Writing Fat Characters Master Class

Fat characters in fictional narratives often fall into two categories. Most are negative portrayals where fatness represents moral failings or villainous tendencies. Seemingly “positive” portrayals emphasize weight loss narratives, self-loathing, or fatness as a limitation imposed on the self. In this Master Class, authors Marianne Kirby and Meg Elison will help you move beyond these kinds of tropes and create characters with big bodies that constitute good representation.

Topics include:

• Why we use the term “Fat”.

• Identifying and avoiding overdone stereotypes and tropes about fat people.

• Types of fat experiences we need more of in fiction and media.

• How to write a fat body.

This Master Class includes a 2 hour long video lecture, a writing exercise, and resources for further study.

Accessibility Statement: The lecture video is closed captioned.