NaNoWri is literally around the corner. I have changed what story I am going to write like ten times. Now I have officially settled on one story idea. It's a fantasy story heavily inspired by one of the greatest pieces of child literature. I am planning it out. Creating character profiles. Though there is one main character, there are three secondary characters who basically get just as much screentime in the book and are important.
My main character is a white boy who has a 7-year-old biracial (white/black) sister from one of his mother's later marriages. This is the first time I have ever written a white guy as my main character. White guys always as a secondary character in my stories. I normally write black female characters as the leads. However, I wanted to do an experiment.
So I have a:
A British-American white guy (British mother, American father)
A dark-skinned British girl of African descent
A Korean-Russian guy (not half white Russian/Korean, but he was born and raised in Russia by Korean parents who were born and raised in Russia. Yes, they do exist there!)
Quebec Cree girl
The world they are basically kidnapped into is filled with talking and walking animals aside from a handful of characters who are appear to be human or are actually human. Even then those characters will look of different races.
I am very tired of books with all white characters. I know it isn't really the fault of the authors. I know they are probably writing what they know or are too scared to write a character outside of their own race in fear of criticism or offending someone. I am not scared. Maybe it's because I've always been in the minority being a black female living in the South. I embrace genuine diversity in YA books.
However, in a book market where the majority of allmain characters are white, are rainbow casts too much? How much diversity is too much diversity?
Please talk me out of having adding a Nigerian boy from the Czech Republic (Yes, they exist!) trying to rescue his Roma girlfriend or the half-white Australian/Maori girl from New Zealand who is a ruthless and skilled killer. I don't think I'll be able to stop. I have no self control.
My main character is a white boy who has a 7-year-old biracial (white/black) sister from one of his mother's later marriages. This is the first time I have ever written a white guy as my main character. White guys always as a secondary character in my stories. I normally write black female characters as the leads. However, I wanted to do an experiment.
So I have a:
A British-American white guy (British mother, American father)
A dark-skinned British girl of African descent
A Korean-Russian guy (not half white Russian/Korean, but he was born and raised in Russia by Korean parents who were born and raised in Russia. Yes, they do exist there!)
Quebec Cree girl
The world they are basically kidnapped into is filled with talking and walking animals aside from a handful of characters who are appear to be human or are actually human. Even then those characters will look of different races.
I am very tired of books with all white characters. I know it isn't really the fault of the authors. I know they are probably writing what they know or are too scared to write a character outside of their own race in fear of criticism or offending someone. I am not scared. Maybe it's because I've always been in the minority being a black female living in the South. I embrace genuine diversity in YA books.
However, in a book market where the majority of all
Please talk me out of having adding a Nigerian boy from the Czech Republic (Yes, they exist!) trying to rescue his Roma girlfriend or the half-white Australian/Maori girl from New Zealand who is a ruthless and skilled killer. I don't think I'll be able to stop. I have no self control.
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