Need for Diversity in Books? Really?!

[Noreen]

This is my rant, so if you disagree feel free to comment and if you agree also feel free to comment, but I'm wondering why there is always such a demand for main stream authors to add diversity to their books. I am of the opinion writers right what they know or what they are comfortable with, and many best selling authors are best selling authors for a reason, because what they write is what people want to read. Now to say there is a lack of diversity in books is just not so. There are so many genres and authors who write lots of different characters that there is never a lack of diversity. There are authors who write BBW, or M/M or Urban fiction or Interracial couples or aliens or the list could go on an on and on, but fortunately there are many types of readers and not all like the same thing, and not all feel the need for diversity in their reading choices. If you are looking for diversity why not choose books by authors who write what you are looking for, why try to force an author to add something to their books that maybe is not what they are feeling or comfortable with writing, or just simply know little about. I saw a blogger complain that there was not enough diversity in books, but in the same instance said authors who write racial characters stereotype those characters and that is just wrong. Well maybe it is because this author didn't know how to write a character of color genuinely, but felt the need to add "Diversity" to her books. Why not just let authors be authors and readers be readers and if you don't like what the author is writing choose another book.

[Fernanda]

Agreed!

[AmyLouAldaMay]

I agree too, mostly. I don't actually need the description of skin color when I read a character. My mental picture of a character makes itself in my head; it isn't something I consciously set out to do. Sometimes I don't actually follow the book's physical character descriptions at all; if I'm honest. If I read "the blonde of her hair glittered golden in the sun," but the rest of her screams to me "brunette!," then for the rest of the story, in my mind's eye, she's brunette. They create themselves based on the words they use, the body language they use, the setting of the book... I've read books about white characters that, in my mind were actually Asian; and I've read about black characters that, in my mind I pictured more as white, and vice versa. For me, the "diversity" of book characters is something I create in my own mind as I, the reader, interact with the story. But... that's just me. *shrugs* The author may have created the characters, and the story that goes with them, but there's really only so much control an author has once it's entered the mind of the reader.

[Kristin]

AmyLouAldaMay wrote: "I agree too, mostly. I don't actually need the description of skin color when I read a character. My mental picture of a character makes itself in my head; it isn't something I consciously set out ..."

Me too! I try to imagine what the author is creating but more often than not I see whatever fits in my head. This isnt a customized to order situation. If you want a specific demographic search for it on GRs or some other book community. Listopia is your friend. If a list doesnt exist...make one. "If you build it, they will come."

[Paganalexandria]

Why does it anger you that people would like mainstream publishers to get behind more stories featuring diverse characters also? It doesn't mean your stories would go away. I would like the luxury of picking more traditionally published titles with all those themes you've mentioned too, instead of always relying on indies, or small press. And I would love some of those books to get the big marketing pushes too, so maybe they could make it onscreen too. I don't need established writers to start shoving people in haphazardly to appease me. I just want a talented person already writing those stories to get an opportunity to shine.