Karen Yin (The Conscious Style Guide)
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karenyin.bsky.social
Karen Yin (The Conscious Style Guide)
@karenyin.bsky.social
2.9K followers 820 following 1.1K posts
Writer by day, in bed by night. Buy my books! KarenYin.com/links

VCCA/LLF/CAC Fellow | ACES Robinson Prize Winner | Represented by Laurie Abkemeier, DeFiore & Company
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karenyin.bsky.social
“Storytelling can be more than a blog post, essay, or book. It can be an emoji, a meme, a selfie, or a tweet. It can become a movement for social change.”

—Alice Wong (1974–2025)
These words are centered on a goldenrod background in black and red text. Below is the golden head of a tiger. The left and right sides are bordered with tight curly lines that intersect in little hearts.
November 15, 2025 at 4:16 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
Eeeeek! It’s the cover reveal for my 5th book, “Nice to Eat You!” Is the sweet old lady a 🧙🏽‍♀️? Well, yeah. But do the kids know?! 🫣

Preorder a signed copy from @vromansbookstore.bsky.social: bit.ly/Nice2EatU

Written by me, illus. by Carolina Coroa, published by Orchard Books.

#KidLit #Halloween 🕷️
On a bright purple background is the cover of Nice to Eat You. The word "Eat" is written next to the word "Meet," which has been X-ed out. The cover has a pink-faced cat-eye-glasses-wearing old lady holding a platter of cupcakes, the other hand raised in welcome. Behind her, leafless trees with haunted faces scream silently under a crescent moon. Above the cover is the text "Pre-order your signed copy now." Below: "Flying into bookstores on July 7, 2026."
October 31, 2025 at 11:59 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
Know your protest rights. @aclu.org #NoKings
Square black graphic. At top in bold block letters: Know your protest rights:. Then a numbered list, in brief: (1) You don't need a permit to march in the streets as long as you're not obstructing traffic or building access. (2) You have the right to photograph anything in plain view. (3) If you believe your rights have been violated, write down everything you remember. (4) If you get stopped by the police, ask if you're free to go. If they say yes, calmly walk away. (5) If you get arrested, you have a right to ask why. Otherwise, say you wish to remain silent and ask for a lawyer immediately. Don't sign, say or agree to anything without a lawyer present. (6) If you get stopped by military, you have the right to remain silent or to tell them that you'll only answer questions in the presence of an attorney—no matter your citizenship or immigration status. At the bottom, two logos: Know Your Rights and ACLU.
October 17, 2025 at 3:07 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
Ghosts in sheets? BOO-ring! Check out the haunt couture in #SoNotGhoul. This underworldly tale about Mimi, a Chinese American ghost in bicultural limbo, is brought to life by Chinese-style rituals, Mandarin puns, and—of course—ghost fashion. Written by me and illustrated by Bonnie Lui. #Halloween 👻🎃
Graphic featuring cover of "So Not Ghoul" has a blue-and-pink palette to match the cover. On the cover: Mimi, a smiling Chinese American girl ghost, is next to a white cat, who is side-eyeing three girl ghouls sneering at Mimi. Above: "Mimi doesn't look like the other ghosts—but she wishes she did." Below: "A pun-tacular ghost story."—Booklist
September 27, 2025 at 10:13 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
Two more. 📚
Surviving Not Thriving. Times I Was Right and Nobody Listened.
September 25, 2025 at 6:32 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
Am I…the target audience?
Photo of two rows of standing journals facing camera. On the left, "Hold On. Let Me Overthink This." On the right, "Things I Shouldn't Say Out Loud." Surrounded by wooden containers with bracelets, felted keychains, and bookmarks.
September 21, 2025 at 8:44 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
On September 10, 2018, I launched the Editors of Color Database to raise the visibility of editorial professionals of color.

Like many POC, I was tired of being left out of projects, interviews, panels, and jobs because the people in charge claimed we don’t exist…

Continue on LinkedIn
On a brownish beige background are the words "Hire, involve, support" over the Editors of Color logo, which has block letters with "of color" enclosed in curly brackets. Below is the EditorsOfColor.com URL, and at the bottom is a digital illustration of colorfully dressed people of color.
September 10, 2025 at 5:40 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
Conscious Style Guide is a proud sponsor of @edsguild.bsky.social’s Red Pencil Conference 2025.

The Early Bird discount ends September 15, 2025, so reserve your spot today! Join the Guild to receive the member rate.

Register: www.edsguild.org/red-pencil-2...

#EdsGuild2025
On a white background with a sky-blue border, the Conscious Style Guide wordmark is followed by "is proud to sponsor" and the words "Red Pencil Conference 2025" superimposed on a simple illustration of a completely red pencil. Below, "Framing Our Future" appears in a blue-cornered frame, with the words "Perspectives on a Changing Industry." A blue snipe reads "November 8, 2025. Lynnwood Event Center (Washington)." At the bottom: "Register: edsguild.org/red-pencil-2025."
September 9, 2025 at 5:46 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
On 9/3/24, my debut, #WholeWhale, came out as a huggable board book! May this story (illus. by Nelleke Verhoeff) continue to tickle readers with its rhyme and inspire creative thinking.

“This simple rhyming book packs a powerful message.”
—School Library Journal

@barefootbooks.bsky.social #KidLit
Party paraphernalia surrounds a bright yellow and navy board book featuring whimsical creatures and a large whale tail.
September 3, 2025 at 6:54 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
I found a copy of my high school résumé buried in a scanning app on my phone. Finding random photos and scans of things I had lost in the fire is 🥹❤️‍🩹. P.S. Check out the typewritten double-dash em dashes.
Scan of a sheet of paper with manually typed text: General Involvement Extra-Curricular High School Activities: 3 yrs Newspaper--Editor-in-Chief, 1st Page Editor, 3rd Page Editor Associated Student Body Secretary Sophomore Class Treasurer 3 ½ yrs California Scholarship Federation 1 yr Junior Statepersons of America--Vice-President 3 yrs Computer Club--secretary 2 yrs Science Club--Vice-President 2 yrs Keywanettes (service club) 2 yrs Penopsis (literary magazine) 1 yr JV Volleyball 1 yr JV badminton Awards, Honors, Etc.: Presidential Academic Fitness Award California Scholarship Federation Seal Principal’s Honor Roll (8-time) Girls’ State nominee (one of top five) Bank of America Achievement Award for excellence in English 1987 American Society of Newspaper Editors Minority Scholarship Clive Hoffman Media Scholarship Kiwanis Club Scholarship Rosemead Women’s Club Scholarship Congressional Youth Leadership Council nominee 1987 High School Journalism Workshop Scholarship
September 1, 2025 at 8:05 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
Their human has been proved.
Screenshot of a headline and blurb that reads: ChatGPT Shaming Is Making Our Writing So Much Worse. In the age of A.I. paranoia, people are cutting em dashes, skipping metaphors, and leaving in typos to prove their human.
August 24, 2025 at 10:16 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
Thanks, Internet, for helping me fix an annoying gap in my wood floor in 1 second. #Crocs
Screenshot of a comment on YouTube: "Best hint for you from Russia: Just kick floor with CROCS 1000% Result without glue, tape and wasting of time."
July 7, 2025 at 3:38 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
“When words, phrases, and stories fail to affirm our humanity and individuality, we are not free.”

#July4 #FourthOfJuly #IndependenceDay #RequiredReading
Graphic featuring the navy-blue cover of The Conscious Style Guide. In a slanted red banner above: “A tremendous resource.”—Paula Froke, editor, The Associated Press Stylebook. In a light-red banner below: KarenYin.com/books. To the right of the book, on a white background: A flexible approach to language that includes, respects, and empowers. Available now. In the bottom right corner: Little, Brown Spark logo, an S with solar-like flares.
July 4, 2025 at 5:32 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
Have you read the latest Conscious Language Newsletter? In the June 2025 edition:

• Why Use the Term “West Asia”?
• Nutrition for Today: FDA Issues a New Definition of the Word “Healthy” on Food Labels
• To Tell My Disabled Stories, I Needed to Unlearn Ableist Workshop Critiques
• and more!

Read
On a textured green background are the words "The Conscious Language Newsletter" in block letters, with "June 2025" beneath it.
June 30, 2025 at 9:58 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
that’s enough reddit for today.
Screenshot of a post on Reddit: “How did landlines work? Hi, all I’m writing a story for an assignment set in the 80s and wanted to get some realistic perspective of a teenager at the time. I wanna know if you could have two different phone lines in the house. Like is it realistic for a character to have a personal phone in their room to use?? Is this typical for a middle class person?” First comment: “The fact that this question exists has fucked me up.”
June 10, 2025 at 3:05 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
Dearest Conscious Style Guide,

Happy 1st birthday to you, my fourth book child. When you arrived, I showed you off everywhere and spoke endlessly of your potential to help people change the way they think about language and each another…

Read more: www.instagram.com/p/DKM5TaeO94f/
Featured on a white background is the navy-blue cover of The Conscious Style Guide and an iPhone with the audiobook cover and an illustration of a lemon-yellow cupcake with a lit green candle that says "1." Above are the words "Happy 1st birthday to The Conscious Style Guide!" Below, the Llttle, Brown Spark logo with a white S in a red-orange sunburst.
May 28, 2025 at 3:06 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
I am honored and ecstatic to be joining Virginia Center for the Creative Arts' prestigious artist community as a 2025 #VCCAFellow. Thank you, VCCA, for this invitation to surprise myself and work on my craft uninterrupted in the company of a diverse cohort of artists. 🌷
Black-and-white photo of me. I am wearing a dark-colored V-neck top and a Maori-inspired spiral jade pendant necklace. My hair is long and wavy, and I am smiling at the camera with head slightly tilted. Beneath the photo is the green/orange VCCA wordmark on a white background. At the very bottom is a thick orange snipe with the words VCCA Fellow in white block letters.
May 14, 2025 at 4:19 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
Someone wrote on the ash-covered window of the old car we left behind, and I’m not mad. 🥹 #HopeYourSafe #Altadena #EatonFire
Photo of an open car door with the finger-traced words “Hope you’re safe” illuminated by the morning light. In the background are utility vehicles and orange cones.
January 25, 2025 at 5:55 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
We know who we are. #Altadena
Photo of a large white banner on the wall of a flat building. It reads “Altadena Strong — We WILL Rebuild.” Next to it is a mural of the word Altadena, in each letter a historic reference.
January 22, 2025 at 12:37 AM
karenyin.bsky.social
We were 2 miles from the #EatonFire. Never received an evac alert till the morning after. Our neighbors spotted the fire while walking their dog. If it weren't for them and the neighbors who pounded on doors, the fire would have snuck up on us while we slept. Video by my partner from our house.
January 19, 2025 at 4:43 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
We haven't been allowed back yet. The National Guard was called in to help prevent looting, for which we are grateful. So all we have of the "house" are photos by neighbors who made it through before the blockades. #EatonFire
Photo from curbside of a house reduced to a chimney, porch, and a partial wall by the Eaton fire. A small charred tree blocks the driveway.
January 14, 2025 at 9:29 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
"You will be visited by three spirits."

The three spirits:
Still from “What we do in the shadows,” showing three vampires in fancy garb. Two are pointing at the third.
December 24, 2024 at 4:59 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
i'm taking the whole week off! to help me settle into a proper do-little vacation, please show me your favorite donut. here's mine, a maple old-fashioned!
Boring photo of a shiny maple-glazed donut on a white background. The donut is shaped like a short-petaled flower with a hole in the middle.
December 23, 2024 at 4:21 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
Thank you, Andy Bechtel, for your tremendous review of #TheConsciousStyleGuide in Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly! “An important, eye-opening book. Practitioners and scholars alike will want to add it to their reference stacks.” #JMCQ

✅ Read online now (access required)
A quote from a review is featured at the top of a golden orange background: “An important, eye-opening book. Practitioners and scholars alike will want to add it to their reference stacks.”—Andy Bechtel, Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly. Below is the navy-blue cover of The Conscious Style Guide and the words "Available wherever you buy books."
December 17, 2024 at 8:51 PM
karenyin.bsky.social
Reminder: If you want to read my latest book, The Conscious Style Guide, ask for it at your local library! #CheckItOut #NewNonfiction #AskYourLibrary #WritingCommunity
Photo of me, a Chinese American woman wearing purple cat-eye glasses and a white face mask, pointing to a navy book titled The Conscious Style Guide on a shelf, facing out.
December 5, 2024 at 10:43 PM