The things I want to do for other people, and why
One thing I want to do, is include a wide variety of colors and ethnicities and have them be primary characters, and have them be true to themselves, and write them well.
And the reason I want to do that is because I have experienced something slightly similar in my life. It’s been very painful, and at the same time– it can’t possibly be as quantifiably painful as the all-day-every-day visiblity of race must be. I can support and be an ally, and try to add something to the solution even though it’s not my personal problem. I can try, at least, to be my sister’s keeper in my writing.
Plus, as lit-gal as pointed out, there are huge benefits to me; the experience of researching and making that attempt to get inside the world of another person is.. good for the health. In so many ways.
Not to mention that I might gain readers who want to read about POC in fantasy and erotica, if I become known as a fairly reliable writer thereof. I want to be read!
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Another thing I want to do is make sure that my writing is labelled with warnings so that someone who doesn’t feel safe reading dubcon will know to give, for instance, ‘shore leave II’ a miss.
And I want to do that in much the same spirit; Although I’m not particularly triggered by much at this time, I get what kind of harm a trigger can cause. I believe the stories I’ve heard over this week. I can support and be an ally, to those who would appreciate the information, even though it’s not my personal problem. I can be my sister’s keeper in this community.
And besides; no warnings might get some extra readings, but if those readers hate my story because it triggered something, what good does that do me? Yesterday I mentioned Paul Zindel; I was squicked by two books in a row, so I boycotted him for the rest of my life. If a warning means I avoid a boycott, I’m all for it. I want to be read!
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If a story is all happiness and light, I want to make sure that possible readers know that, so I want to put wording like; "Warnings; none." Which is much more than simply putting no warning, right? It’s the difference, if you will, between nothing and zero.
And I want to list what is featured, so that people who love a bit of rope will flock to ”shore leave II.’
And read it.
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I am saddened to see responses from some people who were deeply involved in racefail, and now they are failing. I’m seeing derailment, privelege, shut-upping, and accusations of dramallama coming from people who were themselves brutalised by such treatment not six months ago. So it’s not your personal problem? Be an ally anyway.
Be your sister’s keeper. She’s been yours.
I like using different ethnicities and different backstories in my main characters because that does change the story. If I limit myself to my own race, then I never get to do my favorite part of storytelling–exploring other realities. I’m doing an original fic right now with a Jewish woman who has changed faith, and I love the research–I love figuring out what books her parents would have encouraged her to read and just thinking about the world through those eyes. I think if we stop trying to see the world through others’ eyes, as humans, we can’t grow.
And really, I do think some things need warnings, and dub-con is a big one… I think kink is another. One man’s sexy leather is another’s trigger.
Considering the original story you just started posting, which is all about the effects of triggers! (to anyone who reads this thread, run don’t walk to lit-gal’s latest posts.)
And yes to the research and thinking about other realities. That’s so important to a writer that I’ve edited edit my post to include it, thanks!
Oh heck yeah… if you just adopt the stereotypical image of an ethnicity, you have officially failed. But I’ve loved really digging into the cultural stuff… reading webpages like http://www.jewfaq.org/index.htm and reading blogs, books, and newspapers. Yep, I’m obsessive. Oh, and if you haven’t read it, The Fixer will pull your heart out, stomp all over it and shove it back in your chest.
http://www.amazon.com/Fixer-Novel-Bernard-Malamud/dp/0374529388/
I like using different ethnicities and different backstories in my main characters because that does change the story. If I limit myself to my own race, then I never get to do my favorite part of storytelling–exploring other realities. I’m doing an original fic right now with a Jewish woman who has changed faith, and I love the research–I love figuring out what books her parents would have encouraged her to read and just thinking about the world through those eyes. I think if we stop trying to see the world through others’ eyes, as humans, we can’t grow.
And really, I do think some things need warnings, and dub-con is a big one… I think kink is another. One man’s sexy leather is another’s trigger.
Considering the original story you just started posting, which is all about the effects of triggers! (to anyone who reads this thread, run don’t walk to lit-gal’s latest posts.)
And yes to the research and thinking about other realities. That’s so important to a writer that I’ve edited edit my post to include it, thanks!
Oh heck yeah… if you just adopt the stereotypical image of an ethnicity, you have officially failed. But I’ve loved really digging into the cultural stuff… reading webpages like http://www.jewfaq.org/index.htm and reading blogs, books, and newspapers. Yep, I’m obsessive. Oh, and if you haven’t read it, The Fixer will pull your heart out, stomp all over it and shove it back in your chest.
http://www.amazon.com/Fixer-Novel-Bernard-Malamud/dp/0374529388/
I like using different ethnicities and different backstories in my main characters because that does change the story. If I limit myself to my own race, then I never get to do my favorite part of storytelling–exploring other realities. I’m doing an original fic right now with a Jewish woman who has changed faith, and I love the research–I love figuring out what books her parents would have encouraged her to read and just thinking about the world through those eyes. I think if we stop trying to see the world through others’ eyes, as humans, we can’t grow.
And really, I do think some things need warnings, and dub-con is a big one… I think kink is another. One man’s sexy leather is another’s trigger.
Considering the original story you just started posting, which is all about the effects of triggers! (to anyone who reads this thread, run don’t walk to lit-gal’s latest posts.)
And yes to the research and thinking about other realities. That’s so important to a writer that I’ve edited edit my post to include it, thanks!
Oh heck yeah… if you just adopt the stereotypical image of an ethnicity, you have officially failed. But I’ve loved really digging into the cultural stuff… reading webpages like http://www.jewfaq.org/index.htm and reading blogs, books, and newspapers. Yep, I’m obsessive. Oh, and if you haven’t read it, The Fixer will pull your heart out, stomp all over it and shove it back in your chest.
http://www.amazon.com/Fixer-Novel-Bernard-Malamud/dp/0374529388/