So, this got a bit long 😅but I appreciate you taking the time :)
I think that ultra-meta works, and I like your script! I do want to say that, regardless of your choice in this instance, I hope you won’t let the ‘general writing advice’ keep you from putting your whole heart into stories that center on people of color in the future. Even if the topic isn’t one you’re sure of!
I’ve agreed with that advice in the past, and while it’s true that I probably wouldn’t encourage you to write the next underground railroad epic, I can’t say that I think that the general advice has been particularly helpful to anyone in terms of race relations. Mostly, I think it causes people who want to do the right thing to view writing about marginalized people as a taboo, or as something to be afraid of, and to default to the (white, straight, able bodied, etc) main characters that they’re already comfortable with.
Except for very obvious (underground railroad, for example) cases, it’s hard for me to separate ‘issue fic’ from regular fic, just because there isn’t an aspect of my life that isn’t affected by my race. Every story about a poc is, in some way, a story about race and racism. Rather than reading the endless parade of stories with no racism (and therefore no poc), I, personally, would love to read a story with a poc main character that that the writer put their whole heart into. Mistakes and all. And when there are mistakes, I think that having transparent good faith dialogues about race will be a million times more helpful to ending racism than banning certain topics will be.
I hope this is helpful! And that if I was unclear (I can be wordy lol), or if you want to chat further you’ll feel free to reach out!
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branchandroot
no subject
Date: 2023-05-19 08:26 pm (UTC)I think that ultra-meta works, and I like your script! I do want to say that, regardless of your choice in this instance, I hope you won’t let the ‘general writing advice’ keep you from putting your whole heart into stories that center on people of color in the future. Even if the topic isn’t one you’re sure of!
I’ve agreed with that advice in the past, and while it’s true that I probably wouldn’t encourage you to write the next underground railroad epic, I can’t say that I think that the general advice has been particularly helpful to anyone in terms of race relations. Mostly, I think it causes people who want to do the right thing to view writing about marginalized people as a taboo, or as something to be afraid of, and to default to the (white, straight, able bodied, etc) main characters that they’re already comfortable with.
Except for very obvious (underground railroad, for example) cases, it’s hard for me to separate ‘issue fic’ from regular fic, just because there isn’t an aspect of my life that isn’t affected by my race. Every story about a poc is, in some way, a story about race and racism. Rather than reading the endless parade of stories with no racism (and therefore no poc), I, personally, would love to read a story with a poc main character that that the writer put their whole heart into. Mistakes and all. And when there are mistakes, I think that having transparent good faith dialogues about race will be a million times more helpful to ending racism than banning certain topics will be.
I hope this is helpful! And that if I was unclear (I can be wordy lol), or if you want to chat further you’ll feel free to reach out!