White Supremacy

Discussion in 'Character Development' started by ShadowScribbler, Oct 30, 2011.

  1. Dyes

    Dyes New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2011
    Messages:
    5
    Likes Received:
    0
    Location:
    Chicago, Il
    honestly i kinda agree. Im writing a YA book, and my main character in gonna be Iranian. Its gonna be a modern setting and supernatural theme using an Iranian protagonist. Im also planning to add some more middle eastern characters, along with white, black, and Spanish characters as well.
     
  2. Kio

    Kio New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2008
    Messages:
    270
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Southern Water Tribe
    The article makes sense. I myself have read several articles concerning the topic of whitewashing and Eurocentrism, so I know where he or she is coming from.The writer of the article is encouraging people to go out of their way to write from different perspectives. It doesn't matter whether you are white or not, there is no reason to NOT write about someone outside of your race, especially if you're a North American. In North America, it's easy to write from different perspectives because there are people of all cultures living in the country, whether it be Canada or America.

    Kinda disappointed by the comments here. At least some people understand that it's not always good to just "write what you know". It's an excuse to keep things easy.
     
  3. mammamaia

    mammamaia nit-picker-in-chief Contributor

    Joined:
    Nov 21, 2006
    Messages:
    19,150
    Likes Received:
    1,034
    Location:
    Coquille, Oregon
    the problem is that when writers write about people and cultures they know nothing about, not being one of them or having lived among them long enough to know enough, those 'different' folks and the way they live/think/act turn out to be cardboard copies that don't ring true... thus offending the real ones and either annoying readers who know the difference, or misleading readers who don't...

    and all too few new writers seem committed enough to the finer points of their art to do the requisite months or years of research so they'll be able to at least know 'about' their characters' character well enough to do them justice...
     
  4. shadowwalker

    shadowwalker Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2011
    Messages:
    3,258
    Likes Received:
    847
    I don't think it's keeping things easy - I think it's knowing what the story is demanding. There are tons of things I don't mention about my characters, which may include race, religion, sexuality, favorite soda, their uncle's wife's maiden name... If the story doesn't require it, whatever "it" is, why throw it in there, especially if it's just to make some group (race, religion, sexual, etc) happy? I don't write to order; I write my story based on what I think belongs in there. If someone wants something else, they can write their own.
     
  5. Kio

    Kio New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2008
    Messages:
    270
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Southern Water Tribe
    You can always make friends with people outside of your race and ask them questions about the way they live. I do it all the time and it really helps give me some insight on that particular group of people.

    And, yes, there is the risk of offending a group of people, but that's why you peer edit or ask questions. The internet only helps expand your reach. Again, there is no good reason to not write about someone who isn't Caucasian. Besides, people of different races are often offended by perpetuated stereotypes and it is up to the writer to differentiate the truth from fiction.

    It depends on what the person is writing. Of course it's going to take months or years of research to learn about the background of the character if they are in a completely different country. However, to write about someone of a different race who is in a similar setting as you really shouldn't take months, let alone years of research.

    Of course a race or sexual orientation won't be required, but it won't stop the reader from assuming your characters are white and straight. In many works of fiction, the "default" for many characters not given a full description is white and straight. Until proven otherwise, that character is white, as far as many Western readers are concerned.

    Okay, good for you that you write what you think is important and everything, but the point of the matter is that many works of fiction are contributing to the general belief that only white people can be heroes. Even works that don't mention race are contributors because people often think that the charactera are white anyway. People of colour often feel put out because they feel they have nothing to relate to.

    Not many people can "write their own", by the way. Not everyone can pick up a pen and just write a story. That's why readers of colour are asking writers to try and deviate from the norm. Is it really that hard to understand that people are merely asking for a bit more variety?
     
  6. shadowwalker

    shadowwalker Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2011
    Messages:
    3,258
    Likes Received:
    847
    And what makes you think that my black neighbor who grew up in a rural town in the midwest is 'representative' of blacks who grew up in Atlanta, Georgia?

    It is not a good reason to write about someone who isn't Caucasian simply because some groups want more non-Caucasian characters. I don't care what race readers see my characters as. It is not important to the story - if it ever does become important to the story, I will do it. But I will not do it just because someone else wants it.

    Have you read through the discussion on political correctness in writing? I'm sorry, but that's what this smacks of. Don't put it in because the story demands it; don't put it in because that's what the story is about. No, instead put it in because some people are feeling 'put out'. Put it in because some people are feeling 'left out'. Put it in because the story should be more 'inclusive'.

    Balderdash.
     
  7. joanna

    joanna Active Member

    Joined:
    May 25, 2010
    Messages:
    425
    Likes Received:
    12
    Location:
    Boston
    I know, right.

    Honestly, it is good to have a diverse group of friends and to discuss racial issues with them. The most effective way to learn about how other people live and see the world is to have these discussions. It's just important to remember that no one person represents the way of life or perspective of an entire race or culture.
     
  8. Kio

    Kio New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2008
    Messages:
    270
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Southern Water Tribe
    Uh...no? I didn't say that and, frankly, I don't know where you're going with it.

    I dunno, if you want to write about a black person in Atlanta, Georgia, then plan a road trip or something. In fact, if you want to write about anyone in Atlanta, Georgia, plan a road trip. Doesn't matter whether the character is black or white or Asian; if they live in an area outside of yours, it's best you do some research.

    I love how you always redirect the conversation to what you feel is important to the story. This isn't about you, it's about minorities wanting a little more screen time. Again, I don't see why you are so opposed to this. No one is attacking you.

    The reason why I mentioned that readers see white as the default race is because, even if the race is not important and is not mentioned, the reader (including minorities) sees the character as a white person, thus inadvertently contributing to the endless amount of standard Caucasian characters. Because of this, the writer wrote this article in order to call for more diversity.

    Oh, okay. So, to you, being politically correct in one's writing is not worth the trouble? And because you can't seem to wrap your head around the fact that people would like to see a different race being represented in media other than just white people, you have the right to call it smack?

    What's the problem with just mentioning a race or even giving a brief description? Is it really all that difficult? All you can mention is skin tone or eye/nose/jaw/face shape. That is all you need to include in order to move away from the default and help a reader have a bit of a clearer picture concerning the character's background/race.

    Your whole post consists of you saying that people of colour who wish to be represented are being trivial just because you think that mentioning race will suddenly change up the story or something. It's not "balderdash" that someone would like some variety and it certainly wouldn't kill you to just mention a race in passing or give some description. Call it whatever you want but, to many minorities, this is an issue. Obviously not to you, but to many people. It's a bit childish of you to insult a problem just because you feel people are forcing you to do something you feel isn't important.
     
  9. joanna

    joanna Active Member

    Joined:
    May 25, 2010
    Messages:
    425
    Likes Received:
    12
    Location:
    Boston
    Interesting debate this has turned into.

    There are a lot of white Americans who have friends and family who are almost exclusively also white Americans. Such white Americans who happen to be writers are likely going to have most of their characters be white Americans, too, because it's what they know. Such people are under no obligation to write people of color into their stories or to try to be PC.

    Would it be nice if such white American writers expanded their horizons in order to write people of color into their stories? Not necessarily. It's been done. Most of the time, the results are contrived and ridiculous; this is how cookie-cutter, two dimensional characters are created, characters who often do more to perpetuate stereotypes about minorities than make minorities feel included and pleased by diversity in a story. People generally see right through it, unless people are also white Americans who only know other white Americans. In fact, I think this is how many stereotypes are begun and perpetuated.

    It's certainly not impossible for a white American writer to write stories with people of color. But it just can't be contrived. If it's natural for you to write a diverse cast, then do so. If not, and you really want to anyway, go ahead and immerse yourself in a range of races/cultures and give it a shot, but for god's sake don't force it. And no matter who you are, please, stop specifying the color of everybody's skin except for the default white characters.

    It's best when people surround themselves with people of all colors and shapes and sizes just because.
     
  10. Kio

    Kio New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2008
    Messages:
    270
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Southern Water Tribe
    I mentioned this before, but I'll mention it again. You can make friends with people of colour or you could ask people of that particular group to peer-edit your work. Yes, stereotypes are perpetuated through misinformation, but it's also spread through ignorance. If you decide to finally leave your comfort zone and explore, writing about a different race really isn't all that hard. I have at least seven different characters with different backgrounds each and I don't find it quite as hard as people claim to write about them in a realistic manner. Really, it's all about moving away from mummy and daddy and make outside connections.

    In what way is there forcing?? I'm not forcing anybody to write anything. You guys can write about whatever you want, I don't care to go through the trouble of forcing people. My point was that there is no reason for someone to not write outside of their race. I've seen all the reasons people here have laid out as to why they wouldn't want to write about a character from a different background, so I've argued against them. I think that the writer of the article was merely pointing out a trend that s/he noticed in mass media where white people are the main characters for many things, including movies, books, tv shows, video games, and a lot more.

    Well, yeah, of course people should surround themselves with people who are different from them just because. However, I don't see the point of mentioning this. I get the idea that people mingling with others merely for research purposes seems selfish, but I don't see how leaving your comfort zone because of your work and learning through the experience is a bad thing. It could help us grow as people. It could help us have a better understanding of the world.

    I'll make this clear, though; I'm not forcing you and I'm not forcing anybody else. I don't even think the author of the article was trying to force anybody; s/he was probably just trying to encourage people to make an effort in writing about an MC who is different from the norm. So, please, no need to act as if I'm trying to wage battle here. I came in peace.
     
  11. joanna

    joanna Active Member

    Joined:
    May 25, 2010
    Messages:
    425
    Likes Received:
    12
    Location:
    Boston
    I know it isn't hard for me, and maybe it isn't hard for you either, but on the basis of the cardboard characters I've seen white American writers churn out, it apparently can be hard. If it's so hard that it cannot come naturally or cannot not sound contrived, don't bother.

    I didn't say you were forcing anything. I said nobody should force themselves.

    And that is why I mentioned it: making friends with people outside your race for the purpose of writing people of those race into your story is using that person as an ends. It's objectifying and misguided and actually kind of demeaning. I don't know if that's what you're advocating, but since it was brought up I thought I should point that out. It's the kind of thing a white American writer would do to assuage whatever pent-up white guilt they're experiencing in a mistaken effort to include the people they perceive and are inadvertently and inevitably treating as outsiders by the very act.

    I advocate writing whatever color cast you're comfortable writing. Whether one knows and is familiar with those of other races and cultures and includes a colorful cast in their story is immaterial. I like reading stories with colorful casts, or stories with characters belonging to cultures I'm not familiar with, but it's not pertinent that such things be included.
     
  12. shadowwalker

    shadowwalker Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2011
    Messages:
    3,258
    Likes Received:
    847
    Well, yeah, because I'm the author. I'm not writing a story to pander to any audience.

    If you'd read the discussion on PC, as I suggested, you would see that most writers seem to think it's balderdash. Again, I'm not pandering to any audience. I'm not sticking things in just to make some group, any group, feel better.

    Oh, so if I mention skin tone to be PC and then go on to write an otherwise white, middle-class, midwestern character, nobody's going to think it odd? Right.

    I'm not insulting a problem - I'm not insulting anything. I'm stating that I'm not going to put things into my story that I don't feel are needed, just because some group out there is feeling under- or misrepresented. Who should I include? How many characters do I need to add so nobody's being neglected? Or is one group important to include and not others?

    I write my stories. I don't write other people's. And I don't need anyone telling me who I should include or how I should be sending messages for the Great Public Benefit in my writing. You want to do that, go right ahead. I write to entertain. If some readers don't like it, they don't have to read it.
     
  13. Kio

    Kio New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2008
    Messages:
    270
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Southern Water Tribe
    It usually only sounds contrived if the writer is constantly surrounded by their own race and they did not bother to try and reach out in any way they could to other races. People of that group can peer-edit the writer's work. They don't even have to meet personally; they could search through numerous sites that focus on things like this. The internet can help greatly!

    Sorry for the misunderstanding, but it sounded as if I was forcing people. You seemed to insinuate that.

    Maybe that's the way you see it, but you seemed to have ignored the rest of my post which is conveniently cut off.

    Yes, it may seem selfish, but it's a way of opening oneself to a different group of people. I honestly don't think it's any better than staying holed up with your own race and not bothering to mingle simply because the research seems selfish. I, being part of a minority myself, wouldn't be offended if someone actually took interest in my daily life because they wanted to make their story accurate. This work leads to open-mindedness of not just the writer, but also the readers, both Caucasian and non-Caucasian.

    Maybe because you don't see it as a problem that Eurocentrism is dominating Western media. To many people, it is troubling and unsettling that only one race can be a hero in fiction. Readers of colour are calling for a change in thought. It would be nice to see some people at least try to write something different from what is common.
     
  14. Kio

    Kio New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2008
    Messages:
    270
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Southern Water Tribe
    Soooo... because many writers believe it's stupid, it's automatically stupid? That's not the way it works.

    Of course people will find it odd. Look, the writer of the article is encouraging writers like you to try something new and write about someone who maybe isn't white or middle-class or midwestern. Make friends outside of your circle.

    "Balderdash" is certainly not a term of endearment, as far as I know. Unless, the meaning has changed :p

    Some friendly advice: don't use "smack" and "balderdash" if you're not insulting the thing in which you speak of. It would help a great deal!

    Alright. Well, all I have to say to this is that what you said here shows a great deal of close-mindedness. You refuse to try and see why people would want others to try and spread out a bit instead of remaining in their comfort zone. If you write to entertain, that's good. All writers should. However, it is encouraged to look at life through a different perspective.
     
  15. ClusterChuck

    ClusterChuck New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2011
    Messages:
    164
    Likes Received:
    6
    Location:
    Florida
    This might have been stated already but,

    'Anansi Boys' Niel Gaimen
    'Liar' Justine Larbalestier
    'Their Eyes Were Watching God' by Zora Neale Hurston
    'Bud, Not Buddy' by Christopher Paul Curtis
    'Feathers' by Jacqueline Woodson
    'Uncle Tom's Cabin' Harriet Stowe

    To name a few. But yeah, too few.
     
  16. shadowwalker

    shadowwalker Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2011
    Messages:
    3,258
    Likes Received:
    847
    I didn't say it was automatically stupid. I said the writers who responded to that discussion seemed to consider it balderdash (def: nonsense). And, if you were paying attention to a larger world of people, you'd find a great many of them find PC nonsense as well - including those of color.

    Guess what? I have friends outside my "circle". Don't presume.

    What's your problem with 'smacks of' - it means 'have a flavor of'. That's insulting?

    I would say that since you haven't read any of my stuff, you would have no idea whether or not I write in or out or around my comfort zone, or from a different perspective. I don't refuse to try - I refuse to kowtow and make my characters what they do not need to be - because the only thing that is important is the story. If I mention what race or religion or anything else it's because it will have a bearing on or importance in the story. If it doesn't, it ain't going in. And if that disappoints you, or allows you to sit back and feel superior, well, so what? At least I keep my integrity as a writer.
     
  17. joanna

    joanna Active Member

    Joined:
    May 25, 2010
    Messages:
    425
    Likes Received:
    12
    Location:
    Boston
    If one is determined to write a story about character(s) of another culture, and is up front about their intentions and speaks to a variety of people belonging to said culture, the writer is expanding their horizons and doing honest research for an honest story.

    If a writer realizes he wants to be more PC and decides to befriend a black family down the street in order to write a black character into his story, for an 'inside' look on 'how black people act,' the writer is foolish and misguided, no different from an ignorant white American who does not have anyone except other white Americans in their circle.

    I didn't cut off your words, Kio, because I was ignoring anything you said; I often don't quote things that I either address elsewhere or don't take an issue with.

    I've never heard of these numerous sites that allow white American writers to have their work peer edited by minorities who will tell them if they have accurately captured a minority character. That sounds just as misguided as the scenario I've just outlined.

    The problem of Eurocentrism dominating the western media is emblematic of the larger problem of white Americans being in control of the west and of separatism between white Americans and racial and ethnic minorities. I don't agree with your methods for solving the former problem, because it is a band-aid fix that fails to effectively acknowledge the root of the problems I've described.
     
  18. Kio

    Kio New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2008
    Messages:
    270
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Southern Water Tribe
    I know you didn't automatically call it stupid; you called it nonsense. So, because some people (including those of colour) feel that being politically correct is nonsense, it's nonsense. I pay attention to the larger world, but I don't take the majority's word for everything.

    Ah, congratulations. I made a general statement there when I said make friends; it wasn't just you I was speaking to. However, I did think all you did was sit at home and write about yourself all day. Glad I was wrong.

    I'm sorry, but I'm pretty sure I've never heard "smacks of" from anybody in my age group. I assumed you were saying "this is what this smack's about". Guess not.

    Though, balderdash is still insulting, so I stick with the friendly advice. Don't use balderdash unless you don't intend on insulting the subject you speak of. It helps, trust me!

    You did previously mention that if you mentioned the described the colour of a character's skin and then continued to write about a white character in a middle-class setting that it would be odd, so I assumed that all you wrote about were white middle-class people in the midwest, haha. Whether I'm right or wrong, I'll never know unless you tell me. Although, I would like to remind you that this debate is not about just you and your writing, whatever it may consist of. Most of my arguments are general statements, if that wasn't clear.

    I said "you refuse to try and see why people would want others to try and spread out a bit instead of remaining in their comfort zone". So my point there was, you refuse to see why people of colour would want other writers to write from a different perspective, particularly from the point of view of a person of colour.

    I guess you're one of those writers that make every single word count. Though, a brief description of appearance or of a character's background won't exactly clash with your writing style. Just because you mention a race or religion, it won't mean that the story itself will automatically turn into a book based on race or religion.

    I'm more disappointed by the way you seem to be completely against a more or less harmless suggestion that wasn't a direct attack in the first place. Why would I feel superior about that? Well, either way, you don't care, so I guess that's the end of that :\ Good luck.

    joanna: Not all writers have to try to be politically correct if they don't want to. The article was perhaps encouraging people to try and write from a different perspective and learn from it.

    You can seek out a website that is centred around minorities (there are many of those) and you can politely ask for people to peer-edit your work. If you feel that is misguided, then I don't know what to say. If that writer has no access to the outside, then that's their only option. I think it's just a matter of discovering new things for the sake of one's writing. No one has to force themselves to write it if they don't want to. The article is encouraging people to go out and give it a shot for the sake of giving it a shot, not for the sake of being politically correct. However, if one really hates the idea of writing about someone of a different race, then they can continue whatever it is they are doing.

    I'll mention my point again: people of colour wish to see more diversity in the media. Yes, it won't directly fix racism and separatism, but it would help in giving somewhat of a better insight on people of different colours. I don't see the harm in it.

    I'll have to give those a look, especially Anansi Boys. I can count on Neil Gaiman to write something of quality :) But, yes, very few compared to the many books out there that are in the libraries and bookstores that feature a Caucasian main character.

    This post turned out longer than expected. Sorry for the essay.
     
  19. shadowwalker

    shadowwalker Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2011
    Messages:
    3,258
    Likes Received:
    847
    I'll make a closing statement and then I think I'm done with this. The way you put it, Kio, it was not a harmless suggestion. It was phrased, at various times and in various ways, that anyone who didn't include non-whites was in the wrong, and had "no good reason" for not doing so. When I said it had to be of importance to the story, I meant exactly that. If something is not important to the story in some way, shape, or form, there is no good reason to include it. If people of color want to see more diversity in the media, then they need to contribute. They cannot expect/demand/wish that others do it for them. And, I might add, I say the same thing about women, religions, GLBT, whomever. We're not perpetuating a problem simply because we don't write the characters you want to read.
     
  20. Granville

    Granville New Member

    Joined:
    Dec 26, 2011
    Messages:
    40
    Likes Received:
    2
    Location:
    Dominican Republic
    With the exclusion of 'ethnic writing', including works in which the core theme deals directly with colour-based issues, and unless a character happened to be 'green' or 'blue', in which case the author would have to satisfy their own conventions for going to the trouble of making it so, the colour of a character's skin, be it black, white or anything in between is or should be absolutely irrelevant in a work free of discriminatory elements. However, I believe we have to acknowledge, reluctantly, that if one were writing anything about the real world and the reality of the human condition, sooner or later one would inevitably encounter the unavoidable need to address this issue as it arises within the context of the work, in order to retain authenticity and the credibility of the readership, who, one would assume, would find such subject matter relevant and interesting. Personally I am totally monochromatic when it comes to people. I live in the Caribbean and have a mixed-race family. I have absolutely no idea of how black or how white my children are, though I would love them no less if they were slime-green with purple blotches! We all have different reasons for reading what we read and writing what we write. I have never had the need to introduce skin colour as an element of my writing, and am quite selective about what I choose to read. That way I don't offend anyone—well, at least not because of colour, race or creed, and I don't give others the opportunity to offend me.
     
  21. Kio

    Kio New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2008
    Messages:
    270
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Southern Water Tribe
    shadowwalker: As I said before, not everyone can just pick up a pen or a camera and just contribute to media. That's a suggestion that is more easily said than done. Not everyone can think up a great plot and write it out. They were encouraging writers to write about characters of different races. So, again, no harm in that. You're acting as if I, myself, am ordering you to write about people outside of your race. If you don't want to, then...well. That's that. Don't do it if you really feel that it's a waste of paper or... something.

    My point is that writers should learn to spread out and try different things in their writing. The article was encouraging people to do so, but I doubt that it said that people who write about whites are in the wrong, as you said. It was asking for a change in direction. If you want to act the victim, then, sorry to say, that is not my problem. Again, good luck in life. No hard feelings or anything.
     
  22. shadowwalker

    shadowwalker Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jul 27, 2011
    Messages:
    3,258
    Likes Received:
    847
    Sigh.

    I didn't say anything about the article. I was referring to your statements. And no, not everyone can pick up a pen and contribute - but it's not like various groups are totally talent-less, either. And one doesn't have to be a writer to contribute to the writing community/potential within their 'group'.

    As to acting the victim, I'm not sure where that comes in. I'm stating quite clearly that I won't kowtow to PC pressure; hardly being a victim. My whole thing has been that authors should not include anything in their books simply because of PC - or because it will increase sales among a particular group or because it will make them look better. Nothing should be added into a book that doesn't make the book better. Not just different. And tossing in that the MC is black or gay or Catholic when it has absolutely no bearing on the rest of the story is doing exactly that. If it serves a purpose within the story, that's a different matter all together. You call it being close-minded - I call it being an author.
     
  23. Mallory

    Mallory Contributor Contributor

    Joined:
    Jun 27, 2010
    Messages:
    4,267
    Likes Received:
    199
    Location:
    Portland, Ore.
    I've read loads of books with black/Asian/Hispanic characters. 99.9999 percent of the time, they're written by authors of the same race. Look up "Black Literature" or "Asian Literature" and you can find a lot.
     
  24. Baba Yaga

    Baba Yaga Member

    Joined:
    Aug 30, 2011
    Messages:
    57
    Likes Received:
    3
    Agreed, most African/ Chinese/ Japanese/ Arabic/ Indian literature is available in English and, once you've acclimatised to the virtual setting and a few cultural idiosyncrasies, the stories and characters have just as much appeal as any European or American one.

    As a matter of interest, and I know he's not the only one, but Alexander McCall Smith is the first person who comes to mind when it comes to writing out of his own racial/ gender box with The No.1 Ladies Detective Agency books. Well worth checking out if you're getting Uncle Tom's Cabin Fever in your white-washed worlds :)

    I do agree though that if the race/ religion/hair colour of your character is mentioned, it should be vital to the story. But then that should be the case for every single word one writes, in my opinion.
     
  25. Kio

    Kio New Member

    Joined:
    Aug 2, 2008
    Messages:
    270
    Likes Received:
    11
    Location:
    Southern Water Tribe
    Oh, hi again. I thought you left?

    Well, no, the groups are not talentless and they are contributing, but there are not quite many of them that can work in media. Yes, I can find literature of people of colour, but whenever I go to a bookstore, I'm bound to find very few books. Personally, at least when there a writer of colour, the main character is often a minority; however, outside the writing community, such as the filming business, main characters of different races are not quite as accepted. It's easier to publish a book than to make a movie, in all honesty.

    You stated various times that you won't give in to the pressure and that you write to entertain and that you and fellow writers agree that being politically correct is balderdash and that you don't care if people feel put out as long as you can just write in peace. You mentioned yourself in this debate various times, not authors in general. At least, they didn't sound like general statements, ha ha.

    Well, okay. Do what you wish. No one is stopping you from "being an author"; many of us, me included, ask for a change of direction. Seeing as you feel that it is useless to do so and remain on your same path, then I no longer see the point in carrying on this debate with you. So, you may keep your integrity or whatever it is you feel is being threatened; I've finished preying on it :p

    Mallory: Yes, that's true, but I hardly see them turn up in bookstores. There aren't many black/Asian/Hispanic writers to contribute in the first place; most writers of North America are white. Besides, I see no harm in trying something new for Caucasian authors. It could be a new experience or something.
     

Share This Page

  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice