Lover of words. Lover of Fiction.
Querying Literary Agents is a terrifying part of the traditional publishing process–or at least it is for me. As of writing this, I am still in and out of the trenches, but I know a lot more about the querying world than I had at …
Hey Everyone! While, I don’t have as many followers on this blog as I do Comfy Girl with Curls, it just seemed right for this post to live here. (Okay, that made this blog post sound super epic, but it really isn’t, it’s just a …
This year has been a big year for me. I have been actively working towards completing *final* edits on my Young Adult Fantasy novel, with plans for querying it in the near future. With this, has come a new found confidence in discussing my work. Before, my novel was a sort of dirty little secret, that only a select few knew about. Now, in a way to hold myself accountable, I have been sharing my project goals with more people in my life.
I have discovered, however, that when discussing my WIP, I have frequently been met with some variation of the following questions: “why YA fantasy?”, “do you write anything other than YA fantasy?” or “what do you think you’ll write after your YA fantasy novel is done?”. I don’t know if it’s the intention, but I usually feel like the insinuation is that I should be writing something other than what I’m writing. I think this could be due to people’s perception of YA fiction, the world’s current political climate, or maybe by how opinionated I am (in my personal life) on a great number of subjects.
Let me just say, I get it. I can understand why people might think I should be using my voice to provide commentary on the world around us, or to be showcasing my unique experiences. I am a great supporter of people creating fiction inspired by their lives, and of biting memoirs, and of raw emotional poetry. I am not saying I won’t and don’t write any of the above, just that there’s a reason why I love working on what I’m currently working on.
I’ll be honest with you. I’m not particularly worried about the general public knowing my name. I know back in the day, when the internet was a younger, more mystifying thing, people were especially paranoid about having their name out on interwebs. In fact, even …
As many writers do, I prefer pencil on paper to fingers on keys–especially in those early stages of raw creativity. There’s just something special about hand movements connecting with train of thought. So naturally, my notebooks are my pride and joy. Each time I get …
Is your novel problematic?
Dear fellow writer,
I hate to be the one to tell you this, but yes, your novel is problematic.
I mean, it probably is–I haven’t read it yet. But still, I feel relatively confident saying that it perpetuates *blank*, it contributes to *blank*, it trivializes *blank*, and maybe even stereotypes *X, Y, and Z*.
It is nearly impossible to have a full length novel that isn’t seen as problematic to someone in some way. So guess what? If you want to write, you’re going to have to get used to people being unhappy with your work.
Okay, before anyone starts arguing with me, hear me out.
There are so many big and valid issues in this world. You turn on the news, and you see hate mongering and xenophobia. You peruse the world wide web, and you find heartbreaking and frustrating stories of inequality. You see misunderstandings and misrepresentations everywhere of “the other”, and “the other” comes in so many forms.
Take the topic of race, ethnicity, sexuality, mental illness, or physical disability, (and of course, this list isn’t exhaustive). Search online, and you can find a discussion on any of these subjects, and the problematic ways that they are portrayed in literature.
Yes, you should read these discussions. Yes, you should do the necessary research to create your work. This is especially true when you are writing someone else’s story (i.e. writing about an ethnicity, or a culture that is different from your own). If you don’t, you risk harmfully perpetuating a narrative against an already marginalized group.
What I’m saying you shouldn’t do, is get lost in the comment section of the aforementioned discussions, or sink too deeply into the forums. You will start to notice something if you do. You will notice that no matter what one person says, there will always be someone who (often aggressively) disagrees—and no, the person with a difference of opinion is not always the “cis-gendered, heterosexual, able-bodied, Caucasian male”. Two gay men will differ on what they believe is offensive. Two black women will disagree on how they want to be depicted in media. Just because two people share a descriptor, doesn’t mean they share the same experiences.
Yes, if you want to avoid offending someone, there are some near-universal “don’ts” to consider, but if you try to fit every person’s suggestion into your manuscript, you will lose your mind. Even if your actual characters are well rounded, complex creatures, you may then face the criticism of “how many” diverse characters you have in your novel. With the number of ethnicities on this planet, you can never include all of them.
Okay. What if you have mastered the perfect balance of diversity in your novel, and have managed to please every person you have portrayed? First of all, if this is you, I’m on my knees, kissing your shoes. Second, if this is you, then you should consider the slightly less politicized, but equally argued issues in your novel. You may have issues where your characters are perpetuating things like gender norms, or normalizing toxic relationship expectations. Does your MMC always have to save your FMC? Does your FMC love your super hot MMC who displays what would normally be considered abusive behaviour?
If we wanted to list all the things that could potentially be wrong with your novel, we would be here all day and night. And please, I do not mean this personally. What I am trying to get at, is that if you try to mold your story to fit everyone’s expectations, you will become paralyzed by the feat. You may think, “I can’t have a single instant where my black female is upset, or she’ll be labeled an ‘angry black woman,” or “my MMC can’t save the day, because then my FMC won’t be considered strong,” and you’ll never end up writing a single word.
There will always be someone to find a flaw in your work, or a flaw in you personally (yes, I know both feel like the same thing). There are billions of people in this world, and that means billions of opinions. Someone will always find something “problematic” in your writing.
The key is to think of your character’s stories, and of their environment. WHY are they doing what they are doing? Is it because of their experiences and their choices, or simply because they are fulfilling a stereotype? WHY is the cast all one-race? Is it because of their environment, or because it was “easier” or your personal perspective caused you to make it so? These questions will help to challenge writers in their storytelling, and will help to avoid trying to please people for the sake of it.
What do you think? Can a novel ever truly be non-problematic? Can you please everyone? Discuss in the comments!