Writing With Diversity: Resources
I've put together a list of resources for writing with and about diversity.
A Beginner’s Guide to Researching Your Diverse* Fantasy or Science Fiction Novel
Questions about how to do research are among the most common questions I hear when it comes to writing books based on non-white cultures. Often the questions are like this: “Are there any resources that will be sure to help?” (emphasis mine) The answer is: no. There is no guarantee that any resources will be universally seen as true and right.
Should white people write about people of color?
“I can’t help but feel that as I white girl that it’s hard for me to write from the POV of a person of color. I realize that’s probably completely and utterly ridiculous, but I was wondering what you thought? Is it insincere for white YA authors to write from the POV of a person of color?”
On writing dialogue about race and sexuality
Sometimes I read reviews of books (I’m not talking about reviews of my own books, honest, because I don’t read those.) in which people criticize a book for having moments that feel explainy or educational around tough topics such as race, sexuality, politics. I agree that reading dialogue about these issues can sometimes feel didactic or after-school-special-like, but at the same time, these conversations happen in real life.
Writing about lesbians when you're not a lesbian
"I am writing a short story about a lesbian main character ... and almost had it finished when I had a panic attack. I was at a conference talking about my story when a lesbian told me she would never take it seriously because I wasn't a lesbian and I can't know what that feels like."