"Bleached Coat" Audiobook
A Bleached Coat Remembers Its Stains is an audiobook of a short fiction story based on music orientalism and the author’s own experiences growing up as an Asian American.
Synopsis
This story uses music as a vehicle to explore orientalism, immigrant trauma and familial relationships, and moving on from the past in the context of being Asian American.
Yasmine’s ability to see into the past through music is a metaphor for how children of immigrant families are burdened with their parents’ past, as well as a reference to the stereotype of the Asian model minority, and a message of empowerment—that the new generation has the opportunity to change their own fate, despite their past and upbringing.
Writing Process
- Writing down plot points.
A girl who can see into the past through music, who has trouble with her parents and gets help from an outsider.
Coming up with characters (the main character, the mom, the doctor). Very loose and high-level.
- Character names and personalities.
What is unique about each character? E.g. Dr. Martín has a Latino last name, and he stands up to Mrs. Li.
Setting and imagery. What is the time period? What is the state of the world? Where are they? Letting all the character personalities, places, names, imagery, and symbolism organically arise during the process.
- Rewriting, reorganizing, revising.
Switching around events and dialogue for better flow. Tweaking the plot.
Originally, Yasmine was going to see past events that related to historical systemic racism in America in general—not regarding her own family. But I felt that it was growing unfocused and lacked emotional depth, so I changed it to be more about Yasmine’s family.
And the ending was originally going to have the doctor assert to Yasmine’s parents that Yasmine had a gift that should be nurtured, but what I really wanted for this story was for it to be about Yasmine, with her actions and desires driving it forward, rather than the doctor. So the doctor ended up taking a more supportive role in the end.
Stories Are About People
The core message is one of seizing your own fate despite your circumstances, just as Yasmine grows to not be controlled by her visions. And, that everybody has their own story; everybody is human.
But in the end, with all these hidden meanings, what I like most about A Bleached Coat is that it’s a coming-of-age story about a young girl, first and foremost.