In today’s world, representing diverse characters in your writing is not just important—it’s essential. Diversity in stories reflects the reality of the world and provides representation for audiences who want to see themselves in the characters they read about. However, writing diverse characters requires thoughtfulness and care to avoid falling into stereotypes. Here’s a guide to writing authentic, respectful, and well-rounded characters.
Understand What Diversity Means
Diversity includes race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, socioeconomic background, age, abilities, and more. When creating diverse characters, think beyond the surface and explore the complexity of their identities.
Research Thoroughly
Research is key to understanding experiences outside your own. Read books, watch documentaries, and listen to podcasts created by people from the group you’re writing about. If possible, engage with individuals from that community to gain firsthand insights. Avoid relying solely on secondhand accounts or assumptions.
Focus on the Individual, Not the Label
Treat each character as a unique individual, not a representative of an entire group. Diverse characters should have their own goals, strengths, flaws, and personalities. Avoid defining them solely by their race, gender, or other aspects of their identity.
Avoid Stereotypes
Stereotypes are oversimplified and often harmful generalizations about a group of people. For example:
- Avoid clichés like the “sassy Black friend,” the “angry feminist,” or the “wise old Asian mentor.”
- Be mindful of how you describe physical features, dialects, or behaviors, as these can unintentionally reinforce negative stereotypes.
Instead, focus on creating multi-dimensional characters with depth and nuance.
Avoid Tokenism
Including a diverse character just to check a box can feel disingenuous. Tokenism occurs when a character’s diversity is their only defining trait or when their inclusion feels forced. Ensure that every character plays a meaningful role in the story and has a fully developed arc.
Be Aware of Cultural Appropriation
Cultural appropriation happens when elements of a culture are used out of context or without understanding their significance. If your story involves a culture that isn’t your own, make sure you approach it respectfully. Work with sensitivity readers or consultants to ensure accuracy and respect.
Allow Characters to Be Flawed
Diverse characters don’t need to be perfect. Allow them to make mistakes, face challenges, and grow. Perfect characters can feel unrealistic and reduce their relatability. Just ensure their flaws are individual traits and not rooted in stereotypes.
Show, Don’t Tell
Avoid explicitly stating a character’s diversity unless it’s relevant to the story. Instead, let their identity emerge naturally through their actions, dialogue, and experiences. For example, instead of stating, “She’s a lesbian,” you could show her relationship or her feelings toward another character.
Avoid Making the Character’s Identity the Problem
While exploring challenges related to a character’s identity can be powerful, don’t reduce their story to solely dealing with oppression or discrimination. Diverse characters should also experience joy, love, success, and other universal human experiences.
Use Sensitivity Readers
Sensitivity readers are individuals from the communities you’re writing about who can review your work for accuracy and potential issues. They can provide valuable feedback to ensure your characters are authentic and respectful.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overgeneralizing: Avoid making sweeping statements about a group based on one character’s experience.
- Exoticizing or Fetishizing: Don’t portray a culture or identity as mysterious, exotic, or overly romanticized.
- Erasing Intersectionality: People often belong to multiple communities. For example, a character might be a queer person of color or a disabled woman. Reflect these complexities in your writing.
Examples of Positive Representation
- Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Americanah portrays complex and multi-dimensional Nigerian characters.
- Angie Thomas’s The Hate U Give explores racial identity and police brutality through the lens of a Black teenager while also highlighting her relationships and personal growth.
- Celeste Ng’s Everything I Never Told You delves into the lives of a mixed-race Chinese-American family with depth and nuance.
Conclusion
Writing diverse characters is an opportunity to broaden perspectives and create richer, more meaningful stories. By doing thorough research, avoiding stereotypes, and treating your characters as complex individuals, you can craft narratives that resonate with authenticity and respect. Remember, diversity in storytelling is about representation, understanding, and celebrating the vast spectrum of human experiences.
