For the past two years or so, I've been planning a series of novels. I have most of the back story and actual plot figured out, but I'm still working on characterization. I'm dealing with a huge cast of characters- around 25 secondary characters and three main characters. All three of them are white.
So, is this a problem? I've noticed that, when writing, I tend to focus more on ethnicity than race. I grew up in an area full of second and third generation immigrants, mostly from Europe and Eastern Europe. It was ethnically, but not racially, diverse. At this point in my life, college is the only time I've spent in a racially diverse environment. As a result, I default to making my character's ethnicity important (eg, one character has a strong Jewish background, which is important to their back story and family history), but I have to be intentional about including other races.
The secondary cast is more diverse, aside from the families of the three main characters. I could possibly change the race of one of the main characters, but I'd have to change some important plot points (though I'm still in the planning phase, so this isn't that big a problem). What do you guys think?
If the story is set in an area like where you grew up, then I don't understand this question. There are lots of all white trios. Ron/Hermione/Harry, frex. If your story is set in the 23rd century and everyone speaks Chinese, but there are no Asians, then it might be problematic.
If you're uncomfortable writing about people from other races, because you haven't spent much time in racially diverse areas, then maybe just get out more. Go to places near where you live where you can interact with people who don't look like you. You're not a kid anymore. You're not confined.
Most of the action is set in the city, which is nothing like where I grew up. I want to have a more diverse cast of characters, but it feels strange to me to be so intentional about it. I may be making mountains out of molehills, or it's possible I've been spending too much time in fandom, which seems to be obsessed with race.
The problem isn't that I'm uncomfortable writing people of different races. I may not live in a very racially diverse area, but I have friends and coworkers of other races; I don't live in a bubble. However, I don't know how I feel about changing a character's race for the sake of diversity (though that wouldn't be the sole reason, the fact that I'm thinking about it and being so intentional makes it feel that way). Do other writer's have to purposefully diversify their cast of characters, or do they naturally include a wide range of races? And do people consider having characters from various ethnicities diverse, or are they more focused on the racial aspect? I'm mostly just curious, and I like to obsess over things, especially when it comes to my writing.
As a non-white North American, I've found myself consciously trying to racially and ethnically diversify my cast of characters too. I think I just tend to default to white characters because the media I'm surrounded by does so predominantly, so I try to purposefully counter that instinct. I don't know that there's one good answer or one good solution for this, but I know I would personally appreciate a racially (and ethnically!) diverse set of main characters.
OTOH, I personally detest it when there are token characters ostensibly there for diversity's sake but are included more as joke fodder and stereotypes. Write them as people, dammit. Big Bang Theory, I'm looking at you. (And I definitely don't mean this is your case, OP. I'm just ranting on a tangent.)
Sorry, I think this answered few to none of your questions. /o\
Nearly all of Western media default to white main characters, that's why it feels intentional for you to do the opposite. It's not bad that it's intentional. As a POC, I find set-ups like what you describe, the main characters all white but background people not, to be increasingly frustrating, and I've been intentionally avoiding them because it just sucks that most writers don't write stories about people who look like me. Nobody aspires to be the background character in RL, you know?
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Question about race, for writers (or readers)
(Anonymous) 2011-08-04 01:22 pm (UTC)(link)So, is this a problem? I've noticed that, when writing, I tend to focus more on ethnicity than race. I grew up in an area full of second and third generation immigrants, mostly from Europe and Eastern Europe. It was ethnically, but not racially, diverse. At this point in my life, college is the only time I've spent in a racially diverse environment. As a result, I default to making my character's ethnicity important (eg, one character has a strong Jewish background, which is important to their back story and family history), but I have to be intentional about including other races.
The secondary cast is more diverse, aside from the families of the three main characters. I could possibly change the race of one of the main characters, but I'd have to change some important plot points (though I'm still in the planning phase, so this isn't that big a problem). What do you guys think?
Re: Question about race, for writers (or readers)
(Anonymous) 2011-08-04 01:58 pm (UTC)(link)If you're uncomfortable writing about people from other races, because you haven't spent much time in racially diverse areas, then maybe just get out more. Go to places near where you live where you can interact with people who don't look like you. You're not a kid anymore. You're not confined.
Re: Question about race, for writers (or readers)
(Anonymous) 2011-08-04 02:54 pm (UTC)(link)The problem isn't that I'm uncomfortable writing people of different races. I may not live in a very racially diverse area, but I have friends and coworkers of other races; I don't live in a bubble. However, I don't know how I feel about changing a character's race for the sake of diversity (though that wouldn't be the sole reason, the fact that I'm thinking about it and being so intentional makes it feel that way). Do other writer's have to purposefully diversify their cast of characters, or do they naturally include a wide range of races? And do people consider having characters from various ethnicities diverse, or are they more focused on the racial aspect? I'm mostly just curious, and I like to obsess over things, especially when it comes to my writing.
Re: Question about race, for writers (or readers)
(Anonymous) 2011-08-04 07:05 pm (UTC)(link)As a non-white North American, I've found myself consciously trying to racially and ethnically diversify my cast of characters too. I think I just tend to default to white characters because the media I'm surrounded by does so predominantly, so I try to purposefully counter that instinct. I don't know that there's one good answer or one good solution for this, but I know I would personally appreciate a racially (and ethnically!) diverse set of main characters.
OTOH, I personally detest it when there are token characters ostensibly there for diversity's sake but are included more as joke fodder and stereotypes. Write them as people, dammit. Big Bang Theory, I'm looking at you. (And I definitely don't mean this is your case, OP. I'm just ranting on a tangent.)
Sorry, I think this answered few to none of your questions. /o\
Re: Question about race, for writers (or readers)
(Anonymous) 2011-08-28 03:50 pm (UTC)(link)Aaaanyway: DO IT.