Experience Appropriation: A Writer’s Responsibilities

Experience appropriation. This might be a new term to you as it’s not something that has been labeled for very long. However, like cultural appropriation it has been around for a very long time, just never acknowledged or given a name. Like cultural appropriation, it’s definition has been contested, typically by those accused of it. What is experience appropriation and … Read More

NaNoWriMo WriMo Diversity Commitment

National Novel Writing Month is only a few weeks away. Some of us might already be plotting away, drawing up outlines and character charts. Others of us are more nebulous in our preparation, letting our subconscious work out the details as Nov 1st draws closer. Whatever your chosen writing style, writing a novel in a month is a massive undertaking. … Read More

The Diversity Dilema

by Bran L. Ayres      Ever since BookCon 2014 diversity has become one of the new buzz words around the publishing industry and among writers. The #WeNeedDiverseBooks tag showed a massive outpouring of support and desire for diversity in children’s books. While at the time the movement was primarily focused on cultural diversity it has grown over the last … Read More

Gender and Sexual Orientation: An Essential Part of the Whole

by Rowan LaRoux        Everyone goes about creating characters in their own fashion. You have the writers who develop their characters along with the story, and those who create intimately detailed character sheets before the first word is ever written. Regardless of how you build them up, you have these awesome characters and you want to add all … Read More