“Getting it wrong gracefully”
I want to not only talk about the logistics of writing about folks unlike yourself, especially when coming from a place of privilege compared to the characters you’re telling the story about, but I think it’s also important to talk about how a writer handles the inevitable moment when what you’ve written offends someone else who has lived their life far closer than you to the character you’ve written about. What to say and what not to say, and in the case where you stumble over your brain and get defensive, how to pull yourself back to recover with a sincere apology. I want to say all of these things, but I have no idea how to word it.
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Update: It's been reworded and sent.
“Getting it Wrong Gracefully”
There’s an antiquated idea among the age old writing tips that an author should only write what they know. Stepping outside what is familiar is not impossible, not if you really want to make a difference. In the world of spec fic, authors have the freedom to go beyond what they know to create endless possibilities within their fiction.
The purpose of this discussion is to not only talk about the logistics of writing about folks unlike yourself, but to talk about how a writer handles the inevitable moment when what you’ve written offends someone. What to say and what not to say, and in the case where you stumble over your brain and get defensive, something we all are guilty of at one time or another, how to pull yourself back to recover with a sincere apology.
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moondancerdrake- moondancerdrake
- Moondancer's Hearth
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If I manage to think of any useful wording I'll tell you.
Do you want to moderate a trial run on Flycon?
I'm still deciding on whether I want to/can afford to go this year.