The Bootcamp Mentors have hosted many workshops over the years, and we have included them all in this book. Consider this another ongoing resource from your friends here at BCM.
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The world is diverse, and readers want to see that diversity in the stories they read. This could be racial and ethnic diversity, as well as socioeconomic status, religious beliefs, sexual orientation, gender identity, and varying levels of disability. Not only does it push us to tell unique stories with varied casts, it means more people will see their own experiences reflected in their favorite novels. That's not to say writing diverse characters is always easy, and many well-meaning authors can do more harm than good if they aren't careful. We're here to help you explore the process of including diverse characters in your stories and do it mindfully.
WRITING CHARACTERS WHO DON'T LOOK OR LIVE LIKE YOU
Read and research - Read the stories that feature the types of diverse characters you want to write about, as well as the communities in which they live. And not just fiction stories, read up on the history of these communities, be they ethnic, racial, or religious. This is your character research, and it will allow you to write lifelike, multi-dimensional characters.
Remove limitations - We want to create realistic characters, but in doing so, we don't want to limit who our characters can be. A character of the Muslim faith can be an opera singer, and a person with a disability can be a brilliant athlete. Storytellers have the opportunity to impact the world in a positive way, creating an uplifting representation of that group for others to learn from. And they can do this by simply including diverse characters who aren't limited by their particular identity.
Consider their world - If your diverse characters live in a world that treats them poorly or restricts what they can say and do because of who they are, they will travel a harder path to achieve their goals, and their life will be different because of it. Don't forget the external forces that affect your diverse characters when taking them through their journey.
Describe them thoughtfully - Create realistically diverse characters through subtle yet clear descriptions. While some authors take the route of keeping their characters' identities vague, readers appreciate character descriptions they can easily recognize. When you leave race and ethnicity open to interpretation, you reduce the power of your diverse character's story. This doesn't mean stereotyping, nor does it mean reminding the reader about a singular part of a character's identity, like the color of their skin. Simply mention these characteristics when they come up organically, and trust that your readers will register and remember them.
Leave food out of it - Don't use food to describe your character's race. That means don't compare your Black character's skin to cocoa, nor your Indian character's to coffee or caramel. Many BIPOC communities find it fetishizing and dehumanizing. Instead, try basic and complex colors, undertones or nature. For example: "She was tall and slim, her skin a smooth, sandy complexion."
Know the difference between race and ethnicity - Take the time to explore your character's background before you write their story. Race is usually associated with biology and linked with physical characteristics, such as hair texture or skin color. Yet people of similar complexions can be defined as different races. Ethnicity is a broader term than race, and is used to categorize groups of people according to their cultural expression and identification. For example: just because a person's race is Black doesn't mean they're automatically African-American. They could be Hispanic (i.e., Dominican or Cuban). Or someone may say their race is White but their ethnicity is Irish.
Name them appropriately - If you are creating a character from a particular ethnic background, be sure to take care when naming them. One way to do this is by using a name generator with designated settings for names in different languages. You can also look up common baby names in a particular region or language, or simply ask people you know.
Avoid white savior narratives - Do not fall into the white savior trope trap where a white protagonist steps in to help (or save) the BIPOC character. This suggests that your BIPOC character could not have achieved their goals without a white person's influence. The same applies when writing about other diverse characters, such as transgender or persons with disabilities. If you find yourself doing this, dig deeper and re-evaluate the message of your story.
Be wary of tokenizing them - Imagine a story by a white author who writes a black protagonist as a wealthy woman with an extravagant life and privileged childhood to dispel the idea that all black people are poor and downtrodden. All this does is pour a black woman into a white woman's narrative to make a political point. Your diverse character doesn't need a political or social reason to exist in your story. This character is a reflection of a whole and complex person, just like you, and you have to flesh them out as whole characters beyond your view of their plight.
SENSITIVITY READERS
When writing about diverse groups of people and their experiences, having a sensitivity reader is a must if you do not personally identify with that group. These are not beta readers, these are people who have actually lived through the experiences you're writing about. Readers who share the race and background of your character can give you the insight you can't know, no matter how much research you do. They will provide relevant and useful feedback about story elements that might not be working or tend towards a stereotype.
Sensitivity readers can also point out opportunities where you might add something to make the character more realistic, something that is relevant to their specific background. They can comment on your portrayal of their community and whether it feels authentic. And they will let you know if your character is acting 'out of character'. Finding a sensitivity reader can be as simple as doing a Google search, or posting on your social media platforms and letting people know exactly what you're looking for.
