What does it mean to "write Black"?

hungry4more · Mar 25, 2010

What does it take for a person of one culture to write authentically about another? Does being a Latina automatially mean being stuck writing "Latino books"?

I have recently turned my passion to fiction after a lifetime of nonfiction writing. The first thing one editor wanted to know is the race of my characters when the plot has nothing to do with race.

I feel writers should tell stories to enlighten and entertain about the human condition and race and color can be irrelevant.

Sevvy · Mar 25, 2010

hungry4more said:
I feel writers should tell stories to enlighten and entertain about the human condition and race and color can be irrelevant.

Race is part of the human condition. Race might be irrelevant to your story, it depends on how you want to write your story, and you certainly have the choice not to mention what race your characters are, or what they even look like. But it isn't that surprising that someone wanted to know.

I don't think that you have to be stuck writing in your culture, and part of writing means you get to explore worlds you never would get to in real life, but I think a little bit of us goes into our writing, and that includes the culture we are a part of.

third person · Mar 25, 2010

Oh, brother. I dislike books made for the ghetto culture as they're horribly dumbed down. But at least they get people of that culture to read (I can say this. I'm an NYC negro and know lots of people of the "ghetto") and that's why it's good for all cultures to have their own subcategory in literature.

Same reason I can't stand twilight--I can't stand the writing or cookie-cutter write what the tween girls will fall for nature of it, but I respect that it and books like it help keep youngsters interested in reading. Which is important if I want to make it down the road.

hungry4more · Mar 25, 2010

I agree to a point. I guess I believe race may be informative, it can also be limiting.

In terms of character description, in an article by Elmore Leonard, known as “Elmore Leonard’s Ten Rules of Writing,”
he states there should be no details about a person's physical appearance. Leonard mentions Hemingway who wrote simply, "He wore a hat" to desribe one of his famous heroes.

gothicangel · Mar 25, 2010

If you've completely steeped yourself in a culture . . . no reason why not.

If you pick up a pen and force a European culture/context onto someone living in Nigeria, then forget it.

third person · Mar 25, 2010

gothicangel said:
If you've completely steeped yourself in a culture . . . no reason why not.

If you pick up a pen and force a European culture/context onto someone living in Nigeria, then forget it.

Why not? Your example is certainly possible. Lots of European influence in some African countries. Nigeria gained independence from the UK in 1960.

Mara · Mar 25, 2010

What genre/category are you writing? That's VERY important.

Literary fiction might have in-depth analysis of personal racial identity or lack thereof and the way that relates to other characters. Whereas a thriller might only mention it if it's central to the plot, and possibly only in a very broad way.

(That's not to say that you can't write a thriller with in-depth racial analysis, but rather that it's less common.)

Alvah · Mar 25, 2010

Read Laws of Our Fathers by Scott Turow, who is white.

The first half of that book contains a lot of black gang language.

However, gang language is not authenticically black
because most black people are not gang members.

Sanoe SC · Mar 25, 2010

hungry4more said:
In terms of character description, in an article by Elmore Leonard, known as “Elmore Leonard’s Ten Rules of Writing,” he states there should be no details about a person's physical appearance. Leonard mentions Hemingway who wrote simply, "He wore a hat" to desribe one of his famous heroes.

From Up in Michigan by Hemingway:

"Jim Gilmore came to Hortons Bay from Canada. He bought the blacksmith shop from old man Horton. Jim was short and dark with big mustaches and big hands. He was a good horse-shoer and did not look much like a blacksmith even with his leather apron on. He lived upstairs above the blacksmith shop and took his meals at D.J. Smith's."

Leonard has also detailed his character's physical appearance in his work.

So... that rule is bunk.

kuwisdelu · Mar 25, 2010

In answer to your title question: absolutely nothing.

hungry4more said:
What does it take for a person of one culture to write authentically about another? Does being a Latina automatially mean being stuck writing "Latino books"?

I have recently turned my passion to fiction after a lifetime of nonfiction writing. The first thing one editor wanted to know is the race of my characters when the plot has nothing to do with race.

I feel writers should tell stories to enlighten and entertain about the human condition and race and color can be irrelevant.

The same as writing authentically about everything else. You either know it already or you research it until you do.

I'm Zuni, but I have little interested in being a "Native American writer." Most of my stories don't have much to do with race. However, every once in a while, a story will come along where race is important, and then of course, I'll embrace whatever experience I have. I suspect I'll eventually write a Great Native American novel, but it's not a priority.

Sanoe SC said:
From Up in Michigan by Hemingway:

"Jim Gilmore came to Hortons Bay from Canada. He bought the blacksmith shop from old man Horton. Jim was short and dark with big mustaches and big hands. He was a good horse-shoer and did not look much like a blacksmith even with his leather apron on. He lived upstairs above the blacksmith shop and took his meals at D.J. Smith's."

Leonard has also detailed his character's physical appearance in his work.

So... that rule is bunk.

I agree with you. But I felt like noting that incidentally, these days, whether someone wears a hat or not tells me more about their character than race, usually. :tongue

I like hats.

hungry4more · Mar 25, 2010

Alvah said:
Read Laws of Our Fathers by Scott Turow, who is white.

The first half of that book contains a lot of black gang language.

However, gang language is not authenticically black
because most black people are not gang members.

So true.

"Gang language" is easy to write because that's the way most kids talk today anyway.

When is the last time a black writer wrote about non black characters?
"A Man in My Basement" by Walter Mosley (one of my favorite books) comes to mind. But this book did not have the success of his Easy Rowlins mysteries where the characters are clearly identified as black.

hungry4more · Mar 25, 2010

kuwisdelu said:
In answer to your title question: absolutely nothing.

The same as writing authentically about everything else. You either know it already or you research it until you do.

I'm Zuni, but I have little interested in being a "Native American writer." Most of my stories don't have much to do with race. However, every once in a while, a story will come along where race is important, and then of course, I'll embrace whatever experience I have. I suspect I'll eventually write a Great Native American novel, but it's not a priority.

I agree with you. But I felt like noting that incidentally, these days, whether someone wears a hat or not tells me more about their character than race, usually.

I like hats.

I described a recent character in my book as wearing a "Panama style hat" after considering a "small brimmed hat" and a " black tam" and a New York Yankees cap.

hungry4more · Mar 25, 2010

Mara said:
What genre/category are you writing? That's VERY important.

Literary fiction might have in-depth analysis of personal racial identity or lack thereof and the way that relates to other characters. Whereas a thriller might only mention it if it's central to the plot, and possibly only in a very broad way.

(That's not to say that you can't write a thriller with in-depth racial analysis, but rather that it's less common.)

I would love to write the kinds of books T.C. Boyle writes. Not sure how you would classify his writing.

veinglory · Mar 25, 2010

I know that I have trouble writing "American" despite having lived here for years. Some people are better at writing out of their zone than others. But I don;t know that "black" necessarily has cultural implications. Not all black people are writing in a way that would logically be shelved as AA fiction at Borders.

Ken · Mar 25, 2010

hungry4more said:
I feel writers should tell stories to enlighten and entertain about the human condition and race and color can be irrelevant.

... well said!

My version would run slightly different:
I feel writers should tell stories to enlighten and entertain and also to tell about the human condition if they choose and that race and color ~~can be~~ are irrelevant.

Red-Green · Mar 25, 2010

Of course, race and color are often relevant to the human condition. Read Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man and try to claim otherwise.

shaldna · Mar 26, 2010

hungry4more said:
What does it take for a person of one culture to write authentically about another? Does being a Latina automatially mean being stuck writing "Latino books"?

.

Imagination and research.

That is all.

What does it mean to "write Black"?

hungry4more

Sevvy

Spec Fic Writer

third person

She blinded me--with magic!

hungry4more

gothicangel

Toughen up.

third person

She blinded me--with magic!

Mara

Clever User Title

Alvah

Life is what you make of it.

Sanoe SC

The Spice Must Flow

kuwisdelu

Revolutionize the World

hungry4more

hungry4more

hungry4more

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Ken

Red-Green

KoalaKoalaKoala!

shaldna

The cake is a lie. But still cake.