Somewhere in here is a valuable conversation...

[jimhines]

Can someone please tell me what Racefail 2009 is really about?*

I mean, I've read some of the posts, as well as pats_quinade's wonderfully biting write-up. I saw Elizabeth Bear's original response to a critique of her work, which I think was one of the starting points to this whole thing, and I very much respect the way she tried to handle it. I've seen the

Comments

[jimhines]

"As a writer, I try to understand the other. And I know there's a good chance I'll likely get it wrong. But it's worth the shot and better than avoiding the effort because I'm afraid of getting it wrong."

I have an unpublished book where I got it wrong, and I'm incredibly grateful that one never saw the light of day. I think I've become a much better writer since then, and part of that means becoming more aware of my own ignorance as a person and as a writer. But I know I still make mistakes. I made some with one of the characters in Stepsister Scheme, and people have called me on it. They were right to do so. Some of those issues were a deliberate choice, and some were out of ignorance.

I'm still glad I wrote the character. I think I did a lot of things right with her, too. Either way, that book is done. All I can do now is try to do better with the next.

[rosefox]

Thank you for taking that criticism the way you did, by the way. I really appreciate it.

[jimhines]

Thank *you* for having the courage to tell me. That sort of thing is always a risk, and I really appreciate it right back at you :-)

whoops

[livia_llewellyn]

Er, sorry! I don't know how I ended up commenting on your comment.

a little late to the conversation....

[biomekanic]

the prof I had for Poetry 101 back in my college days was African American and was assigned to teach the African American lit class because he was African American.

Much to his annoyance as he was a Shakespearean scholar. His feelings on the issue was that they'd better eventually get him a Shakespeare class to teach or he'd walk.

Re: a little late to the conversation....

[opheliastorn]

Did he get it in the end?

(I hope so, because I'm getting to the level of university where most of my papers are on my lecturers' baby subjects, and my god is it just that bit more awesome to be taught by someone who is super-excited by the subject!)

Re: a little late to the conversation....

[biomekanic]

I don't know, we haven't talked in about 20 years.

I hope he did, he was a great prof.