After returning from the Realm Makers (RM) 2015 conference last weekend, I posted several random observations. One was about the refreshingly even ratio of men to women (which I’m guessing was about 50/50). I say this was “refreshing” because one of my complaints about the ACFW conferences has always been the large disparity of women to men (usually about an 80/20 split). Why that disparity was not evident at RM, even though the group was culled from ACFW, is another story. However, during the ensuing conversation on that post, another glaring inequality was pointed out about the RM demographics — the lack of people of color.
What followed was pretty typical: Theories were offered about why this is and theories were offered about how to make it right. But there were no definitive answers.
I suppose the admission that diversity is an issue for RM is a good thing. The same admission is made by most in the Christian publishing industry, of which RM is still a part, for all practical purposes. I mean, I haven’t talked to anyone who flippantly dismissed the subject as irrelevant or overblown. We all seem to acknowledge that more ethnic diversity would be a good, not a bad thing. But, as with so many similar issues, the problem is more complex and much bigger than any single silver bullet can drop.
I wanted to take a few minutes to try to look at the bigger picture, what factors may be at work, and then make a couple suggestions for Realm Makers as it considers addressing the diversity issue.
For starters, lack of racial diversity is not just a problem for the Christian publishing community. It extends into many avenues of society, pop culture, business, academia, and politics. For example, some have long suggested that minorities are underrepresented in Hollywood. And when they are represented in film or TV, they are often portrayed as stereotypes. Money magazine recently reported that out of 500 biggest US companies, only five CEOs are black. In sports, Major League Baseball has had to address a decline in black athletes and made a concerted effort to attract more African Americans to the game. The NFL instituted the Rooney Rule which requires that NFL teams interview more minority candidates for coaching positions. In the writing/publishing community, the issue has become downright volatile. While some point out race and gender disparities at sci-fi cons, others ask Where are the Black Women in Science Fiction?, while still others go to ludicrous lengths challenging readers to stop reading white, straight, cis, male authors for one year in order to bring more diversity to the genre. Point being, what RM experienced this year was simply the tip of a very big iceberg.
Secondly, racial diversity is an issue that Evangelicals have been wrestling with (or evading!) for decades. As far back as the 1950’s Billy Graham noted that “eleven o’clock Sunday morning is the most segregated hour in America.” Christian publishing is an evangelical creation. Some trace evangelical fiction’s inception as far back as the late 1700’s (see my essay Evangelical Culture and the Horror Genre), eventually giving rise to tales of hardworking prairie life and pioneers with strong values, devout faith, and chastity. Such stories were typically written about, by and for whites, a reflection of American Evangelicalism and its roots. As this recent Pew poll reveals, only 6% of black church-goers label themselves as Evangelical. So in many ways, Realm Makers is simply a reflection of the larger Evangelical church in America — mostly white. This isn’t an excuse or a trump card. It’s simply stating the obvious — there’s a lot bigger spiritual and social dynamics going on here.
Underlying this, and to our credit I think, is the relatively common shared belief that diversity SHOULD exist in the Church. One of the fantastical visions of heaven offered by the Apostle John is a throne surrounded by “a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language” (Rev. 7:9 NIV), all worshiping their God. The New Testament epistles often addressed the acceptance and integration of different classes and ethnicities into the Body, whether they be poor or non-Jewish. So it’s clear, biblically speaking, that socio-economic and multicultural diversity should be a hallmark of the Church. In this sense, the lack of diversity at RM (and I assume other Christian writers organizations) is something most want to address and correct.
The problem is always, How?
As part of contemplating this subject, I contacted some friends in the Christian publishing industry — a mix of editors, agents, publishers, etc. — in hopes of getting a bigger picture of this dilemma from the inside. I received honest, enthusiastic response from half-a-dozen folks. I’m leaving the quotes that follow without attribution, not because anything said is inappropriate in any way. Rather, knowing the potential volatility of this issue, I felt that anonymity would be best. Furthermore, I don’t want the inclusion of specific industry reps to be confused as their endorsement of anything I personally put forth in this post.
The consensus among the industry reps who responded to me is clearly that the lack of diversity is an issue in Christian publishing. (From this point, everything in blockquotes is a quote from an CBA industry respondent.)
Basically, I think the lack of diversity in both Christian publishing and ALL publishing is an issue we should all be working to correct.
This was a shared sentiment by every respondent. No one appears to be ducking or explaining away the lack of diversity in Christian fiction. Why this lack of diversity exists is a lot more sticky. Some suggested that the demographic tilt is a natural representation of Evangelical culture and the publishing industry it spawned.
The lack of diversity in evangelical fiction, specifically, is a function of two things: 1. Most of CBA publishing is run by white folks. And 2. A high percentage of Evangelicals are white, with people of color more concentrated in other non-ev circles.
I’m assuming those two are connected. In other words, most CBA publishing is run by whites because most Evangelicals, which the CBA largely represents, ARE white. I suppose that one could assume latent institutional racism in the non-hiring of more people of color at CBA publishers. Personally, I think such accusations are forced and impossible to prove. Nevertheless, one respondent definitely sees a “genteel racism” at work in Evangelical publishing.
People of color make up a 37.4 per cent of the US population (that includes Hispanics, blacks, native Americans, and Asians). So let’s make it easy and say one third of the country is a person of color. The number of authors of color in evangelical fiction would be about 2%. (To be fair, that number is a guess. It might be less. There are only a handful of authors of color in CBA fiction circles.)
Does that matter? I think it does, because it suggests that the evangelical church is predominantly white, the books they’re having made available to them are almost strictly from white authors, and there is very little opportunity for authors of color.
It means the church is ignoring blacks and Hispanics and Asians… by using genteel racism. It means the church is missing any opportunity to hear from people of color, share their experience, or make an effort to have them feel part of the greater family. Everyone loses.
Whether or not “soft” racism is at work in CBA circles, most respondents agreed that racial disparity is detrimental to Evangelicals and their connection to American culture.
…most of [Christian fiction stories] /still/ revolves primarily around Anglo-Saxon females with the occasional male protagonist. This is especially unfortunate because it puts yet another distancing step in what many perceive to be the utterly out-of-step Evangelical Movement. Not only is our culture vastly multicultural, so is humankind as a whole, and seeing that God created us, well, it seems his stamp of approval is upon many shades and varieties of people. I realize America was settled primarily by white Europeans (after the American Indians, that is), but we’ve grown and changed; shouldn’t our writing grow and change with us, especially as we make some small claim to be representatives of God? Shouldn’t the breadth of our wisdom and understanding speak to each current generation as it rises?
But while our writing should change to reflect “many shades and varieties of people,” such attempts are not without “awkwardness.”
As I see it, this issue is an outgrowth of a bigger long term challenge among Evangelicals—the general segregation of races in the church. Christian fiction reflects the reality of the environment from which it grew. There have been great strides in this regard. In large part because of the generational shift (both in bookstore ownership and in church membership composition) that has brought much less baggage and expectation and old experience into their faith environment. But there are also churches like Willow Creek in Barrington who have made racial reconciliation and engagement a significant part of their mission. There is an awkwardness there that they’ve been willing to step into and name and wrestle with.
Indeed, taking the issue head-on, despite its “awkwardness,” is a solution some respondents favor.
I do see racial diversity as a big issue, yes.
How should publisher’s address it? By telling writers they want books with characters of varying colors and cultures… make a concerted effort to include authors of color in their lines. Starting with a digital-only line is an obvious, easy way to start. And nobody is doing it. (To be fair, Moody and Whitaker House have made an attempt in the past.) To me, this is part of the way the dominant white evangelical culture. marginalizes people of color.
But is the answer as simple as publishers contracting authors of color and/or seeking stories with more diverse casts? Apparently, publishing more books for people of color has not always met with great success. One respondent wrote,
I’m aware of a few attempts by major CBA publishers to publish non-white fiction, and the books sold so poorly they were scared away from trying it again.
Some speculated that this is simply the result of the lack of readers and writers of color. When I asked if agents are actively seeking to agent writers of color for the CBA, the response was typically, “There’s not that many out there!” An overstatement? Perhaps. But it does highlight the complexity of the problem and the solution. Is this a “chicken & egg scenario”?
…the biggest change will come when non-white authors rise in presence and prominence within the overall author mix.
And I think there can be a bit of a chicken & egg scenario in place… Do we not see proposals from non-white authors because we don’t acquire authors of other races? Or, are non-white authors not submitting to us because we don’t acquire books by anyone but white evangelicals?”
A third possibility is that there just aren’t that many people of color reading or writing Christian fiction. (As a sidenote, most of the non-white Christian authors I interact with on Facebook do not write for the CBA audience, but for the general market.)
Others noted that white authors writing people of color is a potential minefield.
There is incredible avoidance of the label or suggestion of racism and good people choose to avoid rather than risk it, I think. Authors and publishers (who are primarily white in today’s Christian publishing space) are editorially sensitive about portraying characters of other races in ways that might be perceived as inauthentic or stereotyped. Honestly, I think there is a lot of avoidance for fear of offense as much as anything. So, there has been a concentration in time periods and settings (historicals, Amish) that have no natural reason for the issue to be raised.
Then there is the ever-sticky suggestion that white readers simply don’t gravitate toward black characters.
I read years ago that white readers won’t buy books with characters of color on the cover. There was a big dustup when Liar was released with a light-skinned, light-haired girl on the cover [while the character was actually black]. Bloomsbury did redo the cover after angry fans took to Twitter.
But during the discussions over that issue, I heard that publishers say white readers won’t buy books with people of color on the cover. That seems ridiculous to me. We go to see Denzel Washington and Will Smith movies. I don’t believe the majority of the people in the US have anything against characters of color. I believe we’d all buy books with main characters of color if the books were available.
This is an observation repeated several times by industry reps: While covers with mixed casts are usually a plus, a lead cover image containing a person of color often doesn’t connect that well with CBA readers. In other words, CBA readers are okay with a person of color in the lineup, as long as they’re not playing lead. Make of that what you will.
But despite the difficulties and perplexities of the issue, some suggested that we are seeing slow growth:
We see a variety of ethnicities in most of our contemporary suspense — particularly when the storylines comes out of military, government, legal, or other environments that are naturally diverse. The only exception in this regard would be romantic suspense. Though there is often a variety of ethnicities in the storyline, the hero and heroine are usually white. I think in this case, it is because the idea of interracial romance was a taboo subject for many years. I honestly don’t know if any of the publishers in this industry have had an interracial romance in their novels. I don’t think it would be an issue in principal. Again, it was reflective of the church at that time. Now, I would say that interracial marriage is normalized in most of today’s contemporary congregations. Still, I suppose it would be a bit of a breakthrough in terms of cover treatment.
As you can see, this is a huge, complex issue. Frankly, it’s encouraging to see the subject being addressed. Even though people disagree on different aspects and solutions, most of the Christian writers and industry reps I’ve spoken to see diversity as a legitimate issue needing to be addressed. This is a good thing.
So let me bring it back to Realm Makers. RM is a microcosm of the bigger issue. Obviously, there are many factors outside of RM’s immediate control that potentially speak to this issue.
- The demographics of the Evangelical community as a whole.
- RM’s proximity to ACFW (American Christian Fiction Writers, the conference from which RM spun off of).
- The lack of racial and gender diversity at many sci-fi / fantasy / tech cons.
Point being, again, this is a multi-tiered problem with multiple possible causes and potential solutions. Some may have to do with Evangelicals intentionally moving outside of their ingrown white religious and socio-economic enclaves. Some may have to do with a simple acknowledgement that certain people groups don’t gravitate towards the same things. Some may have to do with the possibility that Evangelicals are cultivating “genteel racism.” Which brings me to the question: So how should RM address the issue of lack of diversity?
For the record, I’m not an official rep for Realm Makers. I was on staff for the 2015 conference and have followed the group’s growth. That’s all. But my response to this issue is usually the same — You can’t force diversity. It must happen at the grassroots, as a result of genuine brotherly love, acceptance, shared interests and values, etc. Meaning, in this case, there’s little that one conference can do to affect long-term change. This isn’t to say that nothing can be done. But many other factors must be addressed before the CBA, ACFW, or groups like RM will ever see significant, long-term change.
I realize that this answer won’t satisfy everyone. Some will see it as toothless, as skirting the issue or, even worse, an extension of the “genteel racism” already at work in Evangelical publishing. My dilemma is that “quota” solutions — which are typically the most commonly offered solutions — seldom address the real issue. If racism is really at the root of the CBA’s diversity problem, then the problem isn’t solved by introducing more people of color into our stories or contracting more black authors. It’s addressed through repentance and reconciliation.
One conferee wrote about another spec conference she was on staff with that began correcting the diversity disparity by simply soliciting, recruiting, and sponsoring people of color. Should RM do something similar? Should RM begin actively targeting authors and speakers of color to attend the next conference? My bottom line answer would be… yes. But it’s a “yes” with lots of reservations and questions.
One of the industry insiders I questioned perceptively wrote,
My opinion is that there is a tension between natural inclusion of ethnic characters in contemporary storylines and what is perceived a “token” characterization.
Like it or not, targeting people of color can appear “token.” As if we’re buying our way to diversity credibility. Not to mention what a “token” person of color must feel like in a conference targeting persons of of color in order to right their diversity wrongs. But there’s other downsides to quotas. For example, although the Rooney Rule has indeed played a part in the increased representation of minorities in lead coaching staff in the NFL, many suggest it falls short, that it’s simple a way to fill quota expectations without addressing larger issues of racism. For racism is a heart issue that no amount of affirmative action can cure. Of course, the issue for Christian publishing is much less meeting a quota as simply challenging a lily white status quo. And in that sense, I think an effort to reach and target more people of color would be a good thing.
Listen, I know enough Christian writers, agents, editors, and readers to confidently say that lack of diversity is an issue we genuinely want to deal with. It’s just such a huge, complicated issue, and the subject is so volatile, that making headway seems to be getting harder and harder to do. But I’m encouraged. Probably because their are Christian publishers out there that say things like this:
…I admonish Evangelicals, especially, to open their Facebook doors, open their hearts, and learn to be as inclusive as God is inclusive. It means toning down our preachy ways; it means foregoing our reactionary ways; it means listening longer than we talk; it means loving so deeply and realistically that we could never be accused of being “one of those Bible bangers,” but merely “a friend who believes.” It means writing like we believe all that. I can’t wait to see fresh new work from the Evangelical realm that is inclusive of people as a whole, that tackles big ideas, and that is honest to the point of shaking us up substantially more than we’re accustomed to. This, I believe, is the thing that will finally put “Christian fiction” on the map in a positive way, and appeal to the largest group of readers out there: our mission field, so to speak.
Amen and amen.
I don’t think Realm Makers (or publishers, for that matter) needs to “do” anything different than they’re doing (unless they are actively snubbing and rejecting authors of color / minority authors for “racist” reasons, which would be wrong).
Realm Makers is a conference. They don’t accept or reject attendees based on color. If attendees with more diversity sign up, we’ll have more diversity in the attendance. Period.
Do we need to start inviting every black author we know? Gimme a break. We need to invite EVERY Christian spec fic author we know. Period.
I don’t believe it’s my job (or anyone else’s) to somehow make more black people into CEOs or authors or actors or main characters in a story. My job is to love all people equally with the love of Christ. My job is to buy all the books that I enjoy regardless of the color of the author or the characters. My job is to enjoy all the movies and songs and other entertainment that fits my tastes regardless of race. And I do.
See, I agree with this, Teddi. I think it has to be “grassroots” to be real and long-term. My dilemma is that I DO think targeting people of color can kick-start changes. But, as I said, there’s just such huge potential downsides to such an approach that I struggle with even suggesting it. But change does need to come…
Mike, I have to agree. While I HATE the idea of being targeted SIMPLY because I’m AA, the gaping hole in CF is, well, gaping. While, I am currently seeking representation to write within the CF genre, THE LAST THING I want is someone to bypass my talent (or lack thereof) and give me something just because of my genetic markers. So, to re-say, what’s been said, this issue is and AND/BUT not an EITHER/OR. I think some consideration/effort/reluctance should enter into the equation, but good luck to the person(s) who has to make those kind of decisions. Quotas suck. But I understand why they were enacted. So, yeah – – there’s my non answer, answer.
I think it is your job to invite people of color.
I live in Atlanta where we have black churches and white churches on too many streets. I won’t purposely go to a black or a Korean church. Why would I? They feel foreign to me. But if they invite me, I’ll go.
I was married to an Alaskan Native man and my kids are Alaskan Natives. I don’t see them as people of color. I see them as people. But I know that my husband was aware of the prejudice some white people had against him and he would not insert himself into predominately white groups if they didn’t invite him. He wasn’t sure they wanted him.
My church is white. And every week, just about, we have a black family. But that family doesn’t come back. The next week there is a different black family. I wish they’d all come the same week so they’d not feel they are unwanted.
Yes, I think we need to invite people of color to our writers’ conferences. Cec Murphey is doing a great job, giving scholarships to people of color for conferences. At least he did a couple of years ago. I hope he’s still giving them. Good for him. We need to make authors of color aware that we want them at the conferences.
Thanks, Mike, for initiating this much-needed discussion. I am a person of color who has attended several CBA conferences. I like what you have to say about active recruitment. A few non-white Christian authors (best-sellers) who write for the general market had never heard of the CBA until I told them about my affiliation. Regarding Realm Makers, I’d say there has to be active recruitment of people of color. The saying “if we build it, they will come” does not naturally extend to minorities. Our country has a “whites-only” history that isn’t so far in the distant past that we do not all still remember. And while the signs that blocked inclusivity were removed, many attitudes remained and still serve as barriers. So, if you indeed want to be inclusive, then it has to be INTENTIONAL. If you are sincerely intentional, they will come.
There’s so much to be said on this subject, and so much I want to say. Not time to get to it all just yet, but …
I’ll start with: Thanks, Mike, for bringing this issue to the fore. Everything in the post is more or less dead on as far as I’m concerned. Like you, I’m even cautiously on board with active recruitment.
I agree, also, that we need to be looking into more grassroots involvement in uniting Christian SpecFic authors of all races. I think this starts with two clear steps:
1. Actively look for minority authors in these genres.
2. Actively SUPPORT them.
The key problem minority writers have is actually one with which we are all familiar: lack of exposure. I’ve made it a point to do what I can in my limited circle of influence to help bring exposure to many author friends (and even those with whom I have only passing familiarity). We, however, still have a distinct advantage, if it can be put into those terms: white people know more white people. This means both the authors and the readers within my personal sphere of influence tend to be white. This isn’t by design; it’s just how it is. I suspect this is also true of many minority authors. Their circle of influence will tend to be racially divided, not by choice but by simple sociology, the same way my circle is.
So, because many of us ARE in the majority, whether we asked for it or not, I do believe the inclusion of minority authors and readers IS, in fact, our responsibility. Which means, yes, we must be intentional about doing so.
RM, as a grassroots effort itself, is uniquely positioned for recruitment as well. As far as RM is concerned, it starts with recruitment of staff.
For the rest of us in the SpecFic Community, once we’ve identified fellow enthusiasts, we ought also be intentional about maintaining community with them AND inviting them into the fold.
Unfortunately, I agree, it will be seen as some by a token effort, but if we allow ourselves to be paralyzed by the criticisms of the Perpetually Offended, nothing will ever get done.
I also want to point out, I don’t believe we should necessarily take our cues from secular SpecFic on this. While the reality is that minority groups are often unrepresented there, too, as Christians we ought to strive to do better.
Randy,
I agree with you. As Christians, we need to strive to do better. If active recruitment of more writers of color is the answer, then so be it. Churches are already segregated, so we(all races) should come together and be of one heart and one mind in the body of Christ. In any facet of life.
Thanks.
Perpetually offended…laughing. Good one!
Wow, such a loaded topic with so many thoughts and conceptions. Thanks for going here! That being said, this is definitely opening a massive can of worms much further.
One issue I’ll address is the lack of character diversity in speculative fiction, and in fiction in general. From what I gather, a lot of ‘white people’ seem leery of even including it. They don’t have the experience with a minority population, and they don’t want to enrage a hornets nest by trying to write for someone of a different ethnicity or belief system. I do choose to write for diverse casts with strong characterization, because my background is in cultural studies, my upbringing encouraged diversity of all kinds, and honestly, it makes everything a lot more interesting. However, I make this choice with very thick skin, knowing that I might have a difficult time selling to certain audiences, and I might also face accusations of ‘pandering’ from people of those ethnic and cultural background. I sometimes frequent websites that specifically discuss diversity in fiction (and suggestions of how to write it). While many are very helpful, some are filled with people who are very hurt and angry (due to their own experiences and their upbringing, which I’m not devaluing) and let that influence their responses. It takes a lot of grace and humility to interact in those forums, and I can understand how some writers might be think it’s not worth the trouble to build bridges.
Does that mean that bridges shouldn’t be built? Certainly not! As speculative fiction writers, we have the unique opportunity and gift to build our own worlds and completely spin around common tropes to expose people to new realities. We’re already challenged to break down walls and push our imaginations to new places. Reaching out and making connections between different races, cultures, and ethnicities should be par for the course. It’s one of the reasons I wrote “Culture-Building From the Inside Out.” To challenge people’s conceptions of worldview, religion, government, society, and people as whole and then to give them easy, accessible ways to use new ideas in their books. And maybe, through that exploring, to open their own minds and hearts to reach out to others as Christ did–not through preachiness or the other extreme of universalism, but through genuine understanding . Because as you keep mentioning, Mike, it’s not enough to notice there’s a problem with diversity. There need to be positive, respectful steps towards healing, reconciliation, and learning on both sides.
I also agree with Randy Streu’s comments. People will always be offended. That doesn’t mean something shouldn’t be done.
Also, while I acknowledge specifically racial diversity is uncommon in spec fiction and spec fiction authors, and I acknowledge there is a need to change that, part of breaking free of the boundaries of racism is acknowledging people are more than their skin color. Religion, upbringing, personality, economic class, mental soundness (or lack thereof), physical disability, and numerous other things play key roles in shaping the psyche of an individual. I don’t think racial reductionism is the final answer to any of these issues. People are people.
And while I’m harder on cultures and characters in stories, partly because we as the authors have so much control over them, there are times when a character is white simply because that is where they are from geographically. One thing I do when including racial diversity in my stories is make sure that it makes geographical and sociological sense within my world. Otherwise, it comes off as trite tokenism. Again, as creators, we have control over that geography, so there is still a lot more opportunity for creativity.
Janeen,
The stories I write are always diverse and you are right. It must make sense to the geography/region concerning what race your character will be.
That being said, we are all people and cultural diversity means that certain things will be different: maybe taste in food, family structure, language, etc. But outside of that we all have feelings, we love being loved, we have families and we live on earth under one Creator.
Thanks!
“They don’t have the experience with a minority population…”
In my opinion, therein lies the problem. I think lives need to touch each other in order to have an authentic experience. It’s not enough to research a different culture by reading about the members as if they are a foreign species from another world. Church is only one environment. There are opportunities to meet diverse people in neighborhoods, schools, at work, conferences, social media … the list is endless. Yes, there may be preferences, but there are really no excuses for not having experience WITH a minority population. BTW, love what you’re doing and will try to check out “Culture-Building From the Inside Out.”
Read an article on this the other day, the writer (I think) was a black woman. She noted that there was indeed a possibility for backlash on white writers to portray black characters (or any other ethnicity). However, she said that often the backlash comes when the black character is evidence of lazy writing, stereotyping or tokenism, like you stated above, Mike.
For the white writer on black characters, I think the answer is to simply say, I’m not writing this as the most authentic, genuine perspective for black people. I’m just trying to be empathetic: walk a mile in the other person’s shoes and all that. I certainly think a bit of due diligence is required, in that white writers can research the stereotypes that are out there and work to avoid them. The article above suggested, create your character as a white person, then change the color. This is assuming the author (white) likely has an easier time coming up with fully fleshed out characters (warts and all) who are white. I can attest personally that when I try to create characters who are colored from the start, I can hedge toward “safer” choices for the exact issues detailed in Mike’s post.
Example: In the Matrix movies (DVDs), a commentary track from a trio of film critics includes a joke where they say black people in white-written and directed films tend to either be A. Ghetto/Gangsta stereotypes or B. Extremely Wise Men/Women. One is white filmmakers being racially insensitive, the other is filmmakers playing it excessively safe. Watch any number of white-made films and you see this ALL OVER THE PLACE.
As for black writers, I’ll just say this: I ventured into the “black” section at a Barnes and Noble (the section had a different name, can’t remember) and it was totally black people on the covers. I’d suggest the heroes/ladies of these novels are all black, with white people as side characters if there are any at all. It’s as though black fiction is its own genre, like sci fi or romance. I wonder if any of these writers worry about properly representing whites, or some kind of backlash if they don’t, or a ratio of white characters (or any other ethnicity)…
I’d wager they don’t, and I’d say they shouldn’t.
It is an issue, and I don’t have any answers. However, I think that as Christians, we have a better shot at “diversity” than the secular world, simply because in Christ there is neither male nor female, slave nor free, Jew nor Greek.
Well said, Kessie!
I think the best answer to this is in being an Indie author. No one has control of your content or your covers but you. Write the characters that God wants you to write. Invest in a good editor and a good book cover designer, and learn how to market your work. If God called you to write, then He has readers that are waiting for your books. We need to stop letting the industry decide what gets out there.
Shari, I agree that indie publishing has the potential to reach outside the confines of trad publishing, at least as far as content. The big problem is finding the broader audience for our work, especially if that means targeting minority readers.
Short answer: no, it’s not an issue.
Long answer: the question is loaded, since it presumes that there is a moral component to achieving diversity, when there is none (I assume by “problem,” you mean it’s an ethical issue). Desiring a certain racial/gender makeup of an organization is ultimately a preference one holds: some have a high diversity preference, some a low one, some variable depending on context, some irrelevant. People can choose to associate with groups however they like based on their weighed preferences (it happens all the time, automatically).
I do find it odd to command a trait preference on a group of which someone is not a part. And even if that condition is met, it strikes one as socially tyrannical to command preferences from other individuals as a matter of course. Since I have no membership nor interest in CBA, and I’m generally not tyrannical, my preferences on its diversity are meaningless.
Jay, I think it’s a potential “problem” if 1.) There IS a conscious or subconscious discriminatory mindset (or “genteel racism”) at work and 2.) We, as Christians, are ignoring or dismissing real injustice. Not sure either exists or is provable in this context, but if they are, it would be a problem we’re compelled to address.
Hi Jay,
Your short answer “no, it’s not an issue” is likely shared by many folks. I think those who do not see the lack of diversity in a Christian organization that claims to want diversity are prone to settling for the status quo. The status quo can be quite dangerous and detrimental, especially in world that is rapidly changing demographically. My concern is that those who do not see a need for positive change (regarding inclusivity) have a proclivity to unconsciously support systemic racism. This is not something that is intentional or mean-spirited; however, it’s more of an attitude of this is how things have always been. The majority is happy. Why do the minority population need a voice? We, as Christians, bear responsibility for helping those who might be marginalized and/or disenfranchised.
I’d disagree with you here, but exploding another gas can here seems inappropriate. It’s probably best served as a blog post on my end.
I’m a Caucasian writer–demographically WASP. My husband (same ethically) and I are amazed and delighted at the diversity of our great grandchildren–add dashes of Norwegian, Turkish and Hispanic to us, and colors from platinum blond to a match for President Obama. Our friends (mostly within our not-very-large church) are black and white, Hispanic and not, in heterosexual or homosexual relationships or marriages. I’d love to make my writing more diverse, but when it comes down to it, the closest I come is acceptance by and appreciation for our Turkish son-in-law’s family and our Hispanic grandson-in-law’s family. I don’t have the in-depth experience to write about other groups or cultures except from the outside and I’m not likely to be part of the solution.
Debby:
Don’t sell yourself short. Your life sounds multicultural. You can be a part of the solution by intentionally supporting minority authors. Read books written by and about Latinos. When writing, include diverse characters based on your experience of interacting. Make the readers’ world look just like the diverse world you have described in your comment.
It’s a vicious cycle: people write stories from their own experiences, and readers with similar experience are most likely to latch onto those stories and create similar ones. Many subgenres of speculative fiction came out of predominantly white Western cultures. My guess (and hope) is that the current will gradually shift as our society becomes increasingly diverse, and that new trends will emerge in speculative fiction, and hopefully in Christian fiction as well. We can’t ultimately control who wants to write speculate or Christian fiction. However, I agree that we should be more deliberate about connecting with and creating a welcoming environment for writers who might be outside our normal circles. There is a lot to be gained by having diverse voices, especially considering the power of speculative fiction in calling out and addressing difficult real-world issues.
Diversity within fiction is another issue, and one that sometimes feels like a no-win scenario. If done poorly, it comes off as contrived or even derogatory. And, as Randy pointed out, even our best efforts will leave someone offended. It can be intimidating to attempt it. One of the central cultures in my WIP is partially based on a Middle Eastern culture in which I lived for a while. For a long time I deliberated whether this was wise, worried I’d misrepresent a culture that, as an outsider, I don’t fully understand. Ultimately, though, I decided it was worth the risk. As Christians and artists, it’s our responsibility to reflect the world as accurately as possible in the stories we tell. Diversity is an inescapable part of our reality, and creating realistic story worlds involves developing cultures with varying worldviews, traditions, etc., and showing both their positive and negative aspects. When we ignore this in our fiction, we miss out on opportunities to create believable (and interesting) dilemmas, confront real problems, and reflect the magnificent scope of God’s creation. We can make an effort to learn from real cultures and people, approaching them with respect and humility. We may not always get it right or be well-received, but surely it’s better to take that chance than to give into fear by playing it too safe.
“We may not always get it right or be well-received, but surely it’s better to take that chance than to give into fear by playing it too safe.”
Love this last sentence! It got me to thinking just how tricky the enemy is. We say that we don’t try to be inclusive because we are afraid of offending. However, by continuing along the same path of exclusivity we are still offending. Is fear of offense for doing something any different from offending by doing nothing? After your comment, I’m just not sure fear of offending is a legitimate excuse. Thanks for your words!
Perfect observation, Sandra!
This has been an age-old problem.
Here is an interesting conversation from back in 2006 – http://www.thepublishingcontrarian.com/2006/10/17/are-black-authors-getting-nigger-treatment-is-niche-a-dirty-word-is-millenia-black-really-suing-penguin-group-over-white-v-black-characters/
The post is from a publishers point of view, and the comments are many (61 I think), however it shows a perspective that can help us all understand this issue.
Engraved in His palm,
Gina
David C Cooke published a novel called Zora and Nicky by Claudia Mair Burney in 2008 which featured an interracial romance (and the subsequent uproar it caused in the different church communities and families). I remember being impressed that such a topic was featured in a CF book at the time that I read it and this is one of the reasons I really enjoyed it. Such gems do seem to appear from time to time, but I agree that it would be great to see much more diversity.
Uproar? Hmmm … I missed that one. My church (predominantly black) read it as a book club selection. We are large, over 3000 members on the roll. The book encouraged us to look inward and challenge our own racial biases. Sometimes we cannot see from our own blinders, it seems.
I’m going to cry as my entire comment was lost in the ‘error’ screen, but to sum things up I believe that in the case of our specific, authory niche the answer is for us to seek out and immerse ourselves in literature by those in the black community. Consider it a culture study. If we immerse ourselves in *their* experience and world-view (even if its set in a galaxy far far away) we can build an emotional connection with the work, and by proxy with the author… which broadens our understanding of people, broadens our friends lists/circles and opens us up to desire *more* experiences for diversity (spec-fi folk are particularly open minded/drawn to new worlds and cultures compared to our mainstream CBA counterparts). The natural result should theoretically be that we draw more minorities into our niche because we value those relationships as well as their professional and personal insights.
I don’t think its wrong to invite folk just-because, but I think its attacking the beast at the wrong end. Kind of like inviting stray neighborhood kids to VBS to win the ice cream party instead of developing caring, listening relationships with them so you can show them the love of Christ. Those kids know where they stand… whether they are the token or genuinely cared for. If they perceive they are a token the sting will only intensify the discomfort of being out of their comfort zone and they likely will not be back. Not to mention they may or may not want to play ball with you anymore.
So I believe we’re the ones who need to take the initiative to express genuine, intentional, care first. Theoretically the relationships will follow naturally, and they’ll be real, long-lasting ones. Ones that will help mold un into better human beings (and writers!) We are, after all, supposed to be known by our love and not our demographics on high-attendance Sunday.
Hi Mike,
A few words stick out as I read this post: “Awkwardness”, “scared away”, and “minefield”.
It seems that when it comes to acceptance of people of color in the publishing industry (or any industry), there is this “fear of difference” and for me as a black woman that is scary being that we all share one Creator and it is 2015. Are we really discussing this now?
But let me play Devil’s Advocate for minute…
I first fell in love with Christian Fiction as a teen. The writers were white, female, and the characters were white as well. No diversity whatsoever. And I loved all the stories wholeheartedly. Even now when I see a Tosca Lee or Beverly Lewis book, I go crazy and purchase their books because these writers have serious craft and know how to tell a story.
But when I ventured to reading African American CF- it was different. The characters spoke like me, had similar experiences, and the authors of course were black.
But did I like the books?
Well. They were okay. I like Octavia Butler books and Tananarive Due(secular writers)And here is what I think is going on. Two things.
First is tradition. Many readers of sci/fi, Christian and romance books are used to white authors and white characters in the books, movie and other media. To veer from that is like going from steaks to steak-ums I suppose. Steak-ums are great but if you’re a true steak person…
Then you have those who just simply fear anything different. They have not given the material a chance.
We need to realize that God made flowers of different colors and humans come in different colors too. Color should not dictate what we read. If it is a good story so be it.
If it is indeed a problem, I’d say it’s a problem of creativity. In specfic we make up our own worlds, so why not create our own races, or…if I write a story set in 2105, and I include a black character, how can anyone say that as a white woman, I’m not “getting right”? I’m projecting into the future. There is no “right”. (Speaking of, as a woman, I create many male characters. I’m not male…yet, I place myself in the head of my character and go.)
In my science fiction, I am intentional about using names from different ethnic backgrounds. Beyond the name, I’m not one to describe my character unless it adds to the story or the characterization. So, I’m not going to say Fatma Issa’s skin is dark. The name alone implies certain characteristics.
In terms of writing conferences, can we be more inclusive? Always. Can publishers be more inclusive? Always. We can be–and are–inclusive (“we” as in Provision Books, specifically, The Common Oddities Speculative Fiction Sideshow ezine) not only of various races, but also varying belief systems. Within a loose set of content guidelines, it’s a melting pot over here, baby. Or should I say…a pot of gumbo…
(Stew? Tossed salad? Somebody help me out here…)
Well said, Jessica.
There is some diversity, but it tends to mostly be in the indie presses. I know commenter and author Donovan O’Neal is African-American, and the longest running Christian superhero comic both stars and is written by a black man:
http://www.faithwalkerhero.com/
This is a problem even in secular SF though. There aren’t many minority authors in the genre altogether. In both cases I don’t think it’s racism at all; more that few minority authors like that genre or plan to write it to begin with. Sort of akin to programming and women; pretty much every company would kill for women programmers, but there simply aren’t enough women interested in it to make a big pool of applicants.
People are tribal. That is the way they are, and that isn’t going to change. I don’t like it–I’m at the extreme opposite end of the spectrum regarding this human trait. So it seems to me that the tribal affiliation simply needs to change (don’t you love the word “simply” there?). Tribal doesn’t have to equate to black or white. It could be “sci fi geeks” or, considering the venue, “Christians”! Christians ought to stick together and support each other no matter the race. They should invite the disenfranchised to their events because they should already know that some people need a little nudge or an extra welcome. Pretending that all are welcome because there’s no bar on people of color is like claiming that the American Dream is open to all. No, it isn’t. There is no open “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” path to success. Some people don’t even have bootstraps. I don’t even know what a bootstrap is, for heaven’s sake.
This is a very interesting discussion. As an Australian Christian fiction writer, I have thought a number of times of having a main character of Aboriginal origin. However, my daughter, who has worked extensively with Aboriginal culture and knows more about them as a people group, and about the tensions that exist because of colonialism, I know that any hope of me trying to represent an Aboriginal character authentically would be slim. The only thing I can think to do is to someday try to find an Aboriginal writer, and then collaborate on the story. But like your American problem, they don’t seem to be very obvious in the Evangelical or Contemporary church of Australia. It is something we perhaps need to give more thought to, and prayer. Thank you for bringing the discussion forward.
I’ll start by identifying myself as a white male to provide some context. This is an issue that near and dear to me. Let me explain. I started writing back in November 2014, and I’m on schedule to self-publish my first novel in late October which will be the first of a series, followed closely by a 2nd novel in early November, which will of course be the 2nd novel in the series.
When I first started writing, I didn’t know it was going to be a series, but about half-way through the first book, I started to see a six book series. So of course I was curious as to what the second book was going to be like, and what the characters would be like. Soon I began to strongly feel God was leading me to feature an African American male as the lead, and an African American female that he would meet about half-way into the book. And I saw them both on the cover.
My first thought was, God, what are we doing here? You do understand that I want to sell books and not just make a statement, right?
Don’t get me wrong, I have no issues with writing about African Americans or issues relating to them, but I’m new, and the second book of a series of novels is pretty important. If you’re an established author you can afford to take some risks, but as a new guy this didn’t make sense. I’m keenly aware of the demographic realities concerning the make-up of my target audience. I’d venture to say that 95% of those who would buy Christian Fiction on Amazon are white.
But as I continued to pray, I saw that not only was I to feature African Americans in this book, but I was to tackle head-on some issues that aren’t generally addressed, and especially not by whites. So now I’m shaking my head and thinking, what in the world is God thinking.
When I first sat down to start on the book, I came in with a preconceived idea of how the book would start, and how it would introduce the main character My ideas were very stereotypical, but as I began to write, that is not what unfolded. In fact, I think my character probably goes against every stereotype that a typical white evangelical would think of regarding an AA male lead. When the lead meets the female romantic interest, he meets her family, which turned out to be a strong nuclear family that anyone would want to grow up in.
My beta readers have said the content is good, but certain parts are risky. I think I started on this book back in March, and I can assure you that I had no agenda. Trying to explore diversity or promote diversity was not on my radar. But you know what happened? I really liked the first book, and I feel it does a great job of setting up the series, but I loved the second book. Everything came together, and by the time I was done, I understood why it needed to be done. So we’ll see what happens when it is released. It will be one of the few Christian Fiction works that will feature African Americans on the cover, and it may just be the only one of these that is written by a white person.
I did some digging around, and there are a few sub-categories on Amazon for AA Christian Fiction. Here’s one of them: http://www.amazon.com/gp/bestsellers/digital-text/6190459011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_kstore_2_5_last
It appears there’s more out there than I thought, and judging by the overall ratings, these books aren’t doing too bad. In fact the #1 book in this sub-category has an overall rank of #847. Compare that to the number one rated Christian Adventure book which is sitting at a rank of #64,324. Now that first book might be an outlier, but the 2nd book in that AA Christian sub-category is still at an overall rank of around #4700.
For the sake of comparison though, I should mention that the AA Christian books in that category appear to be almost all romance which tends to do better anyway.
To put a finer edge on the point of this article, we should probably say that African Americans writers and characters are more scarce when it comes to Christian Action Adventure and Fantasy which is the kind of fiction Realm Makers would tend to attract.
I’m glad you dug around, Walter!
Indeed, there are many readers, writers, and characters of color in Christian Fiction, but the general “segregation” in ChristFic publishing tends to leave readers unaware of Christian Fiction being written and published on the other side of the racial fence, if you will. Also, when it comes to Amazon, if books are categorized as both African American and Christian, the AA label comes first, so customers searching for Christian Fiction won’t find many of those books unless they first look under “African American.” Then, when it comes to a lot of brick and mortar bookstores, African American ChristFic is often shelved in the African American literature section or just in the general fiction section. So, again, many Christian Fiction customers don’t come across those books.
I personally hope to see Christian Fiction become much more integrated.
I definitely make an effort to be diverse in what I write. For one thing I feel compelled usually to write leads who are Asian or Eurasian women.
But I try to never forget about African American or Latin Americans either. I like to draw attention to the fact that world wide the majority of the Church is pretty brown.
So great to see this article! Thank you for writing it, Mike.
One thing I’d like to point out…
“Apparently, publishing more books for people of color has not always met with great success. One respondent wrote, I’m aware of a few attempts by major CBA publishers to publish non-white fiction, and the books sold so poorly they were scared away from trying it again.”
I don’t think separate publishing imprints for different audiences is inherently a bad thing, and many times, it’s helpful. But, I also don’t think the approach should be Christian publishers’ attempts to publish “books FOR people of color,” as if Christian books always or necessarily need to be published, categorized, or marketed along racial lines and thusly imprinted. “Here are our books FOR white people, and there are our books FOR black people. See the imprints?” I’m perfectly fine with Christian Fiction being integrated, with authors of different colors and books with lead characters of different colors being published side by side for all audiences, not necessarily divided by separate publishing efforts. Just a guess, but diverse Christian books might sell better if publishers handle them like normal books, not as something “special” they’re doing “for” separate readers.
Amen, Nadine! I think you hit the nail on the head. Let’s look at all books as “normal” books without regard to the color of a character’s skin.
As far as the CBA and Christian Bookstores are concerned, I really do think it comes down to money. The overwhelming majority of those buying books in these categories are white evangelical. With Bookstores already being squeezed, they are even less likely to stray away from tried and true formulas.
Not to sound cliche, but I think the answer is for people to write what they feel God is calling them to write, with the characters He is telling them to include. Diversity shouldn’t be forced, or it just turns into tokenism and pandering. And imho those aren’t helpful.
What Walter said! I agree that authors should “write what they feel God is calling them to write, with the characters He is telling them to include.” And when doing so makes it difficult to be published by CBA publishers or to get into those bookstores, authors find–and will continue to find–alternative ways to publish, whether that’s starting their own publishing companies or going the independent or self-pub route. Readers who are looking for the kinds of stories those authors are writing will find them, even if it takes a while.
Amazon is quite the behemoth in bookselling right now, and it’s becoming routine to find a number of independent and self-published titles mixed right in with traditional CBA books on the bestseller lists in Christian Fiction. And while it may not be the most obvious thing yet, independent Christian authors and publishers have started addressing the diversity issue.
While the CBA may or mayn’t choose to stick firmly with what’s worked for them so far, I believe awareness and the call and desire for more diverse books in Christian Fiction–books that reflect a wider range of the faces that make up Christianity–is increasing and will continue to increase with the times, and readers will get those books from the publishers and authors who provide them.