Indie Publisher Drops Author Over Twitter Dispute Regarding OwnVoices

[zodgory]

Another day of drama on book twitter though the current argument is about who can write what. It all started when writer Alisha Hillam tweeted about how white authors shouldn't write from the POV of non-white characters and should have sensitivity readers. This also goes for cis/het authors writing LGBT+ characters and abled authors writing

Comments

[musicnkisses]

Ask a WOC about her experiences. If you can’t do that then do independent research. I don’t think the solution is to give up and not write/write about two white women instead.

[ms_mmelissa]

Honestly just read more works by women of colour. The more you see the way they do or don't write about race the easier it will be for you.

It also depends which race and nationality you want your character to be. You know like Zadie Smith is very different from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie is different from Tayari Jones even though they are all black women who write contemporary fiction.

Or like another common mistake I see is people writing "Latino" or "indigenous" characters and not specifying their background as if those descriptors are monoliths. If you don't know enough to know that they would have more specific backgrounds (or to know why they WOULDN'T know their specific background) you either need to do more research or leave those characters alone.

[senshicalico]

being just blanket "latino" is so grating. It also annoys me when a character is referred to as "African" like... from where? Not even a generic region like southern, eastern, northern, or western?? Come the fuck on.

[turtleisland]

Both of them sound dumb. Why is every author on Twitter so stupid?

[chocolatebird]

they're always in their feelings / they love drama / they think they're way smarter than they are AND always right

[tsarinakate1]

2 white ladies arguing which type of wokeness is better.

[ohwutevernvm]

Blinkingguy.gif. Loll white people

[chllschse]

White woke people will be the death of us all. No it's not realistic to demand that white authors only write about white people. Just like I wouldn't want a black or other POC author being told they can only write about people who look just like them. White people are tripping over themselves to appear woke and they are only making a bigger mess of things.

[anna_drenxavier]

Wooo what a mess. My understanding of a good role of thumb is precisely Alisha's point: don't write about poc specific experiences from their perspective if you are not a poc. Absolutely still include poc in your work, and strive for those characters to be as rich and nuanced as any character should be. And yes, have sensitivity readers.

[joe_pwnz_pete]

Have sensitivity readers been a thing for a while or only just recently? Current writers should be so thankful.

[anna_drenxavier]

I've only heard of it recently. I'll definitely hire one if I ever finish any of my damn books ugh!

[senshicalico]

I feel like sensitivity readers really grew in the wake of fandom and the internet making it easier to make those connections. So, basically, past ten years.