Diversity in Books

Taking a minute to get back onto my blog. I’ve been super busy, guys! The days fly by and I’ve used every minute of free time I can get to write. So, these few precious moments will be devoted to something near and dear to my heart. I thought it would be good to discuss the #WeNeedDiverseBooks feed on twitter. This movement is super important for the industry at all levels:

For Readers- Everyone deserves to feel like they can be the hero of a story. They shouldn’t have to only read about straight, white men all the time. By having the option to read about diverse settings and characters, people can not only feel empowered to be who they are but also empowered to learn about people different from themselves.

For Writers- No writer should worry they can’t write a certain story or a specific character. When writers feel free to write something they are passionate about because of the plot, the characters or theme, that passion will translate to the page. Books won’t just be books. They’ll be living stories. And a writer that can contribute something real and meaningful to the pantheon of novels is a happy writer.

For Publishers- The world is filled with unique people with differing lives. Any hesitation about publishing diverse topics or characters will negatively affect everyone involved. Agents, editors, writers, and readers. Society won’t grow by reading the same stuff. And there shouldn’t be a stigma attached to supporting something that’s viewed as different. Different is good. Without different, there are no stories. Just one story. And frankly, that’s boring.

I think we can all agree diversity is a great thing for books. Something we need. Something we should support from every level of publishing. And I believe we do. With that said, I also believe we should be cautious in this pursuit.

I’m not saying we shouldn’t have diverse books, we should. But why can’t they just be books? Not diverse books. Black books. Gay books. Disabled books. Why not just books? I’ve never been a fan of labels and while this campaign brings a great deal of attention to the necessity for diverse stories, I worry it puts too much emphasis on our differences and not our similarities.

As a reader and a writer I want to enjoy a good story. I don’t care who the main characters are or where they’re from. I just don’t. If its good, its good.

I want to pick up a book and be amazed at the story. The twists and turns. How the world-building drew me in. In awe of how everything came together, regardless of the fact that the main character is a deaf, black lesbian or an asian male in Tokyo. The story should be what inspires me. I should see some part of me, even if small, in the character, no matter how similar or different they are from me.

I want to write a book and have people enjoy the journey of my characters. To relate to them as people, laugh and cry with them, and root for them to succeed. I want readers to be happy with the love story and maybe a little unhappy, too. Not focus on the fact that my main character was bipolar, or that she was in a F-F-F love triangle, or born without lower legs.

My latest story features a cast of people of color. But I didn’t say that in the query. I honestly never thought of saying it. Maybe that was wrong of me. Maybe I should have pointed that out. But that was never my intention. Their story was about who they were as people, the struggles they faced and how they overcame them. It wasn’t about them being latino, or black or mixed race.

Yes, I know people seek out specific storylines with specific characters. And I believe that’s why no writer should be afraid to write them–so that no reader is afraid to read them. But I also want books to be about the story. The character’s journey. Their growth as a person and what they do to shape the world around them. Not what labels society chooses to define them by.

#WeNeedDiverseBook is certainly something I can get behind. I hope it encourages writers to write these stories and for more readers to pick up something new. What’s more important to me is the fact that we need to ask for them at all.