The level of incivility in the writing world has reached an all-time high. Whether professional or self-appointed, groups who feel they have the right to "police" others are guilty of overreach and, in some instances, outright injury.
Recent examples include numerous authors whose books were targeted by so called "gatekeepers" of the YA community. Even if they had valid points or concerns, their attacks on authors grew vicious and created scorching firestorms of controversy.
1. Amélie Wen Zhao’s debut novel Blood Heir was attacked before it ever hit the shelves. ARC readers decided her depiction of slavery was racially insensitive, despite the fact that she referenced modern day human trafficking and indentured servitude. It wasn't long before people who never read the book took up arms against her. Zhao caved and cancelled the book. After the smoke cleared from rounds of mortar fire from both sides, she decided to go through with the release.
2. Keira Drake’s fantasy novel The Continent was attacked before release due to complaints of racism. Readers objected to the depiction of an enemy tribe they decided was based on Native Americans. They objected to the "white savior" hero. Another group decided her story was based on Japanese culture which they deemed insensitive. Her book eventually got published after a rewrite.
3. Laurie Forest's fantasy novel The Black Witch was deemed bigoted. The main character lives in a caste-based world. She was brought up to be prejudiced. Over the course of the novel she headed off to college and became more "woke," thus taking on the fight for the oppressed. The plot was also labeled another instance of "white savior" syndrome.
4. Kosoko Jackson's young adult novel A Place for Wolves was set during the 1990s Kosovo genocide. His protagonist is a gay American teenager. He was attacked for his Albanian Muslim antagonist and for his choice of setting. Ironically, he was part of the #ownvoices movement that targeted Blood Heir. His book is not currently available.
5. Jonah Winter's The Secret Project is a middle-grade book about the creation of the atom bomb. He was attacked for inaccurate depictions of Native Americans and poor research of the setting of Los Alamos and the experiments in nuclear testing in the area.
6. A Fine Dessert, a children's book authored by Emily Jenkins and illustrated by Sophie Blackall, featured illustrations of smiling slaves which triggered a backlash. The author apologized and donated her advance to "We Need Diverse Books." The illustrator defended her work, stating she could not control the way her illustrations were received. Her intent was not to suggest slavery was in any way acceptable.
7. Wendy S. Swore's A Monster Like Me has been criticized for depictions of Native American tribes in Oregon and their mythology, another instance of lax research. The main character, Sophie, can see ghosts, goblins, trolls, witches, and fairies. She has a hemangioma on her face, a "monster mark." She sees herself as a monster. Is the author saying people with birthmarks are monsters? No.
8. John Boyne's My Brother’s Name Is Jessica was criticized for a non-transgender author writing about a transgender character. The trolling chased him off Twitter.
9. Zoe Marriott's The Hand, the Eye and the Heart received criticism for being set in a a fantasy version of China. Critics suggested that no one should write about China unless they are Chinese. The book appears to have been pulled.
10. Rebel of The Sands by Alwyn Hamilton was criticized for blending misrepresentation of a vaguely Middle Eastern culture with Old American West culture.
Some critics have suggested that white people cannot write people of color, straight people can't write alternative gender or sexuality characters, or settings different from their experience. To suggest authors limit themselves to their own experience and existence is, quite simply, absurd. To suggest Science Fiction and Fantasy writers can't use their imaginations to create unique story worlds is equally ridiculous. Fantasy is not History or Autobiography.
One critic goes so far as to say, if you're straight and white and have written a book about people of color or LGBTQ, you should shelve it so that people of color or LGBTQ authors stand a better chance of having their stories published.
Isn't it racist to assume that a person who appears to be a specific skin color, sexuality, or ethnicity can only write about the assumptions you've made about them? Should any author be shackled in that manner? That suggests there is only one indigenous person experience, one African, Asian, or Arabic experience. It is also ridiculous to assume there is only one historical experience based on the stereotypes presented in history books.
Stories that make you uncomfortable, challenge current thinking, and force you to question your world view are crucial. Does that mean hate speech should be given a free pass? Of course not.
An author should exercise due diligence when writing about a real place and real people, but when it comes to fictional worlds, they are not required to reflect current political correctness. Nor should older novels be revised to reflect the sensitivity of the world we live in today. To suggest authors limit themselves to their own experience and existence is, quite simply, absurd. To suggest Science Fiction and Fantasy writers can't use their imaginations to create unique story worlds is equally ridiculous. Fantasy is not History or Autobiography.
You may not like their story world. It may be a vile place. You may not like the hero. You may not like their stance on topics. Readers have the option of closing the book and moving on to more palatable tales.
It is also important to consider the thematic message. In many classic novels, the hero wakes up to the ugly truth about himself or his world and works to change it. He may not succeed. The ending may suggest there is still work to be done or remark upon our failure to correct mistakes. On thematic topics such as slavery, the author has the right to explore all sides of the argument. Characters can feel justified for supporting it, others will be completely against it, and others can explore the shades of gray in between. That is the purpose of thematic arguments: to bring ideas out into the open and dissect them.
The demographics of the United States are continually shifting. Diversity in publishing and the #ownvoices movement are critical to the process of change. Publishers are finally willing to take a chance on minority authors and books that reflect diversity. Changes in traditional publishing can be glacial. That is one reason independent publishing is a valuable option. Stories that would otherwise dry rot in a drawer can be published and allow readers to decide their merit. Writers won't always get it right. Change is going to be messy and imperfect. A total overhaul will take time.
The writing life is hard enough without battling enemies within the community or being trolled on social media. As writers, we should be able to discuss thematic arguments like adults with grown up words. If you can't be constructive, you shouldn't be part of the conversation. Raging on Twitter is still childish and rude and bullying is still wrong. When the supposed adults are guilty of bad behavior, how can we expect teens to do better?
Further reading on the topic:
Can White Authors Write Characters of Color? by Kristin Nelson has links to several articles that are helpful when crafting characters.
Writing About Race, Ethnicity, Social Class, and Disability article by Hamilton College
Are White Authors Not Allowed To Tell Stories Involving Black Characters? Lorraine Devon Wilke
6 Things White People Can Do to Help Ensure More Writers of Color Get Published
by Kerry Truong
How to Write Protagonists of Colour When You’re White by Justine Larbalestier
Fundamental Errors in Diverse Books by Hannah Heath
6 Pitfalls to Avoid When Writing LGBTQI+ Characters in Teen Fiction Writer's Digest
The Dos and Don’ts of Writing About the Disabled by Nicola Griffith
Guidelines for Writing About People With Disabilities ADA National Network
