Writing Outside of Your Identities, Part 2
In part one of this post, I examined how we’re shaped by our individual identities, the two messages that writers have to reconcile when writing outside of their identities, and things to keep in mind when writing viewpoint characters and supporting characters who are different from you. In this post, I present other considerations to think about by discussing why representation is important, how to get it right, and what resources are out there.
Thoughts on including diverse identities
A concern that I’ve heard from writers is the idea that they want to include characters of diverse identities and experiences, but they’re worried about making their story about the identities or about diversity itself. There are different ways to handle writing various identities, whether they’re at the core of the story or on the periphery. In part one, I looked at specific questions to ask when writing viewpoint characters and supporting characters. Here, I’m adding more general thoughts.
Diverse identities and experiences shouldn’t be relevant only with trauma, oppression, or sorrow. They don’t always have to be heavy; they can be joyful, exciting, and inspiring. We need stories that show characters with marginalized identities living their lives, succeeding, and just being. Everyone deserves to see themselves as the hero and to see others as the hero, without only ever being framed in the context of suffering.
Sometimes, writers get asked this question: “Why does this character have to be [this identity]?” This often happens when a character has an identity that’s outside the typical default (more on this later), but the story doesn’t center on their identity—instead, the identity is simply part of who the character is. Therefore, to some, making the character Black or nonbinary or disabled isn’t serving a purpose. But it’s important to allow characters to have varying identities, to be, just like people should be allowed to exist as they are in the world. Our identities may shape who we are, but we can think, feel, or experience things as human beings. After all, no one questions why a character is inside the default.
That said, the idea of “I just want to write this person as having this identity” is also not a blanket justification for writing whatever you want without doing the work to get it right. Oversimplification of a character’s identities can lead to stereotypes or token characters.
Identities can’t be shuffled around. A character who is Japanese does not have the same culture as one who is Korean or Chinese or Vietnamese. A character who has schizophrenia does not have the same symptoms as one who has dissociative identity disorder or bipolar disorder. A character’s identities are integral to who they are and how they experience the world. Whether you choose to explore that in-depth or only mention it in passing is up to you, but it’s important to think about how changing one aspect of a character’s identity may change who they are as a person.
Beware of exoticism, caricatures, and cultural appropriation. Kit de Waal’s article about cultural appropriation defines it as “the adoption of elements of a minority culture by members of the dominant culture. It is distinguished from equal cultural exchange due to the presence of a colonial element and imbalance of power.” Examine whether characters are reduced to being only stereotypes or one-dimensional manifestations of their identities. I don’t think there’s anything inherently wrong with characters having some stereotypical qualities, as long as that’s not all they are.
Draw on experiences and emotions
It’s natural to draw on your own lived experiences to inform your writing. As a human being, you’ve likely experienced emotions such as happiness, contentment, humiliation, anger, uncertainty, and fear. Even if you’re writing a character with an identity outside of your own, you can use your own experiences to tap into how to write characters’ emotional responses. But it’s vital to consider how your character’s identities may shape their experiences and their emotions. How would this character’s culture influence their grieving process? How would a character weather heartbreak if their relationship wasn’t accepted by their family and friends? How would a lifetime of discrimination and microaggressions affect their excitement to start a new job?
The power of naming
There are different ways to allude to a character’s identities, such as the following:
Physical descriptions: A character’s skin color, hair texture, or clothing items may signify their race, culture, or religion.
Names: A character’s name can hint at their ethnic background. It’s not a foolproof method, though. In the real world, people may not have their ethnic background reflected by their name, such as if they are multiracial or adopted, or if they’ve taken a partner’s surname.
Pronouns: A character’s pronouns (he/him, she/her, they/them being the most common) can clue the reader in on a character’s gender identity.
Accents or expressions: A character’s use of words or phrases from a specific language or their use of regional expressions can tell a lot about where they live or what their cultural background is. The same is true if they are said to speak with a specific accent.
Sometimes, the methods above are used as ways for writers to tiptoe around an identity. They want to hint at it so the reader knows, but this can leave things ambiguous. There are a number of reasons why an author may choose not to specifically name a character’s identities. Maybe they don’t want to call attention to it or are scared of getting it wrong. Maybe they don’t want to label a character and force them to fit a certain mold. Maybe they want the reader to imagine the character however they see them. There is nothing wrong with any of these.
However, there is power in explicitly naming a character’s identities. Not all readers may pick up on what the author is trying to imply. Unless stated outright, readers tend to picture things that fit in a default (see next section). Naming identities means that readers who wouldn’t have imagined characters the way the author intends are forced to think outside of their default. For readers, there can be incredible validation in seeing characters who are like them—who are said to be transgender, bisexual, Muslim, adopted, Nicaraguan, autistic, Deaf, or fat. Not just hinted at.
Who’s the default?
As stated above, there’s typically a default lens through which stories are told, and it’s usually White, male, cisgender, straight, and non-disabled. When the story is told through these lenses, you can see it manifest in different ways.
Everyone is assumed to be White unless proven otherwise, so only characters who are non-White have their skin color described.
Non-English words are italicized, which can emphasize the otherness of the words and therefore the identities (“I love to eat xiao long bao” vs. “I love to eat xiao long bao”).
Default male pronouns are used to represent all people, or gendered terms are used (policeman, manned mission, fisherman).
Any character who isn’t a man is sexualized or has their physical appearance described in ways that aren’t used for men.
Disabled characters are always framed in the context of their disability.
When you’re writing your story, consider whether there are assumptions being made about who is in the default and who is “other.”
Why this is important
So why have I devoted two blog posts to this topic? There have been calls for more diverse representation of identities and experiences in publishing for a long time, and the calls have only gotten louder. Book deals have been canceled, and Twitter has raged whenever writers do a questionable or harmful job with the representation in their stories. Here are a few reasons why representation is important.
Narratives are often shaped by those who hold power (the dominant/privileged). This can result in stories that center on the dominant or privileged defaults, which can lead to vilifying, erasing, or othering marginalized groups.
Stories are fundamental ways in which we share our experiences with others. To see our stories told, especially by those who share our identities, can be incredibly validating.
When we see only certain people or experiences represented, we run into the danger of a single story, as beautifully discussed in this TED talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie.
Other people will see our stories and our identities. When the stories are accurate, this can lead people to understand individuals, groups, and communities who are different from them.
How to get this right
Because of the importance of representation in stories, it’s crucial that writers put in the work, especially when writing identities outside of your own. There are no perfect methods to guarantee that you’ll get all of this right, but there are steps that can be taken to work toward this.
Examine your motivations. In part one, I put forth some questions you can ask yourself when considering writing identities outside of your own. I think that’s the first step in this process.
Research what you don’t know. Writers are great at researching for their stories, so it’s important to research when writing about unfamiliar identities or experiences. Consider which resources you consult. If those resources are created by someone in the privileged/dominant group, the information may be different from resources created by those in the group you want to write about. If you base your research on biased accounts or stereotypes, you may end up recycling those into your writing.
Consult those in the group you’re writing about. Research can only get you so far in understanding what it’s like to have lived experience. If you can talk to someone who does have that experience, it can add perspective and nuance to what you’re writing. With that said, there are a few things to keep in mind.
It can be difficult for a person to talk about their experiences, so approach with respect and care.
Do your research ahead of time. Don’t place the burden on someone to educate you. The goal is for that person to share their experiences to inform your story, not to do your work for you.
They may not agree to payment, but offering to pay them for their time shows that you value what they’re bringing to your story.
Hire an authenticity reader, also known as a sensitivity reader. The idea of hiring an authenticity reader is met with many opinions, but it’s an invaluable service if you’re writing outside of your own identities. Hiring someone who does have that identity or experience to review your manuscript and offer feedback only serves to strengthen your story.
Be open to feedback. It does no good to receive feedback on your story (whether in the creation, editing, or publishing processes) if you’re not willing to consider it. If several people who have the identities or experiences you’re writing about express concern about your approach, then listen with an open mind—even if what they’re bringing up seems harmless to you. There’s a reason why they’re concerned about something, and it’s better for you to address it while you can before your readers force you to.
Resources
Conscious Style Guide is always my go-to recommendation for exploring how to write about different identities. There are plenty of articles and links to official style guides.
Writing the Other has articles, trainings, and books about how to write characters with identities outside of your own.
Writing with Color is a great resource for writing race and ethnicity. I often share its skin color guide with authors.
Writing Diversely has blog posts covering different topics related to writing diverse characters.
Macmillan Dictionary’s list of words used to describe skin color is great as a quick guide to complement Writing with Color’s more comprehensive skin color guide.
Corinne Duyvis’s rundown of #OwnVoices is a way to familiarize yourself with what the hashtag means and how to use it.
Salt and Sage Books is releasing a series of incomplete guides on writing various identities and experiences (fat positivity, sexual assault, and autism, to name a few).
TV Tropes is an extensive database of tropes used in media. You can research common tropes for the identities you’re writing about.
We Need Diverse Books is an organization that calls for diverse representation in children’s books. The website has a resources section.
Rich in Color reads and reviews representation in YA novels. The website has a resources section.
Final thoughts
When done well, writing outside of your own identities can result in stories and characters that reflect the diverse identities and experiences that exist in the world. Too often, writers with good intentions struggle with how to do it well. While I know that I haven’t been able to offer a foolproof method of getting it right all the time, I hope I’ve provided some food for thought as you consider how to approach this delicate but vital topic. Regardless of how you choose to approach it, hard work must be part of the process.
