The following post has been graciously provided by Jan Morrill. When originally published on her own blog, it generated a great deal of discussion amongst her readers. As someone who often writes outside of my own culture and gender it was of particular interest to me, and I’m pleased to republish this thought-provoking piece for my own network of readers and writers. Enjoy. I’m interested to know your thoughts.
About Jan
Jan Morrill’s award-winning short stories and memoir essays have been published in the Chicken Soup for the Soul series and in several anthologies. Recently, she was nominated for the Pushcart Prize for her short story Xs and Os, which appeared in the Voices Anthology. She is represented by Kathleen Anderson of Anderson Literary Management, who is currently shopping Jan’s historical fiction, Broken Dolls.
The Color of a Voice
Can an author write a point of view voice that is not hers? I used to think so, but the more I write and the more I think about it, I wonder.
If a point of view cannot be written with the introspection and intonation of a different culture, does that mean the character should not be written at all by someone outside of that culture? Is there nothing to be gained by the thoughts expressed, even if they fall short?
Broken Dolls and Broken Dreams are both multicultural historical novels. The main characters are Japanese-American and African-American. So I first asked myself these questions when my critique group told me that my Black character did not sound Black. I struggled mightily with Terrence, a Black teenager in 1940′s California. Not only did I need to develop a Black voice, I also needed to sound like a teenage boy. How does one outside of a culture develop a voice that is realistic, yet not offensive to those within the culture? It was a challenge, and only time will tell if I met that challenge.
I pondered the question further after the release of the movie, The Help, when I read that many in the Black community were not satisfied with how a White woman, Kathryn Stockett, wrote the Black maids. When I posted my blog, The Help-A Multicultural Perspective, and read the posts of my Black guests, I saw several different perspectives of that era and of what it is like to be Black–perspectives that had never entered my mind before.
That made me think about how a Caucasian author would write the point of view of a Japanese-American. I thought about philosophies of the Japanese–gaman, shikata ga nai–philosophies that a Caucasian may not know or understand. Still, Arthur Golden, a Caucasian male, was successful with Memoirs of a Geisha.
Writing outside of one’s culture is the best way to learn about other cultures, if done thoughtfully and with research. But does that mean the character can be written effectively? Though a writer in all likelihood cannot perfectly create a character outside of her culture, is that reason enough not to write the story? Personally, I believe it is better to learn and understand even a little, than not to try at all.
Connect with Jan Morrill online:
Blog: http://www.jansthoughtsovercoffee.blogspot.com/
Book Trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpW3f8XfQJc
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Jan-Morrill-Author/220552101293495
Facebook Personal Page: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1042980946
Twitter: @janmorrill
Website: www.janmorrill.com
Jan, I think it’s because you do care that your voices are true to character, regardless of color or ethnicity. You pay so much attention to details like that and hopefully when your book is on the top ten and debates are ranging about this topic, you can point to evidence of all this angst as your proof. It’ll be hard to argue against that.
Thank you, Madison. I like the way you dream.
Thanks for sharing this post, Mike. Sweating the details like this is the mark of a good writer, it seems to me. One thing I’ve learned over time is that “all fiction is fantasy.” Even realistic fiction or fiction based on fact or historical fiction. It’s all fantasy in the sense that none of it is real. (Actually, I’ve come to understand that even ‘non-fiction’ is fantasy.) Truth is always in the eye of the beholder and everyone reads through the filters of their experience, which is by definition unique to that reader. As writers, all we can do is try to honestly discover the truth of our characters and put that on the page. No one succeeds at this every time or all of the time. But if we’re lucky, we get it right sometimes. We hope.
I agree completely, Diane, that truth is always in the eye of the beholder. In that way, even non-fiction is marked with a degree of fantasy. And, fantasy is interpreted by individuals. So, in the end, no matter how realistic we as writers think we may finally have it, it all depends on how the reader interprets it.
Thanks Mike for reposting this and I’m sure you’ll get a ton of comments on it.
I know first hand how Jan struggled in getting Terrence’s voice just right and how our criquie group relentlessly called her on it week after week.
I make no secret of the fact that when I write I channel my characters. In The Rook and The Raven my character, Madame Katanga is a Jamaican Voo-doo lady. I’ve been to Jamaica once and am in no way an expert on the people of that beautiful country. BUT because I was “tuned-in” to Madame K, her voice flowed from my fingertips. Jan nailed Terrence’s voice when she stopped listening to the group so much and started listening to Terrence.
Any character we choose to put in our stories be they human, animal, rock or plant are crying out to us to write their story; because of that desire they will never fail in giving their voice to us. Sometimes we may have to tweak a few words here and there but the voice will always ring true. Our task is quiet our minds and listen.
So in my opinion every “above-the-norm” writer can write any race, color, and creed.
And all the writers I hang with are head and shoulders above alot of authors out there, even the published ones.
Thanks for your comments on Terrence, Ruth. I don’t know why, but I’m drawn to write characters (or objects!) whose POV I don’t know or understand. I think it helps me to understand as I research and write.
Thank you for sharing this post Mike. Jan sounds like such a lovely lady.
This was a great topic. If someone does their homework, why can’t they write a POV of another’s background or culture? To me, that’s the beauty of writing good fictional characters. How boring it would be if they all acted and sounded alike.
Thank you for your comment, Karen! I agree completely – how boring it would be if we (they) all acted and sounded alike. I wish more people would realize that!
Jan did a brilliant job depicting the multicultural prospective of her characters in Broken Dolls. She’s an extremely talented writer. In my opinion, voice is what makes or breaks a story. When I was writing Redneck Ex, I consulted one of my dearest friends to assure that the parts of the story that depicted the Inupiaq prospective were accurate. Writing about a different culture is tough enough. Writing from another culture’s POV is downright challenging and Jan is a master.
Thanks, Claire! You and my other writerly friends were instrumental (and supportive) in my “struggle” to achieve the voices in Broken Dolls. So, enjoy yourself, then get yourself back here!
Thank you, Mike, for inviting me as a guest on your blog. It’s almost like sitting down for a visit with you and your friends. In the relative short time that I’ve known you, I’ve already learned much from your writing and critique. And man, have I enjoyed reading “Bayou Jesus!” Can’t wait for the audio book!
Jan,
You do a beautiful job of connecting a reader to each of your characters in your novels. As a writer, I agree that it’s always a worthy endeavor to reach for that challenge of capturing a character’s true voice- regardless of who that character might be. I believe some writers are more thoughtful in their approach to voice authenticity. To me, you handle it masterfully.
Interesting post! I believe all ethnicities, genders, etc., can be written well by good writers. I agree with Karen—as long as we do our homework, there are no forbidden viewpoints.