dimisfit:

comicsalliance:

GENE LUEN YANG TO COMIC CREATORS: DON’T LET FEAR STOP YOU FROM WRITING DIVERSE CHARACTERS

By Matt D. Wilson

In a speech at the National Book Festival at the Library of Congress last weekend, The Shadow Hero writer Gene Luen Yang threw down the gauntlet.

Yang challenged comics creators to overcome their fears of bring criticized for inaccurately portraying characters who are different from them — in terms of race, gender, or other identifying factors. In brief, he told writers to do some research and get it right, but first and foremost to step outside themselves.

Here’s a brief excerpt:

We’re afraid of writing characters different from ourselves because we’re afraid of getting it wrong. We’re afraid of what the Internet might say.

This fear can be a good thing if it drives us to do our homework, to be meticulous in our cultural research. But this fear crosses the line when we become so intimidated that we quietly make choices against stepping out of our own identities.

After all, our job as writers is to step out of ourselves, and to encourage our readers to do the same.

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Very rousing and inspiring to read, especially since this is a topic I struggle within my own stories. As much as I want representation and diversity within media, I find myself struggling to add more of it within my own content because of an overwhelming fear of misrepresentation and criticism.

But the first steps are going to be messy. That’s okay. I need to remember that.

Quotations I would like to remember for the future: 

“We’re afraid of writing characters different from ourselves because we’re afraid of getting it wrong. We’re afraid of what the Internet might say.”

“… And let’s say you do your best. You put in all the effort you can. But then when your book comes out, the Internet gets angry. You slowly realize that, for once, the Internet might be right. You made a cultural misstep. If this happens, take comfort in the fact that even flawed characters can inspire. Apologize if necessary, resolve do better, and move on.

Let your fear drive you to do your homework. But no matter what, don’t ever let your fear stop you.