Answering the Call for Diversity

Within the last decade, the impetus for equal representation in art, politics, and education has grown from a quiet murmur in the back of the room to a charging battle cry. Publishers, critics, and readers now demand representation from all genres. 

How is your current project answering the call for diversity?

Are you proudly aboard the “diversity ship” as it sails forward into battle? Is your pen, your proverbial sword, drawn and poised to write your characters into a deliciously crafted and equitably represented battle?

Or are you on the opposing ship? Are you itching to release the diversity Kraken? Are you aiming your cannons to blast through the censorship of the “PC police” and so-called social justice warriors that threaten to derail your story with their politics?

Maybe you are standing on the shore, in the middle with most of us, wringing your hands, watching this frenzied mess play out while clutching your characters to your chest, unsure of if, or how to navigate it all. If you are nodding your head yes, maybe we can figure this out together.

“Walk The Plank!”

If you feel deeply opposed, bordering on rage, to being asked to consider diversity in your writing, this series may not be for you. I understand: free speech, down with censorship, end culture wars, etc. I gently release you back to your writing.

Additionally, if you are a “social justice warrior” looking for a righteous diversity sermon that will “convert” others, I release you as well. I’m not interested in talking at writers to showcase my vocabulary and “wokeness.” I wish productive writing to you as well.

“It’s Messy In The Middle”

This series is dedicated to the authors standing on the shores of uncertainty, lost in the messy middle of humanity while making attempts at answering the call for diversity. Together we will consider how to craft complex characters and build dynamic worlds with which readers with marginalized identities can connect.

You will not find an instructional laundry list of do’s and don’ts here; just an invitation to reflect on and explore underrepresented identities in your writing. If we are to answer the call for inclusion from our readers and publishers, we must be specific, honest, and intentional with our writing.

“Be Specific.”

What does it mean to write diversity? In the US, the word is often used as a more palatable way to refer to visible differences, often nonwhite racial and ethnic identities. However, diversity encompasses much more. 

From the moment we are born, gender, ability, sexuality, ethnicity, socio-economic status, and race combine to shape the way we see the world. These identities serve as a roadmap of humanity that guides us through the complexity of human existence.

We need to shift our writing beyond surface-level differences and begin incorporating more equitable representations of marginalized communities. Critics, publishers, and readers want to read books that center on these experiences because they exist, we exist, and we read books.

To build dynamic worlds with complex characters, we must be specific in illustrating the intricate humanity of underrepresented and marginalized identities. We cannot write the marginalized experience, but we can connect to universal truths that exist. But before we can do this, we need to be honest with ourselves.

Reflection #1: Reflect On Your Roadmap.

Examine your identity roadmap. Set a timer for 10-15 minutes and complete these questions. Try not to overthink your responses.

1. List as many parts of your identity that you can think of that are public or visible to others.

2. List as many parts of your identity that you can think of that are private or hidden from others.

“Be Honest.”

Why do you feel compelled to include diversity in this project? Hopefully, your answer involves more than “because that’s what publishers are requiring.” Shoving characters into your work for the sake of checking it off a list is bound to self-destruct.

Writing identities outside of our own experience requires us to be willing to listen, learn, and grow as authors. Be aware that holding a majority perspective can create limitations in our understanding. I don’t believe you have to identify as a member of a group to write about them, but at the very least you should understand that difference and bias exist. 

“Difference Exists.”

As a society, it’s time to remove our “color blind” bumper stickers. Recognizing difference is not the problem; it is when we discriminate against others because of their differences. Our previous three presidential races alone have made it abundantly clear that most of us in the US are in fact seeing and responding to color.

We see and hear difference every day. Hair, accent, clothing, gender expression, and physical abilities are more noticeable when they are different from our own. Although it’s uncomfortable to admit, we can make negative judgments about groups based on these factors. 

Instead of shying away from this truth, let’s be honest. Where and when did we learn to assign value to difference? As authors, we need to get curious about our reactions and how they impact our writing. Exploring our biases can be messy, but it is integral to answering the call for diversity in our writing.

A Majority Perspective

When we are writing from a majority perspective, it is essential to understand that our perceptions of marginalized communities may not always be accurate. I say this with love and understanding as an imperfect human being, just like you. Widening our perceptions requires us to shift the focus away from ourselves in order to understand others. We will examine this more throughout the series.

Reflection #2: Look Deeper

Use your responses from reflection #1 and go deeper. Spend 10-15 minutes answering the questions below. Again, try not to overthink or judge your responses.

1. Which identities are you most proud to share or be recognized as a part of?

2. Are there identities that you hesitate to be associated with or tell people about?

“Be Intentional.”

As authors, the worlds we weave have the power to impact individuals and communities for years to come. Your story can provide perspectives that move us forward or backward as a society. Therefore, we must be intentional in the ways we portray our characters.

We must strive to portray complete human beings instead of polarizing and fetishizing our characters. We can do this by exploring the complexities of identity through meaningful research and seeking culturally sensitive feedback. 

There are numerous resources available to gain perspective, but we must be careful not to invade safe spaces without consent, especially when members are not compensated.

“Roll Up Your Sleeves and Start Writing!”

Inclusive writing takes patience and courage. But when we are specific, honest, and intentional we can craft complex characters and build dynamic worlds that readers with marginalized identities can connect with. We can authentically answer the call for diversity while staying true to ourselves. Get started by completing the three reflection questions in this blog.

Reflection #3: Get Messy

Use your responses from reflections #1 and #2 to write a one-page description of how your collective identities have led you to become the person you are today. Focus on identity. Be specific and honest. 

Tell us in the comments: How are you answering the call for diversity in your writing?

Colice Sanders is a blogger and motivational speaker.  Colice writes YA, poetry, and memoir. Her blog areasontorise.com chronicles her journey of radical self-acceptance through the lens of childhood trauma. You can reach her on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram!

The post It’s Messy in the Middle: Answering the Call for Diversity appeared first on DIY MFA.

For the past week, I have watched with outrage and horror at the events that have taken place. The murder of an innocent black man, the violence and aggression toward peaceful protesters, and the perpetual lack of initiative and empathy from many of our leaders during this time of extreme crisis.

I don’t often bring up politics at DIY MFA, but writing is in and of itself a political act and to proceed as though it were “business as usual” would be a slap in the face of the black writers in this community. If this subject makes you uncomfortable… good. It should. It makes me uncomfortable, too. But our comfort is not the point. Growth cannot happen in a state of complacency.

As writers, we have a responsibility to use our words for the power of good. Every time I take up the pen, I must grapple with a painful truth: while my voice is being heard, there are many black writers whose voices have been silenced for far too long. As the leader of this community, it is (quite literally) my job to make sure that those voices are amplified. I do not take this responsibility lightly.

Right now, you’ve probably received dozens of emails from businesses or influencers telling you all the wonderful things they’re doing to “be better” during these troubled times. For several days, I watched quietly, not sure what to do or say. Frankly, it seemed like whatever I did or said would not begin to be enough.

I’ll admit I’ve been going down that internet rabbit hole a lot lately, trying to figure out the right thing to do. All I’ve found is conflicting advice. One article says white folks should shut up and listen, while another says to stop making black people explain themselves. On social media, some accounts are posting blackout squares and muting themselves for a week. Others are posting quotes about how silence is a form of complicity.

As I tossed and turned last night, a thought popped into my head: “No matter what I do, I can’t win. Someone will always find fault.”

And that’s when it hit me.

For black people, “I can’t win” is the status quo. It’s the reality they have lived with for their entire lives. It has been their reality for hundreds of years, and the way things are going this reality isn’t about to change any time soon. Whether or not I get to “win” is irrelevant.

This morning, I had a very different email ready to go out with exciting announcements I was dying to share with you. Obviously, that email will have to wait. Right now, what matters is that people are hurting, and I and DIY MFA are committed to serving our word nerds the best that we can. At the moment, we are especially focused on helping to amplify the voices of black writers.

To that end, as part of our Writer Igniter Summit, I have decided we will also be unlocking past summit interviews with black authors and these interviews will remain open throughout the entire upcoming summit. These interviews are open right now and will continue to be so until June 22nd at 12pm ET, when the final summit interview will close. We are doing this in order to amplify these authors’ voices and make their words and insights as widely accessible as possible.

These authors are amazing. Please listen as they share their thoughts about writing, and if their books speak to you, buy a copy!

Listen to these interviews here:

• Patrice Gopo talks about personal essay vs. memoir.
• Aliza Mann shares insights on how to plot a romance from beginning to end.
• Juno Rushdan gives us an inside look at crafting romantic thrillers. 

In addition, we also want to take a moment to highlight the talented and inspiring black authors who have appeared on DIY MFA Radio. Please listen to the interviews to get their insights about books and writing, and buy their books. These are truly wonderful books from many different genres, and there’s something on this list for every reader. 

165: Weaving Fiction from Reality — Interview with Zinzi Clemmons (Literary Fiction)

177: Narration and Voice — Interview with Ayobami Adebayo (Literary Fiction)

187: A Book with a Purpose — Interview with Eucabeth Odhiambo (Middle Grade Fiction)

210: Showing the Diversity within Diversity — Interview with Tami Charles (Young Adult Fiction)

242: Challenging the Status Quo — Interview with Anita Sarkeesian and Ebony Adams (Young Adult Nonfiction)

251: Finding Your Why — Interview with Patrice Gopo (Essay Collection)

269: Writing Speculative Fiction — Interview with Cadwell Turnbull (Speculative Fiction)

277: How to Make Your Setting Come to Life – Interview with Brenda Jackson (Romance)

287: Character Dynamics in an In-Depth Scene Analysis — Interview with Kiley Reid (Upmarket Fiction)

288: Find Your Community — Interview with Janae Marks (Contemporary Middle Grade)

296: Fairy Tales, Vernacular, and the Art of Storytelling — Interview with Curdella Forbes (Literary Fiction with elements of magical realism)

298: Character-Driven YA and Middle Grade — Interview with Brandy Colbert (Middle Grade and YA)

302: Building a Pop Poetry Empire — Interview with Jade Dee and Wilnona Marie (Poetry)

I can’t begin to pretend to understand the pain and anger that many members of this community must be feeling right now. My team and I will continue to do our utmost to live up to our core values of service, responsibility, and love by amplifying diverse voices on the DIY MFA website and podcast. If there are underrepresented authors we need to feature, please email us and let us know. If there are organizations we should partner with or resources we should support, please email us and let us know.

Sending you loads of literary love,

Gabriela Pereira is an author, speaker, entrepreneur and the founder of DIY MFA.

Please note: We are disabling comments for this post. Here’s why. We appreciate all the love and support we received from our community when this message first went out via email. At the same time, we are also keenly aware that this is not about us. If you’d like to show support for what has been said here, do it by purchasing a book by one of the wonderful authors listed above. Our goal is to keep this post focused on what it’s really about: amplifying black voices. If you have something you need to say, reach out to support@DIYMFA.com.

The post This Needs to Be Said appeared first on DIY MFA.