Today, Fable and the Verbivore get personal in our discussion about approaching writing characters from diverse backgrounds, and making sure that we do the work to ensure they are authentic and believable. This topic came up during a podcast planning meeting, and we just hit record as we discussed it in real time.

There are several times in this episode we discuss doing the needed research. It’s always a good general practice in writing to research well, but we also feel that when we are writing about individual characters (voices) from a culture that is not our own we owe it to ourselves and the world to ensure that our stories are truthful representations and that they don’t fall into propagating stereotypes.

Here are some specific ideas:

If you are writing about a specific location, look up demographic information to ensure you reflect the population

Seek out information about the culture, language, and history that you are looking to write about

Identify areas where there are specific words, customs, and experiences that should be treated with care, respect, and sensitivity

Read stories written from that perspective or voice

If possible, interview individuals who could give some personal or in-depth knowledge

Remember that your character is a representation of a person. As such, they should have depth and layers just like any other characters in your work. For instance, there may be times that they clash against their culture, so make diliberate choices and ensure that they are an individual within their society.

We also discuss the need for sensitivity reviews as you are developing your stories and characters, and beta readers who can view it from a cultural sensitivity lens once the book is in draft form. But in addition to that, we acknowledge that its important to have as much diversity in your beta readers as well so that your pool of readers is as reflective of society as possible. Also, we recommend clearly directing your beta readers as to what areas you would like them to focus on as they read your work.

We hope that you are staying safe and finding time to practice self-care! Keep creating and putting your unique voice out there! The world needs it!

Into the woods,

Fable & The Verbivore