what characters are thinking detailed out – I'd love to see more books that focus more on moving external plots forward. Not to say having internal struggles also is out of the question, but seeing how a character reacts to that struggle as they deal with it rather than following along their thought process as they deal with it is a super-interesting approach to plot.

I don't think all books should take this approach, but the variety is nice.

TL;DR: More "show, don't tell" when it comes to character's thoughts/emotions.

I agree!!
My favorite classic, however, does go on for pages and pages on what the protag is feeling, but that's because the protag is very self-centered and he focuses mainly on himself, which leads to him misinterpeting things. Which leads to his wife being murdered and his eventual death.

My favorite classic, however, does go on for pages and pages on what the protag is feeling, but that's because the protag is very self-centered and he focuses mainly on himself, which leads to him misinterpeting things. Which leads to his wife being murdered and his eventual death.

That sounds like a delightful read. :) What's the book?

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley! It's one of my favorites!

• Characters who aren't fully sure who exactly they are and what they want to do.
• Characters who agonize over choices because sometimes the best/right choice isn't obvious
• Characters who are jerks without using mental illness/'traumatic childhood!!!' as an excuse
• Nice guys who are actually nice!
• People (specifically girls) who have been in relationships before their endgame (and the relationships aren't made null and void because of a 'one true love' thing)
• Characters who are confident in their identity, as well as characters who aren't
• Characters who end up single despite being conventionally attractive, smart, etc. Some people just don't want a relationship, or are aro.

• Break ups that are mutual and not violent
• 13/14/15 year old protags in YA
• Autistic characters that are well written and not stereotypes
• Characters with chronic illnesses or terminal illnesses that aren't romanticized

• Characters who aren't unearthly gods and goddesses
• Characters in YA who have jobs, but we actually see them at work
• This is more of a personal one, but if a character has something (say a scar across their face, or really bad social anxiety that was triggered by something) I want to know what happened to them in the first place
• Books set in the Midwest and not in Chicago that aren't 'oh it's so boring here why can't I live in NYC or LA????'
• Specifically books set in Door County or the Upper Peninsula
• Fractured fairy tales

• Platonic friendships with NO romance/romantic subtext. Double points if it's a male/female friendship, and triple points if they're interested in people of the gender of their friend, but not the friend themself.
• Books with single fathers/children who are closer to their fathers (or boys closer to mom, girls closer to dad)
• Characters with genuine flaws that are not overcome during the story
• Characters with food allergies that aren't played for drama
• Baseball and softball players
• Books with sports without the whole 'bottom of the ninth inning in the championship, we're down by 4 runs, and Mary Sue's up, she's never hit the ball in her life an-GRAND SLAM! WE'VE WON!' NO! A majority of the time, games aren't like that. Yes, sometimes kids get lucky, and yes sometimes stuff like that happens, but not often.

• Romances that end in break ups
• Characters who are nerdy but not mocked for it, let's be honest that's not a thing anymore
• Characters who get periods
• Characters who are disabled
• Deaf characters
• Gay parents (if you want a book with deaf gay moms, read You're Welcome, Universe it's really good!)
• Characters who love food and love to eat and aren't seen as gross