I'm seeing A LOT of write writers respond to the guardian article about how children's books are 8 times more likely to feature animal characters than BAME characters...by saying how *they* are going to write characters of colour.

So, I just have to ask, wtf is wrong with you?

The fact that you can see this depressing lack of representation and the FIRST thought in your mind is how *you* are going to be the saviour to this problem. That you are somehow *able* to be the saviour.

That tells me everything about the kind of representation you will write.

Representation is important. But not *any* representation. What children need is *good* representation of people of colour, *good* representation of themselves, their family, friends, culture, lives. Not your white saviour narratives.

And you know what is going to *improve* representation? Actually allowing POC into this industry. Giving them opportunities. Bolstering them. Why is *that* not your first response to this depressing statistic?

Where are the white authors saying, "this is awful and that's why I'm going to start mentoring writers of colour," "this is awful, and that's why I'm going to put more effort into seeking out and supporting the writers of colour already out there."

White writers are literally seeing this as *their* opportunity and it's just fucking not.

We need more BAME characters in children's books and we need them written by BAME authors.