I've been trying to make this post for two months, and it took the turn of the new year for me to feel like I could.I think we all know what happened here in the US about two months ago - a racist, sexist failed businessman rode into the highest office in the land on a wave of hate and fear and ignorance. But I'm not here to talk about him. I'm here to talk about all the people who aren't like him, all the people who his campaign made out to be lesser, and why what we writers do is important to people like them.
Because if I've learned anything since the election, it's that these people need your stories.
Growing up, most of the stories I read were about me and people like me. I'm a straight cis white man, and I know it's a lot harder to find stories that don't star someone like that than ones that do. It was different when it came to my writing, though. I've always liked writing women more than men; every single book I've written has a female POV character, and in many of them, there are only female POV characters. Also, I've been writing characters who aren't straight since high school, partly because standard boy/girl relationship stuff bores me and partly because I'm really bad at writing people as attracted to men.
I never thought there was anything unusual about any of this, though, or that it would make much of a difference. Then I started reading about how rarely people who weren't like me saw themselves as heroes in whatever they were reading, or watching, or what-have-you. I read about the damage it does to see those they identify with turned into villains or killed off; tropes like Black Dude Dies First and Bury Your Gays can hurt in ways that don't occur to people who don't see themselves in those characters. And yet, I've seen countless examples of how much these people love it when those narratives change - when they get to see themselves as the leads, the heroes, the ones who get to win. There are countless examples of this, but here's one I just found yesterday.
It makes them so happy. And I want to be the kind of writer who does that for them.
If the election has done anything for me (more stress and more white hairs aside), it's inspired me to keep going, to try harder to get published and get my stories where the people who need them can see them. I can't change the world on my own. But if I can make things a little bit better for the people who now need it more than ever, I'll feel like all the effort is worth it.
I encourage all of you to do the same, in whatever way you can. Art always has the power to change the world, but at the worst of times, it can be what one person needs to change their life.
It's a new year. There's a lot we can do. Let's get to work.
Writing really does bring more compassion into the world. If only we could get the non-readers to invest too, eh?
ReplyDeleteI think that one of the greatest things writing can do is show the reader what it's like to be someone they're not. It really can open minds. And yeah, it's a shame we can't get the people who really need this to read. >_<
DeleteI think my later books took on the angle of all getting along. We are all people after all.
ReplyDeleteI think that's a good way to do it. When I write same-sex relationships, they're always treated as perfectly normal, things like that.
DeleteA few years back, I saw Avery Brooks at a Sci-Fi convention. One of the things he talked about was how so many young black men "don't see a place for themselves in the future." That was apparently a big reason why Brooks took the role of Captain Sisko on Star Trek DS9.
ReplyDeleteAs a young white man sitting in the audience, that was something I'd never really thought about before. And as an aspiring science fiction writer, I realized that I had inadvertently been creating a future predominately populated by white men. Because of what Avery Brooks said, I committed to change that, and to make sure that my characters would be as diverse as possible.
I've been in a similar place, and it can be a pretty big awakening - first to realize that there's an issue you'd never thought of, and then to realize you'd been working against it without even realizing it. But you're not the first writer I've seen have this realization, and I'm always glad to see another. ^_^
DeleteDamn. I am guilty of those tropes, albeit 3 years ago, before I was aware these tropes existed. In fact, I wrote a lengthy comment which I decided to delete. I really don't know what to say that won't make me sound like an ass. I feel compelled to lay out my entire story-line before you and get your opinion how I should have done things differently--not to try to prove anything, but to actually learn how to be more aware and sensitive to these issues. What could I have done better? It might be too late for me for the big books. I'll just try to do better through the Cera Chronicles.
ReplyDeleteRealizing that there are problems with what you've done before can be a good first step, even if it sucks to realize it. >_< But I'm glad to hear that you want to do better.
DeleteWriting inspires and molds readers, even if they don't realize it.
ReplyDeleteIt really does. I try to never be preachy, but if I can change some minds, I'll be glad for it.
DeleteInspiring post! Yes, let's get to work ;)
ReplyDeleteThank you! And yes, there's plenty to do. As always. ^_^
DeleteHello, Mason. Yup, yup and yup. I hope that by spinning an enjoyable tale that touches my readers' emotions and sympathies, I can get them to perhaps consider other ways of living, other ways of looking at the world around them. May 2017 bring you writing opportunities and success.
ReplyDeleteThank you. ^_^ I really do think reading can open peoples' minds, even in ways they don't realize.
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