Writing the Other

Writing what you know has been a mantra for the nearly twenty-five years I've been writing. However, a speaker at a book event in Texas said something that's been stuck in my head for the last ten or so years, "Write what you can imagine."

To me, that means empathy for and through your characters no matter who or what they are.

But in our society's efforts to be equitable, to get more minority voices heard, there's a question of whether a writer can adequately write about "the other". Even more, should they?

These concepts have become a huge subject among the writers I know. For example, if I'm a white, middle-aged, straight woman, can I accurately write about a teenage African-American boy? Should I even attempt to write about a person who's not exactly like me?

So many authors are afraid to touch "the other" for fear of retaliation. That fear isn't exactly helping the overall problem of ignoring minorities.

The following is my opinion and mine alone:

I think we artists do ourselves and our readers a disservice not to explore other cultures and other peoples. Doing so was the epitome of my first love, science fiction. Writers in that field could explore social issues without to much fear of repercussions because hey, we're talking about aliens here, not real people. Right?

Sometimes though, writers create a blatantly obvious corollary.  People forget how radical Gene Rodenberry was in the '60's. Women didn't serve in the U.S. military at the time. Men of color rarely rose in the ranks despite Truman ordering desegregation of troops. And, oh my god, a Russian serving alongside Americans?!

Star Trek inspired so many people of my generation, of all colors and genders, to enter the scientific fields. What would have happened if Gene and the ST:TOS writers room had only written about straight, white, middle-aged men? What if that were all they were allowed to write?

But how does a writer step into a new realm without committing cultural appropriation? I have mixed feelings about this. Cultures are not static. What we call American culture is a hodgepodge of things from all over the world. But on the other hand, I don't believe it's ethical to use something from another culture without acknowledging its source. For example, I wouldn't put a character of European or Asian decent in dredlocks. At least, not without a damn good reason.

But deep down, I do think representation matters. I want people other than me to identify with my characters regardless of the readers' or the characters' superficial characteristics. It isn't just important for my family and friends to see themselves in a story. It's important for people not like us to see we are just as human as they are. And for us to see them as human as well.

Maybe that's my goal in the end, not just delivering entertainment, but for my readers, to see the human race as a whole instead of its pieces.


**Like Monday's post, I'm leaving comments open, but if you decide to be a shitbird (a term I borrowed from author Joseph Bradshire), I will delete your comment. Remember--company manners, everyone.**