“Hi Jim,

You mentioned in a previous post that you explored the topic of prejudice and racism. I’m trying to write a book exploring the topic, but I’ve never really dealt with it in my own life. That is to say, I’ve never been the victim of racism. Do you think someone can write about the topic if they themselves have never experienced it?

Thanks,
Alissa”

Hi Alissa,

Great question. I would refer you to the ‘creative’ work of Neill Blomkamp he seems to tell the story about it over and over again. 🙂

Okay, on a more serious note, let’s face it, we’ve all faced discrimination at some point. Like it or not, it’s true, we all have. Not necessarily racism, but prejudice of some kind. Somewhere out there, someone doesn’t like us because of who we are, where we come from, our religion, the color of our skin, etc. etc. Granted, some people face it a lot more than others. So your best bet would be to go back to a time that you were unfairly treated for reasons beyond your control. Think about a time someone made you stand out for something you couldn’t help or because of who you are. Think about how it made you feel and how it changed your view of the world around you, then write.

For me personally, when I wrote about Lia’na’s experiences, I partially took from my historical studies of the civil rights movement, but then was also able to give a more in-depth view into the emotional aspects when I went back and thought about a time in my life when I had experienced prejudice.

Allow me to provide a little background… I’m Irish Catholic. In certain areas, there has always been and always will be some people who have an extreme bias against people who share that background. Most of them originate from areas known as the ‘Old World,’ more specifically, areas of Europe, perhaps in greater amounts from the UK. Granted these resentments have decreased greatly they still exist. In my particular case, it happened in college. I was dating a girl of Welsh/Scottish descent and she was a first generation American.

I’m not going to go into great detail, but let’s just say her mother took issue with her dating someone of my… background and made no secret of it. Long story short, the whole experience didn’t end well. When I wrote Lia’na’s backstory, I brought out those memories and feelings of resentment and confusion, and was able to use them in my writing.

I know there are a lot of people out there who would say that you can’t write about racism if you haven’t faced it, white people shouldn’t write about it, reverse racism doesn’t exist, etc. To those people I would say that racism and hate doesn’t know a skin color. Look back over history, every group of people from every walk of life has been enslaved, massacred, discriminated against, or mistreated because of who they are and/or where they come from. It is a fact.

Homophobia, bigotry, racism, religious persecution, and gender bias are not owned by any one group or groups of people. I agree that reverse racism doesn’t exist though. Racism is racism regardless of skin color. Unfortunately, in recent months, there has been a lot of examples of racism, not only in things like the shootings of those poor souls in South Carolina, but also the reactions of some simple-minded individuals who have been raised to hate, play the victim, or intellectuals who use race for self promotion.

Like it or not, THIS is just as racist:

As this:

I’m sorry, but it is. You can try to explain it away, you can try to say that one was making a point while the other was showing his true colors, but all partisan beliefs aside, prejudice knows no color and until everyone recognizes that and works towards a better future for all, any thoughts of unity, equality, or harmony are as much a fantasy as the book I write.

Personally, I have a feeling that the likes of Abraham Lincoln and Martin Luther King would be dismayed and ashamed by the state of both sides of isle on this one. Those who cling to traditions that are no longer appropriate in the modern world are not helping their cause anymore than those who continue to promote stereotypes.

Anyway, I hope this helps Alissa. You don’t always have to have experienced something first hand to write about it. You can always do a third person account based on the experiences of someone else, or just look to an above example like I listed. Please feel free to email me if you have any further questions, I’m also going to open this one up to my readers and ask them to offer their two cents.

Thanks Friend and good luck!

Readers,

Do you have a question about writing, publishing, my stories, etc? Please feel free to post a comment or email me.
jimthewritingwizard@gmail.com
I’ll use those comments to select my next blog post.

I have been writing for several years, have 4 published works, experience with publishing and independent work, so I can hopefully be of assistance.
Please note, I only do one of these a day and will do my best to respond to everyone, but it may take some time.

Also, feel free to check out my works of Fantasy and Historical Fiction, Available on Amazon and where ever books are sold. See the link below:

http://www.amazon.com/James-Harrington/e/B00P7FBXTU

Thanks friends!
Catch you on the flip side!

-Jim