Judith’s answer to “Is Nita Prose on the spectrum? I'm trying to avoid books about neuro-divergent main characters wher…” > Likes and Comments
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No one's saying authors *shouldn't* write stories outside their own experiences. But it's also useful to have stories about people from traditionally marginalized populations who are written by authors who have a lived experience of that marginalization.
We're talking about Realistic Fiction, a genre "based on" events & characters that do or could exist. Authors need not be confined to personal experience; if that's what you want, stick to non-fiction & biography.
Wait a minute, James. If you're looking for "realistic fiction" that space can include authors writing stories outside their experiences as well as authors writing stories from their lived experiences. And again, no one's saying that the first group is inherently bad. But there is also value in that second group based on their ability to create more realism due to having lived similar experiences.
That's what I said. Every author brings experience and/or imagination to a story, & I don't like to judge one more valid than another. It is fiction.
Agreed, but a great author will go beyond the caricatures and stereotypes to create an authentic character.
Well sure, who wants caricatures & stereotypes?! But we're discussing the role of imagination vs. "lived experience" in creating that authenticity.
It's so sad - I don't know where to write this - GOODREADS has taken away the ability to like someone's comment/answer in some (I don't think all) places and put a big button up to amazon to sell books - among other things. Wo is us.
So you are ok with marginalized communities being depicted in demeaning ways by poor writers who did no research?
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audrey
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Apr 23, 2022 04:15AM
No one's saying authors *shouldn't* write stories outside their own experiences. But it's also useful to have stories about people from traditionally marginalized populations who are written by authors who have a lived experience of that marginalization.
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We're talking about Realistic Fiction, a genre "based on" events & characters that do or could exist. Authors need not be confined to personal experience; if that's what you want, stick to non-fiction & biography.
Wait a minute, James. If you're looking for "realistic fiction" that space can include authors writing stories outside their experiences as well as authors writing stories from their lived experiences. And again, no one's saying that the first group is inherently bad. But there is also value in that second group based on their ability to create more realism due to having lived similar experiences.
That's what I said. Every author brings experience and/or imagination to a story, & I don't like to judge one more valid than another. It is fiction.
Agreed, but a great author will go beyond the caricatures and stereotypes to create an authentic character.
Well sure, who wants caricatures & stereotypes?! But we're discussing the role of imagination vs. "lived experience" in creating that authenticity.
It's so sad - I don't know where to write this - GOODREADS has taken away the ability to like someone's comment/answer in some (I don't think all) places and put a big button up to amazon to sell books - among other things. Wo is us.
So you are ok with marginalized communities being depicted in demeaning ways by poor writers who did no research?
