Pressure to write PoC characters

NathanLyle

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Even though I’m a PoC I’ve never felt like I needed to write PoC. At least not when I’m on my own. I do feel pressure from other people who find it shocking that every single character I create doesn’t have my skin tone. (I get this from Caucasians as well but the question comes up more often when talking with PoC.)

In general I just don’t think about race when creating a character. Unless it actually does affect the story then who gives a *$&@? Since many times there are characters based off myself and people I know there are plenty of PoC throughout my stories but when I create a new character off the top of my head I don’t think about it at all until someone else ask the question. Usually when the question is asked I just say the first thing that comes to mind (often times just saying the ethnicity of whoever I happen to be looking at in that moment.)
 

cool pop

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Just flat out say you want your characters to be white people. LOL! Done. Because we all know when folks say, "I don't specify race in my books" That means the characters are WHITE. Why? Because white is the default and unless you point out that someone is not white readers will automatically think the characters are white. So it's a way of an author getting around the fact that they really don't want to write about POC or other diverse characters for whatever reason. Of course, you can do what you want but I respect those who are honest and straightforward. If you don't wanna write about POCs (even being one yourself) then don't that's your call.

Gotta admit, this seems very weird coming from POC author though. Also, why do folks think creating a POC character means you are thinking about race? So the nurse can't be Asian because automatically if she is Asian then that's just "thinking about race?" Huh? So she can't just be a nurse in the story that's Asian for the hell of it? I have never heard this from a fellow POC author. It's weird. Usually we are the ones championing diversity. I mean if we don't have diversity in our books who will? You don't have to write about POCs if you don't want but just be honest. You don't wanna write about them. Okay, fine. But the "I don't see race" thing? Ugh.

I always found the "I don't think about race" as a cop out when people want an excuse to not write diverse characters or from people tripping over themselves to not seem racist. I don't trust anyone who claims (which I don't believe) they don't see race. It's not possible. There is nothing wrong with seeing race by the way. What's wrong with recognizing someone's race? It's not that POCs don't want you to see our race. We just don't want to be treated a certain way or disregarded because of our race. Most of us are proud of our race and want you to see it. :)

You say you feel pressured to write POC characters. By whom? Sounds like you are feeling guilt more than pressure because who is pressuring you to write about these POC characters? If you don't wanna do it, then don't do it. Who is pressuring you?

I doubt others care what you write about but my only beef is be honest about what you are doing. You know if you don't specify race folks think your characters are white. It seems like you are afraid to just write white characters because you feel you'll be criticized for not writing POC.

Just write and don't worry about what others say.

But I gotta say I have never met a POC author or who has made the statements you have. I mean you are saying that unless James being Hispanic doesn't affect the story he doesn't need to be Hispanic? Really? Really? So POCs should only be included in stories where it's about our race? Wow. I can't.

That's what you said here:
In general I just don’t think about race when creating a character. Unless it actually does affect the story then who gives a *$&@?

You see how offensive that is? Who gives a crap? I DO! Because I am a POC woman and I want to see characters other than straight white people in books, of course. So that's who gives a crap. People who realize the real world is diverse and fiction should somewhat mirror the real world no matter what you write is who care. POC children or whoever who struggle to find books with characters like them are who care. It doesn't mean we only care about POC characters but it's cool to pick up a book where everyone isn't exactly the same and to see someone who is like me or whoever once in a while. It might not be important to your stories, but to literature as a whole and in this day and age, diversity matters.

But again, your philosophy seems to be to hell with POC characters unless the book is based on their race or racial experiences or stuff that focuses on their race. Got it.
 
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cool pop

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I also think you are pouring it on thick. No way in the world people are telling you every character in your books gotta be whatever you are. ROFL! I don't believe that for a second. Someone is going around telling you EVERY character has to be like you? Right. It sounds like something you are just saying. As I said seems to me like the only pressure you're getting is from yourself because you feel guilty for not wanting to write POCs when you are one. And when you say you have POC characters, if you do did you just throw them in there because you felt you'd get criticized for only writing white people? Come on, man. Can see straight through this. JUST BE HONEST! LOL!

I gotta say though as a writer, you don't seem too well read to me if you believe you only need diversity if if fits the plot. If you truly believe that, that's sad. There are TONS of good books out there with diverse characters from writers of all backgrounds where having a diverse character had nothing to do with race, etc. HUGE books such as Hunger Games for example that had a black chick in it and her race wasn't a factor and most readers didn't even realize she was black (how they missed that) before the movie. That's just ONE example. Wow. I'm shocked to hear what you said from anyone but a POC author?

Okay, I'm done because my blood pressure is rising. :tongue

I just don't think you realize how you come across in your post.
 
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Tazlima

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Even though I’m a PoC I’ve never felt like I needed to write PoC. At least not when I’m on my own. I do feel pressure from other people who find it shocking that every single character I create doesn’t have my skin tone. (I get this from Caucasians as well but the question comes up more often when talking with PoC.)

In general I just don’t think about race when creating a character. Unless it actually does affect the story then who gives a *$&@? Since many times there are characters based off myself and people I know there are plenty of PoC throughout my stories but when I create a new character off the top of my head I don’t think about it at all until someone else ask the question. Usually when the question is asked I just say the first thing that comes to mind (often times just saying the ethnicity of whoever I happen to be looking at in that moment.)

Re: the bolded portion - is this accurate or hyperbolic? Are people saying, "OMG, you wrote one white character? That's weird!" or are they saying, "Why aren't there any POC in this story?" The former is stupidity on their part, the latter is a reasonable question.

If race really doesn't matter to you, and, as you yourself have stated, there's no story-based reason for everyone to be a particular race (including white), then randomly assigning different races as you've been doing seems reasonable enough, with maybe the occasional tweak when you feel like one group or other is underrepresented. Personally, on larger projects, I look up the typical ethnic mixture for the place and time where the story is set and try to make my cast reflect those demographics.

What I'd advise against, however, is "just not thinking about it." This is a topic that, IMO, writers SHOULD think about, even if only to decide they're going to ultimately ignore it, because what you don't say, what you don't bother considering, what you don't find worthwhile to pursue,* can say as much or more about you as a writer and a person, than the things you DO say. Silence can be deafening.


*Take it from an atheist. You can and will be judged for things you don't do and/or don't care about. If that's the road you choose, go for it, but be prepared to own that lack of caring and deal with the fallout,
 
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NathanLyle

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To Cool Pop: I never said I WANT my characters to be white.

Maybe I should specify some things. It might not be like this for you but many people in my personal life have been surprised because I’m a black man and I don’t exclusive write black characters. I have multiple stories where the majority of characters are Hispanic because I grew up in a city with a densely Hispanic population so that’s what feels natural to me. Some people are as shocked about that as they are if I write a white or Asian character.

Also, most of the time this only applies to early drafts. When I first think of a character the only thing I think about is: This one’s a girl. She’s 22. Then in future drafts as I flesh it out it’s a game of spin the bottle to decide what race she happens to be. I only go out of my way to write a specific race if I need them to be that for a specific reason. If it makes more sense geographically or historically. Or if I’m telling a specific story about racism.

I think pressure might’ve been the wrong word and I apologize for starting off in this room with such a bad impression. I was purposely vague because I’m still new here and don’t know the rules. Am I allowed to call myself black? I’ve met some black people who hate being called black. I personally hate the term African American. I am definitely of African descent but I am 100% American. Never stepped foot outside this country. If I can be called African American we need to start calling all the white people European American.

In my attempt to not piss people off I seem to have pissed people off. Internet!
 

NathanLyle

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white is the default and unless you point out that someone is not white readers will automatically think the characters are white.


We don’t ALL know that. I’ve never once felt that way. I’ve never once thought about that until you said it. Unless the author specifically says that the main character is white or describes them as having pale skin or something like a blonde mop of hair then every character I read about looks exactly like me. I can understand how a white auther who writes about a typical average teen probably envisioned a white person but if the only thing an author says about a character is that they’re tall dark and handsome I just picture myself, except tall and handsome.

I don’t know if I’m lucky in this way but throughout the majority of my life I never stopped to think about race. It’s only as I get older that it keeps getting pointed out to me more and more. I do understand it has an effect but it’s never the first thought that pops into my head.
 

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You should be able to write whichever characters you are most comfortable writing.

However, I think the reason so many people, and not just white people, default to creating white characters is that whiteness has been presented as the baseline or default norm in most media. White people have no "race," but everyone else does (so the thinking goes). When writers don't mention race in their story, studies have shown that most readers imagine the characters to be white.

https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/white-until-proven-black-imagining-race-in-hunger-games

https://medium.com/feminist-culture...g-for-your-white-as-default-bias-c608745da990

PoC (with few exceptions) have traditionally only been featured as protagonists when the book, movie, TV show etc. was about race specifically. Even when someone is a different race, many don't incorporate it. Most of my friends who read A Wizard of Earthsea envisioned Ged as white, even though it was made clear in the text he wasn't. And OMG, that Hunger Games thing. This is changing, but slowly.

I write fantasy, and with fantasy, of course, your world can look however you want it to. I'm white, but it occurred to me a few years back that there is no reason a fantasy world has to be filled only with (or mostly with) white people. I'm reading an old favorite from many years ago, and I can't help noticing how everyone is white, and moreover, nearly everyone has blond or red hair, or if dark-haired or darker skinned, still have green or blue eyes. I didn't notice this back in the 90s when I first read it.

It's something to think about. I'm white, but when I was a kid I was thrilled on the rare occasion a story's female hero had brown hair and brown eyes, like I do. The implication that people (especially girls and women) who looked like me weren't interesting or attractive enough to be heroes of a story did impact my self esteem. I'm guessing some people have that experience made exponentially worse because of their race rarely, if ever, being represented (or only being represented in narrow, stereotypical ways).

I also know that some gals with brown hair and brown eyes didn't share my feelings, and their brows puckered with confusion when I voiced my concerns. They happily read book after book with heroines who looked nothing like them. We're all different. People should be able to write the kinds of characters they most enjoy writing, but it doesn't hurt to examine one's reasons for feeling the way one does and to understand that other people have reasons for feeling as they do and wondering why you don't tend to write stories where your own race is represented. For many people their race, culture, appearance and identity are important parts of who they are. And one's appearance, race and ethnic background have an impact on one's experiences within Earth-based societies.

I've been told one element of white privilege is that we (white people) can forget our race in a way most others can't.
 
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Cobalt Jade

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Most of my friends who read A Wizard of Earthsea envisioned Ged as white, even though it was made clear in the text he wasn't.

Most of the covers didn't help!
 

Cairo Amani

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Even though I’m a PoC I’ve never felt like I needed to write PoC. At least not when I’m on my own. I do feel pressure from other people who find it shocking that every single character I create doesn’t have my skin tone. (I get this from Caucasians as well but the question comes up more often when talking with PoC.)

In general I just don’t think about race when creating a character. Unless it actually does affect the story then who gives a *$&@? Since many times there are characters based off myself and people I know there are plenty of PoC throughout my stories but when I create a new character off the top of my head I don’t think about it at all until someone else ask the question. Usually when the question is asked I just say the first thing that comes to mind (often times just saying the ethnicity of whoever I happen to be looking at in that moment.)

I think this is a really "good" topic the OP raised. Good as in interesting. I was uncomfortable because I immediately read this as a black person saying it and that's entirely because i'm black and this post is well written in that I can't tell. I'm going to write my response as if this is a black person because I think that's the only time I would ever feel knowledgeable enough to respond or form an opinion.

I don't write ALL black characters but I GREATLY showcase black gay women as the main characters and I do that because I've ALWAYS wanted to see myself in the sorts of stories that go mainstream. It's a privilege to not think about race and to not have that yearning, especially as a nerd.

MANY black people and other people of color (but especially dark skinned people of color) can't go a day without thinking about race (and sometimes gender and sometimes sexuality. the more intersectional you are the rougher your experience is).

All of that being said, we also have to stop holding black people accountable to represent themselves and fight their own oppression. Like if you wanna write white characters because that sells and you want your coin--go get it, honestly, and I mean this especially for black folks. Get what you've been robbed of.

I wouldn't tell another black person that they HAVE to write black characters. I would--however--wanna know what sort of life they were lucky enough to lead to not see race and what life is like not feeling that absence in all your favorite movies, shows and books.

This is a level of carefree I probably won't ever have.

It's hurtful as a person who experiences that absence hear "Who gives a shit?" Bruh, Me my whole life. Tons of little brown kids whose eyes light up at princess tiana or Domino in Deadpool. The tons of people who race-swap harry potter characters. Representation definitely matters.

You have to acknowledge you're lucky to not feel this kind of weight.

That being said, unless you've said something offensive no one should come at you for writing what you write. But if they're upset, it's because they're hurting. It's a cry for help. They just want to be seen.
 
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veinglory

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In a contemporary setting, the world sees race and characters experience it. Just as they experience age, gender, socio-economics, personality, height and weight etc. So either the author assigns it or the reader assigns it. I, personally, prefer to determine this aspect of my characters rather than leave it to each readers presumptions or stereotypes. Whether you choose to make the characters PoC or not is a separate issue.
 

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Firstly, Cool Pop, rather than immediately going for the throat anytime someone says something you don’t agree with maybe you should consider asking follow up questions. I feel like you’re answering questions I didn’t actually ask. Most of this is my fault for the way I phrased it but I’m new both to the forum and to writing in general. I posted this not even 100% sure what I was asking. Now that I’ve had a few hours to stew and read your responses I feel I can verbalize my feelings better.

What I’m feeling isn’t necessarily pressure as much as it is expectations. (Though technically expectations beget pressure.) No one is forcing me to write exclusively black characters. However, from time to time there are still people who seem genuinely surprised by the fact that the black man doesn’t exclusive write “black stories” full of black characters. When I stopped to think about why this upsets me I realize it stems from middle school.

In elementary school I grew up in a two story house in the suburbs. I spent most of my life being the only black guy in the room. I just got used to it. I accepted that this was life. So it didn’t really upset me that there was only ever one black guy on each TV show. The only time it bothered me were those occasions when we’d be playing power rangers and I was told I couldn’t be the green ranger. I was only allowed to be the black ranger. I didn’t go home and cry because the kids were mean to me. I just stopped hanging out with those *@#$!?%^& and found some friends who would let me be the red and green ranger.

When I went to middle school I suddenly went from a suburban world where I watched 7th Heaven and listened to backstreet boys and ended up in a trailer park where everyone grew up watching Menace II society and listening to Tupac. I spent the next 6 years having people tell me that I’m the whitest black guy they’ve ever met. It upsets me that there are so many people who look at race as a lifestyle or personality type. That’s why it bothers me when someone looks at me and appears to assume that a black guy is always going to write black characters. Their reactions aren’t generally angry as much as they are “oh? Really?”

This all happened because I was talking over a new story with a friend and he was bugging me about how I needed to figure out what the character looked like. Hair color. Eye color. Skin color. I don’t even know if I want the main character to be 16 or 22. She was originally a highly sexualized 27 year old. In the second draft I made her a teenager. In the third draft I gender swapped every single character in the story. I still have no idea where this story is going. Physical appearance is not on my mind right now. When I’m writing I legitimately don’t care about race. I’m just trying to create a loveable character. When I’m done with that then I’ll pull out a piece of paper with the letters W, B, A and H written in each corner. I’ll just spin a pen and the letter it points at is what the character becomes.
 

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From what you've said so far about your story, I get the impression that the setting is contemporary or close to, maybe parallel.

If that is true, your characters' ethnicities will impact every aspect of your story: their background, culture, beliefs, experiences, etc., will inform their decisions and outlook on life, how they react to things, what they consider important, and where they draw the line, and so on.

So, I don't recommend ignoring ethnicity entirely when writing the first draft. Would suggest at least keeping that information in the back of your mind so that it filters through into the story as you write it.


Examples of Ethnicity's Impact on a Story:

If your character is rural Mainland Chinese, they're going to be typically wandering around in awe and acting like they do at home anywhere in the world. They're also going to be arrogant and pseudo-posh, because they're the new rich. And they're going to be basically very rough in terms of mannerisms, beliefs and social etiquette because previously they've never seen the outside world and have no clue how to act in a more internationally accepted way. If this character goes to a major city, like Shanghai, it'll be obvious "country bumpkin with money". If they end up in say London, reactions are likely to be, "My word, what a rude and uncouth person!" (even though London is more multi-racial now than it was ever previously).

However, if your character is Hong Kong Chinese, they're going to be quite superficial on a first meeting but all about face and politeness and non-confrontation as well as curious. But, they will respect the international etiquette because of the international exposure of the city. If they're in say Beijing, reactions may include, "Huh, a Hongkonger. What do they know about being real Chinese?" and "A Hongkonger, huh? Excellent target! Bet they don't even know Beijingese [which is not Mandarin], so total mark!" In London, the reaction could be, "Oh, Hongkonger" if the observer knows the difference between one and a Mainlander.

On the other hand, if your character is x-born Chinese, and they grew up as a minority (as opposed to a majority), their worldview is going to be very much influenced by the racism, bigotry, discrimination, and ostracisation that comes with being part of two cultures and neither. This regardless of whether they speak their native language or not. In HK, the reaction is usually, "Wow! Cool, you grew up in x country, but you're so fluent in Chinese [Cantonese]! Wow!". In Shenzhen, "Hahahahahah! Not Chinese at all, and can't even say a word in Mandarin. Fleece now!"
 

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I grew up in a small military town where income disparity was at a minimum and the population was approximately equal parts black, white, and hispanic. Everybody attended the same big high school. Never, not once during my entire childhood, did I hear anyone use racial slurs in casual conversation (except the year I lived in Hawaii and was constantly called haole and beaten daily, but that's another story). When I went to college in Virginia and encountered people who DID speak demeaningly of other races, I was astonished. I really and truly thought things like racism and segregation had been sorted out and were things of the past.

I was dead wrong.

You know how when you get a new car, you suddenly realize just how many other people have the same car? Like, you go out to the parking lot and you're like, "Holy crap! Every fifth vehicle is a Honda Accord! How did I never notice this before?"

The Accords were always there, of course. They just weren't part of my world, so I never paid them much attention. Once you notice them, though, you can't unsee how widespread they are.

For me, the lack of diversity in entertainment was like that. Growing up, it was just "the way things are." I never noticed it, because I hadn't trained my eye to spot it. I'm a woman, but it never occurred to me to ask myself why women didn't get more lead roles, or more roles period. Why countless "group of friends" stories had no female characters at all, and when they DID have them, there was often only one, and her entire character was "the girl," or even worse "the girlfriend," her entire character's identity tied up into her relationship to a male character. You'd think I would have noticed, but it slipped completely under my radar - until I realized it was happening. Then, suddenly, when I knew what to look for, I could see it everywhere, a magic-eye poster of institutionalized sexism (and racism, and a lot of other social issues I naïvely grew up thinking of as "things of the past that have now been fixed.") And once you see it, you can't unsee it.
 
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NathanLyle

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I notice it. But for some reason I find it hard to care. I know I should, but I don't. I really couldn't tell you why. I've just always kind of had that mentality of "just because someone is trying to marginalize me doesn't mean that I have to feel marginalized." Whenever a kid at school told me I couldn't be superman because superman isn't black I didn't think twice about it. I just called him lex Luther and punched him in the face.

The story I'm working on now is medieval parallel world fantasy about an ousted Prince who only survives thanks to the help of a peasant. An hour ago I made the decision to make the peasant character black which led to the decision to give her a background of born into slavery and ran away as a teenager. Now she's this badass Xena character who becomes a mother figure for the young (former) prince. Thinking of making him a Latin Prince. The dragon is still red. The orcs are still green.
 

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I notice it. But for some reason I find it hard to care. I know I should, but I don't. I really couldn't tell you why. I've just always kind of had that mentality of "just because someone is trying to marginalize me doesn't mean that I have to feel marginalized."

Admirable self-confidence, but I suspect you’re unusual in that regard?

You should write what you want to write. It will or won’t connect with readers. People will always have advice about what you should do differently. Let them write their own books.
 

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Tone is a bit dismissive?

Sorry, I really didn't intend to dismiss your eloquent response to the OP, or that of any others.

My current WIP has a protagonist who is a woman of mixed native American / Chinese / Russian descent, because that's what the story wants. As you say, it informs the story, and how she reacts to things.

I have no idea what the OP writes, but I'll take them at their word that their writing works for them as is, and just wanted to encourage them in that regard.
 

Polenth

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Your own experiences show how your race changed your experiences. You wouldn't have the same things happen and the same responses if you were white. You couldn't take what you've written here, swap white and black, and have it still make sense. That's the issue with saying you don't care about the race of characters and assign it randomly at the end. It does make a difference. Not showing those differences can lead to characters who don't ring true. It can also lead to promoting harmful stereotypes, because if you're not thinking about it, you're not trying to avoid it.

For example, I'd find it unbelievable if someone who looked like me never had issues flying, as I've been "randomly" searched the majority of times I've flown. A story wouldn't have to be about this, but if the character flew, I'd expect some mention. Even if it's just relief to have gotten through without being searched this time. There would also be issues if it just so happened that you randomly made the terrorists who hijack a plane look like me. You might have picked it out of a hat, but it doesn't change the impact.

Even if you have a story where that isn't the case, because you've built a world without that prejudice, you need to think through the implications of that. It's not something that can be stuffed in after the story is written. You also need to consider that the world reading it still has those prejudices, so there will still be implications if all terrorists look a certain way, even if the characters don't make a thing of it.

That said, there is pressure for people who are non-white/POC to write about characters of the same race, so I get part of where you're coming from. I've not had people say it to me directly, but I've had issues with a lot of my stories being ignored because they're not ownvoices. I think we should be supporting marginalised people writing what they want, whether it's ownvoices or not. However, that isn't a free pass to write whatever and not care who it hurts and not have any consequences for that, which is something you can end up straying into with your current approach. You can write about people of any race you like, but it pays to think through what that means.

I'd caution that having grown a thick skin to survive the world is not the same as not actually caring. It bothered you enough to ask and want to justify what you were doing. It bothered you enough that you hit the person who said you couldn't be Superman. The point being that I suspect you're not avoiding the issues because you genuinely don't care, but because you care enough that it's painful to tackle. I'm not going to say that anyone has to tackle things that hurt them, but it's good to at least think about it enough to avoid causing harm to others in the process. As long as you do that, knock yourself out and write whatever.
 

Roxxsmom

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Most of the covers didn't help!

Or they hid his race entirely, like this particularly awful one (I don't recall Ged ever wearing tights either). Many didn't have a human figure on the cover at all.

Whitewashing characters who are PoC on book covers is still a thing, sadly.

I think there are different approaches one can take to race diversity in novels. One is to have race be really secondary to the story (or to have race be perceived very differently in a speculative world). In this case, why not have a diverse cast, though the differences may be just in appearance, or the correlation between race and culture could be entirely different than in our world. The challenge is that it can be seen as minimizing something that is a part of our world.

The other is to have the character's race and experience as a member of that group be integral to who they are. I think this is going to be more realistic in a story set in our world. It's hard to imagine a situation where one's race and cultural background have no effect on who they are or on the way they are treated etc. at all, even if they've made an effort to fight it, deny it or to ignore it.

The challenge with writing these kinds of stories as a non PoC is that it can be hard to fully internalize what it's like to experience our society as a member of a group that is still marginalized or treated as an outsider because of skin color or ethnic background. I don't think this means we shouldn't try, but it's important to approach it with humility, a willingness to do research, and to accept feedback.
 
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Albedo

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Or they hid his race entirely, like this particularly awful one (I don't recall Ged ever wearing tights either). Many didn't have a human figure on the cover at all.

Whitewashing characters who are PoC on book covers is still a thing, sadly.
Hahahaha. It's the adventures of Harry the Half-a-Bird in King Arthur's Court! That's ... not how I picture that book somehow.

I think there are different approaches one can take to race diversity in novels. One is to have race be really secondary to the story (or to have race be perceived very differently in a speculative world). In this case, why not have a diverse cast, though the differences may be just in appearance, or the correlation between race and culture could be entirely different than in our world. The challenge is that it can be seen as minimizing something that is a part of our world.

The other is to have the character's race and experience as a member of that group be integral to who they are. I think this is going to be more realistic in a story set in our world. It's hard to imagine a situation where one's race and cultural background have no effect on who they are or on the way they are treated etc. at all, even if they've made an effort to fight it, deny it or to ignore it.

The challenge with writing these kinds of stories as a non PoC is that it can be hard to fully internalize what it's like to experience our society as a member of a group that is still marginalized or treated as an outsider because of skin color or ethnic background. I don't think this means we shouldn't try, but it's important to approach it with humility, a willingness to do research, and to accept feedback.
Good post. When I'm writing far future stuff, I'm sometimes flummoxed as to how to make it clear that characters are PoC, other than bare descriptions of skin colour, when they all have made up names and an invented culture, anyway. Vernor Vinge gives all his characters in A Deepness in the Sky Vietnamese and Chinese-derived names, but other than that there's nothing about his space opera culture that seems particularly like those cultures (to me as a white reader reading a book by a white guy), as opposed to 'archetypal space traders'.

but then, I find it challenging to build a convincing far future culture full stop, when so much of what we take for granted about the world (Western capitalism, the importance of corporations, individualism, etc etc) are historical flashes in the pan.
 

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I don't think you should feel pressured to do anything you don't want to do -- being PoC does not change that.

With that being said, if you're people are by default Hispanic, it doesn't hurt to ask yourself why. There's the clear reason: you were raised in a Hispanic town. How would things change in your story if someone was a female instead of male? Another race instead of Hispanic? Had a disability? Had a mental illness? Was old instead of young? A 65-year-old Hispanic woman who suffers with depression after the war took her children and her leg is a very different person than a 13-year-old hot-tempered Indian boy who is blind, and despite what anyone says, these differences enhance the character, their struggles, and their stories. I'm not saying everything has to be extreme in every facet. Just something to chew over. If it doesn't work, don't make it. Go write your story.