Some conversations about cultural appropriation can feel about as useful as a pile of hot garbage. However, intentionally making space to listen to experiences with cultural appropriation has the potential to not only enrich our writing, but also our humanity.

The term cultural appropriation was first introduced, within academic circles of the 1980s, by anthropologist Edward Tyler, in reference to colonization. Within the publishing world, cultural appropriation refers to the common (often clumsily and misinformed) practice of incorporating elements of marginalized cultural identity or perspectives for personal gain. 

Representation Matters

At the heart of readers’ anger and sadness over culturally appropriated stories is the way in which society continues to devalue and discriminate against marginalized cultural traditions, while at the same time praising the “creativity” and “uniqueness” of those traditions when they are used by the majority.

Authors who appropriate content typically fail to conduct extensive research, gather community input, highlight current advocacy/support efforts, or simply acknowledge the community that they are “borrowing” from or “appreciating.” Instead, these authors tend to rely on their own majority perspective and ignore the way in which their depictions can create real-world consequences for marginalized communities.

In my first post, It’s Messy in The Middle: Answering the Call, I suggested that, if we are to answer the call for diversity and inclusion from our readers and publishers, we must be specific, honest, and intentional with our writing. 

In this post, I want to focus on how we must also be willing to be held accountable by actively working to avoid cultural appropriation in our writing. 

Mainstream conversations about cultural appropriation can feel pointless because they are often framed as polarized “debates” that are structured around the same closed-ended questions. Can authors write about situations that they have not experienced? Of course, they can, but they should also expect to be held accountable for the impact of their work.

A Spoonful of Sugar…

If we can be honest with ourselves—and I’m talking real, staring into a three-way mirror butt naked honesty—we have to acknowledge our appetite for appropriated stories. Box office revenues and best-selling book lists illustrate our preference for considering oppression and adversity through the lens of thin, cisgender, heterosexual, able-bodied, white identities.

Majority audiences are not comfortable hearing about oppression unless a majority perspective guides it. This means we will delight in exploring fat-shaming if it is portrayed by a beautiful thin celebrity in a fat suit. We are willing to journey through the historical scars of racism if there are white allies included that save the day or thump their chests at injustice. 

We often rely on famous able-bodied actors to teach us about disability, and we are willing to suspend our hyper heterosexuality and trans misogyny if we can gain insight from cisgender heterosexual actors about LGBTQ experiences. Best-selling novels also illustrate our preference for appropriated adversity stories.

The Handmaid’s Tale

Margaret Atwood’s 1985 best-selling book The Handmaid’s Tale, an American dystopia novel, faced a great deal of scrutiny for “borrowing” from the historical experiences that black women endured during chattel slavery. Atwood, a middle-class white woman, was accused of blatantly whitewashing black slave narratives by inserting white women into experiences of lynching, forced reproductive labor, branding, and limits on education in the novel. The Handmaid’s Tale was so successful for Atwood that it was turned into a television series that launched its first season on Hulu in 2017 and is nearing its sixth season.

The Help

Kathryn Stockett’s 2009 Novel The Help tells the story of working-class African American maids who worked in the south during the 1960s. It’s worth noting that Stockett, a Caucasian American middle-class woman, was sued for using the likeness and background of her brother’s African American housekeeper without her knowledge. 

Readers of The Help overwhelmingly rejected the overly simplistic portrayals of black culture and obvious white savior plot lines. The Help was so successful that it was adapted into a major motion film in 2011 that received more acclaim and success.

American Dirt

Jeanine Cummins’s 2019 American Dirt received heaping praise and accolades within the publishing industry, which landed her attention from Oprah and put her book on track to be adapted into a television series. 

American Dirt tells the story of a Mexican mother’s suspenseful fight to get her son to the border after their entire family is murdered by a drug cartel. Cummins was accused of rebranding herself as Hispanic to deliver a two-dimensional highly appropriated account of Mexican immigrant experiences. The vitriol over the “cliché” and harmful stereotypes presented in American Dirt ultimately derailed the book tour and film adaptation.

Yes, AND Expect Notes…

I believe that there should not be limits placed on art, expression, creativity, or imagination. Authors have always had the freedom to write about whatever they want, as they should. The fiction genre would not exist if authors were limited to direct personal experiences. 

We also desperately need more equitable representation of marginalized communities in all forms of media, but this should not preclude accountability for work that is exploitative, inaccurate, disrespectful, or full of harmful stereotypes.

We write novels and put them out into the world for people to explore, discuss and connect with. Authors should be expected to do extensive research, with the ultimate goal of crafting believable and realistic worlds. 

Novels that include historical events, space travel, or any professional job (police, doctors, firefighters, etc.) are often placed under a microscope for accuracy and believability. We should expect and prepare for this same level of critique when we are portraying marginalized and underrepresented identities. 

Moving forward

If we are going to craft complex characters and build dynamic worlds that readers with marginalized identities can connect with, we are going to have to be willing to do the work, get messy, and be held accountable. Here’s where to start:

1. Research 

Gather robust community input and seek to capture differing opinions and experiences. Research common societal stereotypes of this group and how they impact the community.

2. Give Credit

Acknowledge the community experiences that you are portraying in your book, in interviews, on social media, and when you receive praise.

3. Highlight Needs

Uplift and acknowledge current advocacy efforts to support the community you wrote about. Encourage others to learn more about these efforts and consider inviting advocates to join you on your book tour.

4. Make it Rain

Donate a portion or percentage of your profits back to the community. Consider creating a renewable scholarship. Hire sensitivity readers from the community.

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: Unpacking Cultural Appropriation appeared first on DIY MFA.

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.

And the answers I get the most are: they think the majority of people don’t want to read about people like them, or they don’t want to put themselves out there for people to say they’re not Asian enough or they can’t claim the heritage because they’re mixed. And then they would ask me how I decided to write from my own background and how I had the courage to do so.

In the last few years, publishing has been shifting, as it realizes that more diverse voices need to be heard. Not just in terms of cultures and heritage, but a whole score of underrepresented voices. And as more agents and editors are looking for books from these perspectives, this is a great time for anyone who has not seen themselves represented in novels in the past to tell their stories. To write the book that they want to read and that will resonate with readers like them. 

How do you write from your perspective, you ask?

Write from Your Own Experiences

This does not mean the novel has to be about you. It only means to write from what you know. 

If you are half-Filipina and half-white, your main character can be the same and you can draw on your own experiences to help build your MC’s backstory. If you’ve felt hesitant to claim the Asian side of you because all your life you’ve heard you aren’t Asian enough, use those same feelings of not belonging for your MC. 

The character can be completely different from you and have life experiences that are not based on your life. But if you draw from your experiences, it will make the characterization deeper and more authentic.

In my debut novel, The Tiger Mom’s Tale, my main character is half-Taiwanese and half-white. I myself am one hundred percent Taiwanese and I’ve been asked why I chose to make my character mixed. I was born in Taiwan, but moved to the States and was raised here from the age of seven. Half of me always felt that I wasn’t Taiwanese enough, and the other half wasn’t American enough, leaving me unsure of where I really belonged and which was my true identity. 

When I started to write this book, I wanted my main character to have that same sense of not belonging. I wondered what it would feel like to look Asian on the outside, but be brought up by a white family, and hence, my MC Lexa was born.

So, in that instance, I drew from my own experiences and backgrounds, but my MC’s story is completely different from mine. I’ve found that drawing from my own experience really gives my characters a depth that might otherwise be missing, especially as a new writer. As I get more comfortable with my writing, I am exploring ways to expand the worlds that my characters come from.

Don’t Worry about Pleasing Everyone

There is no way that everyone who reads your work is going to identify with the characters or situations. As writers, once our books are published, they are no longer ours. They now belong to the readers, whose opinions of it will be based on their own life experiences. 

I was really surprised that the harshest critics of my debut were Asian American women, and in some instances, Taiwanese Americans. Because there are so few books written from this perspective, people who didn’t see themselves in my book felt I represented the culture wrong. 

This is why it’s even more important than ever to have more books published from underrepresented voices. One or two authors cannot represent an entire culture or identity. I’ve come to understand that it’s not my job as the writer to please everyone. I can’t. I can only write from my perspective and my own experiences and hope it will touch or resonate with someone. 

Along this same vein, it’s really true what they say about developing a thick skin in publishing. There is rejection at every turn. Starting with querying, then submissions to editors at publishing houses, and then eventually the reviews. 

People will tear your work apart, some nicer than others. If you can’t handle that, don’t read your reviews. And keep telling yourself that you can’t please everyone. Continue to write, from your true self, the story that you want to write.

Use Sensitivity Readers

What is a sensitivity reader? If you’re unsure of any representation or perspective, it’s always good to have someone read over your work. 

For example, in my debut, the mother realizes after over thirty years of marriage that she is in love with a woman. This has never happened to me or to my mother, so I had someone who has, to read passages to make sure I was getting their feelings and thoughts as accurate as I could. 

Also, because I grew up in America, there were scenes and thoughts from Taiwanese people who lived there, and I had sensitivity readers to make sure the way they spoke and thought was as realistic as possible. 

You don’t have to hire someone to do sensitivity reads. I didn’t. I simply asked the people in my life who represented what I was trying to portray in my book. And if you don’t know anyone, you can always ask in your writing groups or even on social media if anyone knows someone who is willing to talk to you. We all make mistakes along the way, but for me, I want to strive to get a point of view and perspective as correct as I can.

The world is so diverse and there are so many cultures, heritages, and points of view that have up until now had so little written about them. I am excited that publishing is starting to take notice and hope more underrepresented writers will share their stories in the near future.

Lyn Liao Butler was born in Taiwan and moved to the States when she was seven. In her past and present lives, she has been: a concert pianist, professional ballet and modern dancer, a fitness studio owner, a personal trainer and instructor, an RYT-200 hour yoga instructor, a purse designer with an Etsy shop, and most recently, author of multi-cultural women’s fiction. Lyn did not have a Tiger Mom. She came about her over-achieving all on her own.

When she is not torturing clients or talking to imaginary characters, Lyn enjoys spending time with her FDNY husband, their son (the happiest little boy in the world), two stubborn dachshunds, and trying crazy yoga poses on a stand-up paddleboard. So far, she has not fallen into the water yet.

You can find her on her website or follow her on Instagram and Twitter.

The post Writing from Your Perspective appeared first on DIY MFA.

I often use the metaphor of a hallway to describe the liminal space which I inhabit psychologically, emotionally, and historically. It is an in-between space that offers a tenuous connection to two worlds separated by language and culture. I can enter the two rooms that this hallway connects, but in either one I still feel like I’m in the hallway. This sensation follows me everywhere and informs my writing, which is my attempt to understand it.  

Not a Typical Immigrant Story

Some would say that this is the typical immigrant story. But it isn’t. 

As Puerto Ricans, we are American citizens (since 1917) and our departure from the homeland is not fraught with struggles other immigrants faced. We boarded ships or planes and came here without passports. We could just as easily return home. That was not the case for millions of other immigrants who traveled thousands of miles to escape hardships, most vowing never to return. 

Once in the States, Diasporicans find that we are second-class citizens and face racist and ethnic bigotry. If we return to the homeland, as I did for fifteen years, our brethren admonish us for not being real Puerto Ricans. You can see how this would make anyone feel left out in the hallway. 

Writing about experiences straddling two cultures is nothing new in “American” literature, which is fundamentally multiethnic (and, one could add, multiracial). Much of the “American” ethos is about navigating between two cultures and the conflicts inherent in doing so. 

MFAs, the Publishing Industry, and BIPOC Writers

That continues today as publishers have seen the demographic future of the country and seek to supply the increasing demand for multiethnic and multiracial material. As a BIPOC author, committed to writing stories about my community, I would like to share some thoughts about what it means to write from this subject position and strive to improve your craft while remaining true to your purpose.

I received my MFA from Columbia University in 1981, when there were roughly fifty such programs. Today, with more than 350 creative writing programs operating across the country, it seems that admission to one of them is a given for young, aspiring writers. Although the MFA has its benefits, especially if you want to teach, one can learn to write and publish professionally with the many resources available today. DIY MFA is a viable alternative, for sure. 

No matter what route you take, BIPOC writers will find obstacles and challenges that their white counterparts will not.

In 2014, Junot Diaz wrote a piece in the New Yorker criticizing MFA programs for being “too white” (besides too male and heteronormative). He argued the student population usually contains a sprinkling of BIPOC; faculty is almost always all white; and there is no instruction dealing with race, racism, or the concept of whiteness and white bias. This blindness to race and whiteness often leads to what Diaz calls “blind spots” and assumptions concerning these crucial topics and how they impact publishing and writing. 

His comments were valid then and seven years later still hold true. There is little progress in this area, because a white majority’s values and ideology dominate the academy, as every other major institution in America. This dominance filters to every aspect of the MFA program, including the workshop. As Diaz illustrated, many BIPOC students in these programs have experienced some racist or biased comment or sentiment expressed by either their peers or the instructor during workshop. 

Discussions initiated by BIPOC writers about race and white privilege often meet stiff resistance and are identified as “political” and not “literary.” Essentially, the dynamic within these workshops, and the MFA programs in general, is the embedded, white-privileged conviction that white writers can write about anyone and anything with impunity. Meanwhile, committed BIPOC writers are only being didactic, dogmatic ideologues more interested in politics than creating “Literature.” 

This attitude has not changed much today, except that white student writers and faculty in MFA programs are now versed in the “woke” nomenclature and deflecting strategies outlined so well in Robin DiAngelo’s White Fragility.

If you are a BIPOC writer, you might assume that you can avoid these problems if you skip the MFA. But you will find racism and vestiges of white supremacy in publishing whether it’s literary agencies, marketing, publicity, editors, or the commercial and small houses. Never assume that seemingly progressive institutions in the United States have liberated themselves from racism. Consider the minimal diversity in Hollywood and television, and how little recognition these “liberal” institutions give to BIPOC writers, directors, and actors (the same goes for women and LGBTQ communities). 

What BIPOC Writers Can Do to Learn Their Craft and Publish

Support BIPOC authors committed to writing about their communities. 

Buy their books and study their craft. Follow them on social media. Learn how they convey the authenticity of the culture or community they write about. Be attentive to how they handle themes and topics related to racism, sexism, and otherism in their work and in public. 

Support literacy in your community. Buy books from community bookstores. Organizations like the Bronx Is Reading, help expand readership and book culture. 

Sometimes, unfortunately, BIPOC writers unconsciously write characters and situations in their work that follow mainstream stereotypes and racialized tropes. I personally avoid these writers because their objectives do not align with mine.

Build a community of BIPOC writers and progressively-minded allies.

Join a writing group that is receptive and responsive to the material you are writing. You want supporters who give you honest feedback but admit when they do not know enough about it. Find culturally sensitive readers willing to ask questions without committing microaggressions. 

Seek sites exclusively for BIPOC writers or which support them. Look for positive signs that go beyond the usual wokespeak you find on a site’s mission statement. Is the site’s staff diverse?  Do they feature articles and material that reflect a genuine diverse agenda? Investigate various grants, retreats, and organizations (like VONA, which Diaz co-founded) that nourish, promote, and advocate for BIPOC writers. 

Learn your community’s history.

A deep knowledge of history not only benefits you, but also provides a trove of ideas for your writing. Avoid the pitfalls of stereotyping your own characters and writing racialized cultural material and themes. These can easily slip into your work because we inhabit spaces that constantly bombard us with adverse representations of our communities. Conversely, develop and explore new ways to handle your material. The challenge is to stay true to the lived experience of your characters while placing them in fresh scenarios and situations that ring credible and authentic. 

Find ways to expand the borders of the fictional world that the publishing industry has constructed for your community. Stay faithful to your vision and mission, as well as your aesthetic. Do not come across as didactic or preachy. You are an artist, not a propagandist. 

Challenge the racialized and biased tropes associated with your community, especially the subtle ones that the mainstream finds acceptable and worthy of publication. When you are ready to publish a manuscript, research publishing houses with a track record of publishing BIPOC writers. If you cannot find a publisher, consider self-publishing.

In another article for this site, Ana Maria Spagna writes about being a committed writer who believes in the transformative power of literature. I agree with her, especially because as a BIPOC person and a Diasporican writer, it is imperative to tell the stories of people like me. 

Every marginalized group in this country needs voices to give their group visibility, agency, and hope. The current political and social climate in this country calls for all artists to think critically about how they plan to utilize their talent. I cannot think of a higher calling for a writer than to serve that purpose

J.L. Torres is the author of The Family Terrorist and Other Stories, the novel The Accidental Native, and the poetry collection Boricua Passport. His latest collection, Migrations (2021, LARB Libros), received the inaugural Tomás Rivera Book Prize from the Los Angeles Review of Books. Born in Puerto Rico and raised in the South Bronx, he now lives in Plattsburgh, New York, where he has taught American literature, US ethnic literature, and creative writing at SUNY Plattsburgh. He holds a Ph.D. from the University of Southern California and an MFA in creative writing from Columbia University. You can reach J.L Torres at his website at  https://jltorreswriter.com/, or on Twitter at @Rican_Writer.

The post A Dispatch from the Hallway: Advice for Committed BIPOC Writers appeared first on DIY MFA.

Traci is the author of the critically acclaimed book We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga. She is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation and lives in northeastern Oklahoma, where her tribe is located. Today we’re talking about her picture book Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer (Illustrated by Natasha Donovan).

Carole is the author of numerous award-winning books including the Newbery Honor book Box: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom (illustrated by Michele Wood), and R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, the Queen of Soul (illustrated by Frank Morrison). Today we’re discussing her picture book Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre (Illustrated by Floyd Cooper).

When she’s not traveling or visiting museums, Carole is mining the past for family stories, fading traditions, and forgotten struggles. She lives in North Carolina.

In this episode Traci, Carole, and I discuss:

• Why they each decided to tell these forgotten stories as middle grade picture books.
• The deliberate and unique choices they made in structuring their narratives.
• How they created a distinct sense of time and place to ground their books.

Plus, their #1 tip for writers.

About Traci Sorell 

Traci Sorell is the author of Sibert, Orbis Pictus, AILA American Indian Youth Literature Award, and Boston Globe–Horn Book Honor Book We Are Grateful: Otsaliheliga. She is an enrolled citizen of the Cherokee Nation and lives in northeastern Oklahoma, where her tribe is located.

You can find Traci on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Goodreads.

Classified: The Secret Career of Mary Golda Ross, Cherokee Aerospace Engineer

Mary Golda Ross designed classified airplanes and spacecraft as Lockheed Aircraft Corporation’s first female engineer. Find out how her passion for math and the Cherokee values she was raised with shaped her life and work.

Cherokee author Traci Sorell and Métis illustrator Natasha Donovan trace Ross’s journey from being the only girl in a high school math class to becoming a teacher to pursuing an engineering degree, joining the top-secret Skunk Works division of Lockheed, and being a mentor for Native Americans and young women interested in engineering. In addition, the narrative highlights Cherokee values including education, working cooperatively, remaining humble, and helping ensure equal opportunity and education for all.

About Carole Weatherford

Carole Boston Weatherford is the author of numerous award-winning books including and Box: Henry Brown Mails Himself to Freedom, illustrated by Michele Wood which received a Newbery Honor; R-E-S-P-E-C-T: Aretha Franklin, The Queen of Soul, illustrated by Frank Morrison which won the 2021 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Book Award. When she’s not traveling or visiting museums, Carole is mining the past for family stories, fading traditions, and forgotten struggles. She lives in North Carolina.

You can find Carole on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Unspeakable: The Tulsa Race Massacre

Celebrated author Carole Boston Weatherford and illustrator Floyd Cooper provide a powerful look at the Tulsa Race Massacre, one of the worst incidents of racial violence in our nation’s history. The book traces the history of African Americans in Tulsa’s Greenwood district and chronicles the devastation that occurred in 1921 when a white mob attacked the Black community.

News of what happened was largely suppressed, and no official investigation occurred for seventy-five years. This picture book sensitively introduces young readers to this tragedy and concludes with a call for a better future.

If you decide to check out these books, we hope you’ll do so via these Amazon affiliate links for Classified and Unspeakable where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

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Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 375: Bringing Omitted BIPOC History to Light through Middle Grade Picture Books – Interview with Traci Sorell and Carole Boston Weatherford appeared first on DIY MFA.

Ken Liu

Ken Liu is author of the Dandelion Dynasty silkpunk series and the translator behind Liu Cixin’s Three Body Problem and Death’s End. He’s written a Star War, too, but the book I’ll direct you to is his short fiction collection, The Paper Menagerie and Other Stories. The titular story is about a boy whose mother makes him origami animals that appear to come to life when she breathes on them. “The Paper Menagerie” was the first piece of short fiction to win the triple crown of science fiction and fantasy awards, the Hugo, the Nebula, and the World Fantasy Award.

Nghi Vo

The Chosen and the Beautiful is Nghi Vo’s debut novel (published June 1, 2021), but she’s had great success with her novellas, The Empress of Salt and Fortune (Hugo, Locus, and Ignyte Award finalist, winner of the Reddit Stabby and IAFA’s Crawford Awards) and When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain.

She’s also published a lot of short fiction. Read her at any length you choose; Nghi Vo’s one to watch.

Aliette de Bodard

Aliette de Bodard has won three Nebula Awards, a Locus Award, a European Science Fiction Society award, a British Fantasy Award and four British Science Fiction Association Awards for her short fiction, novellas, and novels. She is of French and Vietnamese descent and though her first language is French, she writes in English.

Last year the sapphic romantic fantasy Fireheart Tiger was released, in which a diplomat princess faces her former lover and must decide both her future as well as that of her country.

Isabel Yap

Isabel Yap is a Filipino writer of speculative fiction and poetry. Her first collection of short fiction, Never Have I Ever, contains 13 stories that entwine fantasy, horror, and science fiction to explore monsters, Filipino folklore, immigration, and queerness.

In “A Cup of Salt Tears,” Makino’s mother warns her of the dangers of making deals with kappas even though a kappa saved Makino as a child. When Makino’s husband becomes ill, she seeks out her savior. In “Hurricane Heels (We Go Down Dancing),” a group of five girls befriend one another at a summer camp when a goddess charges them with protecting the world from darkness.

Yap admits to liking ambiguous endings, so be prepared for a few of those when you pick this collection up.

Yoon Ha Lee

Yoon Ha Lee’s space opera trilogy, The Machineries of Empire, is comprised of Ninefox Gambit (2016; Locus Award for best first novel, Hugo and Nebula finalist), Raven Stratagem (2017; Hugo finalist), and Revenant Gun (2018; Hugo finalist).

Phoenix Extravagant is a standalone fantasy set in a world reminiscent of Korea during the Japanese occupation of the early 1900s. Jebi is a nonbinary artist hired by the Ministry of Armour to paint magical sigils onto masks for the conquering government’s automata. Jebi doesn’t consider themselves political, but after befriending a pacifist dragon automata (as one does), Jebi decides they’ll do whatever it takes to keep the dragon from becoming a weapon of war used to kill and subdue their people. Unfortunately, Jebi discovers that sometimes you have to choose a side.

Ted Chiang

Ted Chiang’s work has won four Nebula awards, four Hugo awards, the John W. Campbell Award (now the Amazing) for Best New Writer, and four Locus awards. His short story “Story of Your Life” was the basis of the film Arrival (2016).

In Exhalation, Chiang examines technology’s effect on humanity. The opening story, “The Merchant and the Alchemist’s Gate,” a portal leads people 20 years into the future or 20 years into the past. Time-travel shenanigans of the best kind.

Fonda Lee

Fonda Lee’s debut young-adult novel, Zeroboxer, was nominated for the 2016 Andre Norton Award. Her second novel for young-adults, Exo, was nominated for the 2018 Andre Norton Award. Her debut novel for adults, Jade City, was a finalist for the 2018 Nebula Award for Best Novel and won the 2018 World Fantasy Award.

Jade City, the thrilling first book in the Green Bone trilogy takes place on the gangster-controlled island of Kekon, where magical jade grants superhuman powers to those who can wear it. The Kaul family is one of two major crime syndicates that control the city. When a rival syndicate threatens their authority, the three Kaul siblings must band together to protect their power. Jade War was published in 2019, and the third novel, Jade Legacy, will be published in November of 2021.

Gabriela interviewed Fonda Lee about world building for DIY MFA radio.

Shveta Thakrar

Shveta Thakrar characterizes herself as a part-time nagini and full-time believer in magic. Her work has appeared in magazines and anthologies including Enchanted Living, Uncanny Magazine, A Thousand Beginnings and Endings, and Toil & Trouble. Her debut young adult fantasy novel, Star Daughter, is a finalist for the 2021 Andre Norton Nebula Award.

In Star Daughter, Sheetal Mistry is (surprise!) the daughter of a star, but she manages to live a mostly normal life until her nascent abilities surface and will not be denied. When, through a surge of uncontrolled magic, Sheetal’s father ends up in a coma, she and her friend embark on a journey to the stars to seek her mother’s help. What Sheetal finds when she arrives is political turmoil and … a magical music competition.

Roshani Chokshi

Roshani Chokshi’s New York Times bestselling series include The Star-Touched Queen duology, The Gilded Wolves, and Aru Shah and The End of Time, which was recently optioned for film by Paramount Pictures. Her work has been nominated for the Locus and Nebula awards.

In The Star-Touched Queen, a YA fantasy rich in world building and Indian mythology, Maya lives a relative life of freedom thanks to a cursed horoscope that predicts death and destruction following her marriage. Then her father marries her off and she becomes the queen of Arkan. Romance and hijinx (preventing the aforementioned death and destruction) ensue.

Renée Ahdieh

Renée Ahdieh is an American-Korean author, best known for her New York Times best-selling duology The Wrath & the Dawn. Imagine Entertainment optioned the film rights to the duology in 2017. Ahdieh says she loves to wreak havoc on the lives of her characters.

In the first novel of the duology, The Wrath & the Dawn, Ahdieh reimagines The Arabian Nights. The evil Caliph, Khalid, marries a new woman every night and murders her in the morning. When 16-year-old Shahrzad’s best friend becomes one of his victims, Shahrzad vows vengeance and volunteers to become his next bride. Every night she spins tales to her husband to postpone her execution but, as night follows night, Shahrzad fails to find the monster she expected in Khalid.

Read with Purpose

One of the core tenets of the DIY MFA philosophy is to read with purpose. In reading the works of AAPI authors, you may encounter plot structures or storytelling techniques that are different from, but equally effective to, the western ones you’ve become familiar with. The core myths and legends from which these stories derive may also be unfamiliar. Expand your writerly horizons and dig in.

These authors and their stories deserve both your reader brain (enjoyment) and your writer brain (analysis).

Until next time, keep speculating, and see where it leads you!

Melanie is an instructional designer by day, SF&F author-in-progress and ink alchemist by night. She is the third generation of Marttilas to live in her little house on the street that bears her family name. She blogs at https://www.melaniemarttila.ca and you can find her on Facebook and
Twitter.

The post Ten AAPI Sci-Fi/Fantasy Authors to Read Right Now appeared first on DIY MFA.

First and foremost, hate crimes and violence against Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders is wrong. My team and I will not condone or allow any of this language or behavior in our community.

We have been lucky not to have this ugliness infiltrate our word nerd community thus far, but I want to make something very clear: the racist vitriol and verbal abuse that has permeated certain pockets of social media has no place at DIY MFA. If we see so much as a hint of this in our community, my team and I will shut it down. Clear? Cool.

In moments like this, it is important to amplify voices, particularly the voices of those who may be most harmed by these events. Right now, it is the AAPI author community that needs our support, so we would like to highlight the amazing authors from the Asian American and Pacific Islander community who have participated in our podcast and summits.

Please support these authors by buying and reading their books and spreading the word about their work. If you would like to meet some awesome authors and add some great books to your TBR (to be read) pile, check out the interviews below.

Past Podcast Guests:

Alka Dhillon

Alka Dhillon is a self-help author and founder and CEO of Technalink. Alka was interviewed on DIY MFA Radio in Episode 59: Finding Your Om Factor. If you want to find Alka, you can follow her on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram, or visit her website.

Yang Huang

Yang Huang writes contemporary fiction novels, short stories and essays. Her interview can be found in Episode 217: Write Dangerously of DIY MFA Radio. You can find Yang on her website.

Guy Kawasaki

Guy Kawasaki is a non-fiction author of useful how-to guides on social media, marketing, and business. Guy appeared on DIY MFA Radio along with his co-author, Peg Fitzpatrick, in Episode 27: Social Media for Writers. You can connect with Guy on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or LinkedIn. 

Fonda Lee

Fonda Lee is an author of both adult and young adult fantasy and science fiction. Fonda was interviewed in Episode 262: Inside the Mind of a Worldbuilding Junkie of DIY MFA Radio. To connect with Fonda, check out her website.

Virginia Loh-Hagan

Dr. Virginia Loh-Hagan is an author of children’s books and academic works. Virginia was interviewed on DIY MFA Radio in Episode 284: Adapting Legends While Staying True to the Story. Visit her website, or connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Alexandra Monir

Alexandra Monir is a popular author of young adult fiction across genres like science fiction, paranormal, romance, and mystery. Alexandra was interviewed on DIY MFA Radio in Episode 338: The Dystopian Superhero Story in which she discusses her recently released contribution to the DC ICONS series, Black Canary: Breaking Silence. You can find Alexandra on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Veena Rao

Veena Rao is an author of literary fiction as well as a founder, publisher and editor-in-chief of NRI Pulse. Veena appeared on DIY MFA Radio in Episode 334: The Unexpected Female Protagonist. You can find Veena on her website or follow her on Twitter and Instagram. 

Abbigail Rosewood

Abigail Rosewood is an award-winning author of historical fiction. Abigail was interviewed on Episode 308: Setting, Characters, and Identity: Your Story’s Ecosystem of DIY MFA Radio. Check out her website or follow her on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. 

Shanthi Sekaran

Shanthi Sekaran is an indie contemporary fiction author. She was interviewed on DIY MFA Radio in Episode 132: Capturing Diverse Experiences on the Page. You can read more about Shanthi on her website or on Twitter.

Nisha Sharma

Author of both young adult and adult contemporary romance, Nisha Sharma’s interview can be found on DIY MFA Radio in Episode 268: From Bollywood-Inspired YA to RWA. You can find her on her website or follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

Lauren Sharkey 

DIY MFA Columnist and creative non-fiction writer, Lauren J. Sharkey’s most recent DIY MFA article is Dollars and Sense, about reframing your writing career to avoid becoming a starving artist. Lauren was interviewed on DIY MFA Radio in Episode 316: Truth with a Capital T. You can find Lauren on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

Carol VanDenHende

Carol VanDenHende is a DIY MFA Columnist and an award-winning author of contemporary romantic fiction. Check out her most recent DIY MFA article, What Is Author Brand and How to Craft Yours. Carol is also interviewed on DIY MFA Radio in Episode 328: Book Marketing for Busy Writers. You can find Carol on her website or follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest.

K.S. Villoso

K. S. Villoso writes speculative fiction with a focus on deeply personal themes and character-driven narratives. Listen to our interview with her on DIY MFA Radio in Episode 292: World Building in Epic Fantasy. Visit her website or connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

David Yoon

David Yoon is an author of young adult romances and adult thrillers. Read the guest blog he wrote for DIY MFA here: How to Write Sparky Dialogue. David was very recently interviewed on DIY MFA Radio in Episode 353: Making the Shift from YA Romance to Adult Thriller. You can find David on his website or follow him on Instagram.

Summit Interviews:

Guy Kawasaki

Guy was also featured in our Memoir Summit. His interview is called Wisdom in Small Moments.

Fonda Lee

Fonda appeared in our Science Fiction and Fantasy Summit. Her interview is Creating Dynamic Characters through Conflict.

Mona Shroff 

Mona Shroff writes adult contemporary romance novels, and she has contributed a #5onFri post to DIY MFA which you can read here: #5onFri: Five Questions to Ask when Writing a Second Chance Romance. She was featured in our Romance Summit. Her interview is The Debut Author’s Journey. To connect with Mona check out her website.

These Summit Interviews will be open until Monday, May 3 at 12pm ET.

Upcoming Episode on DIY MFA Radio

Stay tuned! DIY MFA is featuring the following AAPI authors in upcoming podcast episodes:

Thien-Kim Lam

Thien-Kim Lam is an adult contemporary romance author. You can find Thien-Kim Lam on her website or follow her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Rajani LaRocca

Rajani LaRocca writes middle grade contemporary and historical fiction. Connect with Rajani on her website, or find her on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

Tasha Suri

Tasha Suri writes young adult fantasy and romance. Read more about Tasha on her website or connect with her on Twitter, and Instagram. You can also sign up for her newsletter.

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. While we appreciate all the love and support we receive from our community, we are 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 Asian American and Pacific Islander voices. If you have something you need to say, reach out to support@DIYMFA.com.

The post Supporting the AAPI Community appeared first on DIY MFA.

Sophfronia is a novelist and essayist whose work has appeared in Time, People, O: The Oprah Magazine, as well as many other outlets. Her first novel, All I Need to Get By, was nominated for best new author at the African American Literary Awards and Sophfronia was hailed by Henry Louis Gates Jr. as “one of the best writers of her generation.”

She is a prolific writer whose work spans both fiction and nonfiction, and her other books include Unforgivable Love, Love’s Long Line, and This Child of Faith: Raising a Spiritual Child in a Secular World, which she co-wrote with her son Tain. Her essays “The Legs On Which I Move” and “Why I Didn’t Go to the Firehouse” are listed in the Best American Essays series. Her next book is The Seeker and the Monk: Everyday Conversations with Thomas Merton, and is out now from Broadleaf Books.

The recipient of a 2020 Artist Fellowship Grant from the Connecticut Office of the Arts, Sophfronia holds degrees from Harvard and the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is currently director of Alma College’s MFA in Creative Writing, which is a low-residency grad program based in Alma, Michigan.

This interview is a little bit of a departure from our usual subject matter of authors talking about their latest books and instead Sophfronia and I will be doing a deep dive on MFA pedagogy. As you know, the DIY MFA philosophy is not anti-MFA, and we strive to complement what MFA programs are already doing quite well. And, of course, when I build new curriculum for DIY MFA, I draw from my own experiences as a MFA student, along with several other sources as well. I am beyond thrilled to have Sophfronia on the show to talk about writing, MFA programs, and a writer’s education.

In this episode Sophfronia and I discuss:

• How her background in journalism, ghostwriting, and her desire to coach other writers inspired her to pursue an MFA. 
• What a low residency MFA program can prepare you for a full time career as a writer as well as the logistics and benefits of attending one.
• Why reading and building community are imperative to the DIY MFA experience as well as a writer’s life and growth.

Plus, their #1 tip for writers.

About Sophfronia Scott

Sophfronia Scott is a novelist, essayist, and leading contemplative thinker whose work has appeared in Time, People, O: The Oprah Magazine, and numerous other outlets. When her first novel, All I Need to Get By, was published, she was nominated for best new author at the African American Literary Awards and hailed by Henry Louis Gates Jr. as “one of the best writers of her generation.” Her other books include Unforgivable Love, Love’s Long Line, and This Child of Faith: Raising a Spiritual Child in a Secular World, co-written with her son Tain. Sophfronia’s essays “The Legs On Which I Move” and “Why I Didn’t Go to the Firehouse” are listed among the Notables in the Best American Essays series. Her next book, The Seeker and the Monk: Everyday Conversations with Thomas Merton, will be published in March 2021 from Broadleaf Books.

The recipient of a 2020 Artist Fellowship Grant from the Connecticut Office of the Arts, Sophfronia holds degrees from Harvard and the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She is currently director of Alma College’s MFA in Creative Writing, a low-residency program based in Alma, Michigan but she lives in Sandy Hook, Connecticut where she continues to fight a losing battle against the weeds in her flower beds.

Find out more about Sophfronia on her website. You can also follow her on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Goodreads.

The Seeker and the Monk 

What if we truly belong to each other? What if we are all walking around shining like the sun?

Mystic, monk, and activist Thomas Merton asked those questions in the twentieth century. Writer Sophfronia Scott is asking them today.

In The Seeker and the Monk, Scott mines the extensive private journals of one of the most influential contemplative thinkers of the past for guidance on how to live in these fraught times.

As a Black woman who is not Catholic, Scott both learns from and pushes back against Merton, holding spirited, and intimate conversations on race, ambition, faith, activism, nature, prayer, friendship, and love. She asks: What is the connection between contemplation and action? Is there ever such a thing as a wrong answer to a spiritual question? How do we care about the brutality in the world while not becoming overwhelmed by it?

By engaging in this lively discourse, readers will gain a steady sense of how to dwell more deeply within–and even to love–this despairing and radiant world.

If you decide to check out the book, we hope you’ll do so via this Amazon affiliate link, where if you choose to purchase via the link DIY MFA gets a referral fee at no cost to you. As always, thank you for supporting DIY MFA!

Link to Episode 351

(Right-click to download.)

If you liked this episode…

Head over to iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Spotify, or Google and subscribe so you’ll be first to know when new episodes are available.

Also, remember that sharing is caring so if you know anyone who might enjoy this podcast, please tell them about it or leave us a review so other listeners will want to check it out.

Until next week, keep writing and keep being awesome!

The post Episode 351: The Education of a Writer – Interview with Sophfronia Scott appeared first on DIY MFA.

Come in with clear intentions

Whether you’re joining a community workshop or forming a smaller, more focused group, be clear about what you and your peers are getting out of the arrangement. A meeting can be a deadline, an idea generator, or a place to polish your work. Sharing your level of commitment will help you understand if it fits with the group’s — I’ve seen a well-meaning community workshop hijacked by a zany drop-in who insisted we didn’t appreciate his exquisite haiku. A classic case of rampant ego seeking only validation, the solution might be to…

Set and respect boundaries

On a functional level, having a healthy writing group means establishing a general structure and organization. At my novel group’s first session, we decided on bi-weekly meetings, approximately 3,000 words submissions, and comments via Google Docs. Everyone sends their work with enough time to read, critique, and prepare notes on the group’s feedback. Respecting boundaries makes them real and reinforcing the system reduces interpersonal friction. This means when we meet, our full focus is on our writing rather than guzzling wine to assuage petty frustrations. Which isn’t to say, there’s never wine…

Give freely

Having a healthy writing group means giving freely. The more I read my group’s work, the more my pseudo-parental pride bursts from me — I’ll be biking home from the library and I’ll have an idea about someone else’s book. I’ll be more excited to read their chapters than edit my own. So I tell them. By giving freely, the group becomes more than a bi-weekly three-hour video conference with additional reading and editing work. It’s a nurturing ecosystem of support, ideas, and writerly energy. That said, if someone casually quadruples their word count, I’m comfortable re-establishing the discussed boundaries. Rules two and three go hand in hand.

Create space for diversity and differing opinions

The essence of writing is translating your thoughts to the reader, and having diverse editors — be it in race, age, gender, sexuality, nationality, and even writing experience — helps enormously with this clarity. Diversity also means creating a space for differing perspectives to be heard. If someone is shaking their head or pursing their lips, I’ll dare myself to say, “You look like you disagree.” Other times silence can be an indicator: “Do you have any thoughts on this?”

As satisfied as my college classmate must’ve felt when his best friend parried my criticism, workshopping isn’t about always having someone in your corner. Constant affirmation may boost your ego at the expense of your manuscript. And if you’re not in a place to integrate feedback, maybe it’s better to share your work with a kind friend or furry companion.

Embrace the process over the outcome

This is also known as “growth mindset,” a wonderful concept in life and writing. While I have dreams of a book deal which lands my novel on both sides of the Atlantic, this fantastical outcome is not the main reason I’m in a writing group. I show up because I want my book to be the best it can be, and as my cohort patiently corrects my bad habits, my writing is improving.

What’s more, it’s a virtuous cycle — as I become a better reader and editor, I also become a better writer. And the process is so enjoyable, I find myself diving into revisions eager to implement the ideas that came from our previous meeting. After slogging through years of drafts of my first novel, I’m so much happier and more efficient, I can’t even self-identify as a tortured artist.

A few days ago, another woman in my group and I submitted our novels’ final chapters. Paris’ bars and restaurants are closed and we have a 6 P.M curfew, so after our weekly library writing date, we took a bottle of wine to the quays. It was a cheeky 4:30 P.M happy hour and worth every minute. As we toasted to our hard-earned progress, I couldn’t have been further from the intimidated freshwoman with an inadequate vocabulary — that workshop skirmish was merely a misstep on the path to healthy literary relationships.

In case you’re feeling inspired to start a new relationship, I host a monthly writer’s workshop through Paris Lit Up. We’re free and currently virtual, and you’re welcome to join and put this list to Practice.

Gracie Bialecki is a writer and literary coach who lives in Paris, France. Her work has appeared in The Atticus Review, Monkeybicycle, and Epiphany Magazine where she was a monthly columnist. Bialecki is the co-founder of the storytelling series Thirst, a poetry editor at Paris Lit Up, and the author of the novel Purple Gold (ANTIBOOKCLUB).

The post #5onFri: Five Ways to Have a Healthy Relationship With Your Writing Group appeared first on DIY MFA.

I have always been interested in comics – I like superhero movies and always secretly wanted to go to ComicCon. But I was too nervous to walk into a comic book store, where I imagined a bunch of impossibly cool nerds would judge me for not knowing what I was looking for. There’s so much to choose from, and I didn’t even know where to start – how do you pick an issue of Wonder Woman when it’s been rebooted about a dozen times since it started almost 60 years ago? Part of my hesitation was also due to the fact that I’d only seen the comics that were extremely mainstream, which tends to translate into women with bodies that look like they were drawn by an alien who had heard about but never seen a human woman. I wanted to see women that looked like me and my friends, drawn by regular women. 

Women in Comics

So I continued thinking about but not reading comics until one day I saw an issue with a bright, bubbly girl on the cover. She had a big smile and a big, bushy tail sticking up out of the back of her leotard. As soon as I opened the issue, I fell in love with The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl, aka Doreen Green, a college student with the proportional speed and strength of a squirrel. That sounds silly, you might think. Rest assured: it is.

Squirrel Girl made her first appearance in the early 90s in an issue of Marvel Super-Heros, then wasn’t seen again until the mid-2000’s, when she made guest appearances on and off over the next several years, including as Luke Cage and Jessica Jones’ nanny in New Avengers, but she never had her own series. The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl gave her her own run for the first time, let the us explore her world and meet her friends in a tone appropriate for a superhero who mostly talks to squirrels (upbeat and hilarious). 

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl ran from 2015-2020, written by Ryan North and initially drawn by Erica Henderson – the writing is amazing, but the art is what drew me to it in the first place. In addition to her other squirrel-related superpowers, Doreen can talk to squirrels, including her squirrel sidekick, Tippy Toe. Tippy Toe is sassy and often shows up with an army of squirrels at the last minute to save the day. The first issue shows Doreen moving to college and all the hijinks that go along with hiding a secret identity as we meet Nancy, her roommate who eventually learns Doreen’s secret and becomes her partner in superheroics. Koi Boy and Chipmunk Hunk eventually show up to complete the gang. 

Fans of Marvel’s canon will have plenty to love here. Familiar villains like Dr. Doom and Galactus make appearances, and every once in a while Doreen takes a break from her mostly independent, relatively low stakes crime fighting to team up with Iron Man or Thor to save the world. An ongoing rivalry with Kraven the Hunter is both absurd and hilarious. Plenty of it is tongue in cheek, like the standalone graphic novel The Incredible Squirrel Girl Beats Up the Marvel Universe, a play on the more dour Punisher (then Deadpool) Kills the Marvel Universe.

There are hundreds of reasons to love this version of Squirrel Girl, not least is that she’s so nice. Squirrel Girl never beats someone up when she can win them over with friendship (but sometimes beating up is in order, and then it’s always with an excellent pun). We see healthy relationships of every type – friends, romantic partners, enemies, classmates, lab partners. Doreen values her friendship with Nancy, leading to one of the best issues of the run, a beautiful and nearly silent ode to their relationship. There’s no jealousy or competition in their friendship (unless it’s a literal science competition) and they don’t fight over romantic partners. When they do argue, they resolve it in a healthy way. They set a great example for friendship that we could all follow.

Women in STEM

Then there’s the emphasis on intelligence and promotion of girls in STEM. The whole gang is computer science engineers, and we often see Doreen, Nancy, & crew (one of whom is a literal brain named Brain Drain) in class, doing science experiments, going on field trips to do more science, and using their brains to outsmart the bad guys. Nancy, the only one without powers, is just as involved (though often from a safer distance) in the conflict, usually behind a computer doing research or using science to figure out a solution. They often talk about topics that go right over this English major’s head, but they sound so cool doing it.

A Diverse Cast

One of my favorite things about Squirrel Girl is the diverse cast. The crew is diverse in race, gender and sexual identity, and body type – they look like a group of young people you’d actually see in New York City, superpowers notwithstanding. Erica Henderson did a wonderful job of creating a superhero who looks like a friend you might remember fondly from your college days, and Ryan North gives her an attitude to match. All in all, it’s refreshing, funny, and full of heart, and I personally am waiting for her to show up in the next generation of Marvel’s Cinematic Universe, either in a show with a bunch of other cool young women or as Spider-Man’s buddy. Run, don’t walk, to your nearest local comics shop (or their website to be socially distanced) – don’t be intimidated, they’re usually very friendly – and check out The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl.

Marina is a West Coast native living in Washington, DC. She loves writing anything, from sci-fi to creative non-fiction to romance, often drawing inspiration from the frequent travel required by her day job. Her work has appeared in such literary magazines as DistrictLit and Corner Bar Magazine. When she’s not writing, you can find her hosting bar trivia, baking something involving peaches, or bothering her extremely patient dog, Daisy. You can read more of her work at marinabarakatt.com and find pictures of Daisy on Twitter.

The post Not Just Dudes in Tights: The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl Takes Over Comics appeared first on DIY MFA.