As with all my writing advice mini-blogs, a brief disclaimer: I am not a certified teacher of creative writing; I’m just a writer offering thoughts and opinions regarding blog topic–today’s being writing diversity–creating a diverse cast of characters and how to do it effectively and properly

So, I write murder mysteries in a fantasy setting with a touch of Sci-Fi, drama, mystery, intrigue, subtle humor and a bit of romance. Twice published with a third novel on the way. I love crafting and talking about the art of fiction writing. So, a diverse cast of characters is a given in the imaginary world I created. We have humans, aliens, human-alien hybrids, witches, and other creatures associated with Sc-Fi and Fantasy. But, what if I was writing contemporary fiction? How would I go about it? Let’s have a look.

1–Avoid the stereotypes. Even writing about Aliens, witches, and hybrids, I find it easy to change it up and make these character types unique and avoid the A-typical depictions. Turn it upside down, flip it mean the opposite, give the character traits not usually associated with the type of character they are. Avoid the tropes, or make it your take on the trope. It’s your fantasy world; make it yours. In Sc-Fi and Fantasy there are no set rules, no rigid formula. Anyone who tells you otherwise is wrong. As for contemporary fiction, avoid stereotypes. Such as: The angry black man, the helpless cripple, the woman who is too feminine to fend for herself, or too weak, the proverbial damsel in distress. You get the picture.

2–Avoid token characters. You don’t earn diversity points by adding a person of color, or a paraplegic, or a gay person. Such characters should be given the same level of development as your MC or supporting cast. And if they are part of your supporting cast, it’s all the more important to create complex, fully fleshed out characters. Who are they as a person? What do they do for a living? Are they wealthy, middle class, or poor? What motivates them, what is their want, need, or desire? In other words, Characters people can identify with. Nobody can identify with a shallow, cookie cutter character. Tossing in a member of a minority group so you can say you have a diverse cast of characters falls a bit short. There won’t be a single person of color surrounded by whites, one person with a physical handicap, or one gay person surrounded by straight people, whether in a city, the suburbs, or a rural town. Nor should it be in your novel, screenplay, short story, whatever.

During the Pandemic, there was a lot of social unrest and strife, caused mostly by high-profile minority deaths in clashes with law enforcement that had gone out of control. I won’t get into that here, but as a result writers starting using their talent to create stories “with a message” in the form of social commentary. I’ve blogged about how I go about planting messages or themes into my stories, so I won’t get into that here, either. That’s another topic altogether. But, as it relates to writing diversity, I choose to write characters who don’t have a chip on their shoulder or an axe to grind unless it is germane to the plot. In my case, a motive for murder, as an example. I refer back to the “angry black man.” I created an African-American character who owns and operates a restaurant and lounge. He’s successful, and is a love interest to a main character, a white woman who is a defense attorney. In my last novel, my lawyer character defended a black man who was a respected medical doctor accused of murder. So, your minority group characters should be depicted as productive members of society rather than as victims. Depicting them as victims is fine as long as they are also strong enough to overcome their obstacles. If the author gets on their high horse or their soap box that’s not storytelling; it’s preaching a sermon.

So, that’s all I have to say today. Please feel free to like or comment. I’d like to start having discussions here, but I’m still in the infancy stage of building my audience. Still, we can have a discussion with handful of people. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the subject. And as always, thank you for reading!

Ray