Black Authors : Amateur author seeks discussion

[Phoenixbutterfly]

As an avid reader I would suggest not making the main character bi-sexual. He's a Black male detective. That is enough for the reader to follow.
Walter Mosely, a Black mystery writer, is the detective in his novels. You might want to skim through one of his early novels.
If you want to be inclusive, maybe make a character close to the main character bisexual. Tobis(sp) will be to busy with detective work to focus on who he's sexing (readers might close the book).
Since you do not know much about the Black race, why not include a character like yourself in the novel. Maybe Tobis friend or girlfriend or nosey neighbor. That way you can learn as you write. (Tobis gets annoyed with your interest in Black people, questions), but he likes you as a person and keeps you around.
You could describe identifying characters as you bring them in. That way race will not dominate.

Good luck.

Your ideas are good ones. Thank you.

 

[Enki]

Thanks I am.

Btw.. I'm interested in learning about the Annunaki. I'm a fan of Sitchin's work but am still researching a lot on my own.

Learning about the serpent race is an "each one teach one" type of deal. We share knowledge to increase what we know. It has been said that you have to forget what you have been taught about the history of world and how thing came to be.

Peace!

 

[Kemetstry]

Well here's the rundown on his character:

Hopefully I won't give away too much

His name is Tobias and he's a detective. This book plays with both race and gender issues so he's not only very dark skinned but also bi. He's a philanderer. As a detective he's a "good ol' boy" per their code but out in his everyday life he is either affected by racism or at least aware of it. I'm not sure if he's active in his community yet... His black identity is still being developed. I'm not interested in portraying him as a stereotypical black man.. Whatever that may be. I want him relatable and real. The way he talks, the way he thinks, the way he views the world. I don't want someone from this community to read it and think "no way was this written by a black author"

Specifics? I don't know enough to answer that. I'm ignorant of most of what's discussed here. I know that it's different but not exactly sure how to define that difference.

Why bisexual?

Why black as an identity? Normally, you write the character from a certain neighborhood or background. Yhe audience fills in the rest. How is that key to the story?

What difference does it make who wrote it?




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[Kemetstry]

I don't know mystery either.


I don't know mystery either. Meaning no disrespect, if I followed that advice, how exactly would that make me any better as a person? If I stick to what I know, I'll never grow. When I can write a novel in a black man's voice convincingly, will that not then mean that we can finally come together as humans? I'm not saying my first will be convincing.. I'm an amateur. But this is my goal... To be able to blur the lines of race and show that we truly are one people. We are humans and we should celebrate both our unity and our diversity. When authors step out of their own skins, then the world can begin to move away from the "us vs them". Otherwise, I'm just an over privileged white woman blind to the plight of the underprivileged.

Hate to rain on your parade. I can not write in a woman's voice. I can only write in a way I think they would think and feel. If I'm a decent writer, that's good enough




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[Kemetstry]

Blacks as a rule, are anti gay. That's why we voted down prop 8. Is this your personal agenda?





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