Should You Write Cultures That Are Not Your Own? by Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer
Today we welcome a new guest writer to Writer’s Fun Zone, Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer who is stopping by to chat with us about “Should You Write Cultures That Are Not Your Own?” Enjoy!
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A controversial question in the author community is: Are you allowed to write about cultures that are not your own?
I’m breaking this down from my viewpoint as a Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma tribal member, and as someone who has interviewed and written stories of people from dozens of tribes across North America, Alaska, and Hawai’i.
I’ve also written and published 17 historical fiction books featuring several American Indian tribes.
To answer this tough question, we’re going to look at the Mind of the Writer, the Responsibility of the Writer, and the Role of the Writer.
The Mind of the Writer
When I watch movies like Miss Potter and The Man Who Invented Christmas with non-writer family and friends, I overhear comments like, “Is she mentally ill?” or “Is he hallucinating?”
And I just laugh and laugh.
Authors have unique gifts. We see people who aren’t there, or people who are, but we see them inside our story as fresh characters. We know we will “do wonderful things together.”
We hear snippets of conversation, or an unusual name, or a headline that has us whipping out our phones and jotting down ideas before they are lost to time.
That snippet will find its way into a story someday, we know.
There are also experiences in our relationships, our careers, and our childhood memories that niggle in the back of our minds and beg for their place in a story.
Then there are the cultures we encounter personally or through a story.
Sometimes these cultures are virgin ground for us or feel that way if our only encounter with them is through popular media.
Whichever the case, at some point, cultures not our own find themselves at the doorstep of our imaginations and we want to include them in our stories.
You envision the role this culture can play in your story, and how including it would educate and inspire your reader, all while offering an entertaining story.
Now, we know that to write a character well we must get inside the character. They become a part of us and go where we go, like Peter Rabbit with Miss Potter, and Scrooge with Charles Dickens.
But writing about people who you have no first-hand knowledge of, and even a culture that has had much taken from them, is different than writing rabbits in the garden or Christmas ghosts.
Yet I believe that you, as a writer gifted with a vibrant imagination and a special sense of empathy, can still do it.
Think about it–in every writing session, we become something we are not.
Because if we write only our own experiences, ethnicity, and beliefs, how can we deliver well-rounded, entertaining, thought-provoking, earth-shaking, keep-you-up-all-night stories?
Our minds are capable of more than writing our own experiences. But with that capability, comes responsibility to handle those stories with care.
The Responsibility of the Writer
No matter the genre, you face having to do your research. Research is the bedrock of creating a well-received story.
But how much research do you need to conduct when writing about a culture not your own? And how do you do it?
My top advice is to make friends in that culture. Build relationships with people first rather than jumping right into, “Hey, I’m writing a novel, can I ask all about your people, culture, and history?”
You need to gather insights first, otherwise, you will likely find the people guarded because they don’t know you or how you intend to use the raw information and stories they share with you.
Get to know them and the work they’ve done in their own culture, such as a historian who has written articles on the topic, or simply an elder who has lived it. Explain the work you are doing, why you chose to include their culture in your story, and ask specific questions to show you’ve done your homework.
This is wiser than broad-stroke questions they aren’t sure how to answer (or they aren’t sure they trust you with the answer). Then ask follow-up questions. Be prepared to pivot if they reveal something that just challenged an aspect you thought you understood about their culture.
If you build trusting relationships, you may open a door to ask for your connection to read your manuscript for fact-checking. (This is the route I recommend vs. hiring a sensitivity reader.)
If they offer positive feedback, consider asking for an endorsement. Put that on your sales page or your back cover blurb.
Again, this isn’t a simple task. It’s doable in most cases, but you may run into roadblocks that keep you from getting there.
Lean hard into your research and have a discerning eye during it to distinguish between stereotypes and true history and culture.
While you’re avoiding stereotypes, also look beyond modern trends and narratives. There’s something deeper, richer, and truer that you can only discover when you learn to look at a history and culture from the past, the present, and the future.
Whether they play a major or minor role in your story, great care should go into creating your characters from other cultures.
And that begins with research.
It is our responsibility as writers to get this history and culture right, to the best of our abilities.
Do the work. It will show and can lead you to play your role in the world.
The Role of the Writer
Writers were gifted with one of the most influential talents on the planet: the ability to change and shape the world with words.
We have a role to play when it comes to writing about other cultures. Often stereotyped or eliminated from popular fiction, you have an opportunity to bring authentic cultures to your audience.
Think about it–if you are someone’s favorite author, your story may be the only one they read that features accurate portrayals of that culture.
How incredible is that?
Yet all of this might feel like a heavy burden. If it is, take heart.
And take a look at me.
I’ve made mistakes along the way in writing stories about my own people. Thankfully, I had the input I needed before those mistakes made it to the public.
Those experiences drive me when I’m researching, writing, researching, editing, and did I say, researching?
As writers, our role is to have conversations with imaginary people, go hard at our research, and be a bridge between the unknown and the reader.
We writers have a vital role to play in the world. Let’s commit to doing it well.
Take Heart
This is a tough topic not often addressed in a hopeful way.
But my hope is to balance real truths while encouraging you to take heart in your writing journey.
Now, if the “other” culture and people group you want to write about is Native Americans, I created a course called Fiction Writing: American Indians to help guide you through.
In it, I equip you with:
- Insight to write quality, authentic stories.
- Practical approaches to researching Native cultures.
- Answers to hard questions.
You can become confident in including Native characters in your stories.
Visit fictioncourses.com/americanindians to learn more.
Editor’s note: We have a special offer for you, readers of WFZ. Sarah has graciously agreed to give you a discount off her course when you use this link.
There, you can also download a free copy of my ebook, “5 Stereotypes to Avoid When Writing about Native Americans.”
Questions? Drop them in the comments below or contact me directly through my site.
Chi pisa la chike, my fellow author. I will see you again soon.
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About the Author
Sarah Elisabeth Sawyer is an author and writing instructor who takes authors struggling to master the tools and knowledge of their author journey and helps them become confident in writing their books.
She has been featured on Joanna Penn’s The Creative Penn podcast, Jane Friedman’s blog, Writer’s Digest magazine, and more. She’s published 19 books, 11 of which she wrote solely by dictation. Sarah is also host of The Confident Fiction Author podcast which empowers authors to live their best creative lifestyle.
As a tribal member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, her signature course, Fiction Writing: American Indians, is equipping authors to write authentic stories that honor Native American history and culture. Her Fictation™ Digital Course takes authors through the exact process of mastering dictation to write fiction.
Discover more at www.fictioncourses.com
Listen to The Confident Fiction Author podcast on your favorite podcast app, or at: https://www.fictioncourses.com/blog
You can purchase my books from all the major retail outlets, or directly from me at: https://www.choctawspirit.com/shop/books
You’ll find my author Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/SarahElisabethSawyer
