tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post5872251800189976582..comments2023-12-26T18:33:04.681-08:00Comments on Writability: On Diversity Within DiversityGabe (Ava Jae)http://www.blogger.com/profile/04778524723148508140noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-78107305116527038582014-03-26T13:02:39.300-07:002014-03-26T13:02:39.300-07:00Exactly! Your background/ethniticy/religion/sexual...Exactly! Your background/ethniticy/religion/sexual orientation/gender/etc. all play into who you are, but ONE of those aspects don't define your whole person.Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-65280727157911644922014-03-26T06:50:55.611-07:002014-03-26T06:50:55.611-07:00I've always said that people are people first,...I've always said that people are people first, then they are themselves...influenced somehow by the mix of genes dealt to them, but definitely not defined by that. Always wondered why some people don't "get it."the one and only MEnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-46900744659590855642014-03-09T10:22:16.804-07:002014-03-09T10:22:16.804-07:00Thanks, Rowena, and you're so welcome! I agree...Thanks, Rowena, and you're so welcome! I agree—I also enjoy seeing books that aren't necessarily <i>about</i> diversity, but include a diverse cast. It's encouraging, to say the least.Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-14295543806856836082014-03-08T17:47:16.246-08:002014-03-08T17:47:16.246-08:00Really excellent points! I know that I like readi...Really excellent points! I know that I like reading both stories about diversity and stories that just happen to have diversity, if that makes sense--just because a story features a black, or gay, or Asian, or deaf, or {fill in the blank} protagonist or supporting character doesn't necessarily mean that that story is *about* the experience of being black, gay, Asian, deaf, or {fill in the blank}. Every story and every character is different--just like every person in the "real" world is different. Thanks for this post!Rowennanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-83069067733633661272014-02-16T07:37:16.075-08:002014-02-16T07:37:16.075-08:00Oh yes! I think I've seen this before. Thanks ...Oh yes! I think I've seen this before. Thanks for sharing, David!Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-64137567850021133082014-02-13T18:16:13.290-08:002014-02-13T18:16:13.290-08:00Here's Daniel's piece. Great advice and mu...Here's Daniel's piece. Great advice and much food for thought:<br /><br />http://www.buzzfeed.com/danieljoseolder/fundamentals-of-writing-the-otherDavid Fullernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-12137976910991046052014-02-13T13:56:21.042-08:002014-02-13T13:56:21.042-08:00That's totally okay! Share all you'd like....That's totally okay! Share all you'd like. :) <br /><br /><br />Also, I think you're absolutely right. Your suggestions are fantastic, so thank you for sharing!Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-22895200417053171072014-02-13T08:06:26.596-08:002014-02-13T08:06:26.596-08:00I agree, the drive to include diverse characters i...I agree, the drive to include diverse characters in fiction is important! I think one approach to avoid tokenism is to really flesh out any characters with different backgrounds than the writers', and engage with communities who know about those experiences while writing. Do research of all kinds. It's hard, but without really trying to represent those differing aspects of the character, you run the risk of just "othering" the character.<br />Daniel José Older has a great piece on this for writers -- if it's OK, I'll include a link to it in the comments here.David Fullernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-34422211769869384292014-02-02T17:58:58.531-08:002014-02-02T17:58:58.531-08:00Also true! Great point. :)Also true! Great point. :)Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-84921238972369654352014-02-02T17:48:36.773-08:002014-02-02T17:48:36.773-08:00So true. And sometimes you're surprised by wha...So true. And sometimes you're surprised by what road you eventually take :)Rainy Kayehttp://www.rainyofthedark.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-31528211391811384042014-01-31T23:30:03.937-08:002014-01-31T23:30:03.937-08:00Tokenism! That. That's the word I need to use,...Tokenism! That. That's the word I need to use, the connection being when tokenism seems to outshine a character's diversity within a minority that might just have a stereotype (or expectation) looming above it. <br /><br />But yeah, you made total sense. :)rylanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-43371183674183828622014-01-31T09:59:57.900-08:002014-01-31T09:59:57.900-08:00Huh. That's really interesting. I may have to ...Huh. That's really interesting. I may have to check that out.Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-37898963473748680192014-01-31T09:58:54.955-08:002014-01-31T09:58:54.955-08:00It was shelved in SciFi, if I remember right, when...It was shelved in SciFi, if I remember right, when my library had it. Yes, there is more than one character with autism. The company at which they work has kind of an "autism team", and then things like a "stim room" for them to go to should the need arise. (if I'm remembering right)Jen Donohuehttp://authorizedmusings.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-49866029094596990812014-01-31T09:31:56.377-08:002014-01-31T09:31:56.377-08:00Oh good! Thank you. :)Oh good! Thank you. :)Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-3395734901863826572014-01-31T09:27:09.885-08:002014-01-31T09:27:09.885-08:00Your response hits it on the head.Your response hits it on the head.M Kinnelhttp://mkinnel.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-92184433237938631232014-01-31T09:00:14.577-08:002014-01-31T09:00:14.577-08:00Hmmm. From what I've seen so far, a big issue ...Hmmm. From what I've seen so far, a big issue a lot of writers seem to be facing in trying to include diversity is tokenism, which I <i>think</i> is what you're referring to with the 'gay side character' cliché? This is something I'm still learning a lot about myself, but I think the key to avoiding having the token minority character is what you described—having a diverse cast each with their own experiences, so that one character doesn't end up as some kind of representation of a whole...if that makes sense.Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-27038628881872171362014-01-31T08:55:45.885-08:002014-01-31T08:55:45.885-08:00That's so interesting—sounds like a pretty hea...That's so interesting—sounds like a pretty heavy (literary?) book. I haven't heard of it, but it sounds like it could possibly be close to what I mean...out of curiosity, is there more than one character with autism?Ava Jaehttp://avajae.blogspot.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-51703952762141070742014-01-31T08:28:52.307-08:002014-01-31T08:28:52.307-08:00A lot of gay people encounter bullying growing up,...A lot of gay people encounter bullying growing up, and a lot don't. I didn't, and I always looked for a story of triumph in books that had gay protagonists. I never really found it. I think some writers would look at a book that normalizes divergent sexuality as misrepresentation, but isn't everything else about fiction and fantasy an art of misrepresentation? That's why the book I just finished (and submitted to some betas) has a cast of diverse sexual orientations without a lot of the tragedy that's sort of become the 'gay side character's' personal cliche.rylanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-606209712314101104.post-22577287558837490782014-01-31T07:40:05.397-08:002014-01-31T07:40:05.397-08:00Elizabeth Moon wrote a book called "The Speed...Elizabeth Moon wrote a book called "The Speed of Dark", which is about an adult with autism who works at a company which accommodates adults with such needs very well, and the offering and implementation of a "cure" (and the ramifications therein). I'm not sure if that's the "correct" example, exactly, but it came to mind.Jen Donohuehttp://authorizedmusings.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com