Writing Excuses 7.40: Writing the Other

[mbarker.livejournal.com]

Writing Excuses 7.40: Writing the Other

From http://www.writingexcuses.com/2012/09/30/writing-excuses-7-40-writing-the-other/

Key points: Writing the other means writing people who are not like yourself. Beware the magical Negro, noble savage, and other tropes and stereotypes. Watch out for characters who are just plot devices. The best way to write the other is from personal experience and knowing people. And do your research! Do not assume that everyone is like you, and everyone has the same cultural background. When you write the other, otherness should be part of them, but not their focus. Try having two or more characters from the same culture, but very different. Go shopping with an open mind, and see what shakes loose.
( I don't think we're in Kansas anymore, Toto... )

[Brandon] Do you want to use the magical redneck as our writing prompt, or do you have another one?
[Maurice] Yeah. Well, that's a good one. Although the other one I think of also is, all right, so you're on a sidewalk and you're walking down the street. It's late at night. There are three black males… Young black males at that… Approaching you on the sidewalk. Same sidewalk. Write from their perspective.
[Brandon] All right. This has been Writing Excuses. You're out of excuses, now go write.
[Applause]