Writer’s Desk: Don’t Be a Jerk

The topic of cultural appropriation is never an easy one, particularly when it comes to writing. When Lionel Shriver, author ofWe Need to Talk About Kevin, launched her jeremiad at the Brisbane Writers Festival, she steadfastly stood on the side of writers being freeto write about whatever and whomever they damn well pleased, regardless of their race or background.

It was the speech that launched a thousand op-eds. Many leaped to Shriver’s defense, seeing a long-overdue pushback against the f...